Sunday, February 28, 2010

Simon & Schuster's Aladdin Imprint to Publish Tori Spelling's First Children's Book

Aladdin announced today that it will publish a children's picture book with New York Times bestselling writer Tori Spelling, entitled Presenting . . . Tallulah. This is the first children's book that Spelling has written. Spelling is the author of two New York Times bestselling books, Mommywood and the #1 bestseller sTORI Telling that combined have close to a million copies in print. She'll also have her third adult book, tentatively titled uncharted terriTORI, on sale in June of 2010.

Taking cues from her own childhood, Spelling's Presenting . . . Tallulah tells the sweet tale of a young girl who really just wants to be herself. All her life, Tallulah has heard what she's not supposed to do: Don't get dirty . . . don't talk loudly . . . don't wear jeans like all the other kids. You're not that kind of girl, everybody keeps telling her. Tallulah knows plenty about what she can't do and what she shouldn't do, about what kind of girl she isn't. But it's up to her to figure out what kind of girl she is. Spelling and illustrator Vanessa Brantley Newton (Let Freedom Sing and Drum City) bring to life the story of a spunky little girl who, with the help of some special friends, is able to discover exactly who she is.

Says Spelling, "I love reading to my kids. It's our special time together. That and my passion for story telling inspired me to write a children's book of my own to read to them and children everywhere."

Spelling and husband Dean McDermott are currently filming the fourth season of their hit Oxygen reality series, Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. In the series' new season, premiering in Spring 2010, Tori and Dean will offer an even closer look into their family life and at their own relationship, which will include a first ever Spelling-McDermott cross-country family road trip. Last season's finale attracted more than one million viewers.

Spelling is also an accomplished designer. Her clothing line, Little Maven, for infants and toddlers, features fun, young and versatile designs. The line is sold in department stores and specialty boutiques. Her latest jewelry designs from The Tori Spelling Collection are available exclusively on HSN.

Bethany Buck, V.P., Publisher of Aladdin and Simon Pulse, said "Tori is a proven storyteller in the adult world, and we're positive that her foray into children's books will be nothing short of a success. We're thrilled to welcome her to our program."

Aladdin's Associate Editor Emily Lawrence negotiated the deal with agents Dan Strone and Alyssa Henkin of Trident Media Group. The deal includes world rights. The book is scheduled for publication on September 21, 2010

Historical Thriller Writer Alexander Galant Signs With NY Literary Agency, Writers House

Toronto based writer Alexander Galant has signed with New York Based literary agent Michelle Rubin of The Writers House to represent his work. The Writers House is one of the largest literary agencies in the world that represents well-known and respected novelists in both fiction and non-fiction.

Since the release of the NY Times Best Seller "Dracula the Un-Dead" in October 2009, for which Alexander Galant did all the historical research on and adapted/directed into a dramatic reading for the Toronto stage, he has been working on his new manuscript currently entitled "Bloody Mary Kelly." Galant's "Bloody Mary Kelly" is parallel stories between two centuries, Jack the Ripper strikes: In the past, five women are butchered, including the unfortunate Mary Kelly whose difficult life came to the most brutal end of all. In present day, a "copy-cat" Ripper hunts down women bearing the same names. Scotland Yard is baffled to find a secret, vital clue from the original case being used today, but ex-profiler Dr. Mary Kelly cannot waver, for she must find the killer before she becomes his next victim.

As well as a writer, Galant is also an accomplished director in both theater and film. In theater he received the Adjudicator's Award for Innovation, for Incorporating Animation, Computer-Generated Effects and Film Sequences with live actors in The Wizard of Oz and received a similar Thea Award for Singin' in the Rain for which he made it rain across the stage. Other theatre directing includes: A Tribute to Judy Garland, Love Letters, I'll Be Back Before Midnight, The Odd Couple, A Christmas Carol the Musical and Twelve Angry Men. Alexander Galant also adapted and directed a staged reading of Bram Stoker's Dracula for the 100th Anniversary in 1997, paying homage to Stoker's original reading.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Canadian Author Rethinks Storytelling for the Internet Age

Vancouver author and poet Barbara Murray today announced the launch of http://www.fabricoftheearth.com/, the Web component of her multi-format fiction project, Fabric of the Earth.

Set in the year three million AD, Fabric of the Earth tells the story of archaeologists from a far-away planet who discover the now-deserted Earth. As they begin digging for artifacts, they find evidence of a compelling mystery hidden in the planet. They also unearth artistic relics that indicate the long-ago presence of a highly creative people - the human race.

The story is told through audio and text transmissions sent between the archaeologists' camps and their in-orbit spacecraft.

Readers worldwide can sign up on the website to receive the transmissions in sequence by e-mail or access the story online; view unearthed items, including photographs, poems and video; submit poems and other work for inclusion on the website and in the upcoming hard copy volumes; find Fabric of the Earth Designs, Barbara's clothing line and poetry art; and enter a writing contest that challenges readers to describe how they would save the world in 300 words or less.

The interactive, all-inclusive nature of this project celebrates cross-cultural modes of human expression. As the Vancouver Olympics begin, the underlying message of Fabric of the Earth is more relevant than ever.

Barbara Murray's troupe, The Olive Branch, will be performing selections from Fabric of the Earth on Vancouver's Granville Island on the 14th, 21st and 28th of February.

Teleread E-Book Site Acquired by North American Publishing

North American Publishing Company (NAPCO) of Philadelphia, PA announced today that Gadgetell, a division of NAPCO, has acquired TeleRead.org, a Web Site covering global e-book news based in Alexandria, VA.

TeleRead covers daily and long-term developments for readers, writers, editors, publishers and sellers of e-books, as well as for librarians. Created in the 1990s, it is believed to be the oldest English-language Web site devoted to general e-book news and views.

The site's opinion posts helped spur the creation of the ePub standard used for e-books by Sony Readers and other products, including Apple's iBooks e-reading software for the iPad.

According to David Rothman, the founder of TeleRead, who is stepping down as editor-publisher, the time was ripe for moving the popular site to a publisher with more resources.

Philadelphia-based North American Publishing (NAPCO) publishes more than 16 leading trade magazines including Book Business, Printing Impressions, Target Marketing and Publishing Executive.

Son of the Legendary Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Pens His Personal, Controversial Memoir, 'Dear Dad'

Son of the Legendary Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Pens His Personal, Controversial Memoir, Dear Dad: "Where's The Family In Our Family, Today?" The Story the Marley Family Apparently Doesn't Want You to Know. Available now on Amazon and in book stores to coincide with Bob Marley's 65th birthday February 6, 2010.

According to Fortune magazine, the Bob Marley estate generates as much as $600 million, and by 2012, it is expected to generate in excess of $1 Billion--making Bob Marley the richest deceased celebrity. With all the wealth, the acclaim and the legacy, why would the Marley family try to censor a true life story written by of one of Bob Marley's sons--who many say is the son who best resembles his father's extraordinary talent? In fact, the Marley family is so outraged over the publishing of this memoir they lodged a campaign of intimidation over Ky-Mani Marley as the author of this book, unless the thus far forsaken and ostracized son of Bob Marley rewrites the truth and omits the sometimes harsh realities of his being excluded from the Marley family's affairs and events, and of intentionally being denied the love and attention enjoyed by the other children. They also demand that he confirm and showcase such distortions during his interviews and the highly awaited book tour.

Ky-Mani's publisher, Dr. Farrah Gray, defends the memoir and the author's right to disclose and describe the story of his life, even if it exposes situations and episodes the Marley estate prefers not to reveal. Gray's position is based on his personal commitment to the truth and is also grounded in law. Legal authorities confirm the publisher's right to pursue a claim of 'tortious interference' --a civil action that could possibly deem the Marley estate liable for damages caused by its threats to Marley's son. Injunctive relief is also being considered.

"Family politics can be a straight bitch. It can flow deep. And it can cut deep. You have to understand what I'm calling family politics. It was family politics that gave me all of the growing-up experiences I have detailed in this book," said Ky-Mani Marley.

The truth--and this book--will not be stopped. Published to coincide with Bob Marley's birthday, Dear Dad: "Where's The Family in Our Family, Today?" The Story the Marley Family Apparently Doesn't Want You to Know (Farrah Gray Publishing; February 6, 2010; ISBN-13: 978-0-9727-0999-6; $14.95; Original Trade Paperback), by world-renowned and Grammy®-nominated recording and performing artist, Ky-Mani Marley--Bob Marley's tenth child--is a compelling biographical account of a son who was locked out of his iconic father's shelter after his death, and forced to survive poverty and run-ins with the street-predators of Miami's violent ghetto. Ky-Mani grew up estranged from his siblings, and also cut out of any financial gain by Marley's widow and manager of the Marley Estate. This compelling narrative chronicles young Ky-Mani's gritty ascent from a bullet-riddled life to the world stages he now commands as a musical artist--a platform he has made on his own

Ky-Mani performs songs of redemption around the world like his famous father did, but has also lived to tell his personal redemptive story.