Chip and Joanna Gaines went from HGTV hosts to the king and queen of their own empire – and a castle to go along with it!
They now have their own television network, where they hand-pick all their shows, restaurants, bakeries, an entire tourist destination in Waco, Texas called The Silos.
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On top of that, they have released several books, including fan-favorite two cook books.
Need some recipe inspiration? Check out books like Magnolia Table and other cook books in person or online. Hint: Head up to the 3rd floor and look for the TX section! #LibraryBooks #LibraryResources #JFLibrary pic.twitter.com/XXrBODeO0q
— Jerry Falwell Library (@LibertyULibrary) August 5, 2022
Now, their former literary agent is suing the couple, alleging that they haven’t made good on a five-book deal that they signed with him back in 2017.
David Vigliano, of Vigliano Associates, claims he signed Chip and Jo to a $12.5 million deal to write and publish five books for publishing company HarperCollins. Vigliano Associates allege their deal with the couple would give the company 7.5 percent of any payments.
Vigliano also says that the couple only delivered on two of the five promised titles. The lawsuit claims that for Joanna’s latest book, The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters, they signed with a different literary agent. The book was released November 8, 2022.
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Now, Vigliano Associates is receiving any money from that book, which should have been the third book in their five-book deal. Vigliano says he is seeking at least “$1 million in damages.”
The court filing reads, “Joanna and Chip Gaines brand themselves as moral Christians who purportedly operate in an ethical manner … nothing could be further from the truth.”
In addition to signing with another agent, the suit alleges that the couple tried to knock down to deal to three books, with the third book being penned by Chip, which was not part of the deal.
Multiple outlets reached out to Chip and Joanna’s reps, but hadn’t heard back yet.