TODAY'S NEWS

Knopf to Publish ‘Eragon’ Novelty Book
By John A. Sellers
This fall, Knopf Books for Young Readers will publish Christopher Paolini’s Eragon’s Guide to Alagaësia, a novelty gift book tie-in to the author’s bestselling Inheritance cycle novels. The book, which will be simultaneously published in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zeeland, was developed in conjunction with Britain’s Templar Publishing and goes on sale November 3. Framed as a gift from Eragon to the reader, the book will feature illustrated spreads of the landscape and inhabitants of Alagaësia and will include paper engineering and other interactive elements. Read on »

CBA Survey Finds Down Market
By Marcia Z. Nelson
In its annual State of the Industry analysis, the CBA reported that net sales were down 10.7% for Christian retailers in 2008, with 61% of stores surveyed experiencing sales declines. On the positive side, almost 7% of stores had sales increases of more than 20%.

The overall Christian retail channel decreased by 37 stores, as 54 new stores opened while at least 91 closed. The anonymous survey included more than 276 stores from 43 states; independents, regional chains, and national chains with sales volumes ranging from small to large participated.

Morgan James Launches Two Imprints
By Jim Milliot
The independent publisher Morgan James Publishing has added two new imprints. The first is Glazer-Kennedy Publishing and is being done in conjunction with well-known marketing consultants Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer. The imprint is kicking off this summer with Glazer’s own Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful. Morgan James publisher Rick Frishman said 25 other titles are in the pipeline and he hopes to release several titles in the fall. The imprint is aimed at entrepreneurs, and books will provide advice on topics ranging from show to start companies and business planning to advertising and marketing. Authors are being drawn from the Glazer-Kennedy Insider Circle, a group of more than 200,000 independent business owners who pay dues to the organization in exchange for webinars, conferences and other materials from the two men. Read on »

RH Films's 'Husband' Gets Director
By Rachel Deahl
Random House Films has attached a director to one of its incubating projects, a film adaptation of Dean Koontz's thriller, The Husband. According to RH, filmmaker Ole Bornedal has been brought on to the project; the book follows a man whose love for his wife is put to the test by a shocking phone call from a stranger.

RH Films has, to date, released one picture, Reservation Road. The Husband, according to a company spokesperson from the publisher, is still in the development phase. Random House Films has a number of titles in development, including Bob Drogin's Curveball and Yasmina Khadra's The Attack, and the spokesperson confirmed that no theatrical release dates have been set for any of the announced projects from RH Films.

Amazon Upgrades its Kindle for Iphone App
by Calvin Reid
Amazon’s various Kindles may be popular, but the online retailer is paying close attention to Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch devices. Amazon just announced an upgrade to its Kindle for iPhone app that will provide more of the iPhone's popular functionality. Kindle for IPhone 1.1 will now allow consumers to read in the landscape mode, pinch-zoom and scale-up images, change backgrounds for easier reading and use a tap or a flick to turn pages. Kindle for iPhone provides access to the Kindle’s 275,000 titles for anyone with an iPhone or iPod touch. An Amazon spokesperson said the upgrade app was in response to demands from consumers for more functionality. Read on »

Blogs

MORE STORIES

HarperOne's Little Black Book Now Online
HarperOne is replacing the print version of The Little Black Book—its guide listing authors it publishes in the self-help, spirituality, personal growth and religion categories—with a free, searchable, online database. The Little Black Book has existed in print for the past five years, updated annually. Harper switched to an online version following media requests, and Sheeda Jamsheed, who is in the company’s marketing department, and developed it for the Web. Read on »

Job Moves
Abrams has appointed Marty McGrath to the newly created position of executive director of sales, reporting to Mary Wowk, v-p of sales and marketing. McGrath has been involved with sales for more than 25 and most recently, was v-p, deputy director of adult Sales at Random House. He will begin at Abrams on May 26.

The PW Morning Report
Salinger’s Lawyers Investigate ‘Catcher’ Sequel; Giant Kindle; McCourt Fights Cancer; A Two Pipe Problem; Secret Sonnets. Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Larry King; Happy Birthday, Shakespeare’s Sonnets! Christopher Buckley
This morning, Today interviewed talk show host Larry King, whose new book is My Remarkable Journey (Weinstein Books, 978-1602860865, $27.95; CD, $34.95). (And yes, last night he discussed the book on Larry King Live.) Tomorrow, he appears on both The View and The Daily Show.Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Signing at Joseph-Beth
Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Ky., recently had autograph parties for Marcia Thornton Jones (l.) author of This Side of Magic (Tor) and J.D. Lester (r.), author of Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants (Robin Corey Books). The authors are joined here by customer and friend Martha Bennett Stiles, whose Sailing to Freedom, the Runaway Adventures of Allie & Ray will be published by Henry Holt in 2011. photo credit: Brooke Raby Read on »

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