Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has announced the acquisition of Alison Bechdel‘s third graphic memoir, The Secret to Superhuman Strength, with plans for publication in 2017.  The announcement was made as part of an interview with the The New York Times. 
 
Bechdel’s Fun Home is one of the bestselling single graphic novels in recent memory.  Published in 2008, and ranking as #3 on ICv2’s Fiction & Reality Titles of 2008 (see "'ICv2 Insider's Guide': Top 10 Fiction & Reality Titles of 2008"), sales on the volume have only grown since then, and it was still hitting the top ten in its category earlier this year (see "Top 10 Fiction & Reality Franchises--Spring 2014").
 
The new memoir will chronicle Bechdel’s decades-long obsession with various fitness and exercise fads: downhill skiing, uphill skiing, rollerblading, martial arts, running, hiking, weight lifting, home workout videos and yoga.  The book will also look at the history of American fitness fads, as well as Bechdel’s attempt to reawaken her creativity through exercise.
 
Bechdel won a “genius” grant earlier this year (see "Alison Bechdel Wins 'Genius Grant''").