“After a close legal review of the final manuscript of Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy, and our independent evaluation of some of the author’s sources and statements, Triumph Books and Random House have decided not to go forward with the book’s publication. Our decision is wholly our own and was made without consultation with any outside parties or individuals.”USAT
New Releases/Forthcoming
Convicted Former NBA Ref's Book Cancelled Just Before Publication
Random House’s Triumph Books imprint cancelled published for former NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s tell-all book BLOWING THE WHISTLE: The Culture of Fraud in the NBA, scheduled for November publication. Promotional copy indicated that Donaghy “was at the center of a mafia-run gambling scheme wherein he used his on-court authority to manipulate the score or even the outcome of games, including play-off contests.” He pled guilty to Federal charges and “in this confessional memoir, Donaghy details how he became involved with the mob, specifies his methods for controlling the score of a game, and claims that league officials routinely use deceitful […]
Short Stories
Two forthcoming books make the gossip columns. Andrew Morton’s book on Angelina Jolie alleges that she slept with her mom’s boyfriend when she was 16. And pre-release excerpts from Andre Agassi’s book indicate he says he “unwittingly” took crystal meth once in 1997 when he drank from a soda that his assistant had spiked with the substance (and lied to tennis authorities about it). In the face of speculation that an extension of the sale option granted to Lonely Planet founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler on their remaining 25 percent stake in the publisher means the BBC is preparing to […]
Fans Compete to Help Launch Gathering Storm
In a further twist on viral marketing, the folks at Tor have just launched THE GATHERING STORM, the much-anticipated first installment of the posthumous completion of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books, with the help of an army of ardent fans. Through the official Jordan web site Dragonmount, a call went out for “Storm Leaders” across the country to lead community outreach and fan gatherings in the 26 tour cities. Over 500 people submitted applications for about 100 positions. As publicist Dot Lin explains, “Before the event, they do online and ground outreach (Facebook, fliers, etc.) and during the event, […]
OR Books Goes Rogue with Initial Release
The direct-sale start-up OR Books, founded by John Oakes and Colin Robinson, announced their inaugural title yesterday–which just happens to share some striking similarities with another prominent forthcoming release. OR Books is issuing GOING ROUGE: Sarah Palin, An American Nightmare on November 17, the same day when HarperCollins publishes GOING ROGUE: An American Life by Sarah Palin. Comprising essays assembled by Nation editors Richard Kim and Betsy Reed, it promises “progressive perspectives on Sarah Palin’s political career” by writers including Naomi Klein, Jane Mayer, Katha Pollitt, Jim Hightower, Christopher Hayes, Gloria Steinem, Joe Conason, and Tom Frank. Harper had […]
New Follett Trilogy Will Debut In Five Languages A Year from Now
Two years ago at Frankfurt Writers House lined up approximately $50 million worth of contracts for Ken Follett’s new trilogy The Century, and at this year’s show the agency is announcing publication on September 28, 2010 of FALL OF GIANTS, the first installment in that new line. Further books will follow in two-year intervals. GIANTS is described as “following the destinies of five interrelated families – one American, one Russian, one German, one English and one Welsh – through the earth-shaking events of the First World War and the Russian Revolution.” Penguin will publish in the US; Pan Macmillan in […]