TODAY'S NEWS

Gentel Named President of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
by Judith Rosen
In its first appointment since Houghton Mifflin's acquisition of Harcourt was approved, Gary Gentel has been named president of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference Publishers division. Gentel had been acting president of Houghton Mifflin trade and reference since the end of July. Prior to that he had been corporate v-p, director of sales for the division.

Company spokesperson Peter Kojalo confirmed that headquarters for the newly renamed Houghton Mifflin Harcourt will be in Boston. Further details of the integration of the HM and Harcourt units were not available at press time, although Kojalo said there are no plans to move any of the divisions at this time.

Scholastic Signs Riordan for Multiplatform Series
By John Sellers
Scholastic has signed Rick Riordan, author of the bestselling Percy Jackson series, for an ambitious multiplatform middle-grade adventure series that will debut next September. The 39 Clues will incorporate a book publishing program, collectable cards, an online game and more than $100,000 in prizes. The program features 10 books about a powerful and mysterious family called the Cahills; the series will be published over the course of two years starting with The Maze of Bones. The 39 Clues game begins on September 9, 2008; through the cards and the program's Web site (www.the39clues.com), which has not yet gone live, readers will be able to gain clues and information not included in the books. Read on »

Kieling Resigns from Bloomberg; Strachan, Jones to Collins
Bloomberg Press publisher Jared Kieling has resigned. Before being named publisher in June, Kieling had been editorial director of the business publisher since its launch in 1995. Kieling said after commuting from Princeton to New York for 20 years it was time to get off the trains. No word yet on who replace Kieling; he can be reached at j.kieling@verizon.net.

Elsewhere in the employment pool, William Strachan has been named editor at large at HarperCollins' Collins division. Strachan will be acquiring fiction and non-fiction in his new role. An industry veteran, Strachan has held various senior-level posts including editor-in-chief of Carroll & Graf and Thunder's Mouth Press and executive editor at Hyperion. He's also worked at Henry Holt and Columbia University Press.

Also joining Collins, as editor, is Serena Jones. Jones, who arrives from Simon & Schuster where she was an associate editor, will also be acquiring fiction and non-fiction.

Imitating "Dummies" For Dummies
By Lynn Andriani
In the movie Evan Almighty, the character played by Steve Carell sets out to build an ark. What book does he consult for this endeavor? Ark Building for Dummies, of course. Late night comedian Jay Leno made audiences howl by featuring Divorce for Dummies by Hillary Clinton, Third Reich for Dummies by Pat Buchanan and Killing Your Parents for Dummies by the Menendez Brothers. And one Facebook user's page features Do It Yourself Colorectal Exams for Dummies. But you won't find any of these books on Amazon. They don’t exist.

Since its launch in 1991 with DOS for Dummies, the Dummies brand has become a cultural touchstone. From the mundane—Bond Investing for Dummies—to the arcane—Beekeeping for Dummies—the books are universally recognized, with their black-and-yellow covers featuring a triangular-faced character holding up his finger as if to say, "Even dummies can learn French verbs!" But what happens when universal recognition turns to parody, unauthorized use, copyright and trademark infringement?

That's where the legal department of John Wiley and Sons (which owns the Dummies series) comes in. The company lets a lot of it slide. Ark Building, Third Reich, Divorce by Hillary Clinton and Killing Your Parents doesn't upset Wiley. Neither does the Facebook application that lets users generate their own Dummies book covers. Deirdre Silver, legal director of Wiley's professional and trade division, says, "That's not a use that we would see sparking any consumer confusion. We certainly don't see it as trademark infringement. Quite the contrary. It's an acknowledgement of the strength of the brand and its place in the culture." Read on »

Game of Shadows Back to Press After Mitchell Report
By Dermot McEvoy
Sen. George Mitchell's report on the use of steroids in baseball may have shocked fans and commentators, but it has given a boost to Game of Shadows by Mark Fainaru-Wade and Lance Williams. Game of Shadows was the first book to reveal the secret grand jury testimony involving BALCO and steroids. Because of the controversy surrounding the Mitchell Report, Gotham/Dutton has decided to go back to press for a fifth paperback printing of 5,000 copies, bringing the total paperback run to 70,000 copies. Gotham also has sold 300,000 copies in hardcover. Read on »

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The PW Morning Report: A daily round-up of the latest publishing news
By Dermot McEvoy
Scholastic Searches for Harry Replacement; Unauthorized Tom Cruise Bio; Rachel Ray Needs A Vacation; Tina Brown to HBO; Conrad Black Blasts Back; Coulter Book a Bust?; Book Sense Bestsellers; Heneage on Booker Panel; and The God Delusion Top U.K. Audio Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Rescue Me, Uncensored; Knipfel's Noogie's; Cramer's Still Mad
Authors on The View today:Rescue Me star Denis Leary, who wrote the introduction to Rescue Me: Uncensored, The Official Companion (Newmarket Press, $19.95), just pubbed today.The Lion King producer Thomas Schumacher, author of How Does The Show Go On? An Introduction To The Theater (Disney Editions, $19.95). Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Oka Doner and Friends Hit the Strand
This weekend the Strand hosted an event celebrating the publication of Michele Oka Doner’s book (with Mitchell Wolfson, Jr.), Miami Beach; Blueprint of an Eden. Oka Doner was joined by some famous friends in the audience, as well. Pictured here at the event are: actress Blythe Danner; actress Polly Bergen; gay rights activist Larry Kramer; and Oka Doner.

JOB OF THE DAY

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