Staff Reporter

BANKER TURNS WAMU LAYOFF INTO HOBBIT PARODY

Since T.S. Eliot's brief career at Lloyds Bank of London, the connections between banking and literature have remained tenuous at best - especially when you narrow the focus to the genre of "banking-related fantasy novel parodies."

APPLE WANTS TRIAL ON E-BOOK PRICE-FIXING: LAWYER

Apple Inc wants to go to trial to defend itself against U.S. government allegations that it conspired with publishers to raise prices of electronic books, a lawyer for the Silicon Valley giant said in court on Wednesday.

A MINUTE WITH: CARLY SIMON ON WRITING SONGS AND BOOKS

Singer-songwriter Carly Simon, 66, known for 1970s smash hits like "You're So Vain," is being honored this week with the prestigious ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Founders Award.

"THE LUCKY ONE" FINDS ROMANCE AMID TRAUMA OF IRAQ WAR

When it comes to romantic drama, Nicholas Sparks has the Midas touch. All of his books have been global best-sellers, and six of them - including "The Notebook" and "Nights in Rodanthe" - have been turned into hit films.

DUTCH BUG COOKBOOK LAUNCHED TO STIR TASTE FOR INSECTS

Need more protein in your diet? Try adding worms to your chocolate muffin recipe mix, or spice up a mushroom risotto with a sprinkling of grasshoppers.

STEVE HARVEY TELLS MOVIEGOERS HOW TO "THINK LIKE A MAN"

Comedian Steve Harvey is a veteran of stand-up comedy and television with programs like his sitcom "The Steve Harvey Show" and the game show "Family Feud," which he currently hosts.

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER WINS PULITZER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday won the Pulitzer Prize in the coveted public service category, while another Pennsylvania newspaper, The Patriot-News, took home the award for local reporting for its coverage of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal.

THREE AMERICANS UP FOR ORANGE FEMALE FICTION PRIZE

Ann Patchett, who won the Orange Prize for Fiction for female writers in 2002, was nominated again on Tuesday with "State of Wonder", her sixth novel.

2012 Orange Prize for Fiction: Nominees Announced, Bloomsbury Leads with Three Books

One of the UK's most prestigious literary awards - the Orange Prize - has announced their shortlist for the 2012 awards.

‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ Author Says Book Is A ‘Love Story’

E.L. James, the author of the saucy "Fifty Shades" trilogy, has revealed that she wrote the books as part of her midlife crisis. "It's all my fantasies in, in one thing," she said in an interview with ABC's "20/20" that will air on Friday.

Best Sites For Erotic/Romantic Fan Fiction

With the publishing industry experiencing major changes, it's clear that story lovers want access to new reading material in a matter that is swift and of little cost. This is particularly true for romance and erotica lovers who want to enjoy steamy literature from the comfort of their own electronic device. What's more, writers of the titillating genre are often eager to share their work and receive feedback as well as meet creative partners.

Looking For An E-Book Library? Bilbary Is For You

E-Books have provided a more convenient reading experience and assured that literature is readily accessible. Yet there's one realm of the e-publishing industry that has been largely avoided; the rental market. There has been rising tension between libraries and the e-book world and it seems as though collaboration between the two is unlikely. Yet a new site has emerged that is making it possible for book lovers to check books out digitally. www.Bilbary.com is an innovative paid-for library tha...

2012 Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced

Columbia University on Monday announced the 2012 Pulitzer Prize winners, and did not award a prize in the fiction category this year.

Tombstone Comics Releases Unseen Justice

Tombstone Comics announces it has embarked on the journey to tell the tale of the correctional officer with its graphics novel series Unseen Justice. Filled with realistic graphics, expert writing and griping stories, Unseen Justice sheds light on the life of the corrections officer, who is often portrayed in a negative light in the popular culture, but who in reality is often all that stands between violent criminals and the general public.

MINIATURE ROYAL FAIRY TALE TO GROW AND GROW

In its current form, the matchbook-sized children's book "J. Smith" can only be enjoyed by the most diligent of readers, armed with deft fingers, a magnifying glass and an abundance of patience.

AUTHOR ROWLING WRITING HARRY POTTER ENCYCLOPEDIA

Author J.K. Rowling is working on a Harry Potter encyclopedia, and will donate the royalties to charity, she has said on her website.

Sultry Erotica That Will Set Women's Kindles On Fire

The world of erotic e-books is getting more intriguing by the minute. Recent reports have explored the increasing popularity of erotic/romance novels. Women who were previously ashamed to lose themselves in smutty novels, can now do so free of judgement. New fans of the genre will find a plethora of hot and heavy tales to read. Amazon, offers an ample selection of raunchy delights that are sure to stifle your productivity. Here are some alluring e-books you'll have trouble putting down!

2012 Nautilus Book Award given to Galen Stoller's My Life after Life

Last week ForeWord Reviews made Galen Stoller's book, My Life after Life, a finalist for their Book of the Year Awards, and now Galen's first book in his Death Walker series was made a 2012 Nautilus Book Award WInner. www.my-life-after-life.com

Book Marketing Advice Provided by Denise Turney at International Promo Day

Denise Turney, author of the recently released novel Love Pour Over Me, will be featured during a live interview on Talk Radio Network Monday, April 16, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. (EST). During the interview Turney will discuss proven marketing strategies that she will present in-depth at 2012 Promo Day (promoday.info), a digital literary event scheduled for May 19, 2012. The event is open to writers, publicists, publishers and readers worldwide.

AFTER COCAINE BINGE, BILL CLEGG WRITES OF RECOVERY

New York literary agent Bill Clegg's first memoir counted down two months spent blowing $70,000 on a binge of crack cocaine and male escorts in New York's boutique hotels while avoiding loved ones and the publishing agency he built and owned.

APPLE REJECTS E-BOOK PRICING COLLUSION CHARGE: WSJ

Apple has rejected the U.S. Justice Department's allegations that it colluded with publishers over electronic book pricing, calling the charges "simply not true", the Wall Street Journal reported.

BARNES & NOBLE UNVEILS GLOW-IN-THE-DARK NOOK

Book retailer Barnes & Noble Inc debuted an e-reader on Thursday with a screen that can glow in the dark, a move aimed at improving its position against Amazon.com.

"THE BLOGGESS" BRINGS ZANY STYLE TO MEMOIR

A taxidermist, a donkey named Jasper, and Teddy Roosevelt all walked into a bar in Texas. For anyone but award-winning blogger Jenny Lawson, this would sound like the beginning of a joke, but for her, it's just another incident from her life.

New JK Rowling Book: Harry Potter Author To Publish ‘The Casual Vacancy’

J.K. Rowling, the British author behind the publishing phenomenon that was the "Harry Potter" series, is aiming for grown-up success with her new, adults-only book coming out this fall.

Barnes & Noble New NOOK Now Lets You Read In Darkness; Will The GlowLight Device Conquer The Market Of Apple And Amazon?

Barnes & Noble has invented a GlowLight solution for those who are addicted to bedtime reading and at the same time do not wish to disturb their sleepy spouses.

Why Some Authors Are Turning To Self-Publishing

In the old days there was only one way to publish a book: Slave over a manuscript for months or years only to send it off to publishers and wait months until a literary scout actually got around to reading your work. If you were lucky, you received a kindly worded rejection letter and thus knew the status of your creative venture. But for the most part, emerging writers wouldn't receive a reply at all. Even if their book sparked an editor's interest, it would take a lengthy period of time befo...

Unpublished Book "The Ghostman" Set To Become A Film

Warner Brothers has snatched up the rights to the yet to be released book, "The Ghostman". The book follows a cryptic man who works to aid robbers after they commit crimes.

New Poster For 'The Host' Debuts: Stephenie Meyer's Newest Book Turned Movie

Though the "Twilight" saga is set to end later this year with "Breaking Dawn: Part 2," fans of the series can rest assured, there's plenty more to come from Stephenie Meyer.

Apple DOJ Lawsuit: Why Amazon Wins The E-Book Pricing Battle, But Not The War

The United States Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple and a handful of major book publishers on Wednesday, alleging that the companies colluded to raise the price of e-books back in 2010. Amazon, the maker of the Kindle e-book readers and tablets, couldn't be happier.