Tanya Egan Gibson's Debut Novel Goes to Dutton at Auction
Tanya Egan Gibson's debut novel, A Book for Carley has been auctioned
for six figures to Dutton. Her agent describes the book as similar to the bestselling book Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl.
Ms. Golomb, who represented Ms. Pessl in the sale of "Special Topics," said in an interview last week that Ms. Gibson's book is set in a wealthy community on the North shore of Long Island, and centers around a 16-year-old girl who struggles with the "terribly materialistic world" in which she lives. Like her classmates, Ms. Golomb said, the girl does not like to read, and her parents, in an attempt to get her to embrace literature, hire someone to write a book fitted specifically to her taste and sensibility.
Ms. Golomb said A Book for Carley, which was acquired by Dutton editor-in-chief Trena Keating, was written with a sort of "heightened wit" and precocious dialogue reminiscent of Special Topics and the film Juno.
"The real message of the book is that literature is something that can really inform your life and your life choices and your feelings about yourself, and it's kind of a rallying cry for children and teenagers and all of us to continue to read because it's not just some dry thing that's good for you," Ms. Golomb said. "That's the kind of thing that the publishing community can really get behind and it’s very popular with book clubs."
Nothing like a Juno reference to sell a book at auction, we always say.
