‘Mumia’ Generating Controversy, Sales    

by Judith Rosen -- Publishers Weekly, 12/7/2007 6:55:00 AM

If there were any doubts that controversy sells, then Murdered by Mumia: A Life Sentence of Loss, Pain and Injustice released yesterday by Lyons Press, should lay them to rest. In it Maureen Faulkner, the widow of slain Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner, and lawyer and radio talk-show host Michael Smerconish lay out why they believe that the right man was convicted of murdering Faulkner’s policeman husband in Philadelphia in 1981. Since his conviction, journalist and activist Mumia Abu-Jamal has become a cause celebre throughout the world, with Amnesty International calling for a new trial.

After an excerpt of Mumia appeared in last Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer and Thursday’s appearance by Faulkner on the Today Show—which prompted pro-Mumia protesters--the book is poised to become one of Globe Pequot’s biggest bestsellers. It’s also one for which it paid its highest advance to date, mid-six figures, according to president and publisher Scott Watrous. The agent was Larry Kirshbaum.

In just one day, Murdered by Mumia sold out its first printing of 60,000 copies. Watrous plans to go back to press for a second printing of 40,000 copies due to demand created by additional media appearances on O’Reilly Factor and Anderson Cooper 360 yesterday evening. Murdered by Mumia is currently at #203 on Amazon.com and beat out If I Did It for the number one slot in its True Crime category.

But having a controversial bestseller is not without peril. Globe Pequot is working with booksellers to provide protection for Faulkner, all of whose appearances have been targeted by the Free Mumia movement, including the 7 a.m. protests at Rockefeller Center yesterday morning. Publicity plans call for Faulkner to sign at a number of stores throughout Philadelphia, southern New Jersey and Delaware in the coming weeks. And she will host a luncheon on Saturday to mark the 26th anniversary of her husband’s death, where she will donate four $5,000 college scholarships to children whose parents were murdered. The funds were raised by a private charity that she founded to preserve her husband’s memory and combat pro-Mumia sentiment. Both she and coauthor Smerconish are donating all proceeds from the sale of Murdered by Mumia to the fund, Justice for Police Officer Daniel Faulkner.

With Free Mumia demonstrations set for Philadelphia this weekend, an active pro-Mumia flyer campaign and a possible retrial in the works, there could more controversy, and sales, to come.