Spencer Hill Press Has Signed Author Jennifer L. Armentrout

Spencer Hill Press has signed author Jennifer L. Armentrout. Her debut novel, Half-Blood, will be released on September 15th, 2011.

Title: Half-Blood
Series: Covenant (Book 1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
ISBN: 978-0-9831572-0-5
Release Date: September 15, 2011
Pages: 308
Format(s): Trade Paper, e-book
Website: acovenantnovel.com

The Penguin Press Acquires New Novel From Sapphire

Ann Godoff, President and Publisher of The Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), announced the acquisition of Sapphire's The Kid, the second novel by the bestselling author of Push.

The Company said The Kid tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Push's unforgettable heroine, Precious. The deal, for North American rights, was made between Godoff, who serves as editor, and Melanie Jackson of the Melanie Jackson Agency. Publication is slated for Summer 2011.

Amazon Acquires the Literary Fiction List of The Toby Press

Amazon and The Toby Press today announced that Amazon plans to acquire the publication rights of up to 121 books currently published by The Toby Press. The books represent the works of 61 authors and include diverse fiction titles and works in translation.

Amazon's publishing imprints, AmazonEncore and AmazonCrossing, will re-publish the works as print editions and Kindle editions in the United States and globally in cases where authors choose to make their works available. Kindle editions will be available for Kindle devices and Kindle apps, and print editions will be available on www.amazon.com and its websites worldwide, as well as in bookstores throughout the United States, United Kingdom and Germany.

For more information on AmazonEncore and AmazonCrossing upcoming titles, visit www.amazon.com/encore or www.amazon.com/crossing.

HarperOne To Publish The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho's International Bestseller

HarperOne announced the December 2010 publication of The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel (Hardcover; $22.99; ISBN 9780062024329). A beautiful interpretation of a beloved classic that continues to inspire readers worldwide, The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel will be available just in time for the 2010 holiday season.

The Alchemist has established itself as a modern classic. An international bestseller, it has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years and is regularly cited in interviews as the favorite of celebrities ranging from Russell Crowe to Will Smith to Joe Jonas. Now, for the first time, the phenomenal bestseller has been rendered as a graphic novel that will appeal to the millions of existing fans while also attracting a new generation of readers.

According to author Paulo Coelho, "It was an old dream of mine to have The Alchemist as a graphic novel. This version exceeds my expectations and is a beautiful manifestation of what I originally imagined while crafting this story."

The Penguin Press to Publish Second Novel From Sapphire

Ann Godoff, President and Publisher of The Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), announced the acquisition of Sapphire's The Kid, the second novel by the bestselling author of Push. The Kid tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Push's unforgettable heroine, Precious. The deal, for North American rights, was made between Godoff, who serves as editor, and Melanie Jackson of the Melanie Jackson Agency. Publication is slated for Summer 2011.

"Sapphire never fails to render the hardest material comprehensible by coming from a place of love," Ann Godoff said of the acquisition. "In her second novel, she fearlessly explores the young life of an African American boy as he approaches manhood; alone, brutalized and with the soul of an artist. It is an honor for The Penguin Press to have the opportunity to publish this extraordinary book."

Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Berkeley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G.P. Putnam's Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Plume, Puffin, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.

Book Publisher Rosenthal to Launch Penguin Imprint

David Rosenthal, the former publisher of CBS Corp.'s Simon & Schuster imprint, is launching his own imprint at Pearson PLC's Penguin Group (USA).

Exclusive Distribution Deal With Author of Controversial New Bon Jovi Book

Global Media Online, Inc. has signed an exclusive, one year distribution deal with Ritchie Bozzett, Author of "Sex, Drugs, and Bon Jovi," a tell all book about his life as the former road manager for the international sensation, the rock band Bon Jovi.

The agreement grants Global the exclusive third party rights as the "online retailer" of the book. The book will be offered to the public exclusively by Global Media Online, Inc. on Amazon.com, half.com and various online retail outlets. Recently the book has appeared in The NY Post, LA Times, The Daily News and several other large newspaper publications, due to the eye opening antics of the band, its front man Jon Bon Jovi, as well as revelations about bandmate Ritchie Sambora's role in Jon Bon Jovi's marriage issues.

"Sure, it's filled with sex, drugs, and crazy antics, but the real underlying story reveals the man behind the stage, his exploits and experiences on this fantastic rise to fame and how the large record companies left him out in the cold once the band reached its success," said company CEO Raymond Barton. "The book is simply captivating, and with the growing popularity and media exposure, I expect it to be a tremendous success for Mr. Bozzett and for Global. This endeavor also creates new opportunities for Global to expand into publishing and order fulfillment along with the online retail."

G. P. Putnam's Sons Acquires 33 Men

G. P. Putnam's Sons President Ivan Held today announced the acquisition of a riveting new book, 33 Men, by Jonathan Franklin, an award-winning American journalist who has lived in Chile for 15 years. He had unprecedented access to the 33 Chilean miners trapped 2,200 feet below the earth for ten weeks, their families, and the emergency personnel who ultimately rescued all 33 men alive. This uplifting story of survival and endurance has captivated the world.

North American hardcover and paperback rights as well as audio and eBook rights to the book were acquired in a highly competitive auction by Marysue Rucci, Vice President, Editorial Director, G. P. Putnam's Sons, from literary agent George Lucas of InkWell Management LLC in association with Annabel Merullo at PFD in London. Putnam is planning to publish the book in hardcover in February 2011. Berkley will publish the paperback edition approximately one year later.

New Kindle Exclusive: Edward Burns--Actor, Writer, Director and Film Producer--Makes Electronic Edition of Screenplay

Amazon.com  announced that actor, writer, director and film producer Edward Burns has made the screenplay of his just-released film "Nice Guy Johnny" available in electronic format exclusively in the Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore). Kindle customers can purchase this book for $7.99 and read it on their Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry and Android-based devices. Amazon's Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. With Kindle Worry-Free Archive, books you purchase from the Kindle Store are automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon, where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime. The e-book edition of "Nice Guy Johnny" will be exclusive to the Kindle Store for one year.

The film "Nice Guy Johnny," written and directed by Edward Burns, introduces Johnny Rizzo, who is about to trade his dream job in talk radio for some snooze-ville gig that'll pay enough to please his fiancee. Enter Uncle Terry, a rascally womanizer set on turning a weekend in the Hamptons into an eye-opening fling for his nephew. Nice guy Johnny's not interested, of course, but then he meets the lovely Brooke, who challenges Johnny to make the toughest decision of his life.

The screenplay of "Nice Guy Johnny" was published using CreateSpace, part of the Amazon group of companies. The original soundtrack of "Nice Guy Johnny" is also being released today, available as a CD through CreateSpace, Amazon's Disc on Demand platform, exclusively on Amazon.com, and as an MP3 on Amazon.com. Viewers can also download "Nice Guy Johnny" at http://www.niceguyjohnnythemovie.com/ or http://www.edwardburns.net/, or through Amazon Video on Demand beginning Nov 2. The DVD of the movie is also now at Amazon.com.

THQ and Random House Sign Publishing Deal to Expand the World of Homefront

THQ Inc. and the Random House Publishing Group today announced that a novel set in the Homefront universe and co-written by John Milius (Red Dawn and Oscar Award-winning Apocalypse Now) and New York Times bestselling author Raymond Benson (author of two Metal Gear Solid books and multiple James Bond novels) will be published by Random House's Del Rey imprint, and arrive in early 2011 to coincide with the release of the first Homefront game.

Homefront the videogame is a thrilling first person shooter set for release on the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system, PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC in March 2011. It tells the story of a stricken America, fallen to savage military occupation in the year 2027.

For more information on Homefront, visit the official site at DefendYourHomefront.com follow us at facebook.com/homefrontgame or twitter.com/homefrontgame.

The Library of Congress Revives Public Domain Works

CreateSpace, part of the Amazon.com, Inc., today announced an agreement with The Library of Congress to make at least 50,000 public books available through www.amazon.com. The Library of Congress also reached an agreement with Amazon Europe to make tens of thousands of books in the public domain available around the world to customers on www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de and www.amazon.fr using print on-demand technology, an inventory-free, cost-efficient publishing solution that only manufactures titles as customers order them.

This announcement with The Library of Congress follows the announcement in February 2010 that The British Library would be bringing at least 65,000 public domain titles to market using print on-demand. From Victorian classics to "penny dreadfuls," readers now have access to The British Library's unique collection of historic content.

As part of their ongoing efforts to improve access to material through digitization, the libraries provide CreateSpace and Amazon Europe's print on-demand business with digital copies of scanned public domain books in their collections to be manufactured on-demand. Creating digital files from physical books preserves the integrity of the original works, and the new paperback editions available through CreateSpace and Amazon Europe distribution channels increase accessibility of those works to readers.

With CreateSpace Print on-Demand, these national libraries will make a large selection of content available quickly and easily via CreateSpace's host of U.S. distribution channels, including www.amazon.com, ensuring wide public access with little economic investment. Since titles are only manufactured in response to customer demand, no inventory is needed and the titles will never go out of stock, making print on-demand an economic, convenient, and environmentally responsible public access solution for libraries.

The Library of Congress and The British Library are the most recent organizations to work with CreateSpace Print on-Demand and Amazon Europe's print on-demand business to give readers access to rare or out-of-print titles. Other noteworthy institutions--such as The University of Michigan Library--have already made tens of thousands of titles available on Amazon's U.S. and European websites using CreateSpace Print on-Demand and Amazon Europe's print on-demand business.

"Libraries are adopting print on-demand to give the public access to more works globally that may previously only have been available in a single country or even just in their individual physical catalogs," said Dana LoPiccolo-Giles, managing director, CreateSpace. "We are looking forward to helping support The Library of Congress in its public access and preservation mission through our print on-demand solution."

For more information about CreateSpace Print on-Demand, please visit www.createspace.com/info/publisher.

Northern Rock Launches Penguin Book Share Scheme

Northern Rock has partnered with Penguin books to offer customers free copies of classic editions available from many of its branches.

Some 25 high street branches across the country will be stocked with classic titles from the Penguin range including Moby Dick, The Thirty Nine Steps and Wind in the Willows.

Each paperback cover will feature the iconic Penguin logo, alongside the distinctive Northern Rock pink and black brand.

Northern Rock hopes that customers visiting participating bank branches will select a book from the specially designed stand, take it home, pass it on to friends or drop it into a branch for someone else to enjoy.

Anth Mooney, Marketing Director at Northern Rock said: "The Penguin book share scheme is a great way to get people talking about our brand. It also helps to make our branches interesting and stimulating places to visit and conduct business.

"To be associated with such a well-known name in the publishing world is a great honour and we are looking forward to generating lots of interest and hopefully introducing children to such classics as the Railway Children and Treasure Island, featuring Long John Silver - the original Pirate of the Caribbean."

Nicola Hill, Marketing Director at Penguin, said: "We're delighted with this collaboration and look forward to hearing from new readers as they discover Penguin Classics through Northern Rock."

If the pilot proves successful, Northern Rock aims to launch a virtual book club that allows people to post reviews and ask for Penguin books they have not read yet.

Movie interest in debut novel thanks to iTunes

Mr Loaded's author, Kiaron Finnegan, didn't follow the traditional route of looking for an agent once his manuscript was finished. Instead he found a developer and eBook publisher (Andrews UK) who published it as an eBook across multiple formats and an App in return for a share of the profits. It was available on a range of platforms within three weeks including Apple's iBookstore and as a 'book App' in its own right.

Finnegan thinks that new breed of developers and publishers gives hope to new authors who might not otherwise have any."No matter how good your work may be, finding an agent or publisher willing to take you on is as rare as hen's teeth. Because of the latest mobile platforms and the wide range of e-book retailers out there, publishers have less cost exposure meaning they can be braver than traditional print publishers."

Now a movie production company have expressed an interest in purchasing the film rights of the book. The producer had seen the App on the iTunes store, but Finnegan's not going to hand the rights over straight away. "Of course I'd love to see the story on screen but I don't want to release the rights just for the film to sit in development for three years. That would be a bit hard to take after all the work I've put in."

The experience has left Finnegan in no doubt of his next move. "Although I still don't have a publisher for the physical book nor even an agent, I will definitely look to do the same again for my second novel."

Website: to http://www.kiaron.com/ or www.andrewsuk.com/

Professor Explores Legacy of Frankenstein Author

Mary Shelley is best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein, but Salisbury University professor Lucy Morrison believes the British writer's legacy is broader.

In the 2010 collection of essays Mary Shelley: Her Circle and Her Contemporaries, Morrison rejects the characterization of Shelley as a "one-book author" and instead illustrates the full influence of the many works by the famed Romantic. In addition to being a novelist, Shelley was short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer and travel writer.

"This collection joins a conversation other scholars began in the 20th century--and leaves it with more remaining to be said in the decades to come," Morrison writes in the introduction.

The essays explore Shelley's place within the Romantic period. They illustrate her literary partnership with her husband, poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. They consider the influence that her well-known parents, political philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, had on her career. They also examine her texts alongside those of contemporaries, including Thomas Moore and John Polidori.

Co-authored and edited with Dr. L. Adam Mekler of Morgan State University, the book was printed by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in the United Kingdom. Previously, Morrison has co-authored A Mary Shelley Encyclopedia and has published articles on women writers of the Romantic period in the Keats-Shelley Journal, Philological Quarterly, Persuasions Online and Romanticism on the Net.

Morrison is an associate professor in SU's English Department and specializes in British Romantic literature. She also is associate director of SU's Bellavance Honors program.

UBC Press Grants World Rights to Entire Collection

The University of British Columbia Press (UBC Press), one of the largest university presses in Canada, has entered into an agreement with Bookshare granting world rights to its collection. UBC Press offers a unique perspective through the generation and transfer of knowledge across many subject areas.

UBC Press is a leading publisher of books in political science, Aboriginal studies and law for postsecondary educational, professional and scholarly audiences. Other areas of particular strength in the collection include titles in Asian studies, history, environmental studies, health policy and sexuality studies. UBC Press currently has 1,000 titles in print and publishes 65 new books annually which will add significant value to the Bookshare international collection for Canadian members.

"University presses perform services that are of inestimable value to the academic community--researchers, teachers, librarians, and importantly, students," said Betsy Beaumon, Vice President and General Manager of the Literacy Program at Benetech, the nonprofit organization that operates Bookshare. "The generous support of a prestigious Canadian university press builds the collection for Canadian readers with print disabilities, as well as those around the world. Right now, the total number of books available in Canada has grown to over 22,000 thanks to the contributions of all publishers who have granted world rights."

Professor Explores Legacy of Frankenstein Author

Mary Shelley is best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein, but Salisbury University professor Lucy Morrison believes the British writer's legacy is broader.

In the 2010 collection of essays Mary Shelley: Her Circle and Her Contemporaries, Morrison rejects the characterization of Shelley as a "one-book author" and instead illustrates the full influence of the many works by the famed Romantic. In addition to being a novelist, Shelley was short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer and travel writer.

"This collection joins a conversation other scholars began in the 20th century--and leaves it with more remaining to be said in the decades to come," Morrison writes in the introduction.

The essays explore Shelley's place within the Romantic period. They illustrate her literary partnership with her husband, poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. They consider the influence that her well-known parents, political philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, had on her career. They also examine her texts alongside those of contemporaries, including Thomas Moore and John Polidori.

Co-authored and edited with Dr. L. Adam Mekler of Morgan State University, the book was printed by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in the United Kingdom. Previously, Morrison has co-authored A Mary Shelley Encyclopedia and has published articles on women writers of the Romantic period in the Keats-Shelley Journal, Philological Quarterly, Persuasions Online and Romanticism on the Net.

Morrison is an associate professor in SU's English Department and specializes in British Romantic literature. She also is associate director of SU's Bellavance Honors program.

Child Author Gets Surprise Book Deal

Earlier this summer, 9-year old Luke Copas toured the new Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. with his mother and father, Sabrina and Robby Copas. The fourth grader at Northview Primary School in Kodak, Tenn. was no stranger to the world's most famous luxury liner; in fact, he had already written a book about it – but his visit to the museum would lead to a huge surprise for the young writer.

Last school year, then 8-year old Luke had been selected to participate in the "Child Authors' Conference." An avid reader who loved learning about the past, Luke wanted his book to create a passion in other children for history.

Sabrina Copas said, "Luke became a walking encyclopedia of all things Titanic. He was literally consumed by it. When it came time for him to actually write his book for the Child Authors' Conference, it took him less than one week to write it because he knew the subject matter so well."

Luke took his book to the Titanic Museum Attraction and showed it to co-owner Mary Kellogg-Joslyn. Impressed with the boy's talent and driven by his enthusiasm, Kellogg-Joslyn secretly made a few phone calls and landed the boy a book deal.

New Kindle Exclusive: David Morrell, New York Times Bestselling Author

Amazon.com announced that internationally bestselling author David Morrell is releasing a new, never-before-published, full-length thriller, "The Naked Edge," along with nine of his previously published books, in electronic book format exclusively in the Kindle Store. This is the first time any of these titles have been available electronically. These Kindle editions will offer additional content for many of the books, including new introductions and photographs that reveal insights into the making of these modern classics. All 10 of these Morrell books are available starting today for download exclusively from the Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore).

Morrell is the co-founder of the International Thriller Writers organization, a three-time Bram Stoker award- winner, and recipient of ITW's ThrillerMaster award in recognition of his legendary career and outstanding contributions to the thriller genre. His first novel "First Blood," still in print after 38 years, became the successful Rambo film franchise.

Running Press Book Publishers and Seventeen Magazine Team Up for Unique Book Project

Christopher Navratil, Publisher of Running Press Book Publishers, a member of The Perseus Books Group, has acquired world rights to Seventeen's Ultimate Style Guide by Ann Shoket and the Editors of Seventeen through Lia Ronnen at Melcher Media. Running Press will publish in July 2011; Melcher will package.

"We are excited to be working with Ann and her group in bringing this book to market. In working with the # 1 selling monthly teen magazine, our goal is to create an indispensable guide that readers will turn to for inspiration," says Navratil.

"This book represents an important part of our editorial strategy of 'Seventeen Everywhere' – we want to be everywhere teen girls are ... including bookstores!" says Seventeen Editor in Chief, Ann Shoket. "Running Press is a great fit for us because they understand how to reach the consumer through traditional and non-traditional book channels."

At its core, Seventeen's Ultimate Style Guide will teach teens and young women how to develop their own personal style and provide hundreds of ideas on how to maximize wardrobe options, stretch the dollar, and make everyday basics work in hundreds of ways. The book will be an essential and timeless guide for every girl just as the magazine is the iconic fashion and beauty bible for generations of teens.

Ron Morris, Inks Publishing Deal With CelebrityPress To Release "Counter-Attack"

Ron Morris, author, CEO, and political consultant, has joined with CelebrityPress and noted business development expert, best-selling author and speaker, Brian Tracy, to publish a new book titled, "Counter-Attack: Business Strategies for Explosive Growth in the New Economy." Celebrity Press™, founded by JW Dicks, Esq. and Nick Nanton, Esq, is a business book publisher that publishes books from thought leaders around the world.

Ron Morris is an author, CEO, and political consultant. As a founder of both SaaS (Software as a Service) and localization companies, he is a recognized expert on doing business in Asia and international outsourcing. As creator of Intelligence Guidance, a political consulting firm, Ron is also an acclaimed analyst covering Southeast Asian politics, security and business issues. He is a regular contributor and onscreen analyst for news agencies in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. and advises clients worldwide.

Random House Children's Books Publishes Its First-Ever Exclusive E-Book Original

For the first time in the publisher's history, today Random House Children's Books (www.randomhouse.com/kids) is releasing an e-book original, written by the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Michael Scott and entitled THE DEATH OF JOAN OF ARC: A Lost Story from the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers / $0.99).

The story is available exclusively in digital format and is the newest addition to Scott's series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, which has sold more than 1 million copies to date in North America. Following on the heels of the publication of The Necromancer (May, 2010), the e-book original is a short story that will fascinate fans.

"With the exception of the two teen characters, Michael Scott's series is based entirely on individuals transplanted from history, mythology, folklore, and legend," explains Beverly Horowitz, Delacorte publisher. "Michael's new e-book original is certain to entertain fans and satisfy them as they wait until the publication of the next book in the six-part series, The Warlock (2011)." For more information about Michael Scott and the series visit www.Facebook.com/SecretsofNicholasFlamel.

Penguin Books Announces Publication of New Lorien Legacies Series

Penguin Books has announced it is to publish 'I Am Number Four' by Pittacus Lore, the first installment of The Lorien Legacies, a mind-blowing new thriller series.

I Am Number Four is a tale of John Smith (aka Number Four) as he desperately tries to outrun his past, escape his mortal enemies the Mogadorian, blend into normal student life and above all pray, his newly found powers, legacies from home; Planet Lorien, don't give him away before he can complete his destiny and protect his future.

In an unprecedented move for Penguin, I Am Number Four will be published simultaneously in two editions on 26 August 2010 - one for adults (Michael Joseph) and a second for Young Adult readers (Razorbill). It has already captured the imagination of publishers around the globe and translation rights have been snapped up by over 18 territories worldwide. The film rights for I Am Number Four have been snapped up by Spielberg for DreamWorks and the movie will be hitting screens in early 2011.

"It became clear after only a few chapters that I Am Number Four is far more than an exceptional thriller, it's a book to fall in love with," said Mari Evans, Fiction Publisher for Michael Joseph.

"I Am Number Four has everything you could wish for: a killer hook, fabulous compelling writing, thrills, tension and surprisingly tender moments. It's fantastic entertainment," commented Puffin Fiction Editor, Sarah Hughes.

Film rights have been acquired by Steven Spielberg for Dreamworks and the movie is due to be released in cinemas in early 2011. I Am Number Four the film will be directed by DJ Caruso and produced by Michael Bay, with an all-star cast including Alex Pettyfer and Glee's Dianna Agron.

New Catholic Children's Book Series Launched by Ignatius Press and Magnificat

Ignatius Press and Magnificat have joined forces to launch a new line of beautifully illustrated, high quality, Catholic children's books. These charming books will capture the imagination of children of various ages through delightful full-color illustrations, exciting stories from the Bible and lives of the saints, and simple yet powerful prayers.

Books for children of this quality are hard to come by -- and when Ignatius Press discovered these books, published by Magnificat in France, they knew that they would be appreciated by parents in United States.

The first eight books of this series will be available in October 2010, featuring a variety of types of books for children of different ages. Three sturdy board books, "My First Prayers for My Family," "My First Prayers for Christmas," and "The Bible for Little Ones," are geared towards young children. Two beautiful hardcover books, "John Mary Vianney: The Holy Cure of Ars" and "Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes," are perfect for older children and feature lovely watercolor illustrations and engaging text about these two treasured saints. Two other books, "The Adventures of Lupio, Volume 1: The Adventures and Other Stories," and "The Illustrated Gospel for Children," have fun, youthful but tasteful stories told in a comic book style. There is also the first volume in a series of coloring books entitled "Pictures from the Gospels: A Coloring Book."

When the books are available in October 2010, there will be several ways to purchase them. Ignatius Press will distribute the books to the general trade, through their catalogues and online at http://www.ignatius.com/

NBN Signs Writers of the Round Table Press for Distribution of SmarterComics

The concept was simple: carefully select some of the best business, self-help and motivational books ever written and make them visually appealing to the Twitter generation of readers. Franco Arda, founder of SmarterComics teamed with book packager Corey Michael Blake and Writers of the Round Table Inc., to package the best selling books with authors such as sales guru Tom Hopkins, The Pitbull of Personal Development Larry Winget, performance psychologist Dr. John Eliot, and Latino sensation Robert Renteria.

With interest and enthusiasm building for this comic book series, Blake went on the hunt for a distribution partner who could deliver, and took an immediate liking to National Book Network (NBN) who has signed on to introduce the SmarterComics series and other Writers of the Round Table Press titles to the U.S. and international markets.

John Groton, NBN's VP of Sales, had this to say about their relationship with Writers of the Round Table Press: "We are always on the lookout to discover creative, well-organized and exciting new publishers. In this case, I can honestly say we have scored in a big way; and we particularly look forward to getting the SmarterComics series in the marketplace as quickly as possible."

NBN, one of the oldest independent book distributors in the United States, is a powerhouse among distributors, Blake says. Representing 85 publishers, NBN utilizes long-standing experience and relationships to promote books through multiple channels.

"They have made us feel like family and we appreciate the enthusiasm they have for our series and our authors," Blake added.

Gail Kump, NBN's Vice President of Business Development, shares Blake's enthusiasm. "In my 30 years of publishing, I have not seen anything this inventive, this fresh," Kump says.

One thing Kump and Blake both want to make clear: these business comic books are not children's cartoons. These are illustrated graphic novels that should be shelved in the business or self-help sections of the bookstore, right next to the original versions, Kump says. That way, a reader can choose a quick, illustrated, engaging summary, and follow up with the original version for more depth.

"I passionately believe we're on to some revolutionary work in the book business," Blake says. "SmarterComics has conceived of a brilliant idea and we’re proud to help package and publish the series. By adding NBN to the mix, we’re well positioned to dive in."

Writers of the Round Table Press is the publishing division of book packager Writers of the Round Table Inc., led by Corey Michael Blake. Visit http://www.roundtablepress.com/ and http://www.roundtablecompanies.com/.

Betty White to Write Two Books for G. P. Putnam's Sons

Betty White, the Emmy Award-winning actress, whose singular talents and universal appeal have garnered her millions of fans around the world, will write two books for G. P. Putnam's Sons. The first book, titled Listen Up!, will draw upon life lessons learned during her incredibly varied, decades-long career in Hollywood, with an emphasis on the extraordinary past 15 years of the star's life.The second book, titled The Zoo and I: Betty and Her Friends, will be filled with stories and photographs capturing the daily life of her animal friends at the zoo.

North American hardcover and paperback rights as well as audio and eBook rights to the two titles were acquired in a highly competitive auction by Marysue Rucci, Vice President, Editorial Director, G. P. Putnam's Sons, from literary agent Loretta A. Barrett, President of Loretta Barrett Books, Inc. Putnam is planning to publish the first book in hardcover in Spring 2011 and the second book in hardcover in 2012. Berkley will publish the paperback editions thereafter.

Creator and Publisher of the 'For Dummies' Brand of Bestselling Books Joins FastPencil Board of Directors

FastPencil (http://www.fastpencil.com/) revealed today that award-winning entrepreneur and publishing pioneer, John Kilcullen, has joined the company's Board of Directors. Kilcullen, the creator and publisher of the popular "For Dummies™" brand of how to book series that has sold more than 100 million copies, brings his creativity in brand-building and managing start up publishing companies to actively assist FastPencil in developing its new imprint, maximizing the flexible and lucrative publishing solutions offered by the next-generation publisher.

"The publishing industry is undergoing rapid changes driven by incredibly powerful and useful digital and social media technologies. Today, authors are eager to leverage those tools for more control, improved speed to market and real time transparency throughout the publishing process. FastPencil provides all of that as well as unparalleled simplicity and perhaps most importantly, a compelling percentage of gross revenues to offer a new path for proven and up and coming authors," said John Kilcullen.

Thomas Nelson Releases Best-Selling Canadian Memoir

Thomas Nelson, Inc.  announced the signing of Mary-Ann Kirkby and the release of her first U.S. title I Am Hutterite: The Fascinating True Story of a Young Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Heritage.

Barnes & Noble has listed Kirkby in its Discover Great New Writers selection for I Am Hutterite. Kirkby's memoir was self-published in Canada in 2007 and released in the U.S. by Thomas Nelson in May 2010. The book has garnered rave reviews as readers react to Kirkby's honest and compelling story told in her charming style. I Am Hutterite won the Saskatchewan Book Award for Best Non-Fiction in 2007.

Mary-Ann Kirkby was born on a Canadian Hutterite colony near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. One of nine children, Kirkby was raised in the Hutterite tradition, similar in some respects, to that of the Amish or Mennonites. At age 10 her parents abruptly made the decision to leave the comfort and security of the colony and relocated their family to the "English" world. Thrust into a foreign universe that she didn't understand, Kirkby worked hard to adapt to a new way of life and to reinvent herself by denying her Hutterite heritage in an attempt to avoid the stigma and cruelty associated with being different.

Kirkby spent years as a television journalist before penning her memoir. She was the senior reporter responsible for aboriginal issues at CTV in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and worked in Ottawa for several years as a freelance journalist and as Media Relations Consultant for the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Kirkby received two Can-Pro Awards. She is a sought after speaker, and member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.

Thomas Nelson has secured U.S. and World rights to I Am Hutterite.

First Enhanced eBooks/Apps Venture for Movies

enkHouse, a new digital division under Brown Books Publishing Group, has launched its joint venture with KiwiTech, the world's leading enhanced eBook/app developer. Together they are taking the lead in the exploding market of enhanced eBooks and film-based apps. This launch comes within days of Penguin Publishing and Starz Entertainment releasing their first "amplified eBook", Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth".

Rakesh Gupta, CEO and Founder of KiwiTech, also founded and led Aptara Corporation, the largest eBook publishing services company in the world. "This alignment gives us tremendous opportunities to enter new markets, especially the film-to-enhanced-eBook market," says Gupta. "Our companies are a good team, sharing entrepreneurial spirits and decades of innovative work across the media spectrum."

EnkHouse is led by David Marlett, a film industry consultant, screenwriter and producer, who is himself an author. (His first novel will be published by Brown in the fall.) He comes to enkHouse as Transmedia Producer, a new designation of the Producers Guild of America. "The three keys to a successful enhanced eBook are content, content, content," says Marlett. Having been represented by William Morris Endeavor, he has over twenty years of experience writing and consulting on screenplays and productions for studios and producers such as DreamWorks, Arnold Kopelson and Michael Ovitz.

"This is an exciting time for writers, publishers, producers and developers alike," says Milli Brown, CEO of Brown Books, a publisher with fifteen years of growth in the traditional print industry, with thousands of books published. "We complement the digital team with a rich tradition of distinctive print books."

"Besides bringing print books alive in ways almost never before seen," says Marlett. "enkHouse and KiwiTech are uniquely positioned to provide film and television producers with fresh marketing and new distribution opportunities for content they already own. Similar to how interactive DVDs and 3D technology revolutionized storytelling in cinema, enhanced eBooks will revolutionize how we read a book and hear about upcoming movies."

"You'll not only read your favorite book on your ereader," adds Marlett, "but you will interact with it by bringing up images, music and videos—transforming the written story into a multi-dimensional experience." In addition, ereaders will get updates and news about film adaptations and more pushed right to their smart phones or tablet computers. "Basically, if a movie and a book hooked up, their love child would be an enhanced eBook," he says with a wry smile.

enkHouse (http://www.enkhouse.com/) is a transmedia company based in Los Angeles, CA and Dallas, TX.

HarperCollins Acquires Justin Bieber's Official Illustrated Memoir

HarperCollins announced today the acquisition of the official illustrated memoir from multi-platinum selling superstar Justin Bieber. JUSTIN BIEBER: FIRST STEP 2 FOREVER: MY STORY will reveal Justin's amazing journey to superstardom. This beautifully designed hardcover book contains exclusive, never-before-seen photos -- a must-have for fans afflicted with Bieber-fever. The book will be published this October in both the United States ($21.99) and in the UK (16.99 pounds Sterling).

Cassandra Clare to Extend Her New York Times Bestselling Young Adult Fantasy Series

Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, has announced it will publish City of Lost Souls and City of Heavenly Fire, the fifth and sixth installments in Cassandra Clare's bestselling young adult fantasy series, The Mortal Instruments, which currently has more than 3 million books in print. City of Lost Souls will publish in hardcover in May 2012, and City of Heavenly Fire will publish in hardcover in September 2013. The deal, which is for U.S. rights, was negotiated by Karen Wojtyla, Editorial Director of Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Barry Goldblatt of Barry Goldblatt Literary LLC.

News of the extension to the series precedes the much-anticipated publication of the fourth series installment, City of Fallen Angels, due to hit stores in April 2011.

Cassandra Clare took the world of YA literature by storm in 2007 with her debut novel, City of Bones, which immediately became a New York Times bestseller. The Mortal Instruments series books—which include City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass— have gone on to become New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestsellers.

Beginning this August 31st, Cassandra will be touring in Princeton, NJ; Exton, PA; St. Louis, MO; Naperville, IL; and Decatur, GA, for Clockwork Angel, the debut title in The Mortal Instruments' prequel series, The Infernal Devices. She will also be participating in some of the stops for the "Smart Chicks Kick It" YA author group book tour in September. Her complete schedule and wildly popular blog can be found at http://www.cassandraclare.com/.

"Cassandra Clare is an incredibly talented writer and a master in the fantasy genre," said Jon Anderson, Executive Vice President of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. "Cassandra has a huge following of fans, not only of teens but adults as well, who I'm sure will be as thrilled as we are that she decided to add two additional titles to this bestselling series."

Says Clare, "I initially envisioned City of Fallen Angels as an ending to the story begun in City of Bones, but I soon realized that in fact where my pen was taking me was into a new trilogy, one even more epic, dark and passionate than the first. In the first three Mortal Instruments books the fate of the Shadowhunters hung in the balance; now it's the fate of the world. I can't wait to share this journey with my readers as familiar characters are deepened, new faces introduced and relationships tested like never before."

In Book 5: City of Lost Souls, the Shadowhunters struggle to piece together their shattered world after a betrayal by one of their own leaves them reeling. In Book 6: City of Heavenly Fire, Jace, Clary and their friends are drawn inexorably into a war that pits Heaven against Hell, angels against demons--a war that threatens to destroy our world entirely if the Shadowhunters can't end it first.

The film rights to The Mortal Instruments series have been optioned by Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne's Unique Features.

Harlot's Sauce Author's Blog Lands Her a Book Deal

Award-winning author Patricia V. Davis writes a blog post that goes viral, grabbing the attention of agents and publishers

Patricia V. Davis says her aim is to leave her spot of the world "just a little bit better than it was before she got there." She focuses on that through her writing, teaching, philanthropic work, and the promoting of other people who she believes share that same goal.

This was why she wrote the blog post, "From an Older Woman to a Younger One" to support and encourage a 21-year-old reader of hers. That post (also titled on some sites, "Ten Things I'd Tell My Younger Self") struck a chord with many. Within weeks, it was picked up by hundreds of other blogs, and eventually sparked the interest of the producers of the nationally syndicated radio program, "Your Time with Kim Iverson", who asked Patricia to appear on the show to read her post. The day after the program aired, dozens of listeners befriended Patricia on Facebook, and retweeted the post. This in turn attracted a literary agent who asked Patricia if she'd be interested in expanding the post into a book. That book, now with the working title, "The Diva Doctrine" was picked up by Cedar Fort, (http://cedarfort.com/) and will be published in 2011.

Says Patricia, "I'm very pleased to be working with Cedar Fort. They have marvelous titles, and I'm proud that my work will be listed among them."

Patricia also wrote the award-winning "Harlot's Sauce: A Memoir of Food, Family, Love, Loss and Greece", with the hope that it would encourage young women not to make the same mistakes she made. Adelphi University adopted it as a reader for its Gender Studies program, Marin Independent Journal called it "delicious", The Greek Star called it "an inspiring, great read", and the Orange County Register called her a "Renaissance woman". (Read that interview here: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/stomach-243745-love-think.html)

Virtual Tales Acquires Historical Fiction Novel Desert Angels from Author Patrick Simpson

Virtual Tales, a privately held publisher of general and genre fiction in print and e-formats, announced the acquisition of the worldwide print and electronic publishing rights for the historical fiction novel Desert Angels by Raleigh, North Carolina author Patrick Simpson. Desert Angels is Mr. Simpson's first fiction novel; his non-fiction novels include Wheelchair Around the World, Wheelchair Down Under, and Whither Thou Goest, winner of the 2004 Nonfiction Book of the Year award from JADA Press.

This gripping tale was inspired by actual events during the Bannock Indian War of 1878, and Sarah Winnemucca, the Paiute princess who helped end it. Her life-sized statue was recently unveiled in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda -- only the second Native American woman to be granted that honor (Sacagawea was the first). When young Eva Beardsley wanders lost in the hot eastern Oregon desert looking for her cavalry boyfriend and is discovered by Paiute princess Sarah Winnemucca, their destinies change forever in the last great Indian war.

Desert Angels has been assigned to Virtual Tales staff editor Jake George of Cocoa Beach, Florida, who is himself a Native American. Publication in both print and eBook formats is anticipated for the second half of 2011. Interested readers can sign up to preview the first four chapters of Desert Angels for free by visiting the Virtual Tales website, or by sending an empty email request to desert-angels(a)virtualtales.com.

Suspense Magazine announces the opening of Suspense Publishing

Suspense Magazine opened up a new division called Suspense Publishing. This new venture for Suspense Magazine will better help authors publish and market their books.

This new division will operate under the same management staff as Suspense Magazine. "We see an increased need in helping authors market and publish their book" says John Raab CEO of Suspense Magazine. "Our focus is bringing on new authors and giving them the platform to succeed in their writing"

Suspense Magazine is a monthly publication that has been in business since 2008. Suspense Magazine is located at 26500 Agoura Rd. #102-474, Calabasas, CA 91302. Phone number 877-667-9105 or email at editor@suspensemagazine.com http://www.suspensemagazine.com/publishing.html

Amazon's Kindle Store now exclusively offering 20 books from The Wylie Agency's new Odyssey Editions imprint

Amazon.com today announced that The Wylie Agency is publishing 20 books from some of literature's most influential authors through its new Odyssey Editions imprint (http://www.odysseyeditions.com/) and making them available for sale exclusively in the Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore). This is the first time any of the titles--which include Norman Mailer's "The Naked and the Dead," Philip Roth's "Portnoy's Complaint" and Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man"--have been available electronically, and all of the books are exclusive to the Kindle Store for two years. Starting today, customers can download these books for $9.99 from the Kindle Store and read them everywhere--on their Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC, Mac, iPad and Android devices.

Virtual Tales Acquires Here With You from UK Author Caroline Sherreard

Virtual Tales, a privately held publisher of general and genre fiction in print and e-formats, announced the acquisition of the worldwide print and electronic publishing rights for the YA paranormal romance Here With You from UK author Caroline Sherreard.

Four weeks of painful silence -- no texts, no calls, no emails. Has 17-year-old Gabriel Grey been dumped in the cruelest possible way? It's what everyone's saying. It's what he's starting to believe... But when school starts, he learns that a cruel twist of fate has separated him from the girl he loves... maybe forever. What must he do to help the quirky red-head who's stolen his heart stay here with him?

Here With You is Ms. Sherreard's first novel. It has been assigned to Virtual Tales senior staff editor P. June Diehl of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Publication in both print and eBook formats is anticipated for the second half of 2011.

Virtual Tales Acquires HERE WITH YOU from UK author Caroline Sherreard

Virtual Tales, a privately held publisher of general and genre fiction in print and e-formats, announced the acquisition of the worldwide print and electronic publishing rights for the YA paranormal romance HERE WITH YOU from UK author Caroline Sherreard.

HERE WITH YOU is Ms.Sherreard's first novel. It has been assigned to Virtual Tales senior staff editor P. June Diehl of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Publication in both print and eBook formats is anticipated for the second half of 2011. Interested readers can sign up to preview the first four chapters of HERE WITH YOU for free by visiting the Virtual Tales website, or by sending an empty email request to here-with-you@virtualtales.com.

Bestselling Author Melissa Marr Announces New YA Trilogy With HarperCollins

HarperCollins Publishers announced they will publish a new three-book series with Melissa Marr, author of the New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series. Marr's new trilogy revolves around a girl assassin, a demon with a soul, and a world where myth and science meet. The first book is tentatively scheduled for a fall 2013 release. World Rights were acquired from Marr's agent, Merrilee Heifetz of Writer's House, by Anne Hoppe, the editor of the Wicked Lovely series.

Melissa Marr burst onto the Young Adult literature scene in June 2007. Her debut novel, WICKED LOVELY, instantly became a New York Times bestseller, as well as a Los Angeles Times bestseller, and Marr was selected as a Publishers Weekly Flying Starts author. WICKED LOVELY also won the Romance Writers of America RITA award for Young Adult books and was named a finalist for Borders Original Voices award. Each of her subsequent novels has been a New York Times bestseller, and the Wicked Lovely series concludes in February 2011 with DARKEST MERCY, the fifth and final installment.

ShoulderHill Films Options Ghost Huntress Young Adult Book Series

ShoulderHill Films, a subsidiary of ShoulderHill Entertainment has optioned Marley Gibson's Ghost Huntress. The teen supernatural thriller/romance series features 16-year old Kendall Moorehead who discovers her psychic abilities when she moves with her family to a small southern town. Together with new friends, Kendall forms a tech-savvy ghost hunting team to match wits against troubled spirits, high school and teenage boys.

The deal includes all three books currently published in the series, Ghost Huntress Book 1: The Awakening, Ghost Huntress Book 2: The Guidance and Ghost Huntress Book 3: The Reason. The Ghost Huntress series is published by Graphia Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's young adult division. ShoulderHill Films acquired the film rights from Sean Daily at Hotchkiss and Associates, on behalf of Deidre Knight at The Knight Agency.

Marley Gibson's previous works include the 2008 books The New Sisters (Sorority 101) and Zeta or Omega? (Sorority 101) written under pen name Kate Harmon. She is also co-author of The Other Side: A Teen's Guide to Ghost Hunting and Christmas Miracles in 2009.

ShoulderHill optioned best-selling author and screenwriter Andrew Klavan's screenplay Bury The Dead earlier this year.

'Roundup!,' Latest Collection of Western Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry

Roundup!, the latest collection of Western fiction and nonfiction short stories and poetry presented by the Western Writers of America and written by some of today's top Western writers, is now available in bookstores and online at Amazon.com.

Roundup! (ISBN: 978-0-9785634-7-9) is published by La Frontera Publishing (http://www.lafronterapublishing.com/) and distributed through the University of New Mexico Press (http://www.unmpress.com/).rel="nofollow" target="_blank"

From Native Americans, famed frontiersmen, cowboys and outlaws, to contemporary tales of ranching, lost treasure, and urban challenges, the WWA presents the full range of the American West in this anthology.

"These are not your granddad's Western stories, but rather a fresh and enlightening look at the West and its people--past, present and future," said Roundup! editor Paul Andrew Hutton.

Hutton is the Distinguished Professor of American History at the University of New Mexico and also serves as the Executive Director of the Western Writers of America.

Enjoy the works of WWA Wister-award-winning authors such as Elmer Kelton (in his final WWA publication), Robert M. Utley, Matthew Braun (over 40 million books in print), and Richard Wheeler. They join many WWA Spur-award-winning authors along with several fresh, young writers in this exciting anthology.

The collection includes a bonus feature: A special Western novella--a rip-roarin' tale of the Old West written by television icon (he wrote and produced the John Wayne film Chisum) and WWA Wister Prize-winner for Lifetime Achievement, Andrew J. Fenady.

Stewart St. John Light Media/Publishing Collaborates with Illustrator Joan Perrin-Falquet

Stewart St. John Light Media/Publishing, a rising star in the children and family publishing and multimedia market creating innovative content across all platforms, announced today it is collaborating with world-renowned illustrator Joan Perrin-Falquet to create new products for the company. Perrin-Falquet, whose work with Hay House Publishing has appeared in Louise L. Hay's best-selling book You Can Heal Your Life as well as calendars, cards, gift bags, note pads and other products, will now provide exclusive designs for Stewart St. John Light.

"Joan is one of the most talented, divinely inspired artists I've ever worked with," said Stewart St. John, co-founder and CEO of Stewart St. John Light Media Publishing. "Todd and I are thrilled to welcome this exciting, leading-edge visionary to the company as we continue to build a brand that is synonymous with the things we all believe in: living your best life, doing your best work, and respecting the spirit within." St. John added, "We are the next-generation company reaching for a higher consciousness in everything we create, targeting family-friendly projects for everyone to enjoy, and having Joan as part of the team helps solidify that vision."

“Stewart St. John and Todd Fisher are truly gifted creative visionaries," said Joan Perrin-Falquet. “It is a real joy and honor to be working with them. Everything they touch has such quality and integrity created in an environment of kindness. It is exciting and inspiring to be part of a team that will offer people so much."

Todd Fisher, co-founder of Stewart St. John Light, is delighted Joan has come on board during the expansion phase of the boutique media publishing company. "She's a superstar and the timing feels right as we take the company to the next level."

St. John and Fisher have long been pioneers of cross-platform entertainment since the early days of the internet when St. John was executive producer of the groundbreaking websoap The Spot. They were the first to introduce cross-platform storytelling from mobile to web with The Spot Wireless, a subscription-based mobile series developed for Sprint and narratively running from cell phone to broadband. "We produced thousands of videos for both web and mobile," said Fisher, "and even incorporated our fans into storylines with live events around the country."

St. John's work in traditional media began as a writer for the hit children's television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and ABC Television's Sabrina: The Animated Series, and the Disney Channel original film Seventeen Again. As a composer he worked closely with NY Times best-selling authors Jerry & Esther Hicks on their series of Hay House published children's books and adaptation of the novels for the big screen.

Perrin-Falquet, who designed the cover of St. John's instrumental album Cloudwalking, has been steadily working as a leading illustrator in the self-help publishing world for over a decade. Hay House founder Louise Hay chose Perrin-Falquet's beautiful artwork to breathe new life into her best-selling book, You Can Heal Your Life. "Joan Perrin-Falquet's art work is enchanting and heart warming," says Hay. "She is such a creative and original artist."

Stewart St. John Light will also begin selling originals and prints of Perrin-Falquet's work which has never before been available to the public. The web site, http://www.stewartstjohnlight.com will also showcase St. John and Perrin-Falquet's first children's book, Snookery And The Great Glowing Acorn, available this fall.

"It's just the beginning," teased Fisher. "We've got so many wonderful things going on... it's going to be a very exciting next few years."

Author Chris Weedin Accepts Offer to Option Movie Rights for Vampire-Horror-Comedy Novel

Author Chris Weedin has accepted an offer from A Ferris Wheel Films to option the movie rights for his book "Midnight Snack." The book is a contemporary horror-comedy vampire novel and is intended to be the first in a trilogy of films.

Author Chris Weedin has accepted an offer from A Ferris Wheel Films to option the movie rights for his book "Midnight Snack (Graveyard Shift: the Adventures of Carson Dudley, Book 1)". The film production company, located in London, England, has stated its intention to produce a feature length film adaptation of "Midnight Snack" and plans to approach major film studios with the project. They have further announced plans for this to be the first in a film trilogy. Weedin has also accepted a separate offer to write the movie treatment for the book. The two parties are discussing the possibility that Weedin will continue on to write the script as well. The treatment is currently underway and both parties expect it will be completed by July of this year.

Themed as a vampire-horror-comedy, "Midnight Snack" is the story of a group of oddball vampire hunters who face off against a seductive vampiress in the fictional town of Las Calamas, CA. The plot centers around a mini-mart which the vampiress has chosen as her hunting grounds. The action in the book is fast-paced and tongue-in-cheek, elements which both Weedin and A Ferris Wheel Films have promised will be carried through to the movie. The book was released in 2009 and is available through major retailers such as Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble or in electronic format on the Kindle, Kobo or through Smashwords.com. It is available for distribution through Ingram.

New York Times Bestselling Series 'Vampire Academy' Staked by Preger Entertainment

Preger Entertainment has acquired the motion picture Rights to Richelle Mead's New York Times best selling book series "Vampire Academy" (Penguin/Razorbill Books).

The deal was finalized by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management representing the author and Larry Becsey of Intellectual Properties Group with legal representation through Wayne Alexander, of Alexander, Nau, Lawrence, Frumes & Labowitz representing Preger. In its first week of publication, "Spirit Bound", the fifth book in this series, achieved a New York Times and USA Today # 1 bestselling series ranking, while simultaneously debuting as the #1 best seller in Australia and New Zealand.

"Vampire Academy" debuted on the New York Times Bestsellers list in 2007 and continues to trend higher with readers and critics alike with each new book in the series. The series has sold well over 3.5 million copies domestically and 1 million copies internationally.

The "Vampire Academy" Book Series is a coming-of-age, action driven, "paranormal romance" fantasy. It is set in the present day against a hidden universe of vampires, half-humans, alchemy, and magic.

Smashwords and Wattpad Partner to Offer New Publishing Options for Indie Authors

Wattpad, the world's most popular ebook community, and Smashwords, the leading ebook publishing and distribution platform, have announced a partnership that will open up new publishing opportunities for thousands of indie authors.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wattpad and Smashwords will cross-promote each other's services and have added integration so that Wattpad users can sell books via Smashwords and Smashwords authors can promote free works on Wattpad, including, works-in-progress, complete works, or serial ebooks on Wattpad.

Wattpad operates a social network for writers to connect with readers and share what they have written. Wattpad receives over 10 million visits a month and many of the stories on Wattpad have millions of reads.

Smashwords publishes and distributes over 13,000 original ebooks from 6,000 authors and hundreds of small independent publishers. To publish at Smashwords, Wattpad authors simply upload their finished manuscript to Smashwords as a Microsoft Word file, formatted to the requirements of the Smashwords Style Guide. Smashwords automatically converts the book into nine ebook formats, and makes it available for immediate sale online at a price set by the author. Smashwords then evaluates the book for inclusion in the Smashwords Premium Catalog, which is the catalog Smashwords distributes to major ebook retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo and the Apple iPad iBookstore.

Both Smashwords and Wattpad are free for writers.

Cal Ripken Jr. Signs Middle Grade Book Deal With Disney Book Group

Disney Book Group will publish a middle-grade baseball series written by National Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and co-authored by Baltimore Sun sportswriter Kevin Cowherd. The series will feature characters from a Babe Ruth League team named the “Orioles”. The agreement for world rights was negotiated by Stephanie Owens Lurie, Editorial Director, Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group, and Ian Kleinert, of Objective Entertainment.

The first book in the series--Hothead--will be published in Winter 2011 under the Disney-Hyperion imprint. It centers on all-star third baseman Connor Sullivan, who has a big problem: his temper. The story was inspired by Cal’s own struggle with frustration as a young player. Additional books will follow every year.

MTP Gets 'Graphic' With Publishing for Feature Film Rights

Mike the Pike Productions finalized a deal today with Ryan Colucci's Spoke Lane Entertainment to produce and publish a slate of no less than three complete graphic novels. The companies have agreed to place this partnership in a newly borne entity, SpokeFish, Inc. owned 50/50 by Mike the Pike Productions and Spoke Lane Entertainment.

SpokeFish will launch with three (3) novels hand selected by MTP and SL from Spoke Lane Entertainment's current offerings. The deal entitles Mike the Pike Productions to act as Executive Producer on the project with a Producer's Fee and 50% of the books' profits. As well, per the Agreement, Mike the Pike Productions will be entitled to 15% of Gross Film Rights Proceeds for any such adaptation. If any project on the slate is produced independently as a film, partners agree to negotiate mutually agreed terms for considerations to each party herein accordingly. The team plans to ensure that each novel is marketed for film rights sales or independent production.

Colucci, a producer on Mike the Pike's adaptation of George R.R. Martin's 'The Skin Trade,' is no stranger to graphic novels, nor to selling projects to Hollywood as evidenced by his screenplay, 'Lobo,' a werewolf action thriller set in Brazil with John Stockwell ('Blue Crush,' 'Turistas,' 'Into the Blue') set to direct; and 'Harbor Moon' (www.harbor-moon.com) to be launched at this year's Comic-Con (www.comic-con.org) with a release by Arcana Studios (www.arcanastudio.com) in August.

Details about the three books under this banner are forthcoming en tandem with the strategic launch of the SpokeFish website with links to Spoke Lane, MTP and each individual project under the SpokeFish banner. "We'll announce each book individually and release them online with continual updates on production all the while so as to keep fans and shareholders on the pulse of every phase of this exciting addition to the MTP universe," concludes Newbauer.

CelebrityPress Signs Publishing Deals with Leading Entrepreneurs

A select group of America's leading entrepreneurs and businesspeople have joined together to collaborate and co-write the forthcoming business and marketing book titled, "Game Changers: America's Leading Entrepreneurs and How They're Changing The Game, and You Can Too!" Nick Nanton, Esq. along with business partner, JW Dicks, Esq., of Dicks + Nanton Agency, LLC, recently signed a publishing deal with each of these authors to contribute their expertise to the book, which will be released under their CelebrityPress label.

The group of businesspeople and entrepreneurs authoring the new book include:

Genevieve M. Lynott; Paul Davey; Thomas W. Clark, MS, MD, FACS; Alec Day; Dr. Arif Balagam; Dr. Chris Colloca; Justin C. Carter; Clifford Jones; Jennifer Bryden; Martha Fouts, Dan McCabe; C. Richard Triola; Brewa Kennedy; Scott Schumann, DDS; Garrett J. White; Pam Moore; Chuck Boyce; Charles D. Oliver; Amy Remmele; Fletcher M. Johnson, Jr.; Joseph Lam; Courtney Barnette; William R. Benner, Jr.; Anolia Orfrecio Facun; Tony Greco; Philip D. Bennett; John Bejarano; Mike Chaet; Clate Mask; Robert Reedy; Nick Nanton; JW Dicks; and Lindsay Dicks.

The forthcoming book, "Game Changers" will feature anecdotes, business strategies and real-life solutions to many of the challenges faced by small and large businesses across the country, in a rapidly changing economy.

Other books soon to be released by CelebrityPress include The Relationship Age featuring social media expert, Mari Smith; The New Masters of Real Estate: Getting Deals Done in the New Economy featuring real estate investment expert and mentor, Ron LeGrand; and Power Principles for Success featuring America's PremierExperts along with Brian Tracy.

To learn more about CelebrityPress, please visit http://www.celebritypresspublishing.com/

Virtual Tales Acquires Her Dark Depths from Portland, Oregon Author Wendy Wagner

Virtual Tales, a privately held publisher of general and genre fiction in print and e-formats, announced the acquisition of the worldwide print and electronic publishing rights for the fantasy novel Her Dark Depths from Portland, Oregon author Wendy Wagner. This thrilling fantasy novel will take the reader deep into the heart of the political and personal intrigues of Imholt, where the Dinan have controlled all power within their nation for more than a millennium. But now a dying prince stands to challenge that rule, and only one woman can protect him from the Dinan's wrath. But first, she has to remember who she is.

Her Dark Depths is Wendy Wagner's first novel. It has been assigned to Virtual Tales staff editor Ti Locke of Decatur Island, Washington. Publication in both print and eBook formats is anticipated for the second half of 2011. Interested readers can sign up to preview the first four chapters of Her Dark Depths for free by visiting the Virtual Tales website, or by sending an email to her-dark-depths(.)virtualtales.com.

Virtual Tales (http://www.virtualtales.com/) is a privately held partnership founded in 2006 to publish original works of general and genre fiction in multiple formats, including print, eBooks and eSerials.

Optioning Of 'Shadow Warrior' By Filmmaker Ryan Craig

Author Solutions, Inc. announced that the film rights to "Shadow Warrior: A Thriller" (AuthorHouse, 2005) by Dr. John Mayer have been optioned by filmmaker Ryan Craig to be adapted into a feature film. Craig, the writer and director of the recently released Lionsgate film "Small Town Saturday Night" discovered "Shadow Warrior" earlier this year.

"Mayer tells an emotionally complex story that examines the psychological turmoil of a fiercely independent American hero, torn between the covert operations of the CIA and a simpler way of life, while also exploring the themes of love, loss, honor, betrayal, and ultimately vengeance," Craig said. "I believe audiences are hungry for characters like John Stryker - he's a guy's guy with heart. It's stories like these that made me want to get into this business in the first place."

"Shadow Warrior" tells the story of John Stryker, a CIA agent given the assignment of taking the war on drugs to a new level by disrupting the drug business in the U.S. Based on actual cases from federal law enforcement files, Stryker employs high-tech and old-fashioned bravado in an attempt to destroy the illicit business of an American business magnate and drug money launderer, Jerry Roth. Along the way, Stryker develops a relationship with Roth's wife, whom he views as a way to get closer to Roth, but a genuine romance develops between them, fueled by erotic and passionate encounters.

Mayer hopes "Shadow Warrior" will join several other titles published by ASI, including "September Dawn" and "Legally Blonde," in realizing success on the silver screen. Author Solutions president and CEO Kevin Weiss said he believes opportunities like this will increase for indie authors as studios search new sources for quality content.

Ryan Craig is represented by manager Brian Sher at Category 5 Entertainment.

Author Solutions, Inc. Launches Spanish-Language Self-Publishing Imprint Palibrio

Author Solutions, Inc. has launched Palibrio -- a new self-publishing imprint created exclusively for Spanish-speaking authors of all genres.

Palibrio will capitalize on the proven expertise of Author Solutions' English-language imprints. Prospective authors will receive a free publishing consultation, during which a professional publishing consultant will assess each author's publishing goals and find a solution to fit his or her needs. Throughout the process, Palibrio authors will work closely with a team of Spanish-speaking designers, consultants, marketing professionals, and customer service experts to transform their manuscripts to finished books efficiently, affordably, and professionally.

"For more than a decade, Author Solutions imprints have served the publishing, marketing, and book-selling needs of English-speaking authors worldwide. We thought it was important that we extend our industry-leading services to the expanding Spanish-speaking author community and provide them the opportunity to join the indie book publishing revolution," said Kevin Weiss, president and chief executive officer of Author Solutions.

Palibrio is Author Solutions' latest initiative to bring more opportunities to authors and more choice to readers. Since 2009, Author Solutions has entered groundbreaking self-publishing partnerships with four leading traditional publishers; begun offering its Xlibris service to authors in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; and entered into distribution pacts with nearly a dozen eBook providers including the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble nook, and Apple.

In addition to providing professional publishing services, Palibrio will make available to authors a selection of integrated marketing and promotional services. As well, each Palibrio title will be made available for purchase through Author Solutions' extensive traditional and digital distribution channels.

For more information about Palibrio, please visit http://www.palibrio.com/. For a free publishing consultation, call 1-877-407-5847 today.

Harlequin Announces New Licensee in Russia

Harlequin Enterprises Limited (www.eHarlequin.com), a global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of books for women, announced today a new licensing deal in Russia with ZAO (Izdatelstvo Centrepolygraph), one of that country's foremost publishing houses.

"We are thrilled to be working with Centrepolygraph in Russia," said Donna Hayes, Publisher and CEO, Harlequin Enterprises Limited. "Russian readers are enthusiastic Harlequin readers and we're very excited to meet the country's growing appetite for women's fiction with as beloved and respected a publisher as Centrepolygraph in our corner."

"We are delighted to be partnered with a publisher of Harlequin's stature," said Nickolai Aleshin, General Director of Centrepolygraph. "Harlequin Russia is a unique endeavour, with books designed to entertain, enrich and inspire Russian readers."

Centrepolygraph will publish novels by international bestselling authors in both hardcover and paperback, as well as series romance in the mass-market paperback format. Centrepolygraph plans to release more than 170 titles in their first year, most under the Harlequin logo and trademark, and has worldwide rights to publish Harlequin titles in the Russian language.

Harlequin recognizes a rapidly growing market in Europe and Asia. In 2008, the publisher launched an office in Mumbai, India, to print and distribute books locally. In the first half of 2010, the women's publishing giant has already opened an office in Turkey and acquired full ownership of their German operation. In the past 18 months, Harlequin has also signed new licensing deals in Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand. Harlequin currently has licensees in 15 countries.

Alister McGrath to Write C. S. Lewis Biography for Tyndale House Publishers

Definitive Work will Release in 2013, the Fiftieth Anniversary of Lewis's Death
Carol Stream, Illinois--Alister McGrath, internationally-known apologist, educator and bestselling author, is writing a definitive biography of C. S. Lewis, coming from Tyndale House Publishers in 2013, the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Lewis.

"We are honored to be working with Dr. McGrath; not only is he one of the world's most respected Christian theologians of this century; he is also a champion of C. S. Lewis's importance for Christian apologetics and understands the academic culture within which Lewis developed his ideas," said Ron Beers, senior vice president, group publisher. "He is ideally placed to write this biography."

Alister McGrath, a former atheist who grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, studied at Oxford University, where he became a Christian. McGrath subsequently served as Professor of Historical Theology at Oxford University until 2008, before taking up the newly-established chair of Theology, Religion, and Culture at King's College, London.

Dr. McGrath has a special interest in Christian apologetics. He has debated leading atheists, including Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens.

He is the author of numerous notable books, including A Life of John Calvin; Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought; Knowing Christ; The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World; and many more.

Tyndale House plans to launch the biography in 2013 correlating with the fiftieth anniversary observance of the death of C. S. Lewis (which occurred on November 22, 1963.)

Glamour and Hyperion Announce Three Book Deal

Ellen Archer, President and Publisher of Hyperion, and Cindi Leive, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour magazine, today announced a publishing partnership. This collaboration begins with three books to be published in 2011 and 2012. This deal marks a strategic partnership that draws on each company's promotional and marketing strengths to reach and cater to women readers. Both Hyperion and Glamour will support the books with multi-tiered publicity and marketing campaigns. Glamour, which has a readership of 12.2 million, was just selected Magazine of the Year at the National Magazine Awards, given by the American Society of Magazine Editors. The website Glamour.com has an online monthly readership of three million unique visitors and is the #1 women's magazine website in the country. Hyperion is known for its innovative digital outreach, exemplary publicity campaigns, and strategic ability to build upon platforms and leverage partnerships.

The first book, ENGAGEMENT CHICKEN and 99 Other Recipes to Get Everything You Want Out of Life by Cindi Leive, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour, and the Glamour team will be published in hardcover on Valentine's Day, 2011. ENGAGEMENT CHICKEN earned its title after a young Glamour editor was proposed to by her boyfriend the week after she used the magazine's recipe for a simple roast chicken and wrote about it in Glamour. Since then the magazine's editors have heard from many readers who have become engaged soon after trying the recipe. Hyperion Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Dyssegaard acquired World English rights via auction, negotiating with David Kuhn at Kuhn Projects.

The second book, JAKE'S LAWS, will be published in May 2011. For more than 50 years, Glamour's Jake columnist has served as dating consigliere for millions of American women, explaining why single men act the way they do and how to use that knowledge to female advantage.

The third title, a gift book called 30 THINGS EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE AND SHOULD KNOW BY THE TIME SHE'S 30, is scheduled for publication in Spring 2012. Originally penned by a Glamour columnist and published in the magazine 13 years ago, it found a second life when women began to forward it to one another all over the web. It became a viral sensation, mis-attributed to everyone from Maya Angelou to Hillary Clinton -- but there's only one original, and it stands the test of time.

Hyperion and Glamour plan to promote the books with targeted campaigns, utilizing both traditional and new media and marketing methods including national media, regional tours, strategic partnerships, advertising, contests, videos, social networking, and other digital initiatives.

Mind Candy Partners with Penguin Group to Publish a Range of Moshi Monsters Books

Mind Candy, developer of the popular children’s online game, Moshi Monsters, today announced its first major licensing deal with Penguin Group to publish a series of books based on the Moshi Monsters property. The online game allows children around the world to adopt their own free pet monster, play games, customize their homes, explore the virtual world and solve educational puzzles. More than 20 million players have registered to-date at http://www.moshimonsters.com/, making it one of the world fastest growing children’s games.

The first book to be published during the deal will explore one of the most popular elements of the game - Moshlings. These cute, colourful and collectible little creatures are pets of the Moshi Monsters and the book will delve into their back-story, habitats, quirks and provide other valuable information for dedicated Moshling hunters. The book will also contain a unique code to unlock a secret Moshling at the Moshi Monsters website. Two books are planned for release in 2010 globally and a further five to follow in 2011.

Hurts Poetry/Hurts Publishing Joint Venture Agreement

International acclaimed poet, speaker, and best-selling author Isiah Hurts has joined Hurts Publishing with a management and joint venture book agreement. Isiah will write under a newly formed joint venture with the company's premiere poetry-based book division, Hurts Poetry. His highly-anticipated book, Water For Your Soul, is scheduled for a 2011 fourth quarter release on Hurts Poetry/Hurts Publishing.

As a best-selling author, Isiah, has sold hundreds of thousands of groundbreaking books. His popular writings offer powerful leadership inspirations with hope, strength and spirituality. His innate charisma and enlightening sermons have drawn thousands to conferences and events around the world.

Fueled by a deep spirituality, Isiah Hurts delivers thought provoking and relevant messages in his writings, within the media and through his powerful and anointed voice in poetry. His writings has inspired multicultural and intergenerational audiences worldwide.

Author Solutions, Inc. Launches Spanish-language Self-publishing Imprint Palibrio

Author Solutions, Inc. announced the launch of Palibrio--a new self-publishing imprint created exclusively for Spanish-speaking authors of all genres.

Palibrio will capitalize on the proven expertise of Author Solutions' English-language imprints. Prospective authors will receive a free publishing consultation, during which a professional publishing consultant will assess each author's publishing goals and find a solution to fit his or her needs. Throughout the process, Palibrio authors will work closely with a team of Spanish-speaking designers, consultants, marketing professionals, and customer service experts to transform their manuscripts to finished books efficiently, affordably, and professionally.

Palibrio is Author Solutions' latest initiative to bring more opportunities to authors and more choice to readers. Since 2009, Author Solutions has entered groundbreaking self-publishing partnerships with four leading traditional publishers; begun offering its Xlibris service to authors in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; and entered into distribution pacts with nearly a dozen eBook providers including the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble nook, and Apple.

In addition to providing professional publishing services, Palibrio will make available to authors a selection of integrated marketing and promotional services. As well, each Palibrio title will be made available for purchase through Author Solutions' extensive traditional and digital distribution channels.

For more information about Palibrio, please visit http://www.palibrio.com/.

Black Screen Pictures Acquires Kristin A. Ward's screenplay "HIDDEN AGENDA"

Newly founded Toronto based company Black Screen Pictures has acquired the movie rights to Kristin A. Ward's action thriller, "Hidden Agenda" it was announced today by Melissa Verwey, the head of development at the company.

Alex Hanna CEO and founder of Black Screen Pictures will produce and will potentially direct the film.

Pre-production will go underway April 2011 and principal photography will begin June 2011.

The producers and director on the film is already keeping an eye out for potential shooting locations and are also casting talent for the film.

The project centers on a convicted killer Jack Morgan who heads for the town where he was sentenced to life imprisonment. On his journey he meets Clair Kinsey, a once prominent author -- destroyed by fame -- wandering across the country, desperately hoping to rekindle an interest in living. But is Jack innocent or guilty? A justifiably, paranoid underdog, determined to overturn his conviction or a brilliant, devious psychopath, using Clair in a twisted plan of revenge.

A release date has not been set, but Black Screen Pictures is shooting for February 2012.

Hurts Poetry/Hurts Publishing Joint Venture Agreement

International acclaimed poet, speaker, and best-selling author Isiah Hurts has joined Hurts Publishing with a management and joint venture book agreement. Isiah will write under a newly formed joint venture with the company's premiere poetry-based book division, Hurts Poetry. His highly-anticipated book, Water For Your Soul, is scheduled for a 2011 fourth quarter release on Hurts Poetry/Hurts Publishing.

As a best-selling author, Isiah, has sold hundreds of thousands of groundbreaking books. His popular writings offer powerful leadership inspirations with hope, strength and spirituality. His innate charisma and enlightening sermons have drawn thousands to conferences and events around the world.

Fueled by a deep spirituality, Isiah Hurts delivers thought provoking and relevant messages in his writings, within the media and through his powerful and anointed voice in poetry. His writings has inspired multicultural and intergenerational audiences worldwide.

Baker and Taylor Signs Deals with Two Major Publishers

Baker and Taylor Inc., the world's largest distributor of physical and digital books and entertainment products, at Book Expo America announced it has signed agreements to provide print-on-demand services -- via its TextStream Digital Print Service unit -- to Simon & Schuster and German academic publisher De Gruyter.

"These world-class publishers have put their trust in Baker & Taylor and TextStream, and that speaks volumes about our commitment to becoming the leader in digital services for our publishing partners," said Tom Morgan, CEO of Baker & Taylor.

The agreements with Simon & Schuster and De Gruyter illustrate Baker & Taylor's latest success in expanding TextStream's presence in the publishing community. Working with a combination of on-site and near-site facilities, TextStream provides publishers with a truly comprehensive suite of print-on-demand and print-to-order services and a wide variety of formats and trim sizes.

TextStream's flexibility and industry-leading customer reach, coupled with its capabilities in private label consumer direct fulfillment and Web hosting, make it especially advantageous to publishers by providing product to specialized audiences and academic libraries on an as-needed basis.

Mahogney Ink Publications is a new publishing house searching for raw and new talent

Mahogney Ink Publications is currently seeking manuscripts for street lit, erotica, urban, poetry, romance, and Christian books.

Mahogney Ink Publications mission is to develop and to publish stories that inspire the average person to keep reading. In doing so, the company has started an annual book scholarship that is awarded every February to a deserving high school or college student.

Shaneisha Dodson, founder, commented: “Starting Mahogney Ink Publications is a dream come true. I have always had a passion for writing and look forward to helping others reach their publishing goals. Mahogney Ink Publications is a independent publishing company founded in 2009 after I successfully self published my novel Cheating On My Mistress.”

Mahogney Ink Publications pays royalties. The company’s goal is to focus on author development and marketing support. We are committed to giving our authors the support they need to make their literary work a success.

The company will initially release books in trade paperback and E-Book format. Books will be released in 2010. Submission guidelines are available on the company's website.

Members of the media requesting additional information are asked to contact Mahogney Ink Publications at mahogneyinkpublications@gmail.com or visit the website http://www.mahogneyinkpublication.com/.

Clarion to Publish Read for Your Life, New Serialized eBook

Clarion Books, an imprint of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, announces a new digital project with the Newbery medalist and National Book Award–winning author Katherine Paterson.

Clarion will publish a series of Ms. Paterson's essays on writing and literature for young people in digital format. Collectively entitled Read for Your Life: Speeches and Writings of Katherine Paterson, the essays will be available through all major online book retailers and will be compatible with a variety of different digital reading devices

HarperCollins Signs Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis for 'Wildwood' Series

HarperCollins Publishers announced today that it has acquired North American rights to Wildwood, a middle-grade series by Colin Meloy, illustrated by acclaimed artist Carson Ellis. Wildwood is a classic tale of adventure, magic, and danger, set in an alternate version of modern-day Portland, Oregon. Meloy is the lead singer and songwriter of The Decemberists, the highly celebrated and uncommonly literary band.

The three-book deal was negotiated by Donna Bray, Co-Publisher of the Balzer & Bray imprint at HarperCollins, with Steven Malk of Writers House, after an auction involving five other publishers. The first book is scheduled for publication in Fall 2011.

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Howard, Grazer to adapt 'Dark Tower' books

Hollywood director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman will try to bring Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" novels to the big screen.

The Hollywood Reporter said the rights to the seven-book fantasy Western series have reverted back to author King after J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot production company held them briefly and couldn't figure out how to adapt them.

Howard, Grazer and Goldsman are in talks to start the series as a film that could then lead into a television drama, the entertainment industry trade newspaper said.

The trio has previously worked on the movies "A Beautiful Mind," "Cinderella Man," "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons."

(Source: UPI )

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Acquires the Philip K. Dick Library

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired North American publishing rights to Philip K. Dick's two-volume unpublished masterwork, The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick. Edited by Jonathan Lethem and Pamela Jackson, The Exegesis "serves as the foundation for ideas and themes that would appear throughout the work of this visionary author," notes Bruce Nichols, Publisher of Adult Trade at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. HMH has also acquired rights to 39 titles from the author's backlist, which will be published in paperback under the Company's Mariner imprint beginning fall, 2011.

During his lifetime, Philip K. Dick won both the prestigious Hugo Award and the John W. Campbell Award, which honor excellence in science fiction. Inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005 and with publication in three volumes in the Library of America in 2007, Dick's 45 novels and 120 short stories have been adapted into numerous films, including, most notably, "Minority Report" and "Blade Runner" (based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?). Other films based on his work are forthcoming.

To learn more about Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, visit http://www.hmhpub.com/.

Rodale Books to Publish Second Book by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz

Rodale Books has acquired the second book by the chairman, president and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, Howard Schultz, for publication in March 2011. Executive Vice President, General Manager, and Publisher Karen Rinaldi and Vice President and Publishing Director Colin Dickerman acquired North American rights; Jennifer Rudolph Walsh of William Morris Endeavor made the sale. Schultz will share the story of the company's dramatic transformation under his leadership, revealing how Starbucks has achieved profitability and sustainability without sacrificing humanity during one of the most tumultuous economic times in history. Collaborating with former Forbes writer and five-time author Joanne Gordon, Schultz will tell the story in his conversational, inspiring voice--taking readers into the mind, office, and heart of one of the world's most admired business leaders. Schultz's proceeds from the book will be directed to the Starbucks Foundation and CUP Fund.

"In the years since I published my first book, Pour Your Heart into It, the world has changed in ways I couldn't have imagined, testing Starbucks as a company and challenging my own understanding of the responsibilities required of a leader," said Schultz. "My motivation is to chronicle Starbucks transformation and how we confronted these challenges by reaffirming our core values and reinventing our company from the bottom up. I hope the book will prove an insightful tool for anyone facing fundamental business and societal shifts, but I am also writing this for Starbucks partners (employees), to honor the work they do every day and the human connection they've formed with our many customers around the world."

Stephen King Publishes New Novella "Blockade Billy," Available in the Kindle Store

Amazon.com announced that the new novella by bestselling author Stephen King, "Blockade Billy," is now available in Amazon's Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore) for $7.99. The Kindle Store now includes over 480,000 books and the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read, including New York Times Bestsellers and New Releases. Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are also available to read on Kindle, including titles such as "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," "Pride and Prejudice" and "Treasure Island."

"We're excited to be able to offer our customers Stephen King's new novella in the Kindle Store, especially after seeing customer enthusiasm for King's Kindle-exclusive novella ‘UR,'" said Melissa Kirmayer, Director, Kindle Content. "'Blockade Billy,' a shorter format book with a limited physical print run, is not only a great example of the publishing freedom Kindle allows writers, but also the rich content Kindle customers can find in the Kindle Store."

"Blockade Billy" tells the story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely. He may have been the greatest baseball player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first—and only—player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history. Blockade Billy has a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse… and only Stephen King can reveal the truth to the world, once and for all. Publishers Weekly writes of the book: "As King's fiction goes . . . a deftly executed suicide squeeze, with sharp spikes hoisted high and aimed at the jugular on the slide home."

The Kindle edition of "Blockade Billy" features both the cover illustration by Glen Orbik and the interior artwork of Alex McVey from the limited-edition hardcover published by Cemetery Dance Publications.

Stephen King has written more than 40 books, including "Misery," "The Green Mile," "Cujo," "IT" and "Carrie." He is the winner of numerous awards, including the Bram Stoker Award, O. Henry Award, Horror Guild Award and was the 2003 recipient of the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

"Kindle is a great way for authors to make different lengths of their writing available and to reach diverse audiences with their work," said Stephen King. "I'm excited to be able to offer ‘Blockade Billy' in the Kindle Store."

Kindle is in stock and available for immediate shipment today at www.amazon.com/kindle.