Steve Earle Penning New Memoir and Novel

Cary Goldstein, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Twelve, announced today the acquisition of two books by legendary singer and songwriter Steve Earle. The first book will be a memoir and the second a novel. Grand Central Publishing Executive Editor Ben Greenberg acquired world rights for the two books and will edit the titles for Twelve.
 
Earle’s memoir, the book he swore he would never write, will be a literary work in three acts.  The first section will focus on meeting Townes Van Zandt and the complicated friendship and musical mentorship that ensued, taking place in Texas and Tennessee.  The second section will center on bottoming out in Nashville, culminating in a prison sentence, during which Steve got clean.  The heart of the third and final section will be recovery, starting around the recording of the masterful album, Train a Comin’.  The novel is a work of historical fiction and will tell the story of a runaway slave who survived the battle of the Alamo.
 
Cary Goldstein said: "Steve Earle is a legend, plain and simple – a brilliant musician, and an essential storyteller. It is an honor for us to make a literary home for him here at Twelve."
 
Hachette Audio will be releasing audiobook versions of each title simultaneously with the hardcover and e-book publications. The memoir will be published in spring 2014 with the novel following at a later date.