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B.J. Novak will release a book of stories in 2014

"The Office" writer B.J. Novak signed a two-book deal with Knopf. The first title will be a collection of stories based on some of his previous performances.

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Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
B.J. Novak's first book is scheduled for a 2014 release.
  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

B.J. Novak, a former actor and writer on “The Office,” has signed a two-book deal with Knopf for what is reportedly a seven-figure sum.

Novak’s first book is due in 2014 and his literary agent Richard Abate said the work is a collection of stories. The literary genre of the second title is unknown.

“The closest analogy for me is Woody Allen,” Abate, who is also the representation for other NBC stars like Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, and Mindy Kaling, told the New York Times of Novak's work. “Underneath these stories is a real intellectual curiosity. I think their appeal is that they’re incredibly accessible and comic, but at the same time they’re exploring the modern condition.”

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Novak adapted the stories from narratives he told during performances at Upright Citizens Brigade.

Novak served as a writer, producer, and director and played temp Ryan Howard on the sitcom “The Office,” which he left last year. He appeared in the 2009 film “Inglourious Basterds” and recently did a guest stint on former “Office” co-star Mindy Kaling’s new show “The Mindy Project.”

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