Da Vinci in new plagiarism claim
posted by Chrispian at 08:38 PM - Category: Book News

A Russian art historian has accused The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown of plagiarism, just days after a British court rejected a similar claim.

Mikhail Anikin, from St Petersburg, said he would sue Brown if he did not receive an apology and compensation.

He claims Brown stole his idea that Leonardo Da Vinci was also a theologian and his Mona Lisa portrait was an allegory for the Christian Church.

Dan Brown can't catch a break lately. I wonder if people suing him will end up as a "world tour" for Dan. This suit seems like it has as much merit as the last. This is what happens when your book is that successful. Everybody wants a piece. Maybe I should fail a suit claiming I came up with the idea too. Mabye through in a little "he made my coffee too hot" or some other baseless claim hoping he'll just throw a pile of cash on me to make me "go away".

Source: Da Vinci in new plagiarism claim.

Dan Brown Wins Lawsuit
posted by Chrispian at 08:15 AM - Category: Book News

£350,000 in attorneys fees and no right to appeal: boy that's a harsh ruling against the plaintiffs. But the case had no merit at all, as we've said all along. We just hope that Dan Brown can put all this behind him and that he gets back to work on The Solomon Key.

I never had a doubt. I haven't read "The Da Vinci Code" yet, now that it's finally in paperback I probably will, but I knew the ideas weren't original. So did Dan Brown. He and his wife researched the facts and theories that become his blockbuster story. These two world class jokers who tried to sue Mr. Brown did the same thing when they wrote their story. My favorite part was when the judge said they had done exactly what they were accusing Dan Brown of. I'm not a fan of Dan Brown, I hardly know anything about him, but this case sounded like someone trying to pinch a brick off his stack of money and I just can't get behind that kind of behavior. So congrats to Dan for winning this pathetic excuse for a lawsuit.

Book Blog: Dan Brown Wins Lawsuit

Mica - Anita Blake Vampire Hunter (Paperback) by Laurell K. Hamilton
posted by Chrispian at 08:56 AM - Category: Book News

Laurell's latest book hits stores today. My wife Aeryn is a huge fan and I've just started reading the series. We are heading out to the bookstore this evening to pick up a copy and hope you support Laurell by picking up a copy too. I'm an aspiring writer myself and it's pretty cool to look at how other writers, especially published writers, do things and when they keep a blog it's like getting to look over their shoulder a little bit. Laurell is pretty candid on her blog and regarding the release of Micah she's a bit rattled about travelling:

Well, tomorrow is it. MICAH will be officially released. I'm my usual mix of nerves and excitement. I asked Jon, what else should I say? His contribution, "AAAHHH!" He takes the brunt of getting me through my nerves, so he's entitled. If all I had to do was the local opening, then fine, but it's that whole flying places and getting into strange cars, in unfamiliar cities. We love seeing all the fans. We do, but I wish I was a better traveler

via: LKH Blog

Ben Affleck to Adapt and Direct Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
posted by Chrispian at 10:24 PM - Category: Book News

Dennis Lehane is probably sitting on a pile of mine right about now. Mystic River did pretty well and I imagine paid Lehane very well for the rights. Ben Affleck is set to adapt and direct Gone, Baby, Gone which will have the same name. Ben will be directing his younger brother Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan as the leads in the movie. I hope it does very well and proves to be Casey's big break. He's been in a lot of movies already and I think he's better actor than Ben. via Readers Read.

Scott Sigler's podcast book "Earthcore" is going to print
posted by Chrispian at 01:41 PM - Category: Book News

Scott Sigler released his book as a podcast (an audio file you can listen to on your computer or mp3 player) and was the first of its kind. Scott's book, "Earthcore" got weekly readers to the tune of 10,000 readers a week. Because of the massive popularity of the project, no doubt helped by the current popularity of padcasting in general, has landed him a book deal for "Earthcore", which is schedule to be released in Septem

Amazon.com to sell short stories
posted by Chrispian at 10:16 PM - Category: Book News

An interesting move by Amazon.com has the Online mega-store selling short stories. The usual route for short stories is through magazines and anthologies, but Amazon.com is making it possible to buy shorts from your favorite authors saving you the trouble of buying an entire book of writing just for one story (sometimes). I do love the "a la carte" feel this brings to getting a short story fix. I'm a huge fan of short stories.

Authors signed up so far include:

Kevin J. Anderson, Michael Rose, Terry Brooks, Danielle Steel, Allen Steele, Robin Cook, Howie Mandel, Harry S. Dent Jr., James Morrow, Audrey Niffenegger and many more.

The short tales will go for a paltry 49 cents. I'd like to see them do a buffet of sorts, like all you can read for $10 or something! Have a look at Amazon Shorts and lets hope this goes well.

Source: Writer's Write

Your name in a famous author's book
posted by Chrispian at 11:31 AM - Category: Book News

From booksquare.com :

"It is quite simple -- all you have to do is win an auction on eBay (and surely you know how to accomplish that) and voila! you are a character in a book."

This is cool. I would love to see "me" in a book. More importantly though, the proceeds go to a great cause, the First Amendment Project.

Source: Booksquare ? Your Name on Page 177

Books to get bigger - size, not pages!
posted by Chrispian at 10:11 AM - Category: Book News

USA Today says books will get bigger, but they are referrring to the actual physical size of the book. Premium books will grow slightly from 4 3/16 inches by 6 3/4 inches to 4 1/4 inches by 7 1/2 inches. The article suggest that this will improve readability, which sounds logical to me. I was just hoping they would give us a better value for our money, not just bigger wors, but more words. Common practice lately is to split up bigger books into two volumes (or more). This isn't really new, Lord of the Rings was originally one volume but the publisher decided to break it into three volumes to get more money out of it.

I love a good book though, and I hope the industry finds a way to evolve and adapt to the way people want their media. Nothing takes the place of a good book.

Source: Readers Read Blog

Classics going back to print big time
posted by Chrispian at 09:00 AM - Category: Book News

Publishers, like Penguin Classics, are going to be putting classics back on the shelf. Titles like "The Postman Always Rings Twice"' by James M. Cain, "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen and "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. From the business standpoint, this makes good sense, most of these books are required summer reading and they also don't have to pay an author royalties as many of these are no longer under copyright.

For me, I'm just glad to see the classics in print and it sounds like Penguin Classics is going to give them some nice period covers to go with the new versions.

Source

They say we don't read anymore!
posted by Chrispian at 08:59 PM - Category: Book News

It seems to be a pretty common perception that the "kids today" don't ready anymore. I don't know who did the studies or who decided people don't read as much, but I know far fewer people who don't read than I know who do. In other words, almost everyone I know reads. I don't hang around with bunch of book nerds, the people I know are from all over the map. Most of the people who don't read, at least that I know, are over 40. I guess they are just too busy.

I found this interview with Kevin Smokler (who has a decent blog too, btw) about his new book which covers the idea that we don't read anymore. The book is called "Bookmark Now" and is a collection of essays that suggest that we do indeed still read. It's a good interview and I'm going to have to pick up the book. Go read the interview with Kevin and get a feel for it.

I'm off to go read now, in fact!

2005 DIY Book Festival Call For Entries
posted by Chrispian at 02:13 PM - Category: Book News


I just got this press release and wanted to pass it along. It looks interesting for any of you out there who have published your own books. Have a look.

...Read More

Midnight Reading of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
posted by Chrispian at 03:01 PM - Category: Book News

J.K. Rowling will be giving a Midnight reading to kids between 8 and 16 who aspire to be journalists. Contestest will come from 6 countries, but the U.S. isn't one of them. They will be given copies of the book to read that night and the following day will have a chance to ask questions and a press conference.

The latest in the Harry Potter series (Book 6) is called "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and pre-orders have already done extremely well. There is no doubt the book will do record numbers.

Don't miss out, preorder your copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6).

Ronald Reagan Diaries to be Published
posted by Pierre at 06:37 PM - Category: Book News

?For eight years Ronald Reagan kept a meticulous record of his presidency, filling five fat, leather-bound volumes with almost daily entries written in blue ink. That insider's account of life at the helm of the world's superpower will be publicly available with the publication of Reagan's White House diaries.?

Reagan Diaries:

City Lights Announces its Newly Published
posted by Pierre at 08:10 PM - Category: Book News

About City Lights:
City Lights Books emerged in San Francisco during the counter culture movement of the 50?s, 60?s ?well you get the picture. Known as the center for ?beat? literature and formed by beat poet/painter Lawrence Ferlinghetti (who is still involved) City Lights has continued to sell and publish quality literature with an emphasis on social and political enlightenment.

City Lights Books:

Nancy Drew Lives Again
posted by Pierre at 08:10 PM - Category: Book News

Author Chelsea Cain is on the trail of American detective favorites. Yes, Nancy Drew lives again. Hey the middle ages never stopped anyone, why should middle age stop her.

?Chelsea Cain's gleeful parody ''Confessions of a Teen Sleuth'' affectionately hits all the formulaic high points of a Nancy Drew mystery, sending up and yet saluting America's favorite girl detective.? For the full story:

Nancy Drew Parody: