Most unusual films and books...

From Publishers Lunch Weekly:

INSPIRATIONAL:

Rita winner and triple finalist Tamera Alexander's IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, the first in a series set during the Civil War about an impoverished woman who becomes an assistant to the owner of a plantation and the richest woman in America -- involving blockade running, runaway slaves, the art world, and a master gardener who teaches her where true beauty can be found, to Charlene Patterson at Bethany House, at auction, by Natasha Kern at Natasha Kern Literary Agency (World).

SCI-FI/FANTASY:

Greg van Eekhout's NORSE CODE, a contemporary fantasy incorporating Norse mythology in which the end of the world (Ragnarok) is approaching, prompting the ancient Norse gods to enter our world -- some to prevent, and some to hasten the ultimate destruction of the world of man, to Juliet Ulman at Bantam Dell, by Caitlin Blasdell at Liza Dawson Associates (world English).

GENERAL/OTHER:

Marisha Pessl's NIGHT FILM, a psychological thriller about obsession, family loyalty and ambition set in raw contemporary Manhattan, moving to Kate Medina at Random House, by her new agent Amanda Urban at ICM.Richard Grant's CAVE DWELLERS, a literary thriller set in World War II Berlin, to Gary Fisketjon at Knopf, in a nice deal, by Howard Morhaim at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency (NA).

Author of DRIVING WITH DEAD PEOPLE COWBOY AND WILLS: A Love Story, Monica Holloway's adventurous, inspirational narrative about how the family's golden retriever, a gentle dog who ached from cancer, gave their son, a bright and loving spirit who struggles with autism, a life-affirming confidence and trust, to Tricia Boczkowski at Simon Spotlight Entertainment, by Laurie Fox at the Linda Chester Literary Agency.

D&J Book Packaging and Media's BACON: A LOVE STORY, a salty survey of everybody's favorite meat, written by proprietor of the blog "Bacon Unwrapped" Heather Lauer, to Anne Cole at Collins, at auction, by Dan Conaway at Writers House (NA).

FILM:

Clare Morrall's NATURAL FLIGHTS OF THE HUMAN MIND, optioned to Mick Audsley of Scrimpo Productions, by Meg Davis at MBA Literary Agents.

Film rights to A Lee Martinez's novel IN THE COMPANY OF OGRES, about Never Dead Ned who discovers why he keeps returning from the dead, and suddenly realizes he must do everything he can to stay alive, optioned to Rough Draft Studios (The Simpsons Movie, Futurama), by Sarah Self at The Gersh Agency on behalf of Sally Harding at The Cooke Agency.

Valerie Block's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, optioned to Marilyn Agrelo, director of MAD HOT BALLROOM, by Bill Contardi, on behalf of Gail Hochman at Brandt & Hochman.

NON-FICTION/BIOGRAPHY:

Member of the Memphis Mafia and DJ George Klein's ELVIS: MY BEST MAN, an intimate portrait of Elvis Presley, who stood as best man at Klein's wedding, chronicling decades of friendship that began in the 8th grade, candidly sharing the many highs and lows, culminating in Presley's comeback album from American Studios in which Klein was instrumental, to Kristin Kiser at Crown, with Jed Donahue editing, by Scott Waxman at Waxman Literary Agency.

COOKING:

BET gospel icon Dr. Bobby Jones's collection of recipes from well-known African-American musicians, authors, and celebrities, taking traditional recipes in the African-American community and making them heart-healthy, to Sarah Sper at Center Street, by Kirby Kim at Vigliano Associates (NA).

HISTORY/POLITICS/CURRENT AFFAIRS:

Author of APOCALYPSE 2012: An Inquiry into the End of Civilization, journalist Lawrence Joseph's follow-up, 2012: The Aftermath, which will systematically assess the greatest threats to our daily life from the 2012 scenario of global upheaval, and suggest the best ways to prevent them and to control the damage, should the unthinkable come to pass, to Becky Cole at Broadway, by Andrew Stuart at The Stuart Agency (World).

Colorado Congresswoman and chief architect of stem cell legislation that President Bush has vetoed twice Diana DeGette's SEX, SCIENCE, AND STEM CELLS, an indictment of Republican positions on sex education, birth control, abortion and embryonic stem cell research, to Gene Brissie at Lyons Press, for publication in July 2008, by Mel Berger at the William Morris Agency.

NARRATIVE:

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Brian Biegel and author Peter Thomas Fornatale's MIRACLE BALL: My Hunt for the Shot Heard Around the World, the story of Biegel's search for the lost Bobby Thomson 1951 home-run ball and how the discoveries he made along the way would change his life forever, to Jed Donahue at Crown, at auction, for publication in conjunction with a documentary about the search, by Scott Waxman at Waxman Literary Agency.

SCIENCE:

Pete Dunne's CUMBERLAND SUMMER, the natural history of summer, revealed by a close look at the plants, animals, and people of one rural New Jersey county, to Lisa White at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, for publication in 2010, by Russell Galen at Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency (NA).

UK:

Eminem's THE WAY I AM, a collection of photographs, art, sketches for lyrics, notes from journals, and at least a little actual writing, to Ian Preece at Orion, by Marc Gerald at The Agency Group and Luca Scalisi (UK/Commonwealth).

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