"21 Nights," a "photographic essay" that offers "a rare glimpse into the life, lyrics, and mystique" of the maker of such hits as "1999" and "Purple Rain," will be published worldwide come fall, according to Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. The book, his first, is based on Prince's 21 sold-out concerts in as many nights at London's O2 Arena in 2007.

"Juxtaposing his duelling worlds of music and solitude, it ('21 Nights') will incorporate Prince's evocative poetry and lyrics to new songs and other selections and 124 full-colour, sumptuous, never-before-published images by celebrated photographer Randee St. Nicholas," Atria announced Monday. "21 Nights" will include a CD of after-hours jams, "Indigo Nights," unavailable from any other outlet.

Mr. Olson, who has run Random House, the world's largest consumer publisher, since 1998, has come under mounting pressure in recent months as Bertelsmann’s financial results have been damaged by lower profits at Random House and steep losses in its American book clubs, which he also oversees. Bertelsmann's recently-appointed chief executive, Hartmut Ostrowski, has lost patience with the performance of this American outpost and wants to install his own person, said these executives, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it involved internal personnel issues.

The terms and exact timing of Mr. Olson's departure were still under negotiation, these people said. Bertelsmann's board is scheduled to meet in New York in two weeks; an announcement could come shortly after that. "It's just a question of working out his deal," one executive said. It was not yet clear who will replace Mr. Olson, although these executives said it would not necessarily be a prominent figure from New York publishing, and maybe not even an American.

Mr. Ostrowski, 50, rose to the top of Bertelsmann as the head of its printing and services division, Arvato, and since taking the helm in January, he has placed emphasis on its nuts-and-bolts businesses. When Mr. Ostrowski laid out his strategy for Bertelsmann shortly before taking office, Mr. Olson, who was ill at the time, was missing from a lineup of executives on the stage in Berlin. The illness, these people said, had left him distracted and unavailable for long stretches last year.

Mr. Olson, a tall, reserved man who speaks fluent Russian and German, has long cut an unusual figure in the publishing industry. The highest-ranking American in a German company, Mr. Olson is known equally for his voracious reading habits and for his zealous attention to the bottom line. In 2003, he abruptly dismissed the president of the Random House Trade Group, Ann Godoff, saying in a news release that she ran the only unit "to consistently fall short of their profitability targets." In an interview, he said it would have been disingenuous to attribute her exit to other reasons. Now, Mr. Olson appears to have fallen victim to the same bottom-line calculus. Sales at Random House fell 5.6 percent in 2007, hurt by the eroding dollar and weak consumer spending. Operating profit declined 4.9 percent.

Ron Paul's loyal supporters helped him set campaign fundraising records and capture more delegates during his presidential run than some of his high-profile Republican rivals. They even managed to briefly shut down Nevada's GOP convention earlier this month over a rules change controversy.

Now they've taken his latest book to the top of the Amazon.com bestseller list. The Revolution: A Manifesto, released earlier this month, is currently No. 1 on the Web site's list of top sellers, besting even Oprah's latest Book Club selection.

"Despite a media blackout, this septuagenarian physician-turned-congressman sparked a movement that has attracted a legion of young, dedicated, enthusiastic supporters . . . a phenomenon that has amazed veteran political observers and made more than one political rival envious," boasts the book's product description, adding: "Candidates across America are already running as 'Ron Paul Republicans.'"

They said they would and they did. Amazon has filed suit in New York challenging the constitutionality of the state’s newly signed measure requiring out-of-state online retailers to collect sales tax on purchases made by residents of the state. The company maintains that because it has no physical presence in the state it has no nexus requiring it to collect tax. The New York statute says that members of Amazon’s affiliates program does in fact provide nexus.

A book about the rise and stunning decline of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, co-authored by the makers of a book and documentary about the fall of Enron, is being published by Penguin Group (USA), Penguin imprint Portfolio announced Wednesday. Peter Elkind, who helped write the 2003 best-seller "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," is collaborating on the Spitzer book with filmmaker Alex Gibney. Gibney and Elkind will also work on a documentary about the law-and-order Democrat who resigned last month over allegations about his connection to a $5,500-an-hour call girl ring.

The book and film, currently untitled, are expected to come out around the same time, but no release date has been set. "We know Peter to be a spectacular investigative reporter, just spectacular," Portfolio publisher and president Adrian Zackheim told The Associated Press. "This is not a quickie book. He's going to do what he does best: Come back with a very, very satisfying, in-depth and complicated story."

Longtime children's book editor and publisher Joanna Cotler is stepping down from her position at HarperCollins Children's Books. Cotler, who has spent the last 13 years as publisher of her eponymous imprint, Joanna Cotler Books, will become editor-at-large at the publisher as of May 13.

Cotler, whose current title is senior v-p and publisher, is leaving to focus on her sideline passion, painting. She will continue to edit select titles after her departure; moving forward these will be the only titles published under the Joanna Cotler Books banner. The imprint currently issues 15 titles a year; it has not yet been determined how many books Cotler will do once she transitions to editor-at-large.

*****

Over the years Cotler has worked with a distinguished list of authors, including William Steig, Art Spiegelman, Sharon Creech, Francesca Lia Block and Jamie Lee Curtis. In thanking her colleagues at HarperCollins, Cotler added that she was "most deeply honored by the authors and artists who chose to work with me. I love them all and have been so privileged to publish their books."

Starbucks is restructuring its entertainment operation with Ken Lombard leaving as head of the group and being replaced by Chris Bruzzo, chief technology officer. It was under Lombard's direction that the giant coffee chain began selling selected books, and Starbucks said it will "continue its relationship with the William Morris Agency to identify book projects that it can offer in its stores." The most recent Starbuck book selection, chosen earlier this week, was Garth Stein's The Art of Racing (Harper).

The online initiative will launch at BEA, with the mission of connecting publishers and "professional readers," and streamlining the galley distribution process. NetGalley will enable book publishers, reviewers, media, librarians, booksellers, bloggers, educators and others to access and share content and information about new titles. Publishers that have already signed on to a pilot program include St. Martin's, Hachette Book Group, Bloomsbury USA and Sourcebooks. Those houses will submit their advance fall titles to PW through NetGalley.

During the pilot period, publishers will submit their title information -- and, optionally, digital galleys -- electronically to PW. In return, PW will provide visibility on review acceptance and status through NetGalley.com. Pilot publishers will also have the opportunity to invite other reviewers, media and bloggers to join their community and view their galleys online. Print galleys will also still be accepted.

Google, the Internet's leader in search and advertising, says the process it developed and is using for scanning the majority of the books in Book Search is proprietary. Employees will not discuss it except to say it is much faster than what Mitchel is doing and it's not destructive. "It took us quite a while to develop it so we do keep that confidential," said a library manager for Book Search, Ben Bunnell, who declined even to say where Google does the scanning.

Many libraries began digitizing books a decade ago to preserve them. Funding from Google allows the 28 libraries it's working with to cut their digitizing costs because they don't have to pay for scanning the books Google wants to include in Book Search.

Through Book Search, users can track down a book on any topic they're interested in and read a small portion. If the book's not protected by copyright, users can download the whole thing. If it is, or if they just want to read an original, they can use Book Search to find copies to buy or borrow. More than 1 million rare or fragile books have been digitized through the Google-Michigan partnership since it began in 2004, with an estimated 6 million to go.

"There's going to be a lot of untold stories and untold anecdotes," said Will Weisser, Sentinel's associate publisher. "But the other part is the governor's vision for the future of American politics and society and what should we be working towards? How does the (Republican) party become more unified?"

*****

The publishing company wouldn't say how much Huckabee will be paid. Weisser acknowledged that they've agreed to the book at a time when Huckabee's political future is uncertain. The former governor recently formed a political action committee to raise money for McCain and other Republicans, and has also been mentioned as a potential running mate for the Arizona senator.

"We kind of had to think about that because obviously it's possible he could be the running mate," Weisser said. "It could certainly be hard to do a traditional book promotion if he's the vice president-elect. But some people here have pointed out that that's a nice problem to have."

Disney said the book will focus particularly on the guidance of Cyrus' mother, Leticia. "I am so excited to let fans in on how important my relationship with my family is to me," the 15-year-old singer-actress said in a statement. "I hope to motivate mothers and daughters to build lifetimes of memories together and inspire kids around the world to live their dreams."

The Disney Book Group, in a clear bit of synergy for the Walt Disney Co., has world rights to the book. Disney said Cyrus' book will feature previously unseen photos, family stories and "a look at her inner circle of loved ones." The book, the first by Cyrus, will be published under the Disney-Hyperion Books imprint.

President Bush's proposed 2009 budget eliminates all the funding for Reading Is Fundamental's book distribution program that has, since 1966, provided more than 325 million books to more than 30 million underprivileged children.

"With 13 million children living in poverty in this country, the need for RIF has never been greater," said RIF CEO/president Carol Rasco. The annually funded RIF program is currently approved through September 2009, but if Bush's budget is approved, 4.6 million children will not receive 16 million free books the following year. RIF, the oldest and largest children's and family nonprofit literacy organization in the U.S, has been funded by Congress and six Administrations without interruption since 1975.

"With a recent report showing a declining interest in reading among adults and teens, supporting children's literacy is critical to reversing this trend," said Rasco. "We received $26.6 million in federal funding in 2007 and we're requesting $26 million this year," said Frank Walter, RIF's director of marketing/PR, adding that 75% of funds are provided by federal grants and 25% is raised locally by RIF’s 19,000 volunteer outlets that distribute books at childcare centers, schools and migrant work programs. Ninety percent of the organization's funds go to purchasing new books for lower income children and for motivational reading activities that take place during RIF's book distribution.

*****

Author James Patterson's recent blog post urged fans to visit RIF's site and voice their concerns. "RIF, if you don't know, is one of the pioneers of kid-directed book distribution programs," Patterson wrote. "I've already reached out. Do you think you might take a couple minutes to reach out to your congresspersons? Infusing a love of books in our own kids is challenging enough.... imagine how hard it is to do in families without our resources and level of education."

Reps for JKR have now confirmed to TLC that there will indeed be an extract of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows contained in this new book, along with two new illustrations of the story from author and artist Quentin Blake. Along with the contribution from Jo, others such as Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson are contributing to the birthday book for The Prince of Wales, with new material due from Philip Ardagh and Anthony Horowitz. In addition to the new illustrations from Quentin Blake, other artists contributing are Axel Scheffler, Posy Simmonds and Emily Gravett. The Birthday Book will be published on November 6, with all proceeds to benefit The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts, a charity which”provides schoolchildren with opportunities to visit theatres, orchestras, museums and galleries."

Vander Ark wiped away tears when he was asked to reflect on what the case has done to his relationship with the community of Harry Potter fans. The former middle school librarian, who fell in love with the books in the late 90s and has devoted years to studying them and indexing their content online, could barely speak. "It's been ... it's been," he stammered, choking on his words. "It's been difficult because there has been a lot of criticism, obviously, and that was never the intention. ... This has been an important part of my life for the last nine years or so."

*****

During his testimony Tuesday, Vander Ark acknowledged that he, too, had substantial concerns all along about whether publishing an encyclopedia based on Rowling's Potter universe would constitute copyright infringement. He said he was talked into doing it by the publishing company.

Stan Lee and his entertainment company Pow! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment will collaborate with Japanese manga creator Hiroyuki Takei (creator of Shaman King) on a new manga series for Japanese audiences. The series, entitled Ultimo (Karakuridôji Ultimo in Japanese), will premier later this month in Jump SQ. II, a special editon of Jump SQ, a monthly manga magazine published by Shueisha, one of Viz"s Media parent companies and the publisher of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.

Marc Weidenbaum, editor-in-chief of the U.S. edition of Shonen Jump, will release details about the project in a press conference during New York Comic-con later this month. "I really can't say much now," Wiedenbaum told PWCW in an interview yesterday, "except that it's coming out, it's historic, and we're excited." Asked whether Ultimo would appear in the U.S. edition of Shonen Jump, Weidenbaum said that Viz is excited about the Japanese edition and is focused getting the word out about the collaboration.

Lily Allen was never the most obvious pick to judge a major literary prize. She's famous not for her views on novels but for a song about London that doesn't even spell out the city's whole name. That didn't stop the organisers of the Orange Broadband prize (awarded for the best novel in English by a woman). In December, they added Allen's name to a judging panel alongside broadcaster Kirsty Lang, journalist Bel Mooney, novelist Philippa Gregory and the Guardian's Lisa Allardice.

Lily Allen was never the most obvious pick to judge a major literary prize. She's famous not for her views on novels but for a song about London that doesn't even spell out the city's whole name. That didn't stop the organisers of the Orange Broadband prize (awarded for the best novel in English by a woman). In December, they added Allen's name to a judging panel alongside broadcaster Kirsty Lang, journalist Bel Mooney, novelist Philippa Gregory and the Guardian's Lisa Allardice.

Many lit snobs squawked, wondering what a 22-year-old pop singer would bring to the table -- other than chewing gum and photographers' flash-bulbs. And now, well, they can stop squawking. Because Lily Allen's out. "It is with deep regret that Lily Allen has withdrawn from the judging panel," Allen's manager told the Daily Mail this weekend. "Lily had read extensively for the first stage of the judging process and was looking forward to the shortlist meeting but recently found that she was unable to commit 100% to the role due to ill-health."

Allen did not attend a judges' meeting last month to discuss the 20-book longlist, according to the Daily Mail. Instead she participated by telephone. Allen also missed a debate last week to decide the shortlist. "Lily hopes that her withdrawal will not detract from the huge importance of the Orange prize and sends her sincere apologies to her fellow judges and to the individual authors," her manager added.

Q: Did having writers in your family lead you to write?

A: "Growing up surrounded by people who wrote for a living made it seen like a viable reality. Had I grown up with parents or grandparents in classic nine-to-five jobs, it would have felt further away. It was always something I wanted to do."

Q: Do you mind people comparing you work to your grandfather's — or even your mother, Tessa Dahl, who is a writer?

A: "It is such an easy route to take, comparing me with my grandfather, but I couldn't take that sort of comparison or criticism on board. It is really irrelevant as you are talking about totally different mediums. He was a genius, beloved pretty universally, a great children's writer and adult fiction writer. I am just at the beginning of my career."

Q: Did you get on with him? (Roald Dahl died in 1990)

A: "I adored him. I grew up spending a lot of time with him, with all my grandparents. He was a great story-teller. He was sparky and wonderful and curious and never patronized children, which comes across in his writing."

Britons like a dose of music from the rock band Coldplay to help them fall asleep, a survey from hotel chain Travelodge found on Monday. The band, whose frontman Chris Martin says he avoids caffeine and alcohol and is known for a lifestyle that is anything but rock 'n' roll, topped a poll of music choices to help listeners nod off.

Other artists chosen for their slumber-inducing qualities were James Blunt, Snow Patrol, Take That and Norah Jones. But those who prefer to be tucked in with a book at night judged celebrity autobiographies as the most effective sleep aid, with the life stories of glamour model Jordan, soccer star David Beckham and Sharon Osbourne ranking at the top.

Reporting its 2007 results, its pre-tax profit more than tripled to £17.86m - from £5.2m in 2006, a year when there was no book about the young wizard. As well as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it said Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner had sold well.

The firm said 2008 had started well with "a strong pipeline of new titles". The global success of the Harry Potter books has historically generated bumper profits for Bloomsbury, but the company is now entering a new phase. Chief executive Nigel Newton said: "We are now well positioned for the post Harry Potter era. "We have reduced overhead costs, are successfully developing new business areas in specialist publishing, and have a strong pipeline of titles."

*****

However, not all experts believe the Harry Potter-effect has quite ended. A note from Numis Media Analysts said: "While the final Harry Potter book was released in 2007, we believe the group will be able profitably to mine the franchise for several years, including a paperback edition of Harry Potter 7 [The Deathly Hallows] possibly this year. "Beyond this, we expect the group to diversify either through organic growth or acquisitions."

At least since Dante's Paolo and Francesca fell in love over tales of Lancelot, literary taste has been a good shorthand for gauging compatibility. These days, thanks to social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, listing your favorite books and authors is a crucial, if risky, part of self-branding. When it comes to online dating, even casual references can turn into deal breakers. Sussing out a date's taste in books is "actually a pretty good way -- as a sort of first pass -- of getting a sense of someone," said Anna Fels, a Manhattan psychiatrist and the author of Necessary Dreams: Ambition in Women's Changing Lives. "It's a bit of a Rorschach test." To Fels (who happens to be married to the literary publisher and writer James Atlas), reading habits can be a rough indicator of other qualities. "It tells something about ... their level of intellectual curiosity, what their style is," Fels said. "It speaks to class, educational level."

Naming a favorite book or author can be fraught. Go too low, and you risk looking dumb. Go too high, and you risk looking like a bore -- or a phony. "Manhattan dating is a highly competitive, ruthlessly selective sport," Augusten Burroughs, the author of Running With Scissors and other vivid memoirs, said. "Generally, if a guy had read a book in the last year, or ever, that was good enough." The author recalled a date with one Michael, a "robust blond from Germany." As he walked to meet him outside Dean & DeLuca, "I saw, to my horror, an artfully worn, older-than-me copy of Proust by Samuel Beckett." That, Burroughs claims, was a deal breaker. "If there existed a more hackneyed, achingly obvious method of telegraphing one's education, literary standards and general intelligence, I couldn't imagine it."

Viewing modern adaptations was found to be as popular as teachers might have suspected, according to the YouGov poll. With both texts regularly figuring in secondary school English classes, it is no surprise that Baz Luhrmann's Romeo And Juliet and the BBC's Pride And Prejudice were frequently watched. Londoners were the worst culprits, with 16% admitting to using the films to sidestep the texts, the poll commissioned by academic bookseller Blackwell found.

Two-thirds of Britons were unaware that films such as Ten Things I Hate About You and Clueless were actually adaptations. But despite one-third of adults admitting they never read the classics, there are those who think modern life is imitating the traditional. Dickensian Britain has been reborn in the modern binge-drinking culture, according to 54% of those surveyed.

And 47% believe that many young people are suffering from Peter Pan syndrome, unwilling to grow up just as in JM Barrie's classic novel. There is also evidence that the "wag" culture may not be such a new phenomenon - 30% believe that trying to find a rich husband mirrors the themes of Jane Austen's novels.

Phil Jamieson, head of marketing at Blackwell, said: "Classic books are timeless. You will find contemporary themes such as love, sex, murder, mystery and high-octane drama in all the great novels, which is why they still appeal to the masses to this day through films and have parallels with our daily lives."

Although her husband Barack has not yet secured the Democratic Party presidential nomination, Ms. Obama has been approached by "over a dozen" publishers so far, according to Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a communications director for Ms. Obama.

Most of the calls have been going through Robert Barnett, the D.C. lawyer who represented Ms. Obama's husband when he was shopping The Audacity of Hope to publishers in late 2004. Mr. Barnett, who also works as Hillary Clinton's debate coach and has brokered massive multimillion-dollar book deals for her and her husband, got Mr. Obama a three-book deal from Random House. One of those is a children's book that will be published by Knopf (no word yet on when) and the other is a proper follow-up to Audacity for Crown, the contents of which will depend on what happens in the next seven months.

That's true as well for whatever book Ms. Obama might write, of course. But publishers are apparantly willing to take the risk. Tim Duggan, a high-ranking editor at HarperCollins' Harper unit who has contacted Mr. Barnett in pursuit of the prize, said a Michelle Obama book would "almost certainly have a major impact, whether her husband is the next president or not."

Either way, Ms. Obama’s answer so far has been no. "It's all been incredibly preliminary," Ms. Lelyveld said. "She says, 'Oh, thanks, that's great. It's a nice opportunity but...'" Priorities, Ms. Lelyveld explained, are currently elsewhere.

Before anybody explodes about kids reading comic books when they're supposed to be doing quadratic equations or studying Shakespeare, know that comic books have changed, and so has reading. Under the spiffier label of "graphic novels," these bound books feature every stripe of hero and story. "The themes and genres can range from science to biography, and from memoirs to yes, superheroes," said John Shableski of Diamond Book Distributors, which specializes in comics. "Every subject is available in the format."'

These are not your father's comic books. Superman and Wonder Woman, yes; but also graphic novel editions of the works of Shakespeare, and many classics -- The Red Badge of Courage, Beowulf, Greek myths, the Adventures of Robin Hood, even Canterbury Tales.

Last year, the Printz Award, an American Library Association honor for the most distinguished book for teens, went to American Born Chinese,a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney was an original online comic about a beleaguered middle-schooler before the hard-cover edition propelled it and its sequel to The New York Times bestseller list. Bone, about a marshmallow-y type creature's adventures, was self-published by Jeff Smith before Scholastic bought it, colorized it and split it into nine volumes. A million copies of the first installment, Out From Boneville, have been sold. Scholastic brought the series to the classroom by producing a teacher-friendly guide.

Comics are infiltrating the schoolhouse like never before because they are reaching that most elusive of creatures -- the reluctant reader. Faced with a generation raised in a visual environment dominated by television, the Internet and electronic games, teachers and librarians have found comics will lure readers -- especially boys -- who have a limited interest in books.

"They knew more about me than I did," Horsley said Thursday from his London home. "They said, 'We know you're a heroin addict, we know you're a crack addict, we know you're involved in prostitution.' " Lucille Cirillo, a spokeswoman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, confirmed Horsley had been refused entry. "We interviewed the individual extensively and the CBP officers decided he was not admissible under the visa waiver program" which entitles citizens of some countries - mostly in the European Union - to enter the country for business or leisure without applying for a visa.

Travellers can be refused entry if they admit on a customs form to being convicted of a crime or to being addicted to narcotics, Cirillo said. She declined to specify what responses Horsley listed on the form. Horsley's book - billed as an "unauthorized autobiography" - vividly recounts years of heavy drug use and frequent visits to prostitutes. He says he has been drug-free for three years. He said his only conviction stemmed from an arrest 25 years ago for possession of amphetamine sulfate, for which he was given a conditional discharge. He said he has visited the U.S. seven or eight times without incident.

"Dandy in the Underworld" was released in Britain last year to good reviews. The Independent newspaper said the book "entertains as much as it revolts, is as tender as it is shocking." Carrie Kania, of the book's U.S. publisher Harper Perennial, said the book was "a cautionary tale of a life lived vividly." "It is unfortunate that his voice, in person, is being stifled. But the book will live on," Kania said.

Horsley achieved his greatest notoriety in 2000 when he had himself crucified in the Philippines as part of an art project. His agent's website calls Horsley an "English eccentric" in the tradition of Lord Byron and Oscar Wilde. He thinks U.S. attitudes to eccentricity may have hardened since Wilde went there on a triumphant lecture tour in 1882, famously telling customs officials he had "nothing to declare but my genius." "I was dressed flamboyantly - top hat, long velvet coat, gloves," Horsley said. "My one concession to American sensibilities was to remove my nail polish. I thought that would get me through."

A rare 1937 first issue of the first edition of the childrens' classic was sold at Bonhams earlier today, going for twice its pre-sale estimate. The copy, inscribed by the author with a message of thanks to his friend Elaine Griffiths, who helped the author see the work into print, went to an anonymous telephone bidder. The £60,000 price tag sets a new world record for signed copies of the book, which remains Tolkien's bestselling work, having sold over 100m copies since its first publication.

Also included in the sale was the first foreign language edition of The Hobbit, also inscribed to Elaine Griffiths. The Swedish version, dating from 1947, went for £1,560, almost four times its estimated sale price.

The last known photograph of Tolkien, taken by his grandson Michael on August 9 1973, was also included in the auction. The photograph shows the author in the Botanical Gardens of Oxford, where Tolkien taught Anglo-Saxon language and literature, leaning against his favourite tree, the Black Pine he named Laocoon after the mythical Trojan prophet. The photograph was a gift to Elaine Griffiths from Tolkien's daughter Priscilla, who wrote on the back "For Elaine with love from Priscilla".

The book has topped the best-seller list on Amazon.com virtually from the moment Winfrey's choice was revealed, and it is the fastest-selling pick ever at Barnes & Noble Inc., according to a statement issued Thursday by Winfrey. It's also a record shipment in a four-week span for any book by Penguin Group (USA), which has published such million sellers as Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" and Ken Follett's Winfrey-endorsed "The Pillars of the Earth."

Brian Tart, president and publisher of the Penguin imprint Dutton, told The Associated Press that a key factor was the upcoming Web seminars featuring Winfrey and Tolle, to be held for 10 consecutive Mondays starting March 3.

"Oprah herself has committed 10 weeks to talking to the author, and people from all over the world will be able to participate," said Tart, who added that more than 500,000 people, from more than 100 countries, have registered for the seminar.

Former Avon and Berkley publisher Lou Aronica and agent Peter Miller are creating The Story Plant, a publishing company focused on "commercial fiction and author development," intending to "develop writers over multiple books" and "focus on long-term relationships with commercial novelists." Distributed by Perseus Distribution, the line launches this fall with Sienna Skyy's AMERICAN QUEST, a contemporary romantic fantasy, and Jonathan Javitt's medical thriller CAPITOL REFLECTIONS.

Miller, who serves as marketing and rights director for the company, says in the announcement, "When we sign a Story Plant title, we're specifically looking at the book's film and foreign potential. We think the books on this list are going to be successful on a number of platforms." Foreign rights are being sold by Baror International.

Shareholders of Audible.com are making noise about the company's proposed $300 million sale to Amazon.com. Red Oak Partners, a New York City hedge fund that owns 1.4 percent of Audible shares, denounced the proposed $11.50 per share sale in a letter dated March 6 to the chief executive of Audible, calling the terms "inadequate" and "below fair value."

The critique from portfolio manager David Sandberg follows the filing of a class-action lawsuit February 20 in the Superior Court of New Jersey that charged six of Audible's directors with breaching their fiduciary duties with the aid of Amazon. In trading Friday afternoon, shares of Amazon.com gained $.18, or .3 percent, to $62.92, while Audible edged up $.01, or .1 percent, to $11.47.

In the letter addressed to Audible Chief Executive Donald Katz, Mr. Sandberg called a valuation analysis by investment bank Allen & Company "flawed." From March through July 2007, Allen & Company offered Audible to a dozen potential suitors for $12.50 per share. In a later analysis, however, Allen trimmed its assessment of Audible's worth to $11.50. Amazon, which last year introduced its Kindle digital book reader, announced the Audible acquisition in January.

Mr. Sandberg said Allen & Company trimmed Audible's valuation "despite a year in which Audible grew its revenues by 34 percent and added $0.50 per share in cash to its balance sheet. The Red Oak letter also questioned the $2.62 million fee charged by Allen & Company.

The Cat in the Cat, Horton Hears a Who!, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop and other Dr. Seuss classics are going digital, thanks to a partnership between Dr. Seuss Enterprises and kidthing, a new content distribution platform. Digital versions of the books—with extras such as voiceovers, sound effects and music—will roll out on kidthing.com starting in March, along with digital games based on the characters.

"We're honored to be able to work with Dr. Seuss Enterprises," says Larry Hitchcock, kidthing's CEO. "We all have our favorite Dr. Seuss properties or books that we read as a child and are reading to our own kids now."

Content is downloaded on an a la carte basis, with fees ranging from $.99 to $10.00; content owners determine the prices. It is then played offline on kidthing's free digital media player. Hitchcock says the service was designed to provide a safe environment where children can use digital content at home and in school, and to provide publishers and other content owners with a secure way to distribute and monetize their content.

In March, the National Education Association will partner with kidthing to distribute a free digital read-along version of Horton Hears a Who! to classrooms in conjunction with the Read Across America initiative. That will be followed by a classroom version of The Lorax in celebration of Earth Day in April. Both titles will be available for purchase online as well.

Dutton Books, an imprint of The Penguin Group, announced Wednesday that it would be publishing the best-selling rapper's The Way I Am this fall. "It will be illustrated with never-before-seen photographs of Eminem's home and life along with original drawings," Dutton said in a statement.

The rapper's spokesman, Dennis Dennehy, said the memoir "is still in the process of being written and edited." The book was described as an intimate look inside the life of Eminem, who has sold tens of millions of records since he made his provocative debut in 1999. "Offering a window on the star's private thoughts on everything from his music and the trials of fame to his love for his daughter, Hailie, this title is every bit as raw and uncensored as the man himself," Dutton said.

The studio purchased all rights to the five novels, composed of handwriting and animation, chronicling the daily indignities faced by middle school student Greg Heffley. Former Buena Vista president Nina Jacobson will produce the first feature, with more to possibly follow. Carla Hacken is overseeing the film's development for the studio.

Author/illustrator Kinney's first two books, last spring's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and February's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules," both hit No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list, with the first book staying there for 45 weeks. The author launched his underdog hero's story on Funbrain.com in 2004, attracting more than 50 million visits from fans.

Fox 2000 young adult book scout Riley Ellis met with Kinney a year ago and brought in the project, helping make the rights deal with agent Sylvie Rabineau and attorney Keith Fleer. The studio is currently seeking a director and screenwriter for the project.

The 21-year-old twins -- who topped last year's Forbes Top Earning Stars Under 21 list with an estimated fortune of $40 million each -- are publishing a coffee table book, Influence, through Penguin Young Readers Group. It will feature "the most interesting, challenging, creative people we know -- the ones who helped pave the way for us and our generation," Ashley said in a statement.

Among them: shoe guru Christian Louboutin, actress Lauren Hutton, photographer Terry Richardson and writer Bob Colacello. "Ashley and I interviewed the people who have inspired us, with the hope that they will inspire and teach others," Mary-Kate said.

The book -- due this fall -- will also feature exclusive photos of the twins and never-before-seen interviews with the two.

Daily News columnist Bill Madden, who has covered the team's ruler for his entire 35-year reign, has just inked a major league deal with HarperCollins to do the definitive portrait.

"From Billy and Reggie to Joe and Derek, Madden has seen it all, " says HarperCollins executive editor David Hirshey, who began his career as a sportswriter for the Daily News. "This will be a book filled with Bronx Bombshells."

His roots in Mexico. He traces the migration of the Gonzalez and De La Hoya families from Tecate and Durango to the barrio of East L.A. and fondly remembers the long, lazy days he spent on periodic trips back to the old country, running barefoot in the fields and bonding with the elders.

Winning the Olympic gold medal for his deceased mother. He opens up about the heart-wrenching experience of watching her die from breast cancer, his vow to win the gold for her, his struggles to do so and the day he brought that gold to her grave.

Memorable fights. He puts the reader in the ring for his famous matches, from Julio Cesar Chavez to Felix Trinidad to Floyd Mayweather, and provides juicy, behind-the-scenes anecdotes about other matches, including the girls he snuck into his room.

Money, money, money. He shows the difficulties of being the Golden Boy, a teen-ager suddenly worth millions, trying to separate the good guys from the shysters, getting ripped off by a business advisor and finally finding financial security and establishing a burgeoning business empire under the guidance of former Swiss banker Richard Schaefer.

The wild life. He details his gambling habits, his interaction with celebrities like Paris Hilton and the night he broke down crying in the midst of a party, realizing how far he had drifted from the family life he so desperately wanted.

Family. He discusses his kids, both in and out of wedlock, his womanizing, his therapy sessions and the ultimate happiness he has discovered with his beloved wife Millie and their two young children.

Ms. Golomb, who represented Ms. Pessl in the sale of "Special Topics," said in an interview last week that Ms. Gibson's book is set in a wealthy community on the North shore of Long Island, and centers around a 16-year-old girl who struggles with the "terribly materialistic world" in which she lives. Like her classmates, Ms. Golomb said, the girl does not like to read, and her parents, in an attempt to get her to embrace literature, hire someone to write a book fitted specifically to her taste and sensibility.

Ms. Golomb said A Book for Carley, which was acquired by Dutton editor-in-chief Trena Keating, was written with a sort of "heightened wit" and precocious dialogue reminiscent of Special Topics and the film Juno.

"The real message of the book is that literature is something that can really inform your life and your life choices and your feelings about yourself, and it's kind of a rallying cry for children and teenagers and all of us to continue to read because it's not just some dry thing that's good for you," Ms. Golomb said. "That's the kind of thing that the publishing community can really get behind and it’s very popular with book clubs."

Kate Tentler, senior v-p of S&S Digital, and Sue Fleming, v-p and executive director, online and consumer marketing, will report to Hirshhorn. "Digital initiatives are a top priority for Simon & Schuster, and we are determined to avail ourselves to the maximum extent of the digital era opportunities to find, interact, and deliver content instantaneously and around the clock to readers worldwide," said S&S CEO Carolyn Reidy. According to Reidy, Hirshhorn and her staff will help S&S "develop new businesses, partnerships and publishing paradigms." Reidy explained that while single title online marketing will remain the responsibility of S&S's different imprints, the new digital unit "will act as a support and resource for our divisions, developing cross marketing platforms that the entire company can avail itself of."

"That's all news to me," former Georgia coach Vince Dooley said in Friday editions of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "All I know is whatever personality he had when he had the football was the one I liked." "Breaking Free" will chronicle Walker's life with multiple personality disorder, according to Shida Carr, a publicist at Simon & Schuster. Carr said the book will be published in August, but gave no other details and declined to provide excerpts.

In three seasons at Georgia, Walker led the Bulldogs to a 33-3-1 record, three straight Southeastern Conference championships and the 1980 national title. He won the Heisman as a junior, then left school a year early to sign with the now-defunct U.S. Football League. Walker played for the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He has lived in Dallas since his playing career ended.

A former Georgia teammate also was caught off guard by Walker's revelation. "I'm probably one of his closest friends and that's news to me," said Frank Ros, who was captain of Georgia's 1980 national championship team. "I knew he was working on a book but I just thought it was about football. He does 100 things at once and always has projects going on, but that blows me away."

Egypt has banned a number of Western and secular books from the 40th Cairo International Book Fair, including works by Czech author Milan Kundera and Morocco's Mohamed Choukri, publishers said on Monday.

The Cairo book fair, the Arab world's largest, is dominated by Islamist and educational works, an AFP correspondent reported, and the authorities have not said why the other works were seized at Cairo airport.

"The Egyptian authorities have given no explanation, we were neither informed nor consulted about this measure and the books have not been returned to us," said Rana Idriss, director of Lebanese publishing house Dar al-Adab.

"We sincerely thank each and every one of you for your patronage and support," Karibu CEO Simba Sana wrote in an e-mail to customers. "We are optimistic that our mission to empower and educate through a comprehensive selection of books by and about people of African descent will continue to resonate within the communities we proudly served." Karibu has five stores, one of which has already closed. All will be shut down by Feb. 10.

Like other specialty retailers, including gay and feminist bookstores, black bookstores have suffered in the past 10 years, partly because of the rise of superstore chains and Internet sales, but also because of the growing popularity of black authors. With superstores and online retailers now offering large selections of black books, at lower prices, black stores have had a hard time competing and many have closed.

Until recently, Karibu had been regarded as one of the few still thriving. "I was shocked to hear the news," said Zane, the best-selling author who lives in suburban Maryland. Zane, known for such erotic novels as "Afterburn" and "Addicted," said that Karibu had stocked her books when no one else would and had been the first store where she appeared for a signing. She had made it a tradition to begin each of her author tours with a signing at one of the Karibu stores.

"I had been talking to them about my next book and knew there was something wrong because they couldn't schedule me," she told the AP. "Karibu was such an important store for me and authors looking for a chance to break through."

Friedman, whose books include the million-selling The World is Flat, will be promoting his new work, Green is the New Red, White and Blue, an environmentally themed work coming out in August.

BookExpo event director Lance Fensterman said Wednesday he was "especially pleased and proud to have been able to secure him for this book, and for this keynote event. Thomas Friedman's message not only dovetails nicely with our own programming, but it promises to be a definitive 'call to arms' for how we manage our environment in the future."

Between working at the morgue and befriending Italian men, Lindsay Lohan has reportedly found time to begin penning her memoirs, which is part Little Girl Lost by Drew Barrymore and part inside look at being an "it" girl.

OK! Magazine reports that she’s sold on making the book happen, but money woes might be her motivation.

The mag says that Lohan, who's widely reported to be cash poor after spending months at rehab, actually had to borrow $10,000 from pal Steve-O. Lohan's rep denies this, but pals close to the Razzie-nominated starlet say Lohan is starting to worry. "She regrets all the cash she threw around the last couple years," one friend told me. "She needs everything to fall into place and get her back on track, and fast."