Cleveland Hero Scores Book Deal

Putting down his Big Mac to help a woman in distress turned Charles Ramsey into a national celebrity. Now he's turned that into a book deal. Ramsay—who famously freed three women from years of captivity in a Cleveland house—is collaborating with a co-author to write about his experiences before, during, and after the rescue, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. "Charles says outrageous things, but what a story he has," says co-author and freelance writer Randy Nyerges. "America doesn't know yet how truly brilliant this guy is."

Ramsay has already lit up TV interviews with colorful opinions on race and class in America. Now he plans to write about growing up in a mostly white neighborhood, serving three prison sentences, and surviving with various odd jobs. Of course, he'll also talk about breaking into kidnapper Ariel Castro's house and emerging an unlikely celebrity. (One tidbit: Apparently national TV shows that fly you to New York don't always give you a return ticket home.) The kidnap victims are also telling their stories, with Michelle Knight writing a memoir, and Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus joining forces on a new book. (More Charles Ramsey stories.)