TODAY'S NEWS

ABFFE Joining With Media Coalition in Fight Over Indiana Law
After ABFFE announced last month its intent to fight a new Indiana law calling for booksellers to register "sexually explicit" materials with the state, the organization has teamed with Media Coalition in preparing to file a court challenge to the law. Although Media Coalition has not filed the challenge yet, ABFFE president Chris Finan said that something will likely happen in May (as the law goes into effect in July).

Joining the plaintiffs, along with ABFFE, are the ACLU of Indiana and Indiana booksellers. Speaking to the Indiana law, Finan said: "In America we don't let government license bookstores." Media Coalition is a trade group that defends the First Amendment rights of publishers, retailers and libraries.

Earlier in the week, ABFFE helped defeat another bill, this one in Arizona, which would have made businesses financially responsible for ensuing civil suits borne out of any content they sold--books, music, video games, etc.--that contained imagery then mimicked in a crime. ABFFE also helped bring down a bill brought before the Colorado legislature that banned the sale of any materials deemed "harmful," by the state, to minors.

PlanetOut to Sell Alyson Books to here! Networks
By Lynn Andriani
PlanetOut Inc., the media and entertainment company that focuses on the gay and lesbian market, announced today that it will sell its magazine and book publishing businesses—which include Alyson Books—to here! Networks for $6 million. The agreement is expected to be finalized by April 30, and the transaction should close by the end of summer.

"We are extremely pleased that here! Networks will be the new parent company for our publishing business," said PlanetOut CEO Karen Magee. "We believe that our magazines, their associated Web sites and Alyson books will thrive under here!'s ownership." Last month, PlanetOut sold its book distribution arm to Bookazine. Read on »

DailyLit Serializes Grove/Atlantic Novel Pre-Pub
By Lynn Andriani
DailyLit, the online service that delivers books via e-mail or RSS in short, daily installments, announced a deal yesterday with Grove/Atlantic to serialize House Rules, a new thriller by author Mike Lawson, prior to the book’s June 10 publication.

DailyLit has signed deals with more than 20 book publishers, including Chronicle, Oxford UP and Harlequin. But this is the first time it is releasing a book pre-pub. House Rules is now available via DailyLit.com in 139 installments for $9.95.

Grove/Atlantic sub rights director Amy Hundley said the house was "thrilled to have this opportunity to... experiment with fun and innovative ways for readers to find and experience our wonderful authors." Susan Danziger, president and publisher of DailyLit said her company is doing extensive publicity to get the word out about the serialization, and that it hopes the serialization will drive interest and buzz for House Rules—and other publishers' books in the future.

Pre-London News: Pocket Pre-Empts Rabbi's Novel in Six Figure Deal
Mollie Glick at Jean V. Naggar has sold Zoe Klein's debut novel, The Prophet, to Lauren McKenna at Pocket. The deal, a six-figure pre-empt, is for world English rights. Klein, a young rabbi based in Los Angeles, has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Glamour and on the History Channel show, Digging for the Truth. Her book is about a female archaeologist who, despite the chagrin of her colleagues, agrees to go on a "psychic dig." She winds up discovering an ancient city beneath the floorboards of an Arab couple's home, with a tomb containing an ancient Israelite that might be the prophet Jeremiah.

Monday's Reviews Today: Nelson on New Frey and Rashid's Chaos
In a signature review PW's Sara Nelson gives her thoughts on James Frey's new novel, Bright Shiny Morning, calling it a "a train wreck of a novel" that is, nonetheless, "a real page-turner." And in Ahmed Rashid's Descent Into Chaos the author turns his gaze away from the Iraq War to focus instead on the significantly overshadowed fighting in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Calling the author "an authoritative guide to the region's politics" our critic says the work is "an insightful, at times explosive, indictment of the U.S. government's hand in the region's degeneration." Read on »

Blogs

MORE STORIES

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Gorgeously Green; Marcus Buckingham; Life in Cold Blood
Authors on today’s Oprah: Environmentalist Sophie Uliano, author of Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life (Collins, $16.95) and workplace issues authority Marcus Buckingham, author of Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance (Free Press, $30.00; S&S Audio unabridged CD, $29.95). Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

High Tea with R.L. Stine
On Wednesday R.L. Stine spoke to 250 students at a Master’s Tea at Trumbull College at Yale. The event marked one of the best-attended author teas in Yale history. Submit your pictures here »

JOB OF THE DAY

PW VIRTUAL EDITION

To access the latest issue of Publishers Weekly no matter where you are, be sure to take a look at PW's Virtual Edition -- available online anytime. If you're not already a subscriber, take a look at a sample issue here.