Tina Wells Signs Publishing Deal with HarperCollins

HarperCollins Children's Books has acquired world rights to "Mackenzie Blue" by Tina Wells, CEO of Buzz Marketing Group. Mackenzie, aka Zee, is the charismatic, fashionable and down-to-earth star of this fresh new tween fiction series that chronicles the adventures of a diverse crew of friends who try to survive middle school at the prestigious BrookdaleAcademy.

The ground-breaking deal, which will include dynamic corporate partnerships with an international recording company and a Fortune 500 marketing firm, was negotiated by Kate Jackson, SVP/Associate Publisher, Editor-in-Chief of HarperCollins Children's Books with agent Kate Lee of International Creative Management and Andre Des Rochers, Attorney at Law for Gray Krauss LLP.

Tina Wells, the creative mastermind behind Mackenzie Blue, was inspired to write the series because she felt it was important for girls to have positive books to read and to encourage them to make good choices. In Mackenzie Blue, tweens will discover more about going "green," learn about the "global" landscape, and be motivated to achieve their goals. Fun and eco-conscious, Mackenzie Blue is an upbeat break from mean-girl culture and is a breath of fresh air for the youth of today.

Ben Templesmith and Antony Johnston Collaborate on Dead Space

Electronic Arts Inc. and Image Comics will launch a new comic book series based upon the upcoming original survival horror video game; Dead Space. This new six book series set in the Dead Space universe will be written and illustrated by Ben Templesmith and written by Antony Johnston.

The Dead Space comic is the prequel story for the game. This series tells the gut-wrenching tale of a deep space mining colony that unexpectedly pulls an ancient and vicious alien life force from the dark rock.

The first issue will be on comic store shelves starting March 3rd for the regular price of $2.99 each. However, a limited edition version of issue #1 with exclusive cover art will be available at WonderCon.

Ben Templesmith is an Australian commercial artist best known for his work in the American comic book industry -- most notably Fell with writer Warren Ellis, published by Image Comics, and 30 Days of Night with writer Steve Niles published by IDW Publishing. The 30 Days of Night novel provoked a bidding war between film studios for the movie rights when the story was pitched a second time with Templesmith's artwork. Ben has been nominated for multiple Eisner Awards three years in a row for his comic work. He has also created book covers, movie posters, trading cards, and concept work for film.

Antony Johnston was born and raised in the Birmingham, England area and is the author of thirteen graphic novels, including Stormbreaker and Point Blanc (adapted from Anthony Horowitz' best-selling Alex Rider novels), The Long Haul, Julius and Three Days in Europe. He writes two ongoing serials, the sci-fi epic Wasteland and the children's fantasy Texas Strangers. He has adapted many of Alan Moore's prose stories to comics, written for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre comics license, and is the only other writer to have penned a story for Greg Rucka's award-winning Queen & Country series. He also writes novels; his debut Frightening Curves won the 2002 American Independent Publishing Award for Best Horror. His second novel, Stealing Life, was published in 2007.

Random House to Publish Novel by Alastair Campbell

All In The Mind, a novel by Alastair Campbell, will be published in November 2008 by Random House.

Set mainly over a long weekend it is the compelling story of a psychiatrist, his patients and family, and the pressures they bring to bear upon each other.

Random House imprint Hutchinson has acquired UK and Commonwealth Rights to All In The Mind from Campbell's literary agent Ed Victor.

Last year Alastair Campbell published The Blair Years: Extracts from the Alastair Campbell Diaries which was a Sunday Times No 1 bestseller, winner of Channel 4's Political Book of the Year award, and the bestselling political book of 2007. So far, 150,000 copies have been sold by Hutchinson. The paperback of The Blair Years will be published by Arrow in May and the full diaries will be published in a set of chronological volumes in the coming years.

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing to Produce Raggedy Adventures Movies

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing has partnered with Starz Media to develop and produce a series of "Raggedy Adventures" movies. The movies, based on the publisher's "Raggedy Ann and Me!" books, will unveil a new and updated look that will target young children, exposing this new generation to characters ready to go on countless adventures and who will share the magic and power of imagination.

Starz Media is a full-service production and distribution company whose Film Roman unit produces such popular animated programs as "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!," the Emmy(R)-winning "Eloise," as well as "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill." The company has hired writer Joe Ansolabehere ("Recess," "Hey Arnold," "Rugrats") to create an updated "Raggedy Adventures" story that has the excitement that will appeal to today's young audiences, while retaining the characters' core values of friendliness, imagination and giving. The animated movies will be produced at Film Roman, with TV sales handled by Starz Media and DVD releases going out via Starz Media's Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Along with the "Raggedy Ann and Me!" books and the "Raggedy Adventures" movies, Russ Berrie will create a new doll based on the updated look. United Media is currently building a licensing program in support of Raggedy Ann and Me! and will release merchandise in conjunction with the videos, dolls and books this fall.

Johnny Gruelle's RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY stories have warmed the hearts of children for decades. While Johnny, a talented cartoonist, illustrator, and storyteller, began writing stories about Raggedy Ann as a way to entertain his ailing daughter Marcella, those stories published in memoriam went on to become an American classic. Cherished through many generations, the adventures of Raggedy Ann, a mop-headed rag doll found in a grandmother's attic, have been shared for generations between parents and children and grandparents and grandchildren and continue to delight children of all ages.

Jim Pattison Entertainment Acquires Guinness World Records

Jim Pattison Entertainment Ltd. has acquired Guinness World Records from HIT Entertainment. Details of the sale will not be made public.

Guinness World Records (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/) is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, Guinness World Records has developed its annual book into an international phenomenon published in more than 100 countries and 37 languages. The book has gone on to become a record breaker in its own right, Guinness World Records(TM) is the world's best ever selling copyright book.

Jim Pattison Entertainment Acquires Guinness World Records

Jim Pattison Entertainment Ltd. has acquired Guinness World Records from HIT Entertainment. Details of the sale will not be made public.

Guinness World Records (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/) is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, Guinness World Records has developed its annual book into an international phenomenon published in more than 100 countries and 37 languages. The book has gone on to become a record breaker in its own right, Guinness World Records(TM) is the world's best ever selling copyright book.

CBS Films Options Rights with Vince Flynn

CBS Films and Simon & Schuster/Atria Books -- both divisions of CBS Corporation -- have reached film and publishing agreements with best-selling author Vince Flynn for upcoming projects.

Flynn is the author of nine best-selling novels, eight of which feature the popular character, counter-terrorism operative Mitch Rapp. There are over 10 million copies of Flynn's books in print in the U.S., and with his most recent book, Protect and Defend, he joined the ranks of those select few authors who can immediately claim the Number One spot on hardcover bestseller lists in their first week on sale.

CBS Films has optioned the rights for Flynn's Mitch Rapp character with the intention of creating a character-based, action-thriller movie franchise. Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who produced two of last summer's hits — "Transformers" and Stephen King's "1408" — and Nick Wechsler ("We Own The Night") are in negotiations to produce the films.

Flynn's new agreement with Atria and Simon & Schuster is a four book global publishing deal for all world rights, including translation and audio. The worldwide simultaneous English language publication of the first book in the agreement by Atria and Simon & Schuster companies in the U.K., Canada and Australia will take place in 2010. Flynn will be published under the direction of Atria Executive Vice President and Publisher Judith Curr, and Vice President and Executive Editorial Director Emily Bestler, who made the acquisition.

Hyperion to Publish New Book by Marian Wright Edelman

Hyperion plans to publish Marian Wright Edelman's THE SEA IS SO WIDE AND MY BOAT IS SO SMALL, a series of letters to her grandchildren, our leaders, women around the world and to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. among others.

Edelman is the founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund and the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours. She has written eight books and edited numerous others, and is the winner of many awards for her work including a MacArthur Prize Fellowship, the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award and Heinz and Neibuhr Awards. In 2000, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award for her writings.

Hyperion President, Robert S. Miller negotiated the deal with Timothy Seldes at Russell & Volkening. Executive editor, Gretchen Young, will edit it for publication scheduled September 2008. Hyperion retains World rights, including book club, first serial, and audio.

Book and Author of the Year Announced by Police-Writers.com

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Police-Writers.com announced the 2008 Book of the Year and 2008 Author of the Year.

What Every Chief Executive Should Know: Using Data to Measure Police Performance, (Looseleaf Law Publications, 2007) by Captain Jon M. Shane (ret.), was selected as the 2008 Police-Writers.com Book of the Year. In December 1985, Jon Shane Joined the Newark Police Department (New Jersey) and was assigned to the South Police District. During his 20 year law enforcement career, he worked a variety of assignments and worked his way through the ranks of detective, sergeant and lieutenant, eventually reaching the rank of Captain.

Jon Shane's book stood out among the entrants because it significantly advances management decision making in the field of law enforcement. The book provides models and mathematical approaches to management questions like: "How many officers do we need? Are we efficiently using the ones we have? Is there a relationship between the number of officers we have and our crime rate? What is the status of our patrol car fleet? Are citizens satisfied with our work? What is the cost of our special programs and what are the actual benefits?"

James H. Lilley was selected as the 2008 Police-Writers.com Author of the Year. The author of the year selection was based in part on writing ability and in part on career and community service.

James H. Lilley began his lifetime as a United States Marine in 1961. Shortly after his discharge, he joined the Howard County Police Department (Maryland), graduating first in his class. During his career his received numerous honors such as Medal of Valor, four Bronze Stars, four Unit Citations and the Governor's Citation. James H. Lilley has published six novels, articles in Police Chief Magazine and authored an International Association of Chiefs of Police training key. Moreover, he began studying Martial Arts in the early 1960s and is a 8th Degree Black Belt in Shorin Ryu Karate; the first American to achieve this recognition and honor from Sensei Takeshi Miyagi.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 839 police officers (representing 382 police departments) and their 1772 law enforcement books in 32 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books. Website: http://www.police-writers.com/

Author Tony Eldridge Represented by The Literary Group International

Frank Weimann, founder and president of The Literary Group International, now represents all literary rights for Dallas, TX author Tony Eldridge.

Tony is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first class thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." The novel has already garnered Editor's Choice and Publisher's Choice honors. The Samson Effect follows the pursuit of two scholars who are close to discovering a secret of biblical proportions. However, two opposing forces will do anything to stop them.

A major Los Angeles based producer is currently in negotiations with the author to acquire the movie rights to The Samson Effect.

"I am excited to represent this book," Frank Weimann said. "I believe the mix of action and historical references will appeal to the mass of action/adventure readers."

Founded in 1986 by Frank Weimann, The Literary Group International is one of the premier literary agencies in the book publishing industry. The company represents more than 200 authors worldwide. Its formidable client list ranges from novelists, celebrities and public figures, to Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning authors.

Known as the "home of bestselling authors," the agency has represented more than fifty bestsellers during the last six years. Among the agency's current popular titles are The Alchemyst by Michael Scott; Red Helmet by Homer Hickam; Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley; and Dog and Bear by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.

Eldridge grew up in Westfield, IN., and now resides in Forney, TX., just east of Dallas. For more information on The Samson Effect, visit http://www.samsoneffect.com/

Simon & Schuster Names Priscilla Painton Editor in Chief

Priscilla Painton has been named Editor in Chief of the Simon & Schuster adult trade imprint. Ms. Painton, who was most recently Deputy Managing Editor of Time Magazine, will begin her new position on March 3rd. Her appointment was announced by David Rosenthal, Executive Vice President and Publisher of the Simon & Schuster imprint.

Ms. Painton joined Time in 1989 as a reporter and went on to edit every section of the magazine. She served longest as Time's Nation editor responsible for all political and domestic news. In that role she oversaw Time's investigation of the campaign finance scandals, which won a prestigious Goldsmith Investigative Journalism Prize. She also served as Time's executive editor before being appointed deputy managing editor, which made her the highest ranking woman editor ever in the history of the magazine.

Prior to joining Time, Ms. Painton worked for the Atlanta Journal & Constitution, where she was a political and projects reporter. She has also worked at The Washington Post and The Berkshire Eagle, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Ms. Painton has a B.A. in history from Mount Holyoke College. Born in Rome and raised in Paris -- she is fluent in French -- she now lives in New York and has two teenagers.

Macmillan Acquires Hayden-McNeil Publishing

Macmillan (www.macmillan.com), a leading publisher of books, textbooks, magazines, and digital media, has acquired Hayden-McNeil Publishing (www.hmpublishing.com), the leading publisher of custom textbooks and lab manuals for the higher education market based in Plymouth, Michigan. The acquisition adds to Macmillan’s portfolio of leading higher education publishers which includes Bedford St. Martin’s, W.H. Freeman, Worth Publishers, and i
Hayden-McNeil, founded by Patrick Olson, publishes textbooks, lab manuals, and curriculum supplements across a range of subject areas for colleges and universities nationwide.

The merger with Macmillan is expected to provide Hayden-McNeil with a platform for future growth by delivering the added reach and resources through access to Macmillan’s content, educational technology, and distribution assets.

IDW Publishing Launches New Children's Imprint

IDW Publishing, an established leader in the comic book and graphic novel arena, is launching a children's division called Jonas Publishing and a new imprint, Worthwhile Books. The move will allow IDW Publishing to expand its library of successful print titles, which to date has been particularly focused in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, such as 30 Days of Night and The Transformers. To launch the imprint, IDW Publishing has inked a significant agreement with a renowned UK children's publisher and is striking deals with top Hollywood writers to create children's books.

Worthwhile Books has finalized a first-look arrangement with UK children's publisher Meadowside Books (http://www.meadowsidebooks.com/), known for its unique character-driven picture books for young readers. Worthwhile will be the exclusive U.S. publisher of selected Meadowside titles and will retain domestic film and television rights on those properties. The first Meadowside Books title in the deal, Michael Recycle, by Ellie Bethel, follows the escapades of a "green-caped" environmental hero and will be released in March by Worthwhile Books. Worthwhile expects to issue approximately 10 Meadowside titles over the course of the first year, including William's Dinosaurs, by Alan Baker, which tells the tale of a little boy who finds more than trees in the dark woods near his home.

Worthwhile's Hollywood outreach is tapping into the top ranks of movie and television writing talent to bring original literary stories to the young reading audience. The collective credits of the entertainment writers include some of the industry's most successful television series and movies. These writers include:

-- David N. Weiss, whose writing credits include Shrek 2, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and both Rugrats movies

-- David Sacks, a writer/producer on The Simpsons, producer on Malcolm in the Middle, and writer on 3rd Rock from the Sun

-- Dava Savel, an Emmy Award- winning comedy writer with credits on shows such as Grace Under Fire and Will & Grace, in addition to being an executive producer on the children's program That's So Raven

-- David Steinberg, whose producing credits include Meet the Robinsons, Home on the Range and Cats Don't Dance

-- Robert Kurtz, who wrote for the movie Everyone's Hero and has written for such shows as Boy Meets World and Grace Under Fire

Simon & Schuster to Create Virtual Author Series

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Ball State University have partnered to bring S&S authors and illustrators into more than 30,000 schools nationwide through live, interactive Web broadcasts. Too few students today have had the opportunity to engage with authors and artists on a firsthand level, but Electronic Author Visits (EAV) utilize the BSU's groundbreaking Electronic Field Trips program to allow students and teachers to interact directly with authors and illustrators through live video, discussion forums, and downloadable learning activities.

S&S has formed an exclusive three-year agreement with Ball State University and plans to host three EAVs each year. Andrew Clements, the bestselling author of classroom favorites FRINDLE and NO TALKING, will kick off the program as the first EAV author on March 18. D. J. MacHale, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pendragon series and Margaret Peterson Haddix, national bestselling author of the Shadow Children series, have signed on to participate as well.

An Electronic Author Visit is a unique experience that makes the rich content of S&S's bestselling and award-winning authors accessible to children and teachers. Each visit is a combination of several components. First, a website is created specifically for each EAV and serves two purposes: to provide teachers with background information that can be used to help students prepare for the author's visit and to offer interactive material that relates to the subject discussed in the author's or artist's book. In preparation for the EAV, the program also offers a series of classroom activities and curriculum binders. Simon & Schuster and BSU provide the author's books to a select group of teachers who then develop grade-appropriate activities for other teachers to use before the live broadcast. Booksource has signed on to be the sponsoring book supplier. To facilitate preparation for the EAV, Booksource will assist participating teachers with book orders through a convenient link to their site and ordering information.

The live Web broadcast is the culmination of the EAV experience. As a live broadcast, it has the potential to be much more interactive than a static television program and much more far-reaching than a typical Webinar. This 45- minute segment includes a presentation from the author, a reading or excerpt from the book, and a question-and-answer session in which the author fields questions from the students. Teachers can sign up for the first EAV with Andrew Clements by visiting the MyVisit website: http://www.bsu.edu/myvisit/

Little, Brown and Company Acquires New Tom Wolfe Novel

Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group USA, has acquired rights to publish the new novel by Tom Wolfe, the celebrated bestselling novelist and journalist, author of such American classics as The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and most recently I Am Charlotte Simmons.

Titled Back to Blood, the novel will consider class, family, wealth, race, crime, sex, corruption, and ambition in Miami, the city where America's future has arrived first. Characters include a young nurse of Cuban ancestry married to a famous French-emigre sex doctor, a freshman journalist on the trail of a Russian-mob-comes-to-Miami story, his wary editor, a second-generation Cuban police officer, a woman of Haitian background who passes for Anglo, and dozens more.

Mr. Wolfe was represented in the negotiation by his longtime agent, Lynn Nesbit of Janklow & Nesbit. The book will be edited by Little, Brown senior editor Pat Strachan. Ms. Strachan was formerly Mr. Wolfe's editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux, where she worked with him on The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and four other books. Little, Brown acquired North American rights, and publication is planned for 2009.

Scholastic to Publish the 39 Clues

Scholastic breaks new ground with the launch of The 39 Clues, a multi-platform adventure series for ages 8-12. Scholastic's Trade publishing division will launch the program simultaneously in September 2008 in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Combining reading with online gaming and collecting, The 39 Clues will include 10 adrenaline-charged books to be released over a 24-month period, 350 collectible cards, and a dynamic online game where readers uncover information beyond what is revealed in the books and cards and compete for prizes.

All rights for The 39 Clues are controlled by Scholastic, and Scholastic Media, will be extending the print and internet components by developing the property across other media and consumer products.

The first book in the series, The Maze of Bones is written by #1 New York Times best-selling author Rick Riordan, who also outlined the program's 10-book story arc. The Maze of Bones will be released in September 2008, and the official The 39 Clues game will begin worldwide on September 9, 2008.

Oberon Media Takes World's Best-Selling Author to Online Gaming

James Patterson, the world's best-selling author with 140 million books sold globally, is blazing a trail in the interactive arena by making his casual games debut based on one of his best-selling series of novels, Women's Murder Club (WMC). The WMC game in 2008 will be the first property to be brought to the mass-market casual games audience through James Patterson Entertainment's exclusive partnership with Oberon Media, the world's leading multi-platform casual-games company.

Following on from the success of ABC Television's hit new series, "Women's Murder Club" fans as well as mystery fans everywhere will have opportunity to interact with Patterson's much loved super-sleuths. Players will get to play as each of the founding members of the Women's Murder Club: Lindsay Boxer, Cindy Thomas, Claire Washburn and Jill Bernhardt. All four are talented women, each a success in her own field, who use their expertise, their close friendship and their instincts to uncover clues to San Francisco's most grisly homicides.

The game is being produced by Oberon Media, publisher of mass-market casual hits like Dream Day: Wedding and Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile. In close collaboration with James Patterson Entertainment, Oberon Media will create a series of casual games based on the Women's Murder Club franchise and release them via its extensive network of multi-platform distribution partnerships worldwide.

Simon & Schuster Adds Beacon Street Girls

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, one of the leading children's book publishers in the world, and B*tween Productions, Inc., creators of the Beacon Street Girls(R) (BSG) brand, announced that Aladdin M!X, Simon & Schuster's tween program, will add the wildly successful Beacon Street Girls book series to its list beginning May 2008. Aladdin M!X will license, market and distribute the books world wide. B*tween will continue to create the award-winning stories. The company will focus on growing the brand through the company's online presence and expanding its product and media licensing operations.

With the introduction of the Aladdin M!X program earlier this year, Simon & Schuster is the first major publisher to focus on the 9-13 year-old audience with a branded line of paperback originals and reprints. Created in 2004, the Beacon Street Girls was the first brand designed specifically to help preteen girls navigate adolescence using friendship-focused contemporary fiction. Today, the Beacon Street Girls books, website and line of gifts provide tween girls everywhere with positive media and strong role models.

Novelist Brandon Sanderson will finish Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time fantasy series

Tor Books has chosen novelist Brandon Sanderson to finish the final novel in Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time fantasy series. Robert Jordan, one of the greatest storytellers of the 20th and early 21st centuries, died September 16th after a courageous battle with the rare blood disease amyloidosis.

The new novel, A MEMORY OF LIGHT, will be the twelfth and final book in the beloved fantasy series which has sold over 14 million copies in North America and over 30 million copies worldwide. The last four books in the series were all #1 New York Times bestsellers, and for over a decade fans have been eagerly awaiting the final novel that would bring the epic story to its conclusion.

Like Jordan, Sanderson was an avid reader and writer from an early age. His debut novel, Elantris, was an unagented gem discovered after Sanderson, then a college student writing during his late night shift at a local hotel, approached Tor editor Moshe Feder at a fantasy convention. Several months later, after reading the manuscript and deciding he had to have it, Feder tried to find the author, who had since moved. Using the internet, he tracked down Sanderson through a campus directory-and the rest is history.

Sanderson has since gone on to establish a loyal fan base as the author of three critically acclaimed fantasy novels: Elantris, Mistborn, and The Well of Ascension, as well as a YA novel, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. Publishing trade magazines Publishers Weekly and Library Journal gave Elantris starred reviews and it was the winner of the Romantic Times Award for best epic fantasy. The Washington Post also praised Sanderson for his creation of "a fascinating world" in Mistborn.

Now Brandon Sanderson has signed on to complete A MEMORY OF LIGHT, with scheduled delivery of the manuscript in December 2008 and a planned publication date of Fall 2009. "The Wheel of Time turns and ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time..."

Website: http://www.tor-forge.com/

Nolo Brands USA Today Book Series

The first three titles in a series of books co-produced by Nolo and USA TODAY -- now in the final stages of production -- will be the standard bearers for a new relationship between two leaders of the print world.

Nolo, the premier publisher of legal information for consumers, and USA TODAY, the country's top-circulation newspaper, will team up to produce at least 12 books over the next two years. The first three, to be released in February, are:

-- The Busy Family's Guide to Money by USA TODAY journalists Sandra
Block, Kathy Chu and John Waggoner.

-- Retire Happy: What You Can Do NOW to Guarantee a Great Retirement, by
Nolo co-founder Ralph Warner and Nolo editor Rich Stim.

-- The Work From Home Handbook: Flex Your Time, Improve Your Life by Nolo
editor Diana Fitzpatrick and Stephen Fishman.

Each title in the new series incorporates material from USA TODAY's vast resources of data and graphics and Nolo's expertise in writing and editing do-it-yourself guides for consumers and small business owners. Averaging about 200 pages each, the guides will focus on legal and practical aspects of owning real estate, retiring, handling personal finances and other situations where law touches your life.

For USA TODAY, the partnership represents a new vehicle for delivering content beyond the traditional newspaper. In addition to Nolo, the company signed deals with five other book and calendar publishers for products ranging from sports and puzzle books and calendars to books about USA TODAY and its parent company, Gannett Co., Inc.

Nolo's website, http://www.nolo.com/, offers comprehensive, plain-English legal information and a wide array of electronic and traditional legal tools including online legal documents, guides, books and software.