HarperStudio, the unusual imprint founded two years ago by Bob Miller, is being shut down and its books and staff will land at other HarperCollins imprints. Miller left Harper last month to become group publisher at Workman (Shelf Awareness, March 16, 2010).

The final titles to be published by HarperStudio will be the summer 2010 list. All fall titles and titles scheduled to be published thereafter will be published by other HarperCollins imprints. In a memo to employees, Michael Morrison, president and publisher of U.S. general books and Canada, said that Harper "will be contacting agents and authors to discuss the best editors and imprints for" its fall and other future titles. "All of our imprints are happy to discuss profit sharing scenarios on a book by book basis."

Debbie Stier, associate publisher of HarperStudio and director of digital marketing for HarperCollins, continues as director of digital marketing and continues to acquire books for all imprints as editor-at-large. Kathryn Ratcliffe-Lee continues to report to Stier.

Senior editor Julia Cheiffetz is moving to the Harper imprint. Assistant editor Katie Salisbury continues to report to Cheiffetz.

Jessica Wiener continues as director of marketing.

In its brief life, HarperStudio published mainly nonfiction, offered low advances with profit-sharing, tried to sell titles on a nonreturnable basis and signed many authors who were well-known in other fields or were writers who wanted to try projects that differed from their usual ones.

 

Apple and Random House--the lone iPad holdout among major publishers--are still in "ongoing conversations that remain cordial," spokesman Stuart Applebaum told the Wall Street Journal, which also reported that a senior executive for the publishing house "argued that Random House will benefit economically from sticking to its current model whereby it receives half the hardcover price for its new e-books, no matter what the e-retailer charges. The publisher's titles are available on the iPad through other retailers that have apps on the device.... In contrast, under Apple's model, publishers set their own retail prices and Apple gets 30% of the revenue."

Literary agent Laurence Kirshbaum "suggested that the publishing business is probably better off having at least one major house not signed on to the agency pricing model," the Journal noted.

"It's healthy not to have every major publisher doing the same thing," he said. "Watching and waiting may turn out to be a very sensible course. This is a marathon, not a sprint."

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Portsmouth, N.H., a city of just 20,000 people, has become a "a literary haven" and "a top destination for the world's most prestigious writers," Seacoastonline.com reported, noting that during the past five years the city has hosted events for "dozens of A-list authors, including Stephen King, John Updike, Elmore Leonard, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Greg Mortenson, Anita Shreve, Madeleine Albright, Ruth Reichl, Bill McKibben, Gregory Maguire, Cokie Roberts, Ken Burns, Richard Russo, Mitch Albom, Jodi Picoult, Dennis Kucinich, Elizabeth Edwards and our pre-primary president Barack Obama."

How do they do it? Seacoastonline.com cited several factors, "including the arrival of RiverRun Bookstore downtown; the launch of the Writers on a New England Stage author series at the Music Hall; the appeal of Portsmouth itself; and the passion of local bibliophiles."

"We're very pleased with how this whole thing has gone," said Tom Holbrook, RiverRun's owner and manager. He works with events coordinator Michele Filgate to bring local and national names to the bookshop. "It couldn't happen if the Seacoast wasn't completely covered with local writers of all caliber."

Among them was a local author who has achieved mega-bestselling status. "It doesn't hurt that we're able to get Dan Brown to come to the Music Hall because we know him," Holbrook said. "It doesn't hurt that we're able to get Joe Hill to do his release here because Michele is Twitter friends with him."

Said Brown: "Thanks to places like the Music Hall, Phillips Exeter Academy, and our great indie bookstores, the Seacoast literary scene thrives in ways usually seen only in the largest cities. As a writer, I'm grateful every day for the luxury of accessing world-class cultural events without sacrificing a tranquil writing environment."

"You couldn't do it if you weren't as crazy and committed as we are, but you also couldn't do it if you weren't in Portsmouth," Holbrook added. "If I was in some town where people didn't read and weren't writers themselves it just wouldn't work.”

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Unlike e-book rivals Amazon and Kobo, Barnes & Noble's app was not available in Apple's App store when the iPad launched Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"We don’t have an exact date, but it will be there within the next two weeks,” said William Lynch, B&N's new CEO. "Apple certifies all apps, so it’s not totally in our control."

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"Reading keeps me in one spot. After a life on the road, reading anchors me," Keith Richards once said. An unlikely quote from an unlikely source, perhaps, but an upcoming memoir by the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist reveals that he "has taken great pride in developing libraries inside his homes in Sussex and Connecticut. Sources in the publishing world who are familiar with the contents of his memoirs, claim he admits to once considering 'professional training' to manage his vast collection of books," the Daily Mail wrote.

"When you are growing up there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you," Richards said. "The public library is a great equalizer."

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The Flagstaff, Ariz., branch of Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, which was heavily damaged in January when heavy snow caused the roof to collapse (Shelf Awareness, February 1, 2010), "is rebuilding and restocking in anticipating of reopening this fall," the Daily Sun reported.

"We lost a lot," said Desiree Ducharme, assistant manager at Bookmans Entertainment Exchange. "The entire sales floor was ruined.... We are excited to rebuild and get into our new shiny store."

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Get Lost Bookshop, Columbia, Mo., celebrated its two-year anniversary and a change of ownership Saturday, as Amy Stephenson took over the downtown bookshop from Meghan Gilliss, Columbia Business Times reported.

"I wouldn't have given it up unless I had someone to take over," Gilliss said. "I'm leaving the shop in good hands."

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Language classes in Spanish, French and Italian begin April 17 at Idlewild Books in Manhattan. New York magazine noted the sessions "once a week in the store’s book-lined back room. The twelve-person classes are taught by native speakers, who hand out news articles and menus for group dissection."

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Can downloading a pirated copy of an e-book sometimes be ethical? The Ethicist, Randy Cohen, addressed this issue in the New York Times Magazine and suggested that, under certain circumstances, "buying a book or a piece of music should be regarded as a license to enjoy it on any platform. Sadly, the anachronistic conventions of bookselling and copyright law lag the technology."

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Some bookish damage from Sunday's earthquake in Southern California was captured in by a CNN iReport photo of a Barnes & Noble store in Palm Desert. 

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Book trailer of the day: My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover if Not Being a Dumb Ass Is the New Black, or, a Culture-Up Manifesto by Jen Lancaster (NAL Hardcover), the latest from the cultural institution whose career began blogging about her fall to the unemployment line on jennsylvania.com.

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In the annals of anti-climactic contest results, the winning entry to name Patti LuPone's upcoming memoir must rank high. LuPone had asked fans to suggest titles. The New York Times reported that among the entries were A Little Touch of Star Quality; I, Eva and Being LuPone. The winner: Patti LuPone: A Memoir, submitted by Precilla Ng of Toronto.

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BookExpo America is launching another new program in conjunction with the show: BEA DIY (Do It Yourself) Authors Conference & Marketplace, which will be held in the Javits Center on Monday, May 24, the day before BEA officially opens.

Co-sponsored by the Gotham Writers' Workshop and the Writer magazine, BEA DIY allows aspiring writers to meet with representatives of such companies as Amazon, Author Solutions, Blurb.com, FastPencil, Filedby and SharedBook. Panels will cover such topics as Getting Your Manuscript Fit: DIY with Help; Authors' Online Resource: DIY Publicity, Promotion and Events; Do's & Don'ts--Authors & DIY Services' Deals; DIY Innovation & Success Within the Bookselling Milieu; and Minor League Moves that Garners Major League Attention Using Online Collaboration to Complete Your Book.

BEA starts in 50 days!

 

The Rock Bottom Remainders are returning with a four-city tour, April 20–24, that will benefit Haitian earthquake relief and local nonprofits in each city. The tour is being underwritten by the Pearson Foundation, which is donating, for every ticket sold, five children's books to public schools in each city.

The all-author group launches the 2010 Wordstock tour in Washington, D.C., with a special event: "Besides the Music: A Conversation with the Rock Bottom Remainders," hosted by veteran newsman Sam Donaldson. The band will then travel by train to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, where it will play on successive days.

This year's Rock Bottom Remainders lineup features Dave Barry on lead guitar, Amy Tan on vocals, Mitch Albom on keyboards, Scott Turow on vocals, Greg Iles on lead guitar, Kathi Kamen Goldmark on vocals, James McBride on saxophone, Ridley Pearson on bass and Roy Blount Jr., who will play, as he put it, "crowd pleaser." Roger McGuinn, a founding member of the Byrds, will make a guest appearance with the group in Washington.

Dave Barry commented: "This concert is a rare chance to see a band that has been hailed by critics as 'not as bad as you would expect.' "

The band, with many of its current members, first performed at the ABA show in Anaheim, Calif., in 1992. Since then it has raised nearly $2 million for charity.

 

This morning on Good Morning America: Laura Munson, author of This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness (Putnam, $24.95, 9780399156656/0399156658).

Also on GMA: Suzy Welch, author of 10-10-10: A Fast and Powerful Way to Get Unstuck in Love, at Work, and with Your Family (Scribner, $15, 9781416591832/1416591834).

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This morning on the Today Show: Richard Phillips, author of A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea (Hyperion, $25.99, 9781401323806/1401323804). He will also appear tonight on Larry King Live and tomorrow on Fresh Air and the Daily Show.

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Today on Live with Regis and Kelly: Tori Spelling, author of Mommywood (Gallery, $16, 9781416599111/1416599118). She will also appear today on the Today Show.

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Today on the Tavis Smiley Show: Annie Leonard, author of The Story of Stuff: How Our Obsession with Stuff Is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health-and a Vision for Change (Free Press, $26, 9781439125663/143912566X).

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Tonight on the Daily Show: Reza Aslan, author of Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization (Random House, $16, 9780812978308/0812978307).

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Tomorrow morning on the Today Show:

Carol Burnett, author of This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection (Harmony, $25, 9780307461186/0307461181)
Richard Paul Evans, author of The Walk (Simon & Schuster, $22, 9781439187319/1439187312)
Alison Arngrim, author of Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated (It Books, $25.99, 9780061962141/0061962147)
Mario Batali, author of Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking (Ecco, $29.99, 9780061924323/0061924326)

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Tomorrow morning on Good Morning America: Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, authors of Mike and Mike's Rules for Sports and Life (ESPN, $26, 9780345516220/0345516222).

Also on GMA: Lisa Oz, author of Us: Transforming Ourselves and the Relationships that Matter Most (Free Press, $26, 9781439123928/1439123926).

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Tomorrow morning on Fox and Friends: Richard Roeper, author of Bet the House: How I Gambled over a Grand a Day for 30 Days on Sports, Poker, and Games of Chance (Chicago Review Press, $19.95, 9781569762479/1569762473). He will also appear tomorrow on the Howard Stern Show.

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Tomorrow on NPR's Fresh Air: Words That Matter: A Little Book of Life Lessons by the Oprah Magazine Editors (HarperStudio, $19.99, 9780061996337/0061996335).

Letters to Juliet, starring Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave, opens nationwide on May 14 and is based on Letters to Juliet: Celebrating Shakespeare's Greatest Heroine, the Magical City of Verona, and the Power of Love by Lise Friedman and Ceil Friedman. On May 1, Stewart, Tabori & Chang is publishing a paperback tie-in ($14.95, 9781584799122/1584799129).

The book is a love letter of sorts to an unusual, romantic phenomenon. Letters about love from around the world arrive daily in Verona, Italy, addressed to Juliet and seeking the character's counsel. For seven decades, volunteers have answered the letters and are now sanctioned by the city of Verona as part of the Juliet Club. The authors have reproduced more than 75 of the letters and tell the story of the history of Romeo and Juliet and related landmarks.

 

That ABC's series Lost has fanned six years of literary speculation about book-related plot points is nothing new, but as the final season heads to its conclusion, Entertainment Weekly focused upon parallels between the current narrative line and Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories, a copy of which made a guest appearance in this season's premiere episode.

EW suggested, "It's quite possible that Haroun might be the touchstone for the second half of the season, with implications for the nature of the Sideways stories, the power of the Island, and the end of the series.... Indeed, throughout the book, when anyone asks for an explanation for the impossible, the answer is P2C2E. It's an acronym for the 'Process Too Complicated to Explain.' (In light of all the mysteries that Lost fans want answers to, I wouldn't be too surprised if the producers chose to cite this book just for the irony of that alone.)"

 

Some of the Dead Are Still Breathing: Living in the Future by Charles Bowden (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) has won the 2010 Orion Book Award, which is sponsored by Orion magazine and honors a book that "deepens our connection to the natural world."

"Bowden's writing is not only stunning, but the risks that he is willing to take are sometimes breathtaking. It's journalism of a really compelling kind” said Ted Genoways, editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review and one of the award judges.

Orion Book Award finalists were:

The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World by Wade Davis (House of Anansi Press)

The winner receives a $3,000 prize; finalists each receive $500. All five books will be honored at a reception on April 14 in New York City at the Cynthia-Reeves Gallery at 7 p.m.

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Nominees for the 2010 Hugo Awards and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer have been named. Winners will be announced at a ceremony September 5 in Melbourne, Australia, during Aussiecon 4, the 68th World Science Fiction Convention.
 
Finalists for best novel are Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, The City & The City by China Miéville, Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America by Robert Charles Wilson, Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente, Wake by Robert J. Sawyer and The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi.

The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominees are Saladin Ahmed, Gail Carriger, Felix Gilman, Seanan McGuire and Lezli Robyn.

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
 
Hardcover
 
Silencer by James W. Hall (Minotaur, $24.99, 9780312359591/0312359594). "James W. Hall writes one of the most under-appreciated thriller series, set in Florida in the vein of John D. MacDonald and Randy Wayne White. Kidnapped and thrown in a sinkhole, series hero Thorn returns!"--David Thompson, Murder by the Book, Houston, Tex.
 
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (New Press, $27.95, 9781595581037/1595581030). "In The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander tirelessly researches both the legal history of America's Jim Crow past and the current legal policies that contribute to the mass incarceration of black people. The text adds significantly to scholarship that contextualizes rates of incarceration among blacks and critiques of social and economic inequality."--Bruce Smith, Colorado State University Bookstore, Fort Collins, Colo.
 
Paperback
 
The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran (Ballantine, $15, 9780345510952/034551095X). "Johanna Moran's debut novel is wonderfully accomplished, full of power and unpredictable relationships. This story of loss and surprising relationships has a historical component that's fresh and interesting."--Betsey Detwiler, Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohasset, Mass.
 
For Ages 4 to 8
 
Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) by Barbara Bottner, illustrated by Michael Emberley (Knopf Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 9780375846823/0375846824). "One very reluctant young reader resists all of a firecracker librarian's many attempts to push the joy of books and reading--until the day one special story comes along and changes everything, igniting a blissful enthusiasm that will last a lifetime."--Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Wichita, Kan.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
 
 

"Magic is pretty damned cool when things get rowdy, but there are times when there's no replacing a firearm," says Harry Dresden. As a licensed private investigator and a professional wizard, Harry has seen it all at least twice in the noirish Chicago that Jim Butcher has gleefully invented for him: start counting the uses for both cool magic and deadly firearms in this rip-roaring 12th entry in the Dresden Files series.

Bravado and snappy wise-guy comebacks are Harry's trademarks; backing down in a confrontation is not an option, no matter what the consequences might be. Proudly, Harry has earned his reputation among the wizards of the White Council as their "most famous maybe-psychotic problem child." Nothing scares Harry, not even the sworn enemies of the White Council, the relentless vampires of the Red Court.

And then one day the phone rings. Harry picks it up and the conversation leaves him in shock. What could shock a swaggering, jaded, self-assured, maniac wizard/PI into speechlessness? In the great noir tradition, there's a woman involved. Susan Rodriguez, the love of Harry's life, had walked out on him years before with nary a goodbye. Of course, she had been kidnapped by Red Court vampires and converted to a half-vampire but, really, is that any reason to leave a happy ménage with someone like Harry?

Hearing from Susan after so long is a surprise, but it is not enough to shock; the bad news is that Duchess Arianna of the Red Court has kidnapped their daughter, Maggie, and may have dastardly plans for her. When Harry finally recovers his ability to speak, he utters words to the effect, "Daughter? We have a daughter?"

Readers will wisely fasten their seatbelts as Harry begins the nonstop chase to reclaim Maggie. Throughout, Harry remains insouciant on the surface, but mad fury roils beneath. A loose cannon equipped with force rings and fire wands, he flies between mortal worlds and wizard realms as the clock tick-tick-ticks on the vampires' countdown toward Maggie's blast-off into a mysterious, and probably deadly, ritual. The Red Court is evil, but is it united?

All bureaucracies, even those populated by wizards and vampires, have internally warring factions, and Butcher exploits that reality for maximum suspense as Harry races madly against the clock. As Harry advises, "Find a way to make your enemy be your weapon." Up to the last satisfying set of unexpected twists in Changes, we have no idea if Harry will succeed in doing just that. --John McFarland

Shelf Talker: Nonstop fun and suspense as wizard and private investigator Harry Dresden races against the clock to reclaim a daughter he never knew existed.

 

The following were AbeBooks.com's bestselling books during March:

1. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
3. The Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live an Extraordinary Life by John Assaraf
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
5. One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard
6. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
8. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
9. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis
10. A Patriot's History of the United States by Larry Schweikart

The following were AbeBooks.com's bestselling signed books during March:

1. Solar by Ian McEwan
2. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
3. Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
4. Infinities by John Banville
5. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
6. Just Kids by Patti Smith
7. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
8. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
9. The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee
10. The Man from Beijing by Henning Mankell

[Many thanks to AbeBooks.com!]