January 06, 2009

By Reuters

Leona Lewis, who won U.K. talent TV show "The X Factor" in 2006 and topped charts around the world with debut album "Spirit," has signed a deal to pen her autobiography with publishing house Hodder & Stoughton.

The book, which will include more than 100 new photographs, will hit the shelves in October, shortly before the scheduled release of Lewis' second album, the publisher said.

"The last two years have been an unbelievable experience for me," said the 23-year-old Londoner, who debuted at No.1 in the key U.S. album chart last year, the first British woman to achieve the feat.

Spirit has sold an estimated five million copies around the world since its release in 2007.

Hodder & Stoughton, which did not disclose the financial details of the deal, said photographs for the autobiography would be taken by Dean Freeman, who also worked on the publisher's collaboration with football star David Beckham.

"This will be the first time Leona tells her story of how the X-Factor launched her from waitressing in Pizza Hut in Hackney [East London] to stardom on both sides of the Atlantic," said Hodder editor Fenella Bates.

"It is a real-life fairytale and every girl's dream."

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