The PW Morning Report, Dec. 13, 2007

By Dermot McEvoy -- Publishers Weekly, 12/13/2007 5:14:00 AM

Thursday, December 13, 2007

A daily round-up of the latest publishing news: Writers Feud Over Murdoch/Dow Books; Dowd Not Keeping the Feith; Pratchett Has Alzheimer’s; Finding Bestsellers on the Web; France: No Free Amazon Delivery; Haig Wins Nestlè; Houghton Complete Harcourt Deal; and Sami Rohr Prize Finalists

Writers in Slugfest Over Murdoch/Dow Books, reports New York Post
Keith Kelly has all the juicy details in the emerging feud between Michael Wolff and Sarah Ellison

Maureen Dowd Takes Wicked Quill to Douglas Feith
One of the biggest political books of the spring is going to be HarperCollins' War and Decision by Douglas Feith, one of the neocons who dreamt up the Iraq war. He’s beginning to try out his lines for his book tour. Not surprising, New York Times columnist was less than impressed.

Terry Pratchett Has Alzheimer’s, reports AP
Bestselling author admits to being afflicted; says he’s approaching the challenge "fairly philosophically"

Are You a Publisher Looking for a Bestseller? Try the Web, suggests New York Times
Diary of a Wimpy Kid started out free on the Web; now it’s sold 147,000 for Amulet/Abrams

Free Delivery From Amazon in France? Au contraire Says French Court, reports The Bookseller
French Booksellers Association celebrates victory; gets 100,000 euros in damages

Matt Haig Wins Nestlè Children’s Book Prize, says The Bookseller
Receives gold medal for his fantasy tale, Shadow Forest, published in U.K. by Bodley Head

Houghton Completes Harcourt Acquisition, says Newsobserver.com
It’s renamed Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company as it combines elementary, secondary and supplemental businesses

Sami Rohr Prize Finalists Announced, reports The Book Standard
$100,000 to go to "an emerging author in the field of Jewish literature who has written a book of exceptional literary merit that stimulates an interest in themes of Jewish concern"