Author: Andy Lewis

Shonda Rhimes is moving from the small screen to the printed page.

The creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal has signed with Simon & Schuster to write a memoir, the publisher announced.

The book will trace Rhimes’ decision (prior to coming to Hollywood) to build a family and the challenges of being a single mother while striving for professional success. Publication is scheduled for 2015.

S&S describes the book as “part memoir, part inspiration, part prescription.”

In a statement announcing the deal, Rhimes joked, “Simon and Schuster is crazy for giving me a book deal as I am clearly in no position to be handing out wisdom.”

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But on a more serious note, she added, “I have made a lot of mistakes as a single mother, and as a working mother, and as a sleepless mother, and as a dating mother. And I did all of it while running a bunch of TV shows. So I’m going to write about that and hope my kids don’t use it against me in therapy later.”

S&S Vice-President and Editor-in-Chief Marysue Rucci also commented on the deal. “Shonda Rhimes is bar none in the storytelling realm. Now fans of her phenomenal shows can read Shonda’s story in her own words – and marvel at how Shonda built a phenomenal career. Readers everywhere will cheer the fearless decisions Shonda has made to achieve happiness.”

For her television work, Rhimes has been honored as Television Producer of the Year from the Producers Guild of America, a Lucy Award for Excellence in Television from Women in Film, and a GLAAD Golden Gate Award. She was also recently appointed a Trustee for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Obama.

The deal comes as Rhimes remains busy showrunning two of ABC’s most valuable shows in third-year hit Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy, which is in its 10th season and recently celebrated 200 episodes. In addition to developing new projects via her ABC Studios-based Shondaland banner with Betsy Beers, Rhimes is also prepping War Correspondents, a feature film based on an early teleplay, for Sony. 

ICM’s Jennifer Joel represented Rhimes on the publishing deal.

Meg Perotti

Kunal Nayyar

Big Bang Theory‘s Kunal Nayyar has inked a deal with Atria Books for a humorous memoir about growing up Indian. 

Behind the Scenes of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ 

Nayyar is best-known as astrophysicist Rajesh Koothrappali on the hit CBS sitcom, which began its seventh season on Sept. 26 to record premiere ratings.

The still untitled collection of essays will recount his childhood in India, being an exchange student at the University of Portland and his early years as an actor. 

Born in London and raised in New Delhi, the 32-year-old Nayyar came to the U.S. in 1999 to attend college, where he discovered his love of acting.

Before landing the role on The Big Bang Theory, he performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the American Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington. He landed the role of Raj with only a small guest appearance on NCIS under his belt. 

Unlike his fictional counterpart Raj, who gets tongue-tied around women, Nayyar married the 2006 Miss India winner, Neha Kapur, in December 2011.

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“I’ve cleaned toilets in Portland, been held up for 76 cents in Philadelphia, and my first acting job on TV was playing a terrorist. Also my father thinks he’s James Bond, and I once played a Star Wars board game for 36 straight hours. Then I married Miss India. So why not write a book? It’s the logical next step,” joked Nayyar in a statement about the project.

Publication is expected in 2015. 

Rob Weisbach of Rob Weisbach Creative Management negotiated the deal on behalf of Nayyar, who is also represented by Innovative Artists and Lovett Management.

Peter Borland acquired it for Atria. 

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Awkward‘s Ashley Rickards is writing Get Your Sh!T Together, her first book, publisher Harlequin announced. 

Mixing relatable tips for teens and personal stories from Rickards, the book is scheduled to be published in spring 2015. 

Rickards is the star of MTV’s teen dramedy Awkward, which has her earned her a People’s Choice award.

The opening premise had Rickards dealing with unwanted attention at school when an accident she had is confused for a suicide attempt. 

New episodes of season three resume on Oct. 22. 

The stories Rickards will tell about her own childhood include being bullied and how she got kicked out of the Girl Scouts.

She will add fashion, relationship and health advice to those tales. The book is touted by the publisher as offering “real solutions for real girls.”

“Despite her meteoric success, Ashley Rickards is relatable, down-to-earth, and wise beyond her years,” said editor Rebecca Hunt. “Her insight, empathy and guidance will help young women worldwide wade through any and all awkward phases and come out better on the other side.”

The book is part of Harlequin’s ongoing effort to expand the publisher’s offerings beyond its traditional romance story base (think those Fabio covers) into YA and pop culture. 

Katherine Latshaw of Folio Literary negotiated the deal on behalf of Rickards.