( October 29, 2007 ) - Brunonia Barry, whose self-published debut novel, The Lace Reader, received a starred PW review in early August, now has a seven-figure world English rights deal with William Morrow for that book and a second. Kelley & Hall worked with Barry in promoting her debut novel and managed to get it in the hands of reviewers at Publishers Weekly. The starred review in PW along with attention throughout various media outlets brought Barry some high profile attention. Laurie Chittenden beat out several other houses, reportedly including Grand Central and Hyperion, after agent Rebecca Oliver at Endeavor turned down a seven-figure preemptive offer that kicked off an auction. Oliver just accepted a substantial preempt in Italy and has auctions coming up in six more territories; Harper will publish in the U.K.

The Lace Reader centers on a young woman descended from a long line of mind readers and fortune tellers who can read the future in patterns of lace. Her return to her hometown of Salem, Mass., to recover from a series of traumas is tragically interrupted by the death of a beloved great-aunt. Circumstances suggest foul play, but the woman’s suspicions aren’t taken seriously given her history of hallucinations and self-harm. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from a fictional book, The Lace Reader’s Guide, written by a character in the novel, that offers insight into what lies ahead for the reader.

Barry is a Massachusetts native who has recently returned there after nearly a decade as a screenwriter in Hollywood. Upon her return, she enlisted the help of Kelley & Hall whose client list include such literary stars as Jacquelyn Mitchard and Michael Palmer. Kelley & Hall, which started only two years ago, was born out of a love of books and the desire to help authors who deserve attention, receive attention. Pub date for Barry's debut novel with Morrow in the U.S. and Harper in the U.K. is fall 2008.