Book bytes. (publishing industry news)(Column)

JOYNER-KERSEE JOINS WITH WARNER

PW already has reported the post-Olympics book deals for track star Michael Johnson (Book News, September 16) and the U.S. girls gymnastic team (News, August 26), but actually six-time Olympic medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee was first out of the gate. Three days after the Games ended, agent Sharl Wenk sent out a fax alert to publishers about Joyner-Kersee's interest in doing a book, and Warner Books signed a reported mid-six-figure deal for it. None of the parties involved describe the book as a sports book only. "Incredible as it may seem in this book authored by the world's greatest female athlete, sports takes a back seat to an …