Remember Cuban-American writer Oscar Hijuelos, author of 1989’s Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love? No? Yes? Who cares? Well, he’s still alive and writing books. Two, in fact:

According to sources at several publishing houses who saw proposals for both books, Mr. Hijuelos’s literary agent, Jennifer Lyons, was seeking half a million dollars for each. Although Ms. Lyons submitted the two books together, sources said, she made it clear that she was willing to sell them off separately.

Ms. Lyons, who runs her own eponymous agency, confirmed that she sold the novel to one publisher and the memoir to another—a rather unusual move, according to several editors and agents—but declined to specify where either of the books ended up because the contracts have not been finalized.

Oh how fun! Just in time for summer reading spring reading abnormally warm winter reading. Fine. We don’t actually read.

Ole! New Houses for Hijuelos [The New York Observer]