TODAY'S NEWS

S&S Strikes New Le Clezio Deal
By Rachel Deahl
Thus far, three small presses have benefitted from last month's news that French novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio had won the Nobel Prize in Literature. While David Godine, University of Nebraska Press and Curbstone Press all upped or rushed copies of their single backlist Le Clezio titles, Anne-Solange Noble, foreign rights director at Le Clezio's French publisher Gallimard, has been working feverishly to get more of the author's titles on American bookshelves. And, although there were seven Le Clezio titles which were published by Atheneum in the 1970's, bringing those books back into print has proven complicated. Read on »

Sports Publishing Owes Phelps
by Jim Milliot
Sports Publishing, which filed for Chatper 11 in late October, has released the names of its largest unsecured creditors. Along with the usual suspects of printers, manufacturers and various financial institutions, Sports Publishing owes Olympic champ Michael Phelps $57,578.08. The company released Michael Phelps: Beneath the Surface, in March 2005 and on its Web site is promoting an updated edition. Phelps wrote the book with sportswriter Brian Cazeneuve, which, the court documents show, is owed $49,093.58. In the weeks prior the Chapter 11 filing, several authors complained that Sports Publishing and its president Peter Bannon owed them thousands of dollars. Bannon has acknowledged that some authors got "caught in the middle" of his financial problems.

Author Gains from Interest in Alaska
By Claire Kirch
Ever since John McCain tapped Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, to be his running mate, the state has been very much in the news. Not only that, but readers, no matter what their political affiliation, are eager to learn all they can about Alaska.

One small press benefiting from this ongoing fascination with is Milkweed Editions, the publisher of Seth Kantner, one of the few contemporary Alaskan authors on the national scene. The Minneapolis literary nonprofit press reports that since McCain named Palin his v-p pick, sales have spiked for Kantner’s 2005 debut novel, Ordinary Wolves, the tale of an Alaskan boy’s coming of age in the northern wilderness. Ordinary Wolves has sold to date over 70,000 copies, with sales currently ranging between 70-100 copies each week. Sales also have picked up for Milkweed’s June release, Shopping for Porcupine, Kantner’s memoir of a life lived as a commercial fisherman on the arctic tundra. Porcupine is selling through its 10,000-copy first print run at a fast clip, with 100-400 copies currently being sold each week. Read on »

Rep Groups Merge
Sirak & Sirak Associates, a mid-Atlantic rep group headed by Jim Sirak, and Billbooks & Associates, a New England group headed by Bill Palizzolo, are merging. The new group, covering the book trade in the 11 Northeastern states as well as Washington, D.C., will be known as Northeast Publishers Reps (NPR). In addition to Jim Sirak and Bill Palizzolo, the group also includes Lisa Sirak, Frank Porter, and Alan Spiegel. The new organization goes into effect January 1.

The Monday Interview: Max Allan Collins
by Dick Donahue
An interview with Max Allan Collins, whose collaboration with Mickey Spillane, The Goliath Bone, was published last month by Houghton Mifflin.

PW: You completed the Goliath Bone from a manuscript that your friend Mickey Spillane left upon his 2006 death. When did you first meet him?

MC: I was writing Mickey fan letters from the age of 13 up through college and never got a response—I didn’t know if he was even getting them. Then in 1973 my first two books were published—paperback originals—and I sent him copies. It was then that he wrote me back, welcoming me into the professional community. Then in 1981 I was approached by the people putting on Bouchercon [the annual mystery writers’ convention] asking me if I would be the liaison between the convention and Mickey, because he was going to be one of the guests of honor. Read on »

Blogs

MORE STORIES

Web Exclusive Reviews
On the Web this week: mountain-scaling management techniques, writing like a Russian realist, analyzing the Zionists, the origins of French cuisine, another fine regional barbecue bible, and financial advice for a world in (literal) tribulation. Plus: the life of Fred Astaire, the early work of fashion photog Edward Steichen, and the self-defense of Eminem's mom. Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Paula Deen; First Black Congressmen, Unwrapped; Scratch Beginnings
Today, Good Morning America hosted Paula Deen, whose Paula Deen’s Kitchen Wisdom and Recipe Journal (S&S, 9781416597025, $18.95) pubs tomorrow. Tomorrow, she’ll visit Live with Regis and Kelly. After the jump: Pulitzer finalist Philip Dray, and others. Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Mizrahi 'Style'
Isaac Mizrahi (r.) recently stopped by Legacy Books in Plano, Tex., to promote his new title, How To Have Style (Gotham Books). Pictured here, posing with the authors, are Kyle Hall (l.), Legacy’s director of marketing and events and Teri Tanner (c.), Legacy’s managing partner. 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.

TODAY'S NEWS

S&S Strikes New Le Clezio Deal
By Rachel Deahl
Thus far, three small presses (link "three small presses" to www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6604026.html?q=Le+Clezio) have benefitted from last months news that French novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio had won the Nobel Prize in Literature. While David Godine, University of Nebraska Press and Curbstone Press all upped rushed copies of their single backlist Le Clezio titles, Anne-Solange Noble, foreign rights director at  Le Clezio's French publisher Gallimard, has been working feverishly to get more of the author's titles on American bookshelves. And, although there were seven Le Clezio titles which were published by Atheneum in the 1970's, bringing those books back into print has proved complicated. Read on »

Sports Publishing Owes Phelps
by Jim Milliot
Sports Publishing, which filed for Chatper 11 in late October (link "in late October" to www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6606705.html?), has released the names of its largest unsecured creditors. Along with the usual suspects of printers, manufacturers and various financial institutions, Sports Publishing owes Olympic champ Michael Phelps $57,578.08. The company released Michael Phelps: Beneath the Surface, in March 2005 and on its Web site is promoting an updated edition. Phelps wrote the book with sportswriter Brian Cazeneuve, which, the court documents show, is owed $49,093.58. In the weeks prior the Chapter 11 filing, several authors complained that Sports Publishing and its president Peter Bannon owed them thousands of dollars. Bannon has acknowledged that some authors got "caught in the middle" of his financial problems. Read on »

Author Gains from Interest in Alaska  
By Claire Kirch
Ever since John McCain tapped Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, to be his running mate, the state has been very much in the news. Not only that, but readers, no matter what their political affiliation, are eager to learn all they can about Alaska.

One small press benefiting from this ongoing fascination with is Milkweed Editions, the publisher of Seth Kantner, one of the few contemporary Alaskan authors on the national scene. The Minneapolis literary nonprofit press reports that since McCain named Palin his v-p pick, sales have spiked for Kantner’s 2005 debut novel, Ordinary Wolves, the tale of an Alaskan boy’s coming of age in the northern wilderness. Ordinary Wolves has sold to date over 70,000 copies, with sales currently ranging between 70-100 copies each week. Sales also have picked up for Milkweed’s June release, Shopping for Porcupine, Kantner’s memoir of a life lived as a commercial fisherman on the arctic tundra. Porcupine is selling through its 10,000-copy first print run at a fast clip, with 100-400 copies currently being sold each week. Read on »

Rep Groups Merge

Sirak & Sirak Associates, a mid-Atlantic rep group headed by Jim Sirak, and Billbooks & Associates, a New England group headed by Bill Palizzolo, are merging. The new group, covering the book trade in the 11 Northeastern states as well as Washington, D.C., will be known as Northeast Publishers Reps (NPR). In addition to Jim Sirak and Bill Palizzolo, the group also includes Lisa Sirak, Frank Porter, and Alan Spiegel. The new organization goes into effect January 1.   Read on »

The Monday Interview: Max Allan Collins
by Dick Donahue
An interview with Max Allan Collins, whose collaboration with Mickey Spillane, The Goliath Bone, was published last month by Houghton Mifflin.

PW: You completed the Goliath Bone from a manuscript that your friend Mickey Spillane left upon his 2006 death. When did you first meet him?

MC: I was writing Mickey fan letters from the age of 13 up through college and never got a response—I didn’t know if he was even getting them. Then in 1973 my first two books were published—paperback originals—and I sent him copies. It was then that he wrote me back, welcoming me into the professional community. Then in 1981 I was approached by the people putting on Bouchercon [the annual mystery writers’ convention] asking me if I would be the liaison between the convention and Mickey, because he was going to be one of the guests of honor. Read on »

Blogs

MORE STORIES

Web Exclusive Reviews
On the Web this week: mountain-scaling management techniques, writing like a Russian realist, analyzing the Zionists, the origins of French cuisine, another fine regional barbecue bible, and financial advice for a world in (literal) tribulation. Plus: the life of Fred Astaire, the early work of fashion photog Edward Steichen, and the self-defense of Eminem's mom. Read on »

The PW Morning Report
Goodbye, Studs; Albert Boime Dead; Free Online Recipes; Harvard Rejects Google; Rebecca Traister’s Six-Figure Book Deal; Marilyn Ferguson Dead Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Paula Deen; First Black Congressmen, Unwrapped; Scratch Beginnings
Today, Good Morning America hosted Paula Deen, whose Paula Deen’s Kitchen Wisdom and Recipe Journal (S&S, 9781416597025, $18.95) pubs tomorrow. Tomorrow, she’ll visit Live with Regis and Kelly. After the jump: Pulitzer finalist Philip Dray, and others.  Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Mizrahi 'Style'
Isaac Mizrahi (r.) recently stopped by Legacy Books in Plano, Tex., to promote his new title, How To Have Style (Gotham Books). Pictured here, posing with the authors, are Kyle Hall (l.), Legacy’s director of marketing and events and Teri Tanner (c.), Legacy’s managing partner. Read on »

JOB OF THE DAY

PW VIRTUAL EDITION