Archives November 15-30, 2001

Phyllis Grann

Named Vice Chairman,

Random House, Inc.

NEW YORK, NY/11/26/001—Phyllis E. Grann, who stepped down last month as Chief Executive Officer and President of Penguin Putnam Inc., the country’s second largest trade book publisher, will join Random House, Inc. on January 2 nd in the newly created position of Vice Chairman, a corporate advisory position. She will report to Random House’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Olson.

Mrs. Grann, 62, has been greatly admired over the last twenty-five years for her editorial, publishing, and executive skills.

“The rare times someone as gifted as Phyllis becomes available you seize the opportunity to work with her,” Mr. Olson, 51, said. “Phyllis would be an invaluable addition to our company at any time but never more so than now as we must apply even greater ingenuity to overcome the ongoing book marketplace downturn. She and I have created a role for her at Random House, Inc. that is as unique as she is.”

Random House, Inc. is the U.S. company of Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher.

Mrs. Grann will have no specific day to day editorial or publishing responsibilities, but Mr. Olson observed that “all of our adult and children’s divisions worldwide can draw upon her publishing expertise and broad range of creative, media and business relationships. They will also be welcome to consult with her on plans for a specific book or publishing program. She will be a wonderful collaborator, especially when working with our publishers on projects of mutual interest.” The Random House, Inc. publishers, who continue to report to either Mr. Olson or Joerg Pfuhl, the company’s President, make all their own final decisions on which books they choose to publish.

Mrs. Grann was Chief Executive Officer and President of Penguin Putnam Inc., the U.S. affiliate of The Penguin Group, since 1996. She began her publishing career at Doubleday & Company in 1958 as secretary to Nelson Doubleday. Following editorial and executive positions at William Morrow & Company and Simon & Schuster, she became President and Publisher in 1984 of the Putnam Berkley Group, rising to CEO in 1987 and Chairman in 1991. In 1996 she helped engineer its merger with Penguin USA to create Penguin Putnam Inc.

Mrs. Grann has published innumerable fiction and nonfiction bestselling authors, including Lance Armstrong, A. Scott Berg, Tom Clancy, Robin Cook, Patricia Cornwell, Clive Cussler, Ken Follett, Dick Francis, Sue Grafton, Jack Higgins, Alice Hoffman, Steve Martini, Robert B. Parker, Nora Roberts, John Sanford, Amy Tan, Kurt Vonnegut,and Stuart Woods.

About Random House

Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is comprised of an array of prestigious publishing divisions and imprints which publish many of the world’s foremost and most popular writers of adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction in hardcover, trade and mass market paperback, audio, and digital formats. Its U.S. company, Random House, Inc., publishes more than 3,500 new books and audios annually and maintains an active backlist of almost 25,000 titles. Random House English-language publishers in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa are market leaders in their respective countries. Random House also encompasses some of the leading publishing houses in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Colombia. Random House is the book division of Bertelsmann AG, the world’s most international media company.

Relaunched

Life Magazine

Hits Newsstands

NEW YORK/11/7/01—The TIME Magazine Group announced the dramatic re-launch of one of the most venerable magazine titles in the world – LIFE.

With the early November introduction of two special issues, “In the Land of the Free,” a collection of photography and essays documenting the Sept. 11 attacks and recovery, and “America’s Parade: A Celebration of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” LIFE resumes its place in the publishing landscape as the world’s first and most famous picture magazine.

LIFE will publish at least eight premium magazines a year, at six-week intervals, starting with the two titles being issued this week. These high-end, softcover, collectible publications will be available at newsstands. Several of these editions, including the two launching this week, will be accompanied by hardcover book versions that will sell in leading bookstores. Additional LIFE special editions will be published as world events warrant.

Among the titles slated for 2002 are “Rock and Roll at 50: A History in Pictures,” “American Speed: From Dirt Tracks to NASCAR” and “The Mafia: An American Saga.”

The overall management of the LIFE brand will continue under the direction of the TIME Magazine Group and General Manager Andy Blau. To broaden the reach of the brand beyond the eight annual special issues and capitalize on the LIFE legacy, additional brand extensions are under consideration, including product and image licensing, fine art production and broadcast programming.

“When Henry Luce started LIFE in 1936, his mission for the publication was ‘to see life; see the world’,” said Blau. “The re-launch of the title and building of the brand will help us remain true to that mission.”

By establishing a regular six-week publishing cycle, LIFE will also have the flexibility to produce special issues on changing world events. “In the Land of the Free,” for instance, was only possible because the LIFE editorial team, led by editor Robert Sullivan, was in place working on the first re-launch title “America’s Parade.”

“LIFE’s legacy is in presenting the iconic images with which we remember the world’s most impactful events,” said Sullivan. “We hope to continue to provide that same coverage, telling the major stories of our time through the lenses of the world’s best photographers.”

LIFE, founded by Time Inc.’s Henry Luce in 1936, has been a treasured source of photographic history. Once published as a weekly magazine, today LIFE as a brand continues under the guidance of the TIME magazine group. LIFE has given birth to a new kind of paperback book, the “megazine,” carried on newsstands.

B&N Reports

Drop in Sales

for October

NEW YORK/11/8/01—Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE:BKS), the nation’s largest bookseller, reported comparable superstore sales for October decreased 0.4 percent from the prior year.

For the quarter, comparable superstore sales increased 0.2 percent. Although comparable sales for Barnes & Noble stores were in the low range of previously revised guidance, new stores and non-comparable stores opened last year were well below plan. Comparable store sales at B. Dalton, which comprises 8 percent of total bookstore sales, decreased 5.1 percent for the quarter, also below plan and guidance, as were the Barnes & Noble mall stores.

Video game comparable store sales for October were on target, decreasing as expected 19.7 percent from the prior year when PlayStation 2 was launched. Comparable store sales for the quarter were also on target, increasing 3.6 percent.

Although Barnes & Noble is performing better than most retailers, events connected to the war on terrorism are affecting sales. As an example, on Halloween day, which is normally one of the strongest days of the third quarter, sales for company bookstores were down between 2 percent and 20 percent depending on their proximity to malls, owing to renewed warnings about terrorist threats.

Earnings for the company’s retail book business are now expected to be $0.10 to $0.12 less than previous guidance for the third quarter, going from an expected $0.18 per share to $0.06 to $0.08 per share. Video game earnings will be on target with previous guidance at $0.01 per share for the third quarter.

Should current trends continue, comparable superstore sales for the fourth quarter would be flat to plus 2 percent. Guidance for bookstore earnings for the fourth quarter, therefore, is being reduced to $1.04 to $1.08 (based upon 79.9 million fully diluted shares) and $1.49 to $1.53 for the full year. Guidance for consolidated EPS for the full year has been reduced to $1.08 to $1.12 compared to $1.06 for the prior year. Results for Barnes & Noble.com continue to improve as planned, and GameStop is expected to meet previous guidance.

“Given the conditions of the economy, we are encouraged by our ability to outperform the retail sector,” said Leonard Riggio, chairman and chief executive officer of Barnes & Noble Inc. “We expect to continue to benefit from the counter cyclical nature of the book business, yet recognize that even our business will be somewhat affected. Problematic is the lack of media exposure for authors amid the din of crisis coverage.”

The company expects to report third-quarter results on Thursday, Nov. 29.

Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS) operates 569 Barnes & Noble and 331 B. Dalton bookstores, and GameStop (formerly Babbage’s), which is the nation’s largest operator of video game and entertainment software stores with 990 stores. Barnes & Noble stores stock an authoritative selection of book titles and provide access to more than 1 million titles. They offer books from more than 50,000 publisher imprints with an emphasis on small, independent publishers and university presses. Barnes & Noble is one of the world’s largest booksellers on the World Wide Web ( http://www.bn.com/) and the premiere bookseller on America Online’s (Keyword: bn) proprietary network. Barnes & Noble.com has the largest standing inventory of any online bookseller. Barnes & Noble also publishes books under its own imprint for exclusive sale through its retail stores and Web site.

Elsevier, Wiley Sue

Document Service

Over Copyright Issues

DANVERS, MA/11/7/01—Two global publishers announced the initiation of litigation against Kessler-Hancock Information Services Inc., a document delivery service and its president Brian J. Hancock, for unauthorized photocopying from the publishers’ journals for resale to the service’s customers.

The publishers are Elsevier Science B.V./Elsevier Science S.A. and John Wiley and Sons Inc. The complaint, filed in federal district court in Boston, alleges that Kessler-Hancock solicits and fills orders for copies of copyrighted materials distributed by the publishers without the publishers’ authorizations and even collects purported copyright fees in connection with the copies without returning them to the copyright holders. Both of the publishers are major producers of scientific, technical and medical materials.

“When an entity uses copyrighted materials without authorization and for its own profit – and then misrepresents itself as returning royalties to rightsholders – that constitutes an unfair and misleading practice as well as copyright infringement,” stated Mark Seeley, vice president and general counsel of Elsevier Science.

The complaint includes counts of false advertising for the ways in which Kessler-Hancock represents its business practices.

The matter is being coordinated by Copyright Clearance Center Inc. (CCC), the largest licenser of text reproduction rights in the world and a licensing agent for both publishers. CCC and its participating rightsholders provide licenses and permissions to many document delivery services and other users of copyrighted materials. In exchange, copyright royalties are collected and then distributed to the appropriate copyright holders.

“Most businesses that use photocopies in the ordinary course of their everyday activities and obtain them through document delivery services expect that the people who produce the copyrighted materials and not just the copy service, will be compensated for their intellectual property,” said Frederic Haber, CCC’s general counsel. “Rightsholders who seek to make the permissions process as convenient as possible use CCC to handle the transactions. All the infringed journals named in the suit were available for permissions through CCC.”

“We will continue our ongoing compliance activities and will pursue through court action, as necessary, instances of infringement,” said Richard S. Rudick, Wiley’s senior vice president and general counsel. “This complaint provides evidence of our efforts to ensure compliance by document delivery organizations, thereby defending our copyrights and helping to maintain a level playing field for those organizations interested in complying with copyright law.”

Elsevier Science B.V. and Elsevier Science S.A. are units of Elsevier Science ( http://www.elsevier.com/), headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The company is the world’s leading scientific, technical and medical information provider and publishes over 1,400 journals as well as books and secondary databases. It is a member of the Reed Elsevier plc group ( http://www.reedelsevier.com/), a world leading publisher and information provider. Reed Elsevier plc is owned equally by Reed International PLC (NYSE: RUK) and Elsevier NV (NYSE: ENL).

Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons Inc. ( http://www.johnwiley.com/), provides must-have content and services to customers worldwide. Its core businesses include scientific, technical and medical journals; encyclopedias, books and online products and services; professional and consumer books and subscription services; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley has publishing, marketing and distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb.

Copyright Clearance Center Inc. is the world’s largest licensing agent for text reproduction rights and the provider of many licensing services for reproducing copyrighted materials in print and electronic formats. The company was formed in 1978 to facilitate compliance with U.S. copyright law. CCC currently manages rights relating to over 1.75 million works and represents more than 9,600 publishers and hundreds of thousands of authors and other creators, directly or through their representatives. CCC-licensed customers in the U.S. number over 10,000 corporations and subsidiaries (including 92 of the Fortune 100 companies), as well as thousands of government agencies, law firms, document suppliers, libraries, academic institutions, copy shops and bookstores.

Disney

Acquires

Baby Einstein

BURBANK, CA/11/6/01—The Walt Disney Co. has acquired The Baby Einstein Co., the award-winning creator of highly innovative media products, toys and books for babies and toddlers, Disney President and Chief Operating Officer Robert A. Iger announced.

The Baby Einstein Co., founded in 1996, develops and sells products that expose babies to various forms of human expression – language, poetry, music, art and science – through ways that are nurturing and fun.

The company’s product range includes videotapes, DVDs and CDs. In addition, the company launched a new collection of books and toys this fall, with partners Disney Publishing Worldwide and Hasbro Inc. Baby Einstein’s products are available worldwide through numerous retail channels, including specialty stores, mass merchants, mail order and online.

“The acquisition of Baby Einstein provides The Walt Disney Co. with another high quality brand franchise which serves one of our core customer segments–families with small children,” said Iger. “We are particularly excited about extending from the `Baby’ series brand into a `Little’ series that will appeal to pre-schoolers. We view this acquisition as a core element of our company-wide learning initiative for children.”

The “Little” product line is scheduled to launch in late 2002. Baby Einstein’s founder, Julie Aigner-Clark, mother of two, who formerly taught English and art, and her husband, William Clark, will serve as consultants to Disney.

“Baby Einstein broke new ground in coming to market with stimulating media products for the baby and toddler crowd, and our success has been tremendous,” said Aigner-Clark. “We’re thrilled to be putting our grass roots brand in the hands of The Walt Disney Co. and to watch our `baby’ grow up.”

The Baby Einstein Co. and its products have won numerous awards from major family and retail magazines and from educational foundations. Awards include the prestigious Video Magic Award presented annually by Parenting Magazine and the Video of the Year Award from Child Magazine. The firm’s newest video titles, “Neighborhood Animals” and “World Animals,” are winners of Parenting Magazine’s “Best Videos of 2001 Awards and join other favorites such as the “Baby Einstein,” “Baby Mozart,” “Baby Van Gogh” and “Baby Shakespeare” videos.

The company is based in Lone Tree, Colo.

Disney Expects

Earnings Decline

to Continue

LOS ANGELES/11/9/01—Attendance at Disney World has dropped 25% since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, causing one of the weakest quarters for the Walt Disney Co. since the Persian Gulf War. The company expects the decline to deepen within the next three months, and expects operating income to drop by 50%. in the coming quarter.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, CEO Michael Eisner said, “This company has been through uncertain times before,but nothing will impact the fundamental value of our assets.”

Disney will cut costs in the next year by about $500 million by reducing theme-park hours and personnel schedules. Disney has also cut some 4,000 jobs from its worldwide operations, and more layoffs were expected.

Disney is Central Florida’s largest employer, with more than 50,000 workers.

Disney recorded a pro-forma profit of $132 million, or 6 cents a share for the fourth fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, down 60 percent from the same period a year ago. Pro-forma results are adjusted to reflect the sale of the Fairchild Publications division and the closure of the Go.com Internet portal.

Disney posted a net loss of $158 million for the year. Revenues declined 5 percent to $5.8 billion. For the fiscal year, Disney’s pro-forma profit was flat at $1.5 billion, or 72 cents a share, on revenues of $25.3 billion.

Operating income for theme parks and resorts fell 13 percent to $313 million in the quarter, with the greatest impact felt at Walt Disney World, where 50 percent of visitors travel by plane.

Simon & Schuster

Launches eBookstore

on Company Website

NEW YORK, NY/11/5/01–As part of its ongoing efforts to promote electronic publishing, Simon & Schuster announced today the grand opening of SimonSaysShop.com ( http://www.SimonSaysShop.com.com ), an eBookstore hosted at the company’s website, SimonSays.com. The store will carry bestselling and critically acclaimed titles from nearly every division of Simon & Schuster, making possible the instantaneous purchase of eBooks from the site.

“Our website, SimonSays.com attracts millions of unique visitors every year,” said Jack Romanos, President and Chief Operating Officer of Simon & Schuster. “By integrating the informational and community functions we are already providing with the transactional capability of SimonSaysShop.com, we can help to increase both the visibility and accessibility of eBooks, make eBook shopping an altogether easier proposition for the consumer, and at the same time promote all our publishing formats.”

“Ever since we started SimonSays.com in 1996, many of our visitors have asked us for the opportunity to buy books from the site” added Kate Tentler, Vice President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster

Online. “At SimonSaysShop.com, we can now fulfill that desire with a convenient, state of the art online purchasing experience.”

Beginning today, SimonSaysShop.com will offer hundreds of unique titles by such bestselling authors as Stephen E. Ambrose, V.C. Andrews, Mary Higgins Clark, Jeffery Deaver, Stephen King and David McCullough. Coming soon will be eBooks by Jimmy Carter, His Holiness the Dalai Lama , Dr. Phil McGraw, and Pope John Paul II. SimonSaysShop.com carries a wide variety of titles across all major categories, including thrillers, mysteries, romance, business, award-winning children’s literature, teen interest, history, self-help, African- American interest, and a full selection of Star Trek ® titles.

To celebrate the grand opening of SimonSaysShop.com and encourage consumers to sample the pleasures of reading eBooks, all titles in the store will initially be sold at 20% off retail price. And, to take full advantage of the promotional capabilities of SimonSays.com., the store will offer, for a limited time only, free original eBooks available exclusively at SimonSaysShop.com:

· The Magic of Tribbles “, an original nonfiction Star Trek eBook that has never appeared in any format, electronic or print.

· Triangle by Jeffery Deaver, an Edgar Award-nominated short story by the bestselling author of The Blue Nowhere and The Empty Chair. This is the only electronic version of Triangle available, anywhere.

· Cage of Love and Little Psychic, both by V.C. Andrews, vignettes based on her haunting and dramatic paintings.

The store will also feature a collection of attractively priced eBooks under $5.00 such as Riding the Bullet by Stephen King, Star Trek®:

S.C.E. #8: Invincible Book Two by David Mack and Keith R.A. DeCandido, Snow by Robert Jordan. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Lost Slayer #1:

Prophecies will be offered for a special limited-time promotional price of $1.00.

EBooks from SimonSaysShop.com can be read by the Microsoft Reader and the Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader. Microsoft has just released a new version of their reader that will also allow SimonSaysShop.com ebooks to be read on Pocket PC 2002 devices as well as desktop and laptop PC’s. The Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader will work with PC’s and MacIntosh computers . Both software programs are free of charge and can be downloaded from links that are readily available at SimonSaysShop.com.

Technology partners for SimonSaysShop.com include: Lightning Source Inc. for digital fulfillment, Digital River Inc. (Nasdaq:DRIV) for the eCommerce engine, and design and consulting from Blue Barn Interactive.

Simon & Schuster, the publishing operation of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic and multi-media formats. Its divisions include the Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster New Media, Simon & Schuster Online, Simon & Schuster U.K., and Simon & Schuster Australia. For more information, visit our website at http://www.simonsays.com

Simon & Schuster

Launches eBookstore

on Company Website

Online. “At SimonSaysShop.com, we can now fulfill that desire with a convenient, state of the art online purchasing experience.”

· The Magic of Tribbles “, an original nonfiction Star Trek eBook that has never appeared in any format, electronic or print.

· Cage of Love and Little Psychic, both by V.C. Andrews, vignettes based on her haunting and dramatic paintings.

The store will also feature a collection of attractively priced eBooks under $5.00 such as Riding the Bullet by Stephen King, Star Trek®:

S.C.E. #8: Invincible Book Two by David Mack and Keith R.A. DeCandido, Snow by Robert Jordan. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Lost Slayer #1:

Prophecies will be offered for a special limited-time promotional price of $1.00.

GENERAL NEWS Primedia Names

New Publisher

for Several Properties

OVERLAND PARK, KAN/11/13/01—PRIMEDIA (NYSE: PRM), the leading targeted media company, announced today that Maria Arnone has been named the new publisher for PRIMEDIA Business Magazine and Media’s mining and construction properties.

In this position, Ms. Arnone will oversee all sales, business, marketing and editorial initiatives for PRIMEDIA’s Engineering & Mining Journal, Rock Products, Concrete Products, Coal Age, and International Construction magazines.

“Maria brings exceptional marketing talent, fresh ideas and an ability to effectively integrate and drive sales. Her leadership will bring about enhanced editorial products that will inevitably lead to an even stronger position for the mining and construction properties,” said Tim Andrews, chief executive officer, PRIMEDIA Business Magazines and Media. “We look forward to Maria having an immediate impact on the editorial and business development of this product group.”

Ms. Arnone will report to Bob Moraczewski, senior vice president, and will be based in the company’s Chicago office.

After joining PRIMEDIA Business Magazines and Media in 1995 as a marketing manager for Stitches and Sound & Video Contractor, Ms. Arnone was promoted to publisher of Sound & Video Contractor in 1999. She held this position until 2000, when she was relocated to Chicago to serve as publisher of Telecom Business. Most recently, Ms. Arnone was the interim marketing director for the telecommunications properties. Prior to joining PRIMEDIA Business Magazines and Media, Maria served in several advertising positions for Sprint and with an international marketing firm.

Ms. Arnone graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in journalism.

About PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media

PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media is a leading producer of targeted publications, Web sites and exhibitions that bring sellers together with qualified buyers. It consists of nearly 100 publications, 130 websites, more than 30 trade shows and 450 books and directories that serve professionals in 20 market sectors including Agribusiness; Communications; Electrical & Public Services; Entertainment; Marketing; and Transportation.

About PRIMEDIA

PRIMEDIA is the new tradition in media. With 2000 sales of $1.7 billion from a unique combination of traditional and new media properties, it is the leading targeted content and integrated marketing solution in both the consumer and business-to-business sectors. The Company is the #1 special interest magazine publisher in the US, with more than 280 titles such as Seventeen, New York, Fly Fisherman, American Baby, Telephony, American Demographics; the #1 producer and distributor of specialty video with 18 satellite and digital video product lines, including, Channel One Network; and the #1 news and information group on the Internet, with over 1,000 special interest Web sites led by About.com. More information about the Company can be found at www.PRIMEDIA.com.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Primedia’s operations, economic performance and financial condition. These statements are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, which are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, and reflect future business decisions, which are subject to change. Some of these assumptions may not materialize, and unanticipated events will occur which can affect the Company’s results.

MTV Reduces

Workforce

By 450

NEW YORK/10/30/01—MTV Networks has reduced its staff by 450 employees as a result of cost-cutting measures at parent company Viacom Inc. The cut totals about 9 percent of MTV’s workforce.

The cuts were announced to the staff in a memo Oct. 29 from MTV Networks chief executive Tom Freston. He said the layoffs will affect all parts of the division, which also includes Nickelodeon, VH1 and TNN.

The layoffs, first to occur in 12 years, are part of a broad restructuring of MTV Networks.

“We have never seen a more challenging time than now,” Freston wrote in the memo.

Viacom, which also owns CBS, the Paramount movie studio and other media properties, recently reported a net third-quarter loss of $190.4 million primarily due to a decline in advertising revenues.

Scholastic Tries

To Help Kids

Cope With Sept. 11

NEW YORK/11/8/01—Since the tragic events of Sept. 11, Scholastic, the global children’s publishing and media company, has responded with a series of publishing and charitable initiatives designed to respond to the needs of the millions of teachers, parents and children it serves in classrooms and at home.

Scholastic has published up-to-date materials for children on the internet and in print with expert advice on how to help children cope. The company has provided donations of books to displaced schools and has published timely books and posters, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross. Scholastic Book Clubs shipped more than 500,000 copies of its Pledge of Allegiance book free to classrooms around the country. Scholastic’s campaign to benefit the American Red Cross raised more than $325,000 from its employees around the world and through matching contributions by the company.

“We are pleased that we have been able to respond to the needs of our customers during these difficult times. Our mission to serve children, teachers and parents is all the more important during this challenging period,” said Dick Robinson, Scholastic’s Chairman, President and CEO.

“We are also pleased that our customers continue to respond to our company and that we remain on track to deliver earnings within the range of analyst estimates for this year.”

Scholastic (NMS: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books. As a global children’s publishing and media company serving the needs of parents, teachers, and children, Scholastic provides proprietary book and software distribution through school book clubs, school book fairs and to classrooms, as well as through the retail trade. Since 1920, Scholastic has created quality educational materials for schools and has expanded its reach to include the distribution of books, software, toys, online learning services and television programming directly to the home.

Scholastic’s Grolier division is the leading print and online publisher of children’s reference materials and the leader in children’s direct-to-home book clubs.

Internationally, Scholastic operates wholly owned companies in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom. The U.S. Scholastic web site, http://www.scholastic.com/, is a leading provider of educational services online for parents, teachers and children.

Thomas Nelson

Closes Sale

Of C.R. Gibson

NASHVILLE, TN/11/8/01—Thomas Nelson Inc. (NYSE:TNM) announced that it closed on the sale of substantially all of the assets of C.R. Gibson on Nov. 7, as discussed in its previous announcement of Oct. 11.

Thomas Nelson Inc. is a leading publisher, producer and distributor of books emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes and believes it is the largest publisher of Bibles and inspirational books in the English language.

Thomas Nelson’s stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:TNM).

FILM/TV NEWS “Harry Potter”

Advanced Ticket

Sales Soar

LOS ANGELES, CA/11/10/01—A week before the November 16 opening of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” US advance ticket sales were higher than any other film this year, according to domestic box-office outlets. No actual sales figures were disclosed. London theaters, however, reorted nearly 500,000 advance tickets had been sold.

The $125 million movie is the tale of a mistreated orphan on an adventure after learning he has magical powers.

“Harry Potter” has already sold far more advance tickets than either “The Mummy Returns” or “Pearl Harbor,” but he would not discuss specific numbers, one distributor said.

Industry observers expect “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” to exceed $72.1 million in sales during the three-day, opening-weekend. This would break the box-office record set in 1997 by “Jurassic Park: The Lost World.”

AWARDS 12-Year-Old

Wins Award

at Shriekfest

LOS ANGELES/10/29/01—ShriekFest, the first annual Los Angeles Horror Film Festival, announced winners of the 2001 film festival October 28 at a banquet in LA. Independent filmmakers from around the country submitted features, videos, shorts and documentaries based on the horror genre.

This year’s festival opened with the world premier of The Monster Killers, a seven-minute short directed by 12-year-old Los Angeles middle school filmmaker Nicholas Robert Bryan, who was given the Youngest Director award that evening.

He made the film three years ago when he was a precocious 9-year-old. He wrote, produced, directed and starred in the film, which is about three friends who break into a haunted house to see who or what lives inside.

In accepting the honor, he said: “ I’d like to thank my family and fans for their support.”

The screening of The Monster Killers met with loud laughter and applause by a supporting audience of fellow filmmakers and guests.

Nick writes with Movie Magic Screenwriter and has already written more than 10 different scripts in various stages of development. His real life heroes are his father Bob Bryan, legendary Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg, and Stan Lee, the creator of Marvel Comics’ Spider Man.

Shriek Fest 2001 took place at The Charlie Chaplin Theater in The Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Denise Gossett and Kimberly S. Beeson are the founders.

IDG Publications

Win Awards

at Folio: Show

BOSTON/11/6/01—International Data Group, the world’s leading technology media company, announced that its publications Darwin, CIO, Network World, InfoWorld, Macworld and Computerworld won top honors at the 2001 Folio: Awards Show.

The Folio: show is composed of three separate awards – the Folio: Ozzie Awards, the Folio: Editorial Excellence Awards and the Folio: Circulation Direct Marketing Awards. IDG publications were recognized in categories such as best cover, best feature design and best use of digital imagery. The awards were announced recently at the 2001 Celebration of Excellence Awards Gala held at the 2001 Folio: Show in New York City.

“We are honored to be recognized by Folio:’s prestigious Ozzie, Editorial and Circulation awards,” said Kelly Conlin, IDG president and CEO. “Capturing the most awards given to a single technology publisher clearly demonstrates IDG’s editorial quality, design excellence and circulation achievement.”

The Ozzie Awards honor excellence in 14 aspects of magazine design. Computerworld, CIO, Darwin, Network World and InfoWorld won in the following categories:

Best Supplement Annual or One-Shot, Gold (trade) – Computerworld Best Use of Illustration for a Single Article, Gold (trade over 35,000) – CIO Best Cover, Silver (trade above 100,000) – Darwin Best Design New Magazine, Silver (trade over 35,000) – Darwin Best Feature Design, Silver (trade above 100,000) – Network World Best Use of Color Photography, Silver (trade over 35,000) – InfoWorld

The Editorial Excellence Awards honor overall quality and reward achievement in accomplishing a magazine’s editorial mission. Publications were rated on how well they fulfilled their mission statements as well as the quality of their content. In the business-to-business category, CIO and Darwin won for best Computing and CIO.com and Darwinmag.com won in the online B-to-B category.

The Circulation Direct Marketing awards honor entries for excellence in circulation direct marketing and are evaluated on concept, copy design and technical execution. Macworld was chosen for new business subscription promotion-direct mail in the business-to-business category.

This year, the Folio: Awards received more than 2,400 entries submitted by consumer, trade, association and custom publications. The entries were evaluated by a panel of more than 40 distinguished judges and were rated on how well they satisfied the criteria within each category. All award winners will be featured in the Folio: December issue.

Headquartered in Boston, IDG informs more people about information technology than any other company in the world. With annual revenues of $3.1 billion, IDG is the leading global provider of IT media, research, conferences and events. IDG publishes more than 300 newspapers and magazines in 80 countries, led by the Computerworld, InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, PC World and CIO global product lines.

IDG offers online users the largest network of technology-specific sites around the world through its website, http://www.idg.net/, which includes more than 330 sites in 70 countries. IDG is also a leading producer of 168 computer-related events in 35 countries and research arm International Data Corporation (IDC) provides computer industry research and analysis through 51 offices in 43 countries worldwide.

WEB NEWS Ziff Davis Merges

Magazines to Form

Largest IT Weekly

NEW YORK/11/5/01—Ziff Davis Media Inc. announced it is merging eWEEK and Interactive Week publications, creating the nation’s largest information technology newsweekly.

The merged publication will continue under the eWEEK brand and include an Interactive Week section featuring the publication’s groundbreaking coverage of Internet and infrastructure-related developments.

With a combined circulation of 445,000, eWEEK will surpass all other weekly IT publications in total number and will reach a premier enterprise IT readership.

“Ziff Davis Media is focusing its resources and investments in media assets that deliver both short- and long-term growth for its customers and the company,” said Ziff Davis Media Chairman and CEO Robert Callahan. “The technological and business boundaries that once divided computing and Internet-based services have merged, and eWEEK, incorporating industry-acclaimed Interactive Week, embraces this new reality,” said Callahan.

“We are taking the best of two great publications and creating a newsweekly that not only reflects the current business environment, but helps companies make the right information technology decisions for future growth,” said Eric Lundquist, Editor-in-Chief of eWEEK.

eWEEK will incorporate 45,000 of Interactive Week’s most powerful subscribers, creating a 445,000-circulation publication. This 10 percent circulation boost makes eWEEK the largest IT newsweekly in the United States.

In addition to the increased circulation, eWEEK will expand the publication’s coverage of this converged technology marketplace. The publication will feature weekly news, analysis and labs evaluations of digital content management systems, the merger of wired and wireless systems and Web-based initiatives, which tie suppliers, vendors and customers together. Those coverage areas were pioneered by the award-winning Interactive Week and will be added to eWEEK ‘s information technology editorial mission, appearing in the Interactive Week section.

The weekly print publication will be bolstered by online media, newsletters, labs testing and e-seminars, which extend eWEEK’s reach beyond its already substantial offerings. The company will also continue to publish Interactive Week-branded newsletters and operate the web site at http://www.interactiveweek.com/.

“The days when businesses could view their IT and Internet operations as separate components ended as more and more companies found all they had accomplished was adding costs without adding benefits,” said Lundquist. “The future will belong to companies that can develop an overarching information technology infrastructure that will provide the information, speed, security, flexibility, dependability and scale, which today’s economy requires and tomorrow’s economy will reward,” he added.

The company also announced it ceased publishing Smart Partner magazine as of the Nov. 1 issue.

“Smart Partner served its market and customers well over the past three years. The editorial team created a top-notch product and the sales team fought valiantly in competitive terrain. However, future growth for the title is limited due to a consolidating market,” Callahan stated.

Ziff Davis Media is committed to providing readers and advertising customers with products and services that address their evolving needs. Recent investments in new business-to-business products include the launch of Baseline and CIO Insight publications, and PCMag.com and ExtremeTech.com web sites. Last month, the company launched BaselineTM, a new 125,000 controlled-circulation monthly publication providing senior-level information technology and corporate executives with in-depth analysis and in-the-trenches reporting on how to cost, deploy and manage information systems in today’s increasingly complex business environment.

In July, the company launched PC Magazine Online, the most trusted and comprehensive source for product reviews, performance tests and evaluations. Building upon the publication’s 20-year heritage as “the source” for labs-based product reviews, performance testing and analysis, the site now offers personalized, members only content and user services, cleaner, more intuitive navigation robust product and buyer’s guides, PC Labs-based product reviews (more than 200 at launch), visual walkthroughs of new products and technologies, industry- leading commentary from technology authorities such as Michael Miller and John Dvorak, unique utility downloads, an extensive database of more than 2000 tips, news and trends, and exclusive online features such as case studies and product round-ups.

In June, the company launched ExtremeTech.com, a website targeting “hardcore technologists” – the IT professionals and computer enthusiasts who are truly passionate about technology. The site focuses on the technologies that power products, providing this early adopter audience with technical detail that goes well beyond traditional tech coverage.

In May, Ziff Davis Media Inc. launched CIO Insight, a monthly publication that serves the strategic information technology (IT) and business information needs of today’s critically important senior-level technology executives. CIO Insight has a controlled circulation of 50,000.

Callahan also announced that Baseline and CIO Insight report to Executive Vice President Stephen D. Moylan, who joined Ziff Davis Media last month. PC Magazine, eWEEK, Ziff Davis SMART BUSINESS and The Net Economy report to Executive Vice President Peter Longo.

Ziff Davis Media Inc. ( http://www.ziffdavis.com/) is the leading information authority for buying, using and experiencing technology and the Internet. In the U.S., Ziff Davis Media publishes 11 industry-leading business and consumer publications: PC Magazine, Ziff Davis SMART BUSINESS, eWEEK, The Net Economy, CIO Insight, Baseline, Yahoo! Internet Life, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, Computer Gaming World and GameNow. Ziff Davis Media publishes more than 50 titles around the world through licensing agreements in 29 countries. The company is also a developer of innovative web sites including PCMag.com and ExtremeTech.com. It provides custom and contract media solutions through Ziff Davis Custom Media; market insight, technology trends and competitive analysis through Ziff Davis Market Experts; and state-of-the-art Internet and technology testing through eTesting Labs. The company also produces conferences, seminars and Webcasts.

PEOPLE

Cancer Claims Novelist Ken Kesey at Age 66

GRANTS PASS, OR/11/10/01—Ken Kesey, whose most famous literary work is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” died Saturday, November 10 at the age of 66.

Kesey died at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, two weeks after having cancer surgery to remove part of his liver.

Kesey studied writing at Stanford University and gained fame at age 26 with the 1962 release of his debut novel, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

In 1964, he rode cross-country in an old school bus named Furthur driven by Neal Cassady, hero of Jack Kerouac’s beat generation classic, “On The Road.”

“Sometimes a Great Notion,” widely considered Kesey’s best book, tells the saga of the Stamper clan, rugged independent loggers carving a living out of the Oregon woods. The work became a movie a movie starring Henry Fonda and Paul Newman.

The 1974 movie version of the book swept the Academy Awards for best picture, best director, best actor and best actress, but Kesey hated it and sued the producers for taking the viewpoint away from the character of the schizophrenic Indian, Chief Bromden.

In 1990, Kesey returned to the University of Oregon–where he had earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism–to teach novel writing. Kesey continued to write short autobiographical fiction, magazine articles and children’s books. His long awaited Alaska book, “Sailor Song” was released in 1992.

Born in La Junta, Colo., on Sept. 17, 1935, Kesey spent his boyhood at his grandparents’ dairy farm in Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley.

After serving four months in jail for a marijuana bust in California, he moved to Pleasant Hill in 1965 with his high school sweetheart, Faye, and had four children. His son Jed, killed in a 1984 van wreck on a road trip with the University of Oregon wrestling team, was buried in the back yard.

Robinson Joins New Press as Publisher

11/12/01—Colin Robinson, former chief executive at Verso, has been named publisher of the New Press. Diane Wachtell has become executive director, and company founder Andre Schiffrin will remain the house’s director.

Robinson has been hired to deliver a younger, jazzier look to the New Press.

He left London-based Verso last month after a dispute with the company’s board of directors. They had wanted him to take the press in a more academic direction.

Schiffrin launched the New Press about ten years ago as a non-profit that relies heavily on grants. Now the company hopes Robinson can boost trade sales on par with publications such as Verso and Seven Stories.

McMillan Departs Writers’ League of Texass

AUSTIN, TX/11/10/01—Jim Bob McMillan has left his post as executive director of the Writers’ League of Texas (formerly Austin Writer’s League) to join the Texas Commission on the Arts. Sally Baker is serving as interim director until a new administrator is found. Stephens Named to Global VP Post at AOL Time Warner

NEW YORK/11/6/01—AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:AOL) announced the appointment of Hugh Stephens as the company’s senior vice president for international relations and strategic policy, Asia Pacific, effective immediately.

Reporting to Robert M. Kimmitt, AOL Time Warner’s executive vice president for global and strategic policy, Stephens, 57, will be based in Hong Kong and serve as head of AOL Time Warner’s Asia Pacific policy operation, overseeing the company’s policy offices and personnel in Hong Kong and other major Asia Pacific cities.

In making the announcement, Kimmitt said: “Since joining our company earlier this year, Hugh has done an outstanding job of leading our public policy operations and initiatives throughout the Asia Pacific region. He is a skilled and experienced diplomat who has successfully shaped and advocated for our public policy priorities in this important region. I am pleased to be naming him to this new position, and I look forward to his continuing contributions to AOL Time Warner.”

Stephens said: “AOL Time Warner is at the forefront of many exciting and important issues that will contribute significantly to the development and growth of the Asia Pacific region. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Bob Kimmitt and the entire AOL Time Warner public policy team in this new capacity on all of the key policy issues facing business today in the Asia Pacific region.”

Stephens joined AOL Time Warner this past January as vice president, public policy (Asia Pacific), establishing the company’s first public policy office for the Asia Pacific region, based in Hong Kong.

Prior to joining AOL Time Warner, Stephens served for 27 years in the Canadian Foreign Service, his last position being assistant deputy minister responsible for communications, culture and policy planning at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) in Ottawa. During his career, he served in a variety of positions abroad and in Ottawa, including as head of mission of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (1995-98), as the senior political officer (counselor) at the Canadian Embassies in Seoul, Korea and Islamabad, Pakistan, and earlier in positions in Beijing, Hong Kong and Beirut. In Ottawa, he was director-general for strategic planning and resource management at DFAIT and served as a senior advisor to the Trade Negotiations Office, which led the Canada-USA FTA negotiation, among other assignments.

Stephens speaks French and Chinese. He was educated at the University of British Columbia, University of Toronto and Duke University. He has a certificate in Mandarin from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

AOL Time Warner (NYSE: AOL) is the world’s first Internet-powered media and communications company, whose industry-leading businesses include interactive services, cable systems, publishing, music, networks and filmed entertainment.

Reed Elsevier Exec Joins iPhrase Board

CAMBRIDGE, MA/11/8/01—iPhrase Technologies Inc., a leading provider of natural language search and navigation software, announced that Keith McGarr, Global Chief Technology Officer for Reed Elsevier, a global leader in publishing and information services, has joined the iPhrase Board of Directors.

McGarr joined Reed Elsevier in July 2000. As Global CTO, McGarr is responsible for all global information technology activities and leads the technical direction of the company. In addition, McGarr oversees global product development and is responsible for the creation and launch of enhanced Internet-delivered content and services for Reed Elsevier. With more than 40 million users, Reed Elsevier PLC is the leading global professional publishing business in the world, owning Lexis-Nexis, Elsevier Science, Cahners and Harcourt Education. In June of this year, Reed Elsevier Ventures was the lead investor in iPhrase’s second round of venture capital funding.

“Intuitive, fast and precise access to rich information has become a critical issue for companies that have made large investments in information and iPhrase has developed an exciting technology to address this wide-scale problem,” said McGarr. “I look forward to working with the other members of the board, as well as iPhrase’s executive team to drive the overall development of the company.”

Prior to joining Reed Elsevier, McGarr was with FedEx from 1983 to 2000. While there, he served in a number of roles in the Information Technology Division, including Vice President of Information Technology Engineering. In this position, McGarr was responsible for the end-to-end engineering of all information technology at the company, including desktop and handheld wireless devices, global network infrastructure and computing environments. He deployed the world’s largest private wireless network, led the development of the global Internet infrastructure and assisted in the development of on-line access for over 1.4 million FedEx customers. In addition, McGarr was COO of FedEx International Transmission Corp., a subsidiary of FedEx providing Internet and international telecommunications services.

“Keith is a recognized expert in providing innovative information delivery services and has a proven track record of bringing compelling, large scale applications to market,” said Noam Ben-Ozer, President and CEO of iPhrase Technologies. “His experience brings tremendous synergy and value to iPhrase and we’re delighted to have him join the Board of Directors and help oversee the strategic growth of our company.”

McGarr joins a prestigious board with a broad range of experience. In addition to Ben-Ozer, the board includes Charles “Chip” Hazard Jr., a general partner at iPhrase investor Greylock Management, Izhar Armony, a general partner at iPhrase investor Charles River Ventures, Bain & Co. Chairman Orit Gadiesh and iPhrase co-founder and chief technology officer Raymond Lau, a former research scientist in the famed MIT Laboratory for Computer Science. Mike Moritz from Sequoia Capital is an observer on the board.

iPhrase’s patent-pending One Step(TM) platform is the premier natural language search and navigation solution for organizations seeking to provide easy, unified access to complex, dynamic content. Through robust language understanding, multi-source retrieval and result presentation technologies, iPhrase provides a vastly superior user experience to leverage information assets, reducing customer support costs and increasing productivity. IPhrase offers an enterprise-class solution that is highly accurate and intuitive for users while scalable and flexible for businesses.

Early customers for iPhrase include Charles Schwab & Co. and CNET Networks. iPhrase has received financial backing from leading venture capital organizations including Sequoia Capital, Greylock, Charles River Ventures and most recently a strategic investment from Reed Elsevier Ventures.

McGarr attended the University of Tennessee and received a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Memphis. In addition, he has earned an M.S. in Information Systems and Telecommunication and an M.B.A. from Christian Brothers University.

iPhrase provides enterprise-class natural language search and navigation software that enables organizations to connect users with the most relevant information in one step. iPhrase was founded by business leaders who came together with former MIT researchers to address the growing “information access crisis” facing users, who are finding it increasingly difficult to access information efficiently and intuitively.

iPhrase has developed the highly accurate and scalable One Step platform, which enables businesses to dramatically improve customer service, user productivity and conversion rates. The patent-pending One Step platform combines language understanding, information retrieval and user-interaction algorithms to intelligently interpret a user’s question, query all relevant data sources and present a specific, tailored response in a single step. iPhrase’s investors include Bain Capital, Charles River Ventures, Greylock, Reed Elsevier Ventures, RSA Ventures, Sequoia Capital and TD Capital Technology Ventures. iPhrase has offices in Cambridge, Mass. and San Mateo, Calif.

FINANCIALS Gaylord Pleased

With Results

in Third Quarter

NASHVILLE, TN/11/7/01–Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE:GET) reported its financial results for the third quarter and nine months. In addition to reporting earnings, the company announced it is in discussions with various parties that may lead to the divestiture of Word Entertainment, its Christian music label.

This potential sale will result in a further streamlining of the company’s operations and allow the management team to focus their attention on the more profitable hospitality and entertainment businesses.

Commenting on the third quarter, Colin Reed, chief executive officer of Gaylord Entertainment said, “The third quarter was one of great challenge and accomplishment for Gaylord Entertainment. We operated our business through a very tough economic environment and are generally pleased with the results. In addition, we have made substantial progress in refocusing the business on sustainable and profitable areas, recruiting an experienced and capable management team and reorganizing the company’s operating structure. At this stage, we are anticipating solid fourth quarter results.”

Third Quarter Results

Revenues for the third quarter were $75.1 million, a decrease of $7.9 million from the $83 million recorded in the third quarter of 2000. Revenues for the hospitality and attractions segment were $58.8 million in the third quarter, a decrease of $3.2 million from the $62 million of revenues in the third quarter of 2000. Music, media and entertainment revenues were $16.3 million in the third quarter as compared to revenues of $21 million in the third quarter of 2000, reflecting a revenue decrease of $4.7 million.

EBITDA (operating income plus depreciation and amortization), excluding hotel pre-opening costs, was $6.4 million in the third quarter compared with EBITDA of $1.5 million in the third quarter of 2000. The hospitality and attractions segment EBITDA, excluding hotel pre-opening expenses, decreased to $12.8 million in the third quarter from $17.8 million in the third quarter of 2000. EBITDA of the music, media and entertainment segment increased to $0.9 million in the third quarter from an EBITDA loss of $8.6 million in the third quarter of 2000.

Operating losses, excluding hotel pre-opening costs, were $4 million in the third quarter compared to operating losses of $10.1 million in the third quarter of 2000. The operating income of the hospitality and attractions segment, excluding hotel pre-opening expenses, decreased to $5.9 million in the third quarter as compared to $11.2 million in the third quarter of 2000. The operating losses in the music, media and entertainment segment decreased by $11.6 million to $0.9 million in the third quarter as compared to operating losses of $12.5 million in the third quarter of 2000.

Net loss per diluted share was $1.35 in the third quarter, compared with a net loss per diluted share of $0.57 in the third quarter of 2000.

Year-to-Date

Results Revenues for the first nine months were $237.3 million, a decrease of $11.7 million from the $249 million recorded in the first nine months of 2000. Revenues for the hospitality and attractions segment were $175.7 million in the first nine months , a decrease of $10.5 million from the $186.2 million of revenues in the first nine months of 2000. Music, media and entertainment revenues were $61.5 million in the first nine months as compared to revenues of $62.8 million in the first nine months of 2000, reflecting a decrease of $1.3 million.

EBITDA (operating income plus depreciation and amortization), excluding hotel pre-opening costs and nonrecurring items, was $23.1 million in the first nine months compared with EBITDA of $8.1 million in the first nine months of 2000. The hospitality and attractions segment EBITDA, excluding hotel pre-opening expenses, decreased to $40.4 million in the first nine months from $51.7 million in the first nine months of 2000. EBITDA of the music, media and entertainment segment increased to $3.9 million in the first nine months from an EBITDA loss of $21.3 million in the first nine months of 2000.

Operating losses, excluding hotel pre-opening costs and non-recurring items, were $8 million in the first nine months compared to operating losses of $26.4 million in the first nine months of 2000. The operating income of the hospitality and attractions segment, excluding hotel pre-opening expenses, decreased to $19.9 million in the first nine months as compared to $31.8 million in the first nine months of 2000. The operating losses in the music, media and entertainment segment decreased by $30 million to $1.8 million in the first nine months as compared to operating losses of $31.8 million in the first nine months of 2000.

Net loss per diluted share was $0.73 in the first nine months, compared with a net loss per diluted share of $1.45 in the first nine months of 2000.

Hospitality and Attractions

For the third quarter, RevPAR at the Gaylord Opryland Nashville was $92.88, down 14.2 percent from 2000 levels. Prior to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the company’s Hospitality segment was on track to post favorable results. At the Gaylord Opryland Nashville, the company recorded RevPAR for the month of July of $107.99 a 4.8 percent increase over 2000. August RevPAR was up 5.3 percent over the same period in 2000 to $111.46.

Effects of Sept. 11

As a result of the attacks, the company received numerous group cancellations, more than 95 percent of which were for bookings in the months of September and October. Many of these groups have rebooked for dates in the next twelve months. RevPAR for September was $57.44 a 50.2 percent decrease from 2000 levels.

Bookings for Gaylord Opryland Nashville and Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla., slowed during the month of September, but the company did not experience any cancellations of 2002 bookings as a result of the Sept. 11 attacks.

“The events of Sept. 11 had a significant impact on our results in the hospitality segment during September. However, we are encouraged by our performance in October, which, despite lingering cancellations, resulted in occupancy of 68.8 percent and RevPAR of $107.46. With the cancellations behind us, we are expecting a strong November and December,” stated David Kloeppel, chief financial officer of Gaylord.

Music and Entertainment

The Music and Entertainment segment (excluding the results from Word Entertainment, which are reported in discontinued operations) produced solid results in the third quarter. EBITDA increased to $0.9 million from a loss of $8.6 million in 2000. Year-to-date EBITDA was $3.8 million compared to a loss of $21.3 million in 2000. Results in 2001 benefited from the closure of unprofitable businesses in late 2000 such as Gaylord Digital and the company’s startup country music record label Creative Content Administration and strong performances from Acuff-Rose Music Publishing and The Grand Ole Opry.

On the performance of the Music and Entertainment segment, Kloeppel stated, “Our properties barely missed a beat in the third quarter. Of note, Acuff-Rose Music Publishing, with its impressive line-up of writers and unique music catalog, produced impressive results. The Grand Ole Opry experienced a slowdown the week of the attacks, but rebounded quickly and delivered another solid quarter.”

Corporate and Other

In its efforts to transform the company, Gaylord also announced that it is investigating the sale of two additional businesses.

“We have continued our strategic and financial review of all of our businesses to ensure our shareholders’ capital is being utilized in the most efficient manner. Consequently, we are holding discreet discussions with selected parties regarding the potential disposition of Word Entertainment, our Christian music label and GET Management, our artist management business. We will make no further announcements related to these investments until a definitive agreement is signed or alternative courses of actions are outlined,” stated Reed.

As a result of the early adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets,” the company is reporting the Word business as discontinued operations along with previously announced divestitures, including the Gaylord cable networks and the businesses sold to The Oklahoma Publishing Co. in March. SFAS No. 144 broadens the presentation of discontinued operations to include a component of an entity (rather than a segment of a business). The results of operations of these businesses, including any gain or loss on disposal, have been reflected as discontinued operations, net of taxes, in the consolidated financial results. The assets and liabilities of these businesses are reflected as discontinued operations in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. A pretax loss of $29 million has been recognized related to the impairment of the assets of Word in the third quarter.

The company has recently also undertaken a restructuring, reducing layers of management and allowing for a direct reporting relationship between the operating businesses and the CEO.

Reed commented, “Last week we announced a restructuring which would flatten the organizational structure and save the company approximately $8 million annually. We believe we now have the right structure and team in place to build Gaylord into a profitable growth company.”

As well as undertaking the restructuring, the company has strengthened the management team at Corporate Magic, its corporate meeting and entertainment production company. “Corporate Magic offers great synergies with our hospitality business. With these new additions to the management team we now have the appropriate balance of creative, management and financial talent to grow this business,” said Reed.

Outlook

Looking forward, Reed said, “We are making substantial progress along our strategic game plan unveiled over the summer. Today’s announcements reflect the direction and focus of the new Gaylord. Our strategy is clear; we will build a company that leverages the strength of its Gaylord Hotels hospitality brand to be the premier meetings and convention hotel organization in the industry, with a dedicated focus on high levels of customer satisfaction. We will also grow those entertainment businesses which have demonstrated a foundation or a strong brand on which to build a profitable and sustainable business such as the Grand Ole Opry.”

Reed continued, “We have taken the necessary steps to position the company for success: We completed a $210 million financing, put in place an experienced and empowered management team and reorganized the company to allow for more efficient decision-making and a single company focus. We are poised for growth and are very excited about our future. The opening of the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Fla., which is on schedule to open Feb. 2, 2002 will certainly be the highlight of our 2002.”

“My outlook for this company and its future remains very optimistic,” Colin Reed commented in closing.

Gaylord Entertainment held a conference call to discuss the financial results. A replay is available through the end of business on Dec. 7.

Gaylord Entertainment Co. is a diversified hospitality and entertainment company headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Among its businesses are the Gaylord Hotels, the Grand Ole Opry, Acuff-Rose Music Publishing, Word Entertainment and WSM Radio.

Harte-Hanks

Declares 3-Cent

Dividend

SAN ANTONIO/10/31/01—The board of directors of Harte-Hanks Inc. (NYSE:HHS) has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 3 cents per share payable Dec. 14 to shareholders of record on Nov. 30.

Harte-Hanks Inc., San Antonio, Texas, is a worldwide direct and interactive services company that provides end-to-end customer relationship management (CRM) and related marketing services solutions for a host of consumer and business-to-business marketers. Harte-Hanks and its CRM integrated solutions use technology as the enabler to capture, to analyze and to disseminate customer and prospect data at all points of contact.

The company’s customer-centric models allow it to be the overall solutions provider for driving traffic to a Web site, call/contact center, or brick-and-mortar location. With premier specialized offerings – Web page design to e-care, desktop database capabilities to systems integration, personalized mail to e-mail, proprietary software products to hosting solutions – Harte-Hanks provides practical implementation of technology and understands the needs of clients and their customers to deliver best-of-breed solutions. The company also owns and operates shoppers that are zoned into more than 800 separate editions reaching nearly 10 million households in California and Florida each week.

BOOK/MOVIE DEALS Pearson, Intel

to Publish Series

of IT Books

SANTA CLARA, CA/11/8/01—Intel Corp. announced it has selected Pearson Education/Addison-Wesley to publish a series of books to guide companies in the design and build-out of their e-business strategies.

The series, titled IT Best Practices, is being developed with leading researchers, vendors and end-users. It is intended to show information technology decision-makers how to use the Internet for greater business performance and competitive advantage.

“The rules for e-Business have changed, with a greater emphasis on standardization, investment protection and unconditional uptime,” said John Davies, vice president of Intel’s Solutions Market Development Group. “Many books have been written about different aspects of e-Business and the Internet; our goal is to bring together expert knowledge from throughout the industry to make it easier for businesses to take advantage of the Internet for sustainable competitive advantage.”

The IT Best Practices series will be authored by contributors from across the industry. Each book will offer clear background and analysis, as well as practical and specific directions for deploying IT infrastructure and managing IT operations. The first three books in the series, authored by META Group, are being published this month. Additional titles will be available in the first half of 2002.

“IT professionals turn to Intel for complete business solutions. We are delighted to work with Intel to publish these `best practices,’“ said John Wait, senior vice president and publisher of Addison-Wesley Professional, a division of Pearson Education. “These books will help IT professionals change the way they do their jobs.”

The first book in the series, The Adaptive Enterprise, by Bruce Robertson and Valentin Sribar of META Group, will help guide companies in the design of flexible e-Business infrastructures that can scale as a business grows or to meet unforeseen circumstances. Enriching the Value Chain, also by Robertson and Sribar, will help companies organize their e-Business systems around the needs of suppliers, partners and customers. Securing Business Information, by Christian Byrnes and Dale Kutnick of META, explains how to keep information and IT assets secure in an Internet-based distributed computing environment.

“Through our work with hundreds of end-user organizations from the Global 2000, we have produced best methods and processes that enable transformation across the IT and business organization,” said Val Sribar, co-research director and executive vice president of META Group’s Infusion Programs. “Intel has given us the opportunity to collaborate with them on this research and publish it in the first three books of this series.”

Coming the first half of 2002, watch for: Building Operational Excellence: Strategies to Improve IT People and Processes. Other topics in the series will include Web services, measuring IT risk and value, mergers and acquisition integration and distributed services management.

With offices in 30 countries, Pearson Education is the world’s largest education business. Its leading brands include Addison-Wesley, Allyn & Bacon, Longman, Prentice Hall, Scott Foresman and NCS Pearson, as well as the leading technology imprints, Que, Sams, New Riders, Cisco Press and Peachpit. Pearson Education is the global leader in online learning through http://www.safari.com/ for IT publications and http://www.informit.com/, as well as the CourseCompass program, http://www.coursecompass.com/, for Higher Education and its 2000 textbook companion Websites.

META Group is a leading research and consulting firm, focusing on information technology and business transformation strategies. Delivering objective, consistent and actionable guidance, META Group enables organizations to innovate more rapidly and effectively. Its collaborative models help clients succeed by building speed, agility and value into their IT and business systems and processes.

Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products.

Berkley to Publish

Trio of Novels

by Artist Kinkade

NEW YORK/11/8/01—The Berkley Group (part of Penguin Putnam) has acquired three novels by Thomas Kinkade, “The Painter of Light” (TM) for six figures. The novels were purchased from Parachute Properties, it was announced jointly by Leslie Gelbman, President and Publisher of The Berkley Group, and Jane Stine, co-chair of Parachute Properties.

Cindy Hwang is Berkley’s editor for the project. Parachute Properties is producing the series of books, which they created in cooperation with Media Arts Group Inc. (NYSE: MDA), publisher of the artwork of Thomas Kinkade.

All three novels are inspired by Thomas Kinkade’s paintings, the first of which will be released in March 2002. The stories are set in the fictional New England town of Cape Light and will feature Kinkade’s landscapes.

Thomas Kinkade’s art is sold in more than 300 Thomas Kinkade Signature Galleries (TM), as well as approximately 5,000 art, gift and collectible stores. Media Arts Group has wholesale sales this year of about 130 million from Thomas Kinkade branded products. There are more than 28,000 active members of the Thomas Kinkade Collector’s Society.

Penguin Putnam Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Putnam is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is owned by Pearson plc, the international media group.

Parachute Properties is parent company of Parachute Publishing, Parachute Entertainment and Parachute Consumer Products. Parachute Publishing is America’s number one children’s and teen paperback book creator and packager. Parachute series include R.L. Stine’s GOOSEBUMPS, the best-selling children’s book series of all time with more than 200 million books in print and THE NIGHTMARE ROOM – R.L. Stine’s newest book series, soon to be a TV show on Kids’ WB; an extensive publishing program with Mary-Kate and Ashley including New York Times bestsellers TWO OF A KIND, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MARY-KATE & ASHLEY and MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY STARRING IN; and a brand-new series for middle-grade readers, JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES.

Parachute’s entertainment division will release WHEN GOOD GHOULS GO BAD next September on the Fox Family Channel and Fox Video—the novelization by R.L. Stine will publish simultaneously.

Media Arts Group Inc. is the leading designer, manufacturer, marketer and branded retailer of the fine-art reproductions, art-based home decorative accessories, collectibles and gift products based upon the artworks of Thomas Kinkade, Howard Behrens, Simon Bull and Robert Lyn Nelson.

Authorlink News, Success Stories,

And Recognition Authorlink Sales at a Glance

A Comprehensive Listing of Sold Titles

Major Publishers

Browse Authorlink

for Manuscripts

Statistical Update

DALLAS, TX/ 11/15/01—Literary agents and editors regularly surf Authorlink in search of good writers. Among major houses making requests and/or visiting the site, are: Random House, Knopf, St. Martin’s Press, Simon & Schuster, Penguin/Putham and many other smaller publishers. More than 700 writers are currently listed with us. Since tracking began, 1587 requests have been processed for requested manuscripts. Of the 322 editor or agent offers we’ve been able to track, 72 have lead to publication as a direct or indirect result of exposure on Authorlink. Additional sales are pending.

On average, about 55-65% of the listed writers have received requests by editors and agents, some receiving multiple requests. Of those who have received interest, about 20- 30% are signed with agents and 15- 20% have directly sold their works to publishers during this time, not including pending sales.

The site, which matches literary agents and editors with writers, has received praise from editors at Penguin UK, Avon, Berkley, Random House, Time-Warner, Bantam Doubleday Dell and other major publishers.

See “What People Are Saying About Authorlink”

Joyce Lackey

Sells Book

to Gardenia Press

72nd Authorlink Writer to Land Publisher

A publisher contact made several years ago has finally paid of for Authorlink writer Joyce Lackey. The author who received a request for her novel as a result of her Authorlink listing for, The Ghosts of Buffalo Creek, has at last sold the work to Gardenia Press, a small publisher who plans to release the work in July 2002. News Archives

Bemis Becomes

71st Authorlink Writer

to Sell Manuscript

June1, 2001–Michael E. Bemis of Kennebunk, Maine, became the 71st author to sell his work as a direct result of listing his work on Authorlink.com.

His book, Safe & Sound, a nonfiction work about how to buy a safe, private, and quiet home, will be published by Hanrow Press of Rancho Santa Fe, California. The small press, founded in 1982, has specialized in law and safety engineering books until now. The publication date for Safe & Sound has not yet been determined. Michael’s work had been listed with Authorlink for about a year when Hanrow requested a look at the full manuscript. Authorlink interviewed the author about his success:

AUTHORLINK: When did you begin your writing career, and what prompted you to do so? Is there a special story behind your decision to become an author?

BEMIS: I started writing in earnest while serving as Sheriff of York County, Maine. When I left law enforcement full-time I was able to devote more time to my writing.

AUTHORLINK: Who was the greatest influence on your decision to write, and in what ways did they encourage you?

BEMIS: My mother who is a published author.

AUTHORLINK: How important has your agent been in guiding your career?

BEMIS: I briefly had an agent but due to personal hardship they were forced to close. I presently do not have an agent.

AUTHORLINK: How did Authorlink help?

BEMIS: Authorlink’s excellent service and support has consistently exceeded my expectations. Without Authorlink, Safe & Sound would not be poised for publication.

AUTHORLINK: Do you have any advice or insights for newcomers trying to break into publishing?

BEMIS: It sounds monotonous, but they should just keep trying.

AUTHORLINK: Do you perceive New York publishing to be a closed society or an open one?

BEMIS: I think it’s open to good writing and content that’s timely and unique.

AUTHORLINK: What are publishers looking for today?

BEMIS: What will sell and authors with a passion to sell it.

AUTHORLINK: How did you learn your craft? Through reading? Conferences? A university? Mentoring? A combination of these, or other means?

BEMIS: Nothing formal, just a lot of research, reading and writing.

Jan Letoha Becomes

70 th Authorlink Writer

to Land Publisher

April 15, 2001–Jan Letoha this month became the 70 th Authorlink writer to sign a publishing contract as a result of her listing on Authorlink.com. Her first book, Bury The Past , will be published by Port Town Publishing in August, 2002.

Port Town Publishing (PTP) is a small publishing house located in Superior, Wisconsin. The company was founded in 1999 by Jean Hackensmith, a struggling romance author who got tired of getting rejection letters from the New York publishers. PTP publishes about 4-5 novels per year, including original romance, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and horror.

Bury The Past was listed on Authorlink for 22 months. During that time, Jan also signed with an agent through Authorlink, but the agent closed her agency due to illness.

Jan has also listed her second book, Fire On The Moon, with Authorlink. It’s another spooky, romantic suspense story.

How did Jan feel when she heard that her book would be published?

“Like a genie popped out of a bottle and granted me three wishes! It’s the best feeling in the world!”

Jan began writing about ten years ago. “I read a time travel/historical romance and thought, ‘If this author can get away with such a fantastic story, maybe my ideas aren’t so crazy after all.’ So I started writing Bury The Past. Writing fiction was a lot harder than I thought it’d be, though. Getting the hang of writing dialogue was really tough.

Before listing her work with Authorlink, Jan had tried the traditional methods of marketing — sending out query letters and sample chapters. “I had another agent a few years back,” Jan said. “A word of advice — if an agent asks for money up front, look out! Maybe I’m just jinxed when it comes to agents. Anyway, I’m convinced that Bury The Past would be sitting in a shoe box on my closet shelf if I hadn’t discovered Authorlink.”

When Jan is working on a book, she’s a person obsessed — or possessed. She’ll write 10 – 12 hours a day, especially during the summer.

In the real world, Jan teaches Psychology and U.S. History at a South Georgia high school.

What advice would she give to writers who want to be published?

“Research the requirements for different types of novels. It seems that publishers want to see key elements in a book that will appeal to their specific type of market. Read a book on editing manuscripts so you can delete what publishers don’t want to see. List your book on Authorlink — it’s the only thing that worked for me! Then develop a huge store of patience and persistence and don’t think you’re home free once you sign a contract. That’s when the real work starts!”

Authorlink Writer

Joy Jasper Sells Work

to St. Martin’s Press

67th Authorlink Sale

2/26/01–Joy Waldron Jasper this month became the 67th Authorlink writer to sell a manuscript as a direct result of contacts made through Authorlink. Jasper found her New York agent– Sam Fleishman of Literary Artists Representatives — via Authorlink, and he subsequently sold one of her works to St. Martin’s Press.

The new book, “The USS Arizona: The Ship, the Men, the Attack!,” will be in bookstores November 1, 2001, in time for Veteran’s Day (November 11) and the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day (December 7, 2001)

“After meeting my agent through Authorlink, we signed a contract in December 2000 to represent my novel. Then we signed a second contract in January to represent my nonfiction book,” Jasper explained. “As is often the case, the nonfiction sold first. St. Martin’s Press bought it in February 2001, and has moved at an impressive speed to release it in less than a year, so as to offer it to readers at the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day — a mere nine months later, which is stunning in the world of publishing! Kudos to my wonderful editor, Mac Talley at St. Martin’s Press, and to my amazing agent, Sam Fleishman.”

Joy became an Authorlink writer in October, 2000. The fictional work that originally attracted her agent is titled “Betrayal at Pearl Harbor.” While that novel hasn’t yet sold (as of press time), the nonfiction book on Pearl Harbor was rapidly sold through the agent who connected with Jasper through Authorlink.

The USS Arizona book is the story of life aboard the USS Arizona in peacetime, and the survival stories of 10 men who lived through the attack. As a journalist and a diver, Joy first visited the USS Arizona underwater in 1983, covering the story of the photo documentation and scientific illustration of the gallant battleship, the greatest casualty of the Pearl Harbor attack. She was so enthralled with the story, she searched out survivors and began interviewing them, crisscrossing the country for several years to hear their stories. Hearing their emotional tales, she was fascinated by the tremendous bond and affection they felt for their ship, and she felt it was a story that needed to be told.

“I’m a writer who prefers to write every day, in the morning when I’m fresh, and for a period of three to four hours,” Jasper said of her working habits. ” If I’m on a splendid roll, I might write for longer, but I like to achieve 10 pages a day that I’ll keep. It never hurts to stop in the middle — of an idea, a sentence, a chapter. I like returning the next day to something unfinished so that I’m inspired to jump in again. I don’t think there’s any one way to write, but I think it’s important to find your own best period of the day and the length of time that makes sense for you. Writing books is my top priority, and I write full time.”

For the record, Joy’s children are grown, and she lives in New England with her husband and a garden full of perennials

“I’ve completed my second novel in a series of underwater thrillers (the first — working title, Betrayal at Pearl Harbor, which is listed on Authorlink — is under review at several major houses at this time),” Joy said.

I’m currently working on another nonfiction book on the Lewis and Clark expedition, and another historical biography is in the outline stage.

“I want to thank Authorlink for providing me a forum for my work, she added. “I was encouraged by having been selected for the Authorlink web site, and once I had a page there (http://www.authorlink.com/001051th.html), I had confidence to approach agents. I sent a number of Authorlink-listed agents an email, condensing my query to three paragraphs and asking them to look for more information on my page. I got positive responses from eight out of ten queries I sent. Of those eight, I was extremely fortunate to find a superb agent to represent me, and who got a sale within a month at a major press.

“Thanks to all at Authorlink. And I want to say to my fellow writers: ‘”Keep writing, and don’t lose heart! If it happened to me, it can happen to you.'”

Authorlink Writer

Chopra Finds

Publisher for Work

68th Authorlink Sale

4/1/01–Dr. Prem Chopra, author of the new age nonfiction book, “If I Had Known,” has sold his work to Hanrow Press in Rancho Santa Fe, California. The small press, founded in 1982, has specialized in law and safety engineering books until now. Chopra’s book is their first venture into trade books.

Dr. Chopra has been listed with Authorlink since October 2000. He signed a contract with Hanrow Press early this year. He became the 68th author to sell his work through Authorlink in the last 36 months.

Jan Wallace Becomes

69thAuthorlink Writer

to Sign With Publisher

69th Authorlink Sale

4/1/01–Jan Wallace became the 69th writer to sign a publishing contract through Authorlink in the past 36 months in late March. Ms. Wallace, a first-time author, signed a deal with PortTown Publishing for her book, Where Roses Grow Wild. The publisher is a small Wisconsin house that releases about four books per year.

Ms. Wallace had two manuscripts listed on Authorlink between 1999 and 2000. In January 2000, Authorlink received a request from WMG Promotions, a literary agency, requesting the manuscript. She signed a contract with WMG the very next month, and shortly thereafter WMG sold the work to PortTown.

Port Town senior editor Jean Hackensmith wrote to Agents Cary and Sherry Wolf that she found the manuscript to be “funny, romantic and tragic.” She said she had tears streaming down her face in the end.

Jan Wallace credits the editor with giving each writer a lot of attention to make sure the manuscript is everything it should be for the reader.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling knowing someone reads your manuscript and it really has an effect on them positive effect at that, that you make them feel for the characters themselves, because that’s what it’s all about-believing in the story.”

“Authorlink has made it possible for writers to link up with the correct agents and publishers, and gives agents a chance to review works by various writers,” Jan explained.

I started along time ago writing, as child I would write stories and put on plays in the basement of my parents’ home. I’ve always told stories, then one day said, lets see if anyone would like to publish any of the stories. Friends have read them and said they were good, but, hey, these are friends after all.

Jan once worked for The University of Georgia Extension Service in the Fort Valley, Georgia office. Today she is a fulltime writer.

“I start a manuscript and work each day 6 to 8 hours,” she said. “It usually takes 3 months to finish a draft, then another three months to get the bugs out. I edit, fix mistakes and read it over and over, proofing each page until it is correct.

“I can see why books cost what they do and why some people just give up, it is not an easy job to do it over and over, no ones manuscript is correct the first go around, you realize when you re-read it the feeling might not be there so you have to correct it put heart where there was none.”

Jan is married to her childhood sweetheart, and they have four children. Twenty-six years ago they bought an old historic house with 17 rooms in Marshallville, Georgia, restored it and live there today with their family and many dogs, cats, doves, ducks, chickens and rabbits.

“My advise to other writers is: don’t quit dreaming about what you believe in, you have to believe in yourself, before anyone else will, and then you go from there, keep writing don’t give up. “Write from your heart, and let it be about something you know. If you venture into another area you don’t know the reader will know it too, and you’ve lost. So stay with what you feel and understand most about life. “It’ll work for you.

“I am especially thankful for my agents,” Jan said. “They have worked late into the mornings trying to find a suitable publisher. They work with writers because they love the written word.”

Authorlink’s Goldring

Wins Series Contract

With Berkley Publishing

Kat Goldring, among new writers listed on Authorlink, has signed a three-book contract with Berkley Publishing Group for her cozy mystery series, Crow’s Feet and Lemon Drops, to be released in September 2001. Kim Waltemyer is the Berkley editor who made the acquisition, and Carol McCleary of Wilshire Literary Agency, made the sale for four figures.

McCleary had represented the series 5 1/2 years before the first book sold.

“I already had an agent when Authorlink was kind enough to list me in some of their first presentations,” said Kat. “Ours was a mutual endeavor as Authorlink was just starting up and I had just finished a revision with the first novel under the wings of the DFW Writers’ Workshop. Just as an aside, that DFW Writers’ Workshop stands for that and never has meant “Dallas Ft. Worth” as some like to say. In fact one of the founding members with whom I was lucky enough to work with and helped name the group told me it really meant, Damn Fine Writers.

“I believe the fact that AUTHORLINK listed me was one of the reasons my agent did not give up on presenting my work to top notch publishers. I have a few magazine articles and short stories published but my best and most extensive showcase was writing and illustrating with my original drawings a newspaper column for a year titled ‘THE MEDICINE PATH.’

“AUTHORLINK has been wonderful. My agent and I have always been grateful for the professional format available on the site for presenting my work. We came very close to making a sale through the site with China, and may yet sell the foreign rights with help through AUTHORLINK.

Kat Goldring works full time as a high school foreign language department head and Spanish teacher. She spends an hour to hour and a half per day in editing and rewriting the novels and outlines for the first three in the WILLI GALLAGHER MYSTERY SERIES. During holidays and summer time (8 weeks) that time increases to 3-4 hours a day. This doesn’t include the hours for research, marketing, the time to work with other writers on shared projects, and commitments to two writing groups.

“Not only do I work the 40-hour drill and the writing tight-wire,” Kat explains, “but I also sing and play the guitar in two groups: SISTERS OF THE WIND includes a fellow writer, Shirley McKee. We two do mostly classic/golden country western and cowboy/girl programs for local clubs, groups, schools, city gatherings and such. The HIGH MILEAGE country western band, some seven members strong, includes three law officers, performs for trail drives and city functions.

How does it feel to have a published contract?

“I go back and forth between elation of having a fantastic adventure and panic attacks,” says Kat. “I am so thankful for all the wonderful folks, including AUTHORLINK, who have crossed my path at the right time, and have helped me make a lifelong dream come true. WAKAN TANKA (Great Spirit), of course, I thank for all lessons learned and all paths. This is one of those paths strewn with bluebonnets, soft moss and warm cuddly critters. The panic part has to do with getting to those book signings. I’m directional dyslexic and panic when traveling to new places. So . . . maybe that’s the next adventure and lesson!”

Kat Goldring currently is working on the next two novels in the WILLI GALLAGHER SERIES: SNOW SNAKE and SWEET CHARIOT. She also have a second series, the DELTA PAIGE SERIES, and has finished the first book in that series, COOPER STREET GIRLS.

Authorlink asked the author: How helpful was DFW Writers’ Workshop?

“I would not have cleared out the flaws in my manuscript. The members helped me to develop a selling novel. I would not have met my agent, Carol McCleary, if DFW Writers’ Workshop had not had her as a guest. I would not have had the opportunity to meet my editor, KIM WALTEMYER with BERKLEY PUBLISHING. I interviewed with her during her visit with DFWWW. Although I’ve served as an officer and hosted many dinners as well as parties at my own country home for the members, editors and agents, I still owe DFWWW a great deal.”

Two Authorlink Press

Writers Earn

Top Recognition

Dallas and Atlanta/2/15/01– Jerry Lee Davis, author of Twin City (AUTHORLINK PRESS), and Ginnie Bivona, author of Ida Mae Tutweiler and the Traveling Tea Party (AUTHORLINK PRESS), have recently earned top recognition in two different markets.

Jerry Lee Davis of Atlanta has been nominated for the First Novel Award in the 37th annual Georgia Author of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Georgia Writers’ Association. Ginnie Bivona’s Ida Mae Tutweiler recently climbed to number one on the Dallas Morning News Bestseller List for paperback fiction. Ginnie lives in Dallas.

The Georgia Awards ceremony, hosted by Mercer University Press, will be held at a dinner March 17 at Mercer University in Macon,Georgia.

Among a number of recent review of Ginnie Bivona’s book was an article by Don Johnson on Read-a-Bargain.com.Johnson called Bivona’s Ida Mae “A wonderful,character-driven story that produces open memories we thought we’d forgotten. . . . I expected a typical ‘woman’s’ book but found a story of human beings for human beings. Man or woman your time won’t be wasted on this one.”

66th Authorlink

Writer Signs

Publishing Contract

Charlene Tess has become the 66th author to find a publisher as a direct result of Authorlink. Port Town Publishing, a small Wisconsin publisher, will release Ms. Tess’s THE VAN WINKLE BRIDE as a trade paperback romance in June 2001. The book, originally listed on Authorlink as THE VAN WINKLE CONNECTION, is Ms. Tess’s first published work.

“The senior romance editor of Port Town Publishing saw my posting on the Authorlink website and thought my novel sounded intriguing and suitable for her list for 2001,” Charlene explained. “She contacted Authorlink Editor Doris Booth, who contacted me. Doris Booth forwarded an e- mail to me from Port Town Publishing. I sent the publisher a copy of my manuscript by snail mail. The editor read it and said she could not put it down. She offered me a contract by e-mail and then sent me a written contract by snail mail.”

Charlene listed her novel on Authorlink on April 10, 2000, and sold it on November 25.

“My husband and I met Doris Booth at a SouthWest Writers Conference and decided to advertise our editing business on Authorlink. Two of my novels had won first place at Southwest Writers Conference Contests, and I had been trying to get them published by the old-fashioned way: query, partial, full manuscript, SASE, wait, wait, wait method. Authorlink sounded like an attractive, modern way to market my novels. And it worked! I am delighted with the results,” Charlene said.

“I have been writing as long as I can remember and have published essays, feature articles, short stories, and a nonfiction book, but this will be my first published novel.

“Presently, I am working on a rewrite of a romance novel that my sister and I co-wrote, and I am about one-third of the way through a mainstream novel entitled The Greatest Gift. It is the story of the unshakable bond between a mother and daughter in spite of tragic circumstances that shatter their lives.”

Charlene says her best advice when it comes to becoming published is “to be like the old Timex watch slogan: ‘Take a licking, but keep on ticking.’ In other words, keep trying. And don’t forget to try new ideas if the old ones aren’t working for you.”

Authorlink’s Goldring

Wins Series Contract

With Berkley Publishing

McCleary had represented the series 5 1/2 years before the first book sold.

How does it feel to have a published contract?

Authorlink asked the author: How helpful was DFW Writers’ Workshop?

Former LA Times Reporter

to Contribute Kids’ Book

Column to Authorlink

Laguna Beach, CA/12/15/00–Barbara J. Odanaka, former LA Times sports reporter and columnist, will join Authorlink on January 1 2001 as a regular columnist. Her articles will provide writers with in-depth insights on writing and publishing children’s books, and will include interviews with children’s editors at major publishing houses.

Among upcoming topics for her column will be:

January 1: Rejection 101 February 1: A Crime to Rhyme? March 1: Every Story Tells A Picture April 1: Successful School Visits May 1: Beautiful Noise–Why “Quiet” Picture Books No Longer Make the Grade June 1: Five to Watch: A look at Upcoming Children’s Authors

From time to time, she will provide special reports on major children’s book conferences.

Ms. Odanaka left her career at the Times to write books for children. She is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators.

Barb earned a BA in English from the University of Southern California. She lives with her husband and son in a California beach town, and is a founding member of the Skateboarding Moms Society. She can be reached at bodanaka@aol.com

Authorlink Writer

Lands First Book

Deal With Scribner

NEW YORK,NY/10/1/00–Jimmy Gleacher, who has been listed as an Authorlink writer since October, 1999, has sold his first novel to prestigious Scribner, an imprint of Rawson Associates and part of Simon & Schuster.

Meredith Phelan of Linda Chester and Associates in New York found Jimmy’s novel, “Roll Again,” on one of her frequent searches of Authorlink, signed him on, and subsequently sold the work for five figures. The mainstream fictional work, to be released in 2002, is the 64th title to be sold either as a direct or indirect result of Authorlink.

Agent Wray

Signs Fifteen

Authorlink Writers

9/00–Pamela Wray, owner of the new and growing Pamela Wray Literary Agency, has agreed to represent 15 writers found over the last several months as a direct result of Authorlink.

Among the works now represented by Wray are several thrillers and young adult works. Ms Wray, an aggressive agent, already has sent works by the newest Authorlink ensigns out to key publishers.

In another case, Ms. Wray signed a children’s author who, while not officially listed on Authorlink, connected with Wray through the service. The work is a moral folk tale, similar to Uncle Remus.

“I was so excited about this book that he expressed it to me over night, and I have already spoken with numerous publishers, special merchandising and TV producers, ” said Wray. “I am going to put this book up for auction because there is so much interest.”

“The Authorlink website is the ultimate place for any editor, literary agent or publisher, and I am so thankful the staff’s hard work and diligence,” Ms. Wray said in a note to Authorlink.

Ms. Wray is among a number of agents who regularly surf the Authorlink site in search of good manuscripts.

Clemente Becomes

61st Authorlink Writer

to Sell To Manuscript

New York House Pays Handsome Advance

New York, NY/5/26/00 —Authorlink writer Gary Clemente became the 61 st author to sell his work to a key New York publisher.

Lebhar-Friedman, New York has slated a 2002 publication date for ” Confessions of a G-Man: Inside the FBI, originally listed on Authorlink as The Marking of a Hoover. Clemente will be paid a $5,000 advance plus royalties for the work, half up front and half on delivery of the finished manuscript. Sale of the book is the direct result of Clemente’s listing on Authorlink.

“Confessions” will be an inside look at the FBI through the eyes of Clemente’s father, who was a career agent for 26 years. The book will deal with anecdotal stories and inside information about the Bureau, the war on Communism in the Fifties, the mob, and J. Edgar Hoover among other things.

How did he find Authorlink? A writer friend told him about it and spoke highly of the service.

Authorlink seemed to be up front about everything and didn’t present itself as a scheme to make money off of writers,” Gary said. “Doris Booth answered all of my questions promptly and professionally while the book was made available for review. I was pleased with how some of the particulars of the book was presented and listed on-line.”

How long were you listed on Authorlink before the sale Gary’s book was listed on Authorlink for about five months before Lebhar-Friedman Editor Frank Scatoni (formerly with Simon & Schuster) spotted the title and requested a proposal. This was all done through e-mail.

Gary, 48, has been writing full time and semi-professionally since he got out of college. He’s written in a number of different mediums along the way. He has several other projects in the working stage, including a collection of short stories; a humor book based on the newspaper column he writes weekly; and a suspense book in the same vein as Michael Creiton.

How does it feel to be a published author?

“My first and only published book was a children’s piece that came out in 1995, called ‘Cosmo Gets An Ear,’ about a little boy who gets his first hearing aid. Being published in book form is a wonderful feeling. It’s an achievement I’m the most proud of in my writing career.

And does he have any advice for new writers?

“Take it from somebody who has written all of his adult life and even some before as a kid — it’s got to be in your blood, because getting published is not the easiest thing to do. You write because you have to — it’s who you are and nobody’s going to make you stop. One thing that can be valuable is to learn how to distill and recognize exactly what it is on a gut level that attracts people to certain stories and why. There are usually one or two elements working that can make a successful story or book. Examine a well-made movie or book and practice how to recognize the “concept” that made it work. Other than that, as Winston Churchill said, ‘Never, never, never give up.'”

Pamela Wray

Literary Agency Signs

Four Authorlink Writers

5/00–Pamela Wray Literary Agency based in Alabama, has signed four Authorlink writers for representation.

They are Steven Rudd, Midnight Run; Jan Letoha, Bury the Past; J.E. Deegan, In Dark Covenant; Norman Davis, Stonecypher’s Gold.

Authorlink Author

Carolee Joy Takes

Rising Star Award

6/15/00–Carolee Joy, author of Wild Angel (Authorlink Press) won second place in the prestigious short contemporary category of the Rising Star 2000 Awards, a division of the Romance Writers of America.

The winners, including the Grand Prize winner, were offered free registration at the RWA national conference or equivalent cash. Winners were presented at the Sooner Area Romance Authors in Tulsa, Oklahoma May 20.

Fifth Authorlink

Contest Winner Earns

Publishing Contract

Los Angeles, CA/ 5/15/00 –Ekaterine Nikas (Katy) Terlinden, the 1998 Best of Show and mystery winner of the Authorlink New Author Awards Competition, has landed a publishing contract with Avid Press

( www.avidpress.com Her winning novel, Divided Child, will be released by Avid in Winter 2000 under her pen name, Ekaterine Nikas. It is the fifth time in two years an Authorlink contest winner has won a substantial publishing contract.

“Authorlink.com offered a wonderful contest that gave me an important boost to my career, got me access to editors and agents, and provided a very impressive reference for query letters,” said Terlinden.

Katy had been writing for about ten years before she heard about Authorlink on one of her writer lists. She advises new writers to “be persistent, be part of a network, enter contests (they are a great way to get agents and editors to look at your work), and keep your mind open to the possibilities offered by small presses and e-book publishers, especially if your book does not fit easily into the New York mold.”

Katy also says, “utilize the Internet to the fullest. I probably would not have made my sale without it. I think Authorlink is a great resource for writers and an excellent example of how new writers can use the Internet to break through the barriers to publication.

Authorlink Writer’s

New Book Released

by Marlowe, New York

NEW YORK, NY/5/1/00–Beyond Anger: A Guide for Men, by Thomas J. Harbin, Ph.D, has just been released by New York Publisher Marlowe & Company’s Avalon imprint. Author Tom Harbin directly attributes the sale of his book to his listing on Authorlink.

Forensic Psychologist Harbin sold his nonfiction manuscript, originally titled STANCE OF ANGER, to established publisher, John Muir Publications as the result of a direct inquiry by the publisher in May, 1998. Muir was bought by Marlowe Books, a division of Avalon last year.

In his new book, Dr. Harbin helps men understand their anger by explaining what the specific symptoms of chronic anger are and by showing angry men how their actions negatively affect family, friends and co-workers.

Tom is one of nearly 60 Authorlink writers to sign a contract with a publisher since sales tracking began in early 1997.

Tom had been listed on the site for eight or nine months before receiving the request. Generously sharing the sales figures with other Authorlink writers, Tom said he was paid a $1,000 advance upon signing a contract, another $1500 upon delivery of the revised manuscript, and the final $1000 was paid when the book was released.

Tom began writing the manuscript about seven years ago, for use with angry men in his clinical practice. “The book sort of grew over the next couple of years and I guess I have been actively trying to sell it for about three years,” he said.

“At first, I naively sent it to editors who had done similar work. Then, I engaged a New York agent who had promoted books for a friend of mine. Honestly, I was about to put the manuscript away and forget about it or start the self-publishing journey. Then I became aware of Authorlink while absently surfing the net for agents.”

While not officially working on any new titles, he has started writing some short stories about the goings on in his rural North Carolina county, and he’s been keeping copious notes for a possible book about his role as a forensic psychologist.

When asked what he would advise first-time writers, he said I would not presume to offer anyone advice. I think that lucked out so far.

And how important was Authorlink to his begin published? My book would still be sitting on a dusty disk somewhere, without Authorlink, he concluded.

In little more than three years, nearly 300 writers have reported signing with agents as a direct result of Authorlink, and more than 1500 requests from editors and agents have been processed.

The author lives and practices in North Carolina.

Authorlink

Correspondent

Joins LA Times

Authorlink writer, Michelle Lovato, has been hired by the Los Angeles Times to cover special sections issues.

Regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious news organizations, the Los Angeles Times has a full circulation of 1.4 million copies per Sunday issue.

Lovato’s work will premier March 13.

With more than two years experience as an Authorlink California publishing correspondent, Lovato has covered several events, and can be found by searching archives.

Lovato is the owner/publisher of The Silver Lakes Gazzette, a weekly newspaper, and a columnist and reporter for The Inland Empire Business Journal, a Southern California regional business magazine.

Accompanying Lovato in her new post will be her husband, Vince, a 20- year veteran of journalism. Among Vince’s credits are previous LA Times bylines,

the sales of two short stories to Stephen Speilberg, two nominations for California Newspaper Publisher’s Association awards and was the recipient of a fellowship to Rice University in Houston Texas.

Lovato has 10 years experience as a political and business reporter

and specializes in feature stories. She writes a newspaper column entitled, Thank You, Lord and has won several awards for her short fiction.

Both Lovatos are pursuing careers in the publishing industry. Ms.Lovato will continue contributing articles to Authorlink.

Authorlink Author

Carolee Joy Ranks

as RWA Finalist

DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX/ 3/13/000–WILD ANGEL (Authorlink Press, April 2000) by Carolee Joy has been named a finalist in the Golden Quill contest sponsored by the Desert Rose Chapter of Romance Writers of America. Other finalists include multi-published authors such as Vicki Lewis Thompson, one of Harlequin TemptationsTemptation’s biggest sellers.

In addition to WILD ANGEL, SECRET LEGACY, another novel by Ms. Joy, is also a finalist in the Golden Quill competition for Best Romantic Suspense and Best First Book.

New Author

Ranks #12

on Amazon

ATLANTA,GA/3/10/00–A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DAY TRADING ONLINE (Adams Media) by first-time author, has risen to #12 on Amazon.com’s top 100.

The book, agented by Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency (listed on Authorlink), was released only a week ago, and began its quick rise after the author appeared on CNBC Today.

American Self

Publishers’ Group

Honors Mitchell

SAN FRANCISCO, CA/ 3/1/00–Ed Mitchell, whose manuscript had been listed with Authorlink before he decided to self publish, has been awarded the National Publishers Freedom Award for Best new Fiction. The honor will be bestowed by the year-old American Self Publishers Association (ASPA) for Mitchell’s novel, GOLD RUSH 2000. Resource Library. The ASPA award will be given in a formal ceremony May 13 in San Francisco. In addition, the work was accepted by the National Steinbeck Center Resource Library.

Mitchell attributes part of his success to Authorlink for having seen “the quality in my book, and having had the courage to publicly declare that assessment.” Authorlink, while not a self publisher, helps writers market their work through promotion to editors and agents, and through listings of their work on its award-winning site, authorlink.com

Third Authorlink Contest

Winner Signs Contract

With Major Publisher

Dallas, TX/1/1/00–Three winners of the Authorlink New Author Awards competition have landed major publishing contracts within the past 18 months. The latest Authorlink contestant to become published is Cynthia G. Alwyn (pen name), who placed among the top three in the 1999 Authorlink awards competition.

Carol Berg of Ft. Collins, CO, the 1999 Authorlink first-place, science fiction/fantasy winner for Song of the Beast, won a three-book contract with Roc (an imprint of Penguin Putnam). And June London, 1998 Authorlink mainstream winner signed a six-figure contract with Harper Collins for her novel, Bingo Queens and a second work-in-progress, tentatively titled Stray Bullets.

Ms. Alwyn won the 1999 competition for a book titled, Tail of the Serpent, but it was her newest work, Best Served Cold, that convinced New York Agent Anne Hawkins of John Hawkins & Associates, to become her agent. Hawkins subsequently sold the work to St. Martins Press for an undisclosed amount. The title will be released in the Winter of 2001.

“I have been surprised how fast things can happen,” said Cynthia. “I met Anne Hawkins, who is now my agent, at a conference in 1998. We kept in contact, and when I visited with her at the 1999 Authorlink Awards presentation in Georgia, we finalized our business partnership with my new book BEST SERVED COLD. A short time later, St. Martin’s bought the project. I’m thrilled and stunned at the same time. It didn’t feel real to me until I started getting mail from them.”

BEST SERVED COLD features protagonist Brenna Scott and her search dog, Feather, a black Bouvier Des Flandres. Together, they search for lost or missing people. In this book, Brenna and Feather race the clock to locate a child before the kidnapper makes good his threat to take the little girl’s life.

“I wasn’t sure the book would sell, but Anne believed in it and in me. Since I’d worked with a canine search and rescue team for nine years, I do have first-hand knowledge of how dogs and handlers work. Although the story is fiction, I believe my experience in this area helped sell the book,” said Cynthia.

Due to the commitment of her day job, Cynthia’s writing time is limited. “I usually write Thursday through Sunday and a solid eight hours a day while on vacation. I frequently work out plot points and tidbits about characters driving to and from work. Most days, I’ll sit in my car during lunch break (it’s the only quiet place at work) and make notes. Although I’ve started writing the next Brenna Scott book, it doesn’t yet have a title.”

The 2000 Authorlink New Author Awards Competition is now accepting entries for this year’s contest through March, 2000. Awards again will be presented at the annual Harriette Austin Writers Conference, University of Georgia, in July, 2000. Top prize is $500.

For details see: http://www.authorlink.com/contest_00.html

Three More

Authorlink Writers

Sign Publishing Deals

8/15/99–Three more writers have won publishing contracts as a direct result of their listings with Authorlink. All three are clients of Elisabet McHugh, McHugh Literary Agency, who discovered them on Authorlink several months ago. This brings to a total of 49 the number of books that have been sold through Authorlink during the past 2 1/2 years.

Chris Spicer has accepted an offer form McFarland & Co. for Frankly, My Dear. . .:The Life of Clark Gable.

Publication will be in 1001, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Gable’s birth.

Neva Hacker, author of Missing Candy, and Charles Crone, author of The Palestinian Solution, have sold their work as e-books to Fictionworks, through Ms. McHugh.

E.A. Blair Becomes

43 rd Author to Find

Publisher Via Authorlink

7/1/99–Scrivenery Press will publish Authorlink writer E. A. Blair’s A Journey to the Interior, in November, 1999, making Blair the 43 rd author to find a publisher via Authorlink since sales tracking began in 1997. Thirty-one writers have been published as a result of Authorlink, with houses such as Berkley, Tor, John Wiley & Sons, Carol Publishing Group and others. Twelve more titles will be released in August, 1999 by Authorlink’s own imprint–Authorlink Press, bringing the total of successfully published authors to forty-three.

“I had tried sending material to about 50 agents, and though many were favorably impressed, all rejected the work, probably because their slice of an author’s first book might not have seemed profitable enough,” said E.A.

Blair, who holds a Masters Degree in Fine Arts has been writing since 1951. His day job for the past 30 years has been in publications for the aerospace industry. Some time back, he wrote and published a professional book, but turned to serious fiction only about ten years ago.

E.A. had been trying to sell his work through agents for five years, when he discovered Authorlink in May, 1998. He had been listed on the site for ten months when Scrivenery Press Publisher Ed Williams spotted his work on the web site. Scrdivenery, whose titles are distributed by Ingram Book Group, is actively building both its fiction and non-fiction lines.

Asked how it feels to be a published author, Blair said, “Vindicated. The related adjectives will come later.”

Blair’s contract did not include an advance, but does pay standard royalties.

“My impression of Scrivenery is that they are professional, intelligent and use advanced publishing technologies–as witnessed by the use of Authorlink and Ingram Book.

“Finding Authorlink was like a door to opportunity suddenly opening,” said Blair.

He advises the unpublished writer to “Write patiently, critically.”

He has a second title underway.

Authorlink Writer’s

Novel Released

by Berkley Publishing

NEW YORK,NY/6/10/99– LOST RIVER, a novel by Authorlink writer, Pax Riddle, is now on bookstore shelves. Pax made the deal with Berkley Publishing Group (division of Penguin/Putnam) as part of the connections he made through Authorlink. The book is available via: http://www.lostriver.org/, barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com

Authorlink Named

Among Best Education

Resources on the Web

6/10/99–Authorlink has been selected as a featured site in StudyWeb

( http://www.studyweb.com/) as one of the best educational resources on the web.

StudyWeb is one of the Internet’s premier sites for educational resources for students and teachers. Since 1996 professional reviewers have scoured the Internet to select only the finest sites to be included in StudyWeb’s reviews. Each site in StudyWeb includes a detailed review describing it’s merits.

Authorlink Teams

With Lightning to Offer

On-Demand Book Imprint

DALLAS, TX /5/1/99–Authorlink, the award-winning news/information and marketing site for the publishing industry, will launch its own book imprint, Authorlink Press, this summer. The move results in part from a new publishing partnership between Authorlink and Lightning Print, Inc, the print on demand subsidiary of Ingram Book, worlds largest book distributor.

Authorlink Press will carry the fine tradition of New York-style publishing into the digital age, said Authorlink President Doris Booth. We will serve as a market proving ground for the titles that truly deserve to be published and read–titles that eventually may find their way to larger houses, after we establish a solid track for them, said Ms. Booth.

Lower-cost digital and on-demand printing now enable Authorlink Press to publish books once considered economically too risky. The company will aggressively market the titles, establish sales records and then seek to turn them over to larger publishers.

The imprint will use the latest technology to publish digitally-downloadable books and trade paperbacks, printed on demand. Titles will be distributed through multiple on and off-line sales channels, including Ingram, which serves major booksellers such as Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com.

Authorlink has also established an alliance with Peanut Press, to help supply electronic books for 2 million Palm Pilot and IBM WorkPad owners. Authorlink marketing ties also include alliances with the book review site, Bookbrowse.com (280, 000 page views annually), larger publishing houses, and other distribution and marketing resources.

Authorlink Press emphasizes aggressive, targeted marketing and distribution for every title it buys-a vital element often missing from tight production and promotional budgets at traditional publishers. The company’s own loyal audience of 170,000 book lovers provides one the ready audiences of book buyers.

Not only do our readers support fellow writers by buying and reading their work. They provide vital marketing feedback. At Authorlink the end consumer will tell us which books they like and why–not marketing reps, nor retail booksellers with special agendas, but the readers themselves, said Ms. Booth.

Admittedly, digital publishing furrows new ground for Authorlink Our imprint is a test of its own-measuring whether consumers will buy truly good titles through Internet sites, hand-held devices and on-demand, with books printed at the time of their order (one- off). Ms. Booth explained.

In 1999 Authorlink Press initially will release 12 fiction and non-fiction titles, both in digital and trade paperback (on demand), with 12 to 24 titles to follow next year. They will be promoted to targeted, vertical markets, and to horizontal mass audiences via the Internet and traditional channels.

The imprints digital books will be available on the Authorlink.com site and through Peanut Press

( http://www.peanutepress.com/) late this summer. Most titles-and all of the initial 12–will also be available in the Ingram title base and may be ordered through all Ingram ordering systems, accessible to Barnes & Noble, Barnesandnoble.com, Amazon.com and, other major booksellers and libraries.

Both first-time and seasoned authors will be included in the list. Categories include suspense/thrillers, mainstream commercial fiction, science fiction/fantasy, romance, and narrative and commercial nonfiction. No anthologies or short stores are considered, and length ranges from 70,000-80,000 words. The new house is not a subsidy or vanity publisher, and will pay standard publishing industry royalties.

Unsolicited manuscripts are NOT accepted at this time and will be automatically recycled. Prospective authors should, instead, consider submitting their work for possible listing in the site’s Author Showcase section.

Authorlink will continue to showcase listings of ready-to-publish manuscripts, and to market them worldwide to editors and agents, as it successfully has done for thee years. Authorlink has been rated among the top 25% of most useful sites on the web by Microsoft’s One Click Away E- zine.

Web site: http://www.authorlink.com/arch4_files/authorlink.htm

Authorlink Named

Among Writer’s Digest

Top 101 Sites For Writers

Writers Digest magazine has selected Authorlink as one of The 101 Best Web Sites for Writers. The 101 were culled from the Digest staffs lists of favorites, as well as from nominations made by about 1,500 visitors to writersdigest.com.

The 101 Best is the cover story of the May 1999 issue of Writers Digest. The list is also published in its entirety on the Writer’s Digest website, at http://www.writersdigest.com/101sites.

The list of recommended websites is just one of several recent additions to writersdigest.com.

Authorlink holds other distinguished industry awards, and including its ranking by Microsoft’s One Click Away E- zine among the top 25% of most useful sites on the web.

Four Authorlink Writers

Sign With WriterBeck

Agency in Two Weeks

5/1/99–Four Authorlink writers will have signed with a single literary agent within the past two-weeks. Beck Roberts, owner of the Writerbeck Agency, has contracted Mackey Murdock and Andrea Giacomuzzi–both listed with Authorlink and found through the site. Two more writers were polishing their manuscripts, but were expected to sign with Ms.Roberts within days.

Beck Roberts represents 70% fiction and 30% nonfiction, and handles most categories except for erotica and cartoons. She has 30 years of experience as a published writer in both fiction and nonfiction and 20 years in related marketing fields. Ms. Roberts has been an agent for a little more than a year, and has already signed seven writers, including the new Authorlink people.

Her agency is based in South Carolina, where she moved with her husband and two children to have a simpler lifestyle than in Atlanta.

“Being a relatively new agent, I am more eager than some to work with the authors and their manuscripts, sending them out with strong cover letters to publishers. I am tireless in my efforts and truly get excited about seeing good works in print,” she said.

The agency has no sales at present but, as Ms. Roberts said, “Good things take time and I am confident in the authors’ work and my ability to promote it successfully.”

Editor’s Note, 5/11/99: This agent has retired due to a severe illness and will not be accepting other clients.

Update: Authorlink Writer

Sells WOLF’S TALE

To TOR Books

Agent Describes Publishing Recipe

By Sam Hughes

The Dickens Group Literary Agency

3/99–David Holland and his upcoming first novel MURCHESTON: THE WOLFS TALE (TOR Books) is a lesson to all who serve as functionaries in today’s literary marketplace. Success may well depend on an old recipe: a good writer, a persistent agent who is willing to nurture true talent, and an editor who takes his or her job to heart and who will fight for a book. In the case of David Holland, whose work has appeared on Authorlink the factors that traditionally made the publishing industry great came together after seven years of productive author/agent interaction.

The heroes of this story are Hollland, one of the finest writers our agency has seen, agent Bob Solinger, who recognized brilliant writing and spent seven years pounding on doors to sell Hollands work, and Karla Zounek, the TOR editor who fell under the spell of Hollands writing and worked one-on-one with him to produce a fine literary horror story with a distinctive Victorian setting and tone.

For agents and editors struggling against adverse forces in the current marketplace, it is important to recognize the Holland phenomenon. Services such as Authorlink — a sterling example of what Internet marketing can and should be are invaluable to everyone, especially to new writers. And the ultimate lesson for writers, agents and editors alike: eventually, good writing sells.

Writer’s Seven Year

Effort Pays Off,

Authorlink Plays Part

Louisville, KY/1/1/99–David Holland, a writer featured on the Authorlink site, since August, 1997, has sold his novel, THE WOLF’S TALE, with The Dickens Group as his agency. David has tried for seven years to become published, and at last found an agency that believed in his work and found the right publisher. More details of his success will be published here soon.

Psychologist Tom Harbin

Becomes 25th Authorlink

Writer to Sell Work

2/15/99–Forensic Psychologist Tom Harbin has sold his nonfiction manuscript, STANCE OF ANGER: RECOGNIZING AND CHANGING THE PATTERNS OF MENS ANGER, to established publisher, John Muir Publications. Tom is the 25th Authorlink writer to sign a contract with a publisher Since sales tracking began in early 1997.

The title will be released in the spring of 2000, according to acquisitions editor Cassandra Conyers, who requested the manuscript directly from Authorlink in May, 1998. Tom had been listed on the site for eight or nine months before receiving the request.

Generously sharing the sales figures with other Authorlink writers, Tom said he was paid a $1,000 advance upon signing a contract, another $1500 upon delivery of the revised manuscript, and the final $1000 will be paid when the book is released. Authorlink assumes a royalty arrangement is also included in the contract.

Tom began writing STANCE about seven years ago, for use with angry men in his clinical practice. The book sort of grew over the next couple of years and I guess I have been actively trying to sell it for about three years.

At first, I naively sent it to editors who had done similar work. Then, I engaged a New York agent who had promoted books for a friend of mine. Honestly, I was about to put the manuscript away and forget about it or start the self-publishing journey. Then I became aware of Authorlink while absently surfing the net for agents.

Tom said having his first work published feels daunting. Muir wants him to increase the book length by about 67% during revision, and he’s not a full-time author. He hopes he can get it done on time, especially since there are substantial penalties for being late.

When asked what he would advise first-time writers, he said I would not presume to offer anyone advice. I think that lucked out so far.

And how important was Authorlink to his begin published? My book would still be sitting on a dusty disk somewhere, without Authorlink, he concluded.

John Muir Publications, established in 1969, will release 68 titles in 1999, and 75 in 2000. Main interests are in travel and alternative health.

In little more than two years, 215- plus writers have reported signing with agents as a direct result of Authorlink, and more than 960 requests from editors and agents have been processed.

Writer Cindy Appel

Lands Columnist Job

as Result of Authorlink

2/15/99–Cindy Appel, recently named Cyber Columnist of the Quarter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, attributes her job as a Star Telegram Online Columnist directly to Authorlink and the 1998 Authorlink Electrify Your Writing seminar.

I found out how to become a cyber-columnist from the talk given at the Authorlink workshop last May by Star Telegram Online Marketing Director Bonnie Bradshaw. I became a weekly columnist by July of last year, said Cindy.

Her column, titled, Every Day IS Mothers Day can be found at www.star-telegram.com/homes/cappel/columns/momsday.htm. Cindy takes a semi-humorous look at the world through the eyes of being a full-time mom and struggling writer. She has even developed a loyal following of sorts, too, and takes suggestions from readers on future column topics.

I just thought that others who read Authorlink might like to know how helpful it can be to their writing careers, said Cindy.

Agent McHugh Signs

12 Authorlink Writers,

Sells to Key Publishers

12/1/98–Twelve Authorlink writers have signed contracts within the past couple of years with Literary Agent Elisabet Mchugh, all as a direct result of the Authorlink service. And McHugh has sold many of their works to major publishers.

One of these clients, Roland Jansen, whose first book Profits From Natural Resources was just published by John Wiley, is now working on a second investment book. Linda Swink, Eric Winkler, David Whale and Sam Sackett also sold their books through Ms. McHugh.

In recent months, this agent has added a number of other Authorlink writers, including: Steven Levi, David Dial, S.Alan Hepps, Terry Milton, Jim Norton, Rebecca Spalten, and Lewis Tracy. A thirteenth writer is about to be signed with her.

“Authorlink is providing a great service for agents and editors,” says Ms. McHugh, who works exclusively through the Internet and has clients in eight countries. “I’m impressed not only by the quality of the manuscripts that you have listed, but also the prompt service rendered by your staff when I request a manuscript. And I check out the new listings on your website on a regular basis.”

Authorlink Writer

Sells Nonfiction Title

to Lone Wolf Enterprises

12/1/98–Dale C. Maley, author of Road Map to Retirement: How to Quickly and Easily Develop a Financial Plan for Retirement, has sold his work to Roger Wolf’s Lone Wolf Enterprises, Ltd. ( http://www.lonewolfent.net/) as a direct result of Authorlink

The book will be released both in hardcover and online in the first quarter of 1999. Lone Wolf has more than 60 titles in print.

Maley will receive 15% of gross for printed book and 15% of gross for electronic book sales.

Maley discovered Authorlink when he picked up a paper flier at the Harriet Austin Writer’s Conference in Athens, Georgia last July, then followed up by visiting the site at http://www.authorlink.com/arch4_files/authorlink.htm. (Note: The second annual Authorlink New Author Awards Banquet will be held as part of the 1999 Harriet Austin Writer’s Conference in Athens, July 23-25, 1999).

Dale, who has been writing for about two years, said it took him only 15 months to find a publisher through Authorlink He first found an agent through Authorlink who tried, but failed to sell the title to a large publisher.

How does it feel to have his first work published? “Very exciting, it has been a long, arduous, and perilous journey from writing those first few words of the manuscript until getting it published, “ said Dale.

He advises new writers to “Make sure your book is either the best among all the competition or among the first few books published in a new subject area. Be diligent, patient, and believe in your yourself and your work.

Authorlink Helps

Writer Secure

International Agent

12/1/98–J.D. Wetterling, author of SON OF THUNDER, has sold his first work to domestic publisher, Rivilo Books, Felix C. Lowe, publisher. The title was schedule for release in November, 1998. While J.D. located a publisher on his own, it was Authorlink that helped him find his agent. The Stefanidis Agency based in Geneva, Switzerland, discovered J.D.s listing on the Authorlink site and requested a review of the manuscript. The writer agreed to let Stefanidis handle the foreign rights.

Wetterling , who has been writing for nine years, had tried to locate an editor and agent for the last eight years. He found Authorlink while surfing the net. He found the publisher networking through friends.

How does it feel to have his first work published? “Wonderful!” he exclaimed. Wetterling, whose day job is as a Stockbroker with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, has two more novels in progress. He hopes to write all day, every day, for the rest of his days. Books and the Internet helped him more than anything else to improve his craft.

He advised new writers to “never give up.”

Authorlink Writers

Now Able to Track

Their Own Page Hits

12/1/98– Authorlink writers are now able to track the number of hits to their individual pages each month. We’re now adding individual counters to every page, so writers can determine the level of interest in their listed manuscripts. The counter, which resets at the first of each month, does not show who visited the page, but it gives the writer an idea of how interested editors, agents and general readers are in his or her topic and title.

The counter is now being added to every new writer’s page. Writers with existing listings can request an ID and password for the service by emailing: dbooth@authorlink.com

JLA Agency Signs

Four Authorlink Writers

In 60 Days, Praises Site

11/15/98–Jay Lace, owner of JLA Literary, reports that he has signed contracts to represent four Authorlink writers during the past 60 days.

They include: Michael Sedge, Author of the novel, The Oracle, and a nonfiction work, Fettuccini or the Frustrated Soul; Margaret Brennecke, author of the novel, Seeking Refuge; Miles Twaddell, author of the novel, Victory Day, and Charles Carron, author of the non-fiction work, The Suing Game.

JLA, a new agency actively looking to build a small roster of clients, found all four writers listed on Authorlink

“We are looking for original works with commercial appeal,” said Mr. Lace. “We have discovered that using Authorlink helps us separate the chaff from the wheat, and saves us hundreds of hours that would otherwise be wasted on unsuitable manuscripts.”

The agency adheres to the AAR’s guidelines, although it is not yet a registered member.

Wiley Releases

Authorlink Writer’s

First Book in November

11/1/98–Roland Jansen, who found an agent and publisher through Authorlink, has received the first copy of his new book, Profits in Natural Resources, from publisher John Wiley & Sons. The new release shipped to major bookstore chains in early November.

“It all started with Authorlink, ” Jansen said in a message to Authorlink this week. “The Internet works.”

Agent Signs

Three Authorlink

Writers Within Months

AUSTIN, TX/10/98–Brian G. Clark, Esq., owner of BGC Literary Management, has signed contracts to represent three Authorlink writers within less than two months.

BGC is an aggressive and highly professional new agency headquartered in Austin, TX.

Clark said he has signed Eric Scherer, author of THE OLYMPUS PROJECT; Ekaterine (Katy) Terlinden, who wrote THE DIVIDED CHILD, and Pete Murphy, author of SALAMANDERS. Ms. Terlinden was Best of Show (suspense/mystery/thriller) winner in the first annual Authorlink New Author Awards competition. (See the second annual Authorlink competition guidelines at http://www.authorlink.com/contest_99.html).

“The advent of literary agents came as publishing houses cut editorial staff, allowing agents to step in as the front line arbiters of taste and commercial viability,” said Clark. “Authorlink has become the new additional front line for the busy agent, a source for trusted pre-screened material to pursue at their convenience.”

Authorlink Finalists

Sign Publishing Contract

With Neighborhood Press

8/29/98–Marian Gibbons and Karin Welss, finalists in both the Romance and SF/Fantasy/Horror categories in the 1998 Authorlink New Author Awards Competition, have signed a publishing contract with Neighborhood Press for their historical romance novel, SWEETER THAN WINE. SWEETER THAN WINE is scheduled to be released in May, 1999, under the pseudonym of Michaela August.

In this novel WWI widow Alice Roye must fight to save her Sonoma winery from the threat of Prohibition. She falls in love with her new vintner, a European refugee, not knowing that he served as an enemy soldier during the war.

“We believe that entering our work in contests such as the one sponsored by Authorlink really opened some doors for us, ” said Karin Welss. “SWEETER THAN WINE is definitely a local history novel, highlighting a little-known aspect of Prohibition,” explains Welss when asked about how she and Gibbons chose the subject for their novel . “A lot of hard-working American winemakers and grape-growers lost their livelihoods when beer and wine were outlawed along with hard liquor, and California’s wine industry languished for the next fifty years.”

Gibbons adds, “It was a very emotional time, so soon after World War I and the deadly influenza epidemic. Although the concept of Prohibition was well-intentioned, its effect was devastating even before gangsters and bathtub gin became the popular symbols of its failure. Grape-growers didn’t know, right up to harvest in 1919, whether or not they could legally pick the best crop they’d ever seen. I found the research fascinating.”

How did they make the sale? After finishing the manuscript, Gibbons and Welss spent a year sending out query letters and partials. They also entered several writing contests, including the Authorlink contest. “The romance writing community is incredibly supportive of new writers,” Welss says, and Gibbons agrees: “We got a lot of help and encouragement from the published authors who judged two of the contests.” A major obstacle to overcome in selling SWEETER THAN WINE was its WWI-era setting. “It’s always difficult for new authors to break in,” remarks Gibbons, “and even more difficult when editors are convinced that no one wants to read historicals set in the early 20th century.” Their finalist status helped generate leads for possible publishers, as did their membership on several writing-related Internet listservs.

Welss remembers: “Someone on RWALINK (the Romance Writers of America members-only listserv) mentioned that Neighborhood Press was a fairly new publishing house open to romance submissions, and they spoke very highly of the Senior Editor, Rhea Griffiths. We queried Rhea via email, got a favorable response, and the rest is history.” Marian Gibbons and Karin Welss are working on separate solo projects at the moment, although they have several more co-authored novels in the planning stages, including a sequel to SWEETER THAN WINE.

Gibbons is currently writing a sequel to In a Mirror, Darkly, set amid the turmoil of Berkeley in the 60’s. Welss has another historical romance in progress, a tale of love and blackmail set in Restoration England.

About Neighborhood Press: Rhea Griffiths founded Neighborhood Press in 1995 with nothing but a desktop computer, an America Online account and the belief that “if she built it, they would come…” Now a rapidly growing small press, Neighborhood Press plans to publish twelve novels in 1999 as well as six issues of The Lovers Knot, a new magazine aimed at readers and writers of romance. Additional information about Marian Gibbons and Karin Welss, writing together as Michaela August, is available at the HREF=”http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Square/3524/”Michaela August Web Page.

Another Writer Wins

Publishing Contract

Via Authorlink

EquiLibrium Press Signs Mitchell

NEW YORK, NY & CULVER CITY, CA/ 8/98–Joyce Slayton Mitchell, author of more than 32 nonfiction books published by major houses such as Bantam, Dell, Simon & Schuster, and others, has sold another nonfiction work as a direct result of Authorlink

Ms. Mitchell’s newest manuscript, Pregnant in New Zealand: Mother and Daughter Letters from Afar, will be published in May, 1999 by EquiLibrium Press, Inc. of Culver City, California.

EquiLibrium Press Publisher Susan Goland requested the manuscript several months ago after seeing Mitchell’s listing on Authorlink This will be EquiLibrium’s first title as a new publisher, specializing in all aspects of health and wellness for women.

Pregnant in New Zealand is the story of a courageous and adventuresome young woman who finds an exotic life in the Pacific. This collection of New Zealand-to-Vermont letters is written in the first hours of pregnancy, leads to a dramatic 45-hour labor, and reveals the tensions of midwifery, and differences in generations, race and hemisphere.

Ms. Mitchell, who lives in New York, has successfully listed several works with Authorlink since late 1997. The newest book had been listed on the site for about 45 days or less, when Publisher Goland spotted it. The entire process, from listing to sale, took place within about three months.

Authorlink Winner

Signs Six-Figure

Deal at Harper Collins

7/98–June London, mainstream winner of the 1998 Authorlink New Author Awards Competition, has signed a six-figure contract with Harper Collins for her novel, Bingo Queens and a second work-in-progress, tentatively titled Stray Bullets.

The first title will be released in April, 1999, and the second manuscript will be completed in August, 1999. Both will be released under Harper Collins’ Cliff Street imprint.

Ms. London, whose real name is June Park, lives with her husband in a small Oklahoma town, similar to the setting for Bingo Queens, her first novel.

She met her agent, Robert Tabian of Robert Tabian Literary Agency , four years ago at an Oklahoma writers’ conference. He showed considerable interest in her story at the time, though only a few chapters had been completed.

June sent an earlier novel out to 20 agents, all of whom rejected her. In 1988, early in her career, she took lessons from well-known writing coach, Jack Bickam at the University of Oklahoma in 1988. “He was my mentor, one on one,” June said. She began winning various contests and published a few shorts stories. She also began teaching creative writing at local colleges. “The more I taught, the more I learned,” June told Authorlink.

When she finished Bingo Queens in February last year, she suddenly remembered the meeting with Tabian. A few weeks earlier, she had entered the Authorlink contest. On April 13, 1998 Authorlink notified her that she had won first place in the mainstream nonfiction category. About two weeks later, Tabian notified her that Harper Collins wanted to buy the work.

“While we weren’t responsible for making the direct connection with HarperCollins, “said Authorlink Editor Doris Booth. “we sure know how to spot the winners.”

Tabian is a former editor at Putnam and was with International Creative Management before opening his own agency. Among Tabin’s clients is 1993 Pulitzer Prize Winner Robert Olan Butler.

How does it feel to have her first two novels sold? “I don’t know,” says June. I suppose reality has yet to sink in.”

Asked when she first became interested in writing, Ms. Park, a native of London, England, said that as a child during World War II, she read books while sequestered in bomb shelters to calm her fears and remove her from reality.

For the past ten years she has devoted herself exclusively to her writing career.

Authorlink Author

Tim McGuire Tops

Ingram’s Hot List

DALLAS/FT. WORTH, TX/ 6/30/98–Tim McGuire’s newly-released Western, Danger Ridge (DORCHESTER/LEISURE BOOKS) has been listed by Ingram Book Company among the top ten most requested western fiction titles in the mass market/paperback category for several consecutive weeks in June. The excellent showing was posted even before the title was scheduled to reach bookstores by the end of that month.

Tim McGuire is among writers whose ready-to-publish and newly-released works are listed on Authorlink Danger Ridge is his first novel. Another western, titled, “Nobility,” , is due for release by LEISURE next year. Ingram is the world’s largest trade book distributor.

Authorlink Writer

Pax Riddle Sells

Book to Berkley

6/20/98–Authorlink writer, Pax Riddle, has sold his first novel “Lost River” to Berkley Publishing Group for the mid four figures. Pax joined the Authorlink site in early 1997. Some months later he signed with a top New York agent, whom he found through the Authorlink private agency directory. Berkley Editor Kim Waltemeyer bought the manuscript in June, 1998.

Lost River is the story of a young Modoc woman married to a white man, who struggles to balance her Indian heritage and her family in the face of looming war between her people and the US Army. The book will be released in Summer, 1999.

Pax Riddle writes full time, and lives with his wife and teenage daughter in Connecticut. He is working on a second novel, The Education of Ruby Loonfoot, and recently sold a nonfiction article to Wild West magazine.

Pax advises new writers to join a good work-oriented critique group, and consider their comments closely, while maintaining your style and integrity. “If you wish to sell your work, versus merely write it for artistic, self satisfaction, find out about the marketplace. See where you can find a niche,” he says.

New Author Finds

Agent on Internet,

Sells Six-figure Deal

7/98–First-time novelist William Kowalski of Erie PA. has sold his manuscript, Eddie’s Bastard, to Harper Collins. After receiving offers from several houses, agent Anne Hawkins of John Hawkins & Associates Inc., New York accepted a two book deal totalling in the mid six figures. Marjorie Braman, Senior Vice President for Harper Collins Adult Trade Books made the successful offer. Irv Schwartz of The Renaissance Agency, Los Angeles, CA, will handle film and television rights.

Kowalski first contacted Hawkins with an unsolicited E-mail query. He found her E-mail address via a search of AOL user profiles for literary agents.

In the fictional autobiography, William Kowalski explores the importance of family and the place of the individual in the continuum of history and time.

Living alone in a decaying mansion, Grandpa Mann is the last surviving member of a once-great family. Or so he believes until the day he stumbles drunkenly out the back door and discovers a baby in a picnic basket. A note taped to the handle identifies the occupant as “EDDIE’S BASTARD,” the child of his only

son recently killed in Viet Nam. What follows is the bittersweet story of the old man raising his grandson as the last, proud scion of the Mann family and steeping him in all of its rich and bizarre heritage.

Kowalski braids the story of the boy’s journey to young manhood together with family anecdotes and homespun philosophical excerpts from great-great grandfather Mann’s Civil War diary. The result is a story mixing warm humor with nostalgia and the inevitable sadness common to most American family histories.

Michigan Writer

Sells First Book

Via Authorlink

7/98–David Whale has found an agent and sold his book, HOW SCHOOLS REALLY WORK: AN ACTION GUIDE FOR PARENTS, through Authorlink Before having his work accepted for a listing on Authorlink he had written an agent himself, only to be turned down.

“It seemed like to me there should be a better way to reach potential editors and agents. Authorlink turned out to be the answer,” David said.

He found Authorlink through a search engine while surfing the web. “I liked the way it was laid out and the content,” he said. ” I figured it was worth a try, and the results and support were outstanding all the way.”

Whale said his agent has been great to work with. “We do all of our communicating via email. She is based in Idaho and I am in Michigan. We’ve never met face to face but I feel I know her and we have a very good relationship.”

David waited a number of months before his agent connected with him through Authrolink! But persistence paid off. About nine months after his listing on Authorlink Agent Elisabet McHugh had made a sale for David. That’s less than half the time it usually takes to sell a manuscript.

The hardcover book will be released in September, 1998 by Avisson. While David has published some scholarly papers and continues to do research and writing on the same topic as his book, this is his first full-length published work.

Sam Sackett’s

‘Career Karate’

Finds Publisher

6/98–Sam Sackett expected it would take a long time to find an agent, even with the help of Authorlink His listing first appeared on the site in April, 97, and about six or even months later he signed with agent, Elisabet McHugh, after receiving requests from three different representatives, and subsequently a publishing house.

“Placing the book with a publisher took longer than I thought, “said Sackett. “I think any author feels his work is so good that it will sell immediately, and I am no exception. Reality was, as it usually is, disillusioning.” That process took about four more months.

“Was I skeptical of Authorlink at first? Sure. Anybody who has lived long in this economy has run across enough scams to make him skeptical of anything that sounds like a good deal. It’s a by-product of the free enterprise system that crooks are free to function until they’re caught.

“I found Authorlink very professional and timely. I was particularly impressed with their efforts to make sure that the agents they list operate ethically, ” Sam said. ” I even passed along a couple of names of agents who approached me about whom I was leery, and Authorlink acted appropriately.”

How did Sam Sackett begin his writing career?

“Miss Grassle, my kindergarten teacher, assigned all of us to write a book in imitation of the little reader which was our text. I became hooked on writing and have been writing ever since.”

Right now Sam has obligations that prevent him from the kind of sustained writing effort that he would like to make, so he’s working along at translations of a couple of Flemish novels because he can do them a page at a time in between other chores. When he can free up his time more fully, he plans to finish a book on how to get a job, TWELVE STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT CAREER, which his present agent is also interested in representing.

Another agent whom he found through the Authorlink listings, has three of Sam’s novels: ADOLF HITLER IN OZ, AN AMERICAN PRODIGAL, and SWEET BETSY FROM PIKE.

Sam’s book, CAREER KARATE: WINNING STRATEGIES FOR MANAGERS, will be released by The Graduate Group sometime this spring.

“I think Authorlink is a great opportunity for writers. Before I discovered Authorlink, I had used the lists of agents in the Literary Market Place, only to be told by them — at least by those of them that answered at all — that they were not accepting work from new writers. The agents listed by Authorlink are all agents actively seeking new talent. For that reason Authorlink saves writers an enormous amount of time and effort in bringing them together with people who actually are interested in considering their work. So I am really very thankful to Authorlink and will be happy to sing its praises wherever and whenever I have the occasion.”

Eric Winkler Sells

First Work

Within Five Months

6/98–Eric Winkler signed with a literary agent and sold his first manuscript, Partnership Marketing, to Greenwood Publishing, all within only five months. How did he do that? Through Authorlink

“At first, I made the mistake that first-time authors make of trying to pitch my manuscript directly to publishing houses. While searching the Internet for publishers, I ran across Authorlink” Eric explained. “Rather than try and learn the book publishing industry overnight, I thought I’d “borrow some experience” from Authorlink and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”

Authorlink asked Eric if he were skeptical of the service at first, and why?

“I have to admit I was skeptical at first. There are so many mine fields on the Internet that I worry about paying for any service offered on the ‘net. I was impressed by the list of authors on the site and by the current publishing industry news. It seemed like a gamble worth taking and I’m very pleased with the connections Authorlink made for me.”

Eric had searched for several months and had a number of dead-end conversations with publishers. He made the mistake of thinking he didn’t need an agent. “Looking back, it was a little like thinking I could do my own dental work with a few lessons,” he commented.

Eric said he was surprised how fast Authorlink produced results for him. It took less than a month for him to sign with agent, Elisabet McHugh through Authorlink He agreed to partner with her in October. By December, 97 he had received his first serious offer from a publisher. Then, in February, 98, only five months after Authorlink connected him with an agent, he sold his first book.

Asked if he had any advice for other first-time authors, Eric advised: “Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know. Do you need Authorlink? Yes. You can’t possibly expect to learn the publishing industry overnight, so let Authorlink lend you their contacts and their expertise.

“I don’t know about other writers, but I asked myself over and over whether or not I needed an agent. I did. My agent helped me focus my work and helped crystallize the vision for my project. Unless you are fortunate enough to be a publisher writing about the publishing industry, you need an agent to help you navigate this complicated business.”

Eric Winkler said he had “nothing but praise” for Authorlink “This service sets realistic expectations and then exceeds them. I consider myself fortunate to have found Authorlink and even more fortunate that my agent found me through Authorlink This is a service I’d recommend to any first time author.”

Roland Jansen

Finds Publisher

In Six Months

5/98–Roland Jansen has just sold his first book to John Wiley & Sons as a direct result of having secured agent Elisabet McHugh through Authorlink

Unnatural Profits from Natural Resources: How to Make Big Profits, Globally, From Oil, Gas, Grains and Metals will be released by John Wiley & Sons in August, 1998.

Dutch-born Jansen, director of fund management for the oldest bank in Liechtenstein, wrote the book in German in September 1996 and originally titled it, The Coming Squeeze in Natural Resources. A friend who review it told him his German was “hopeless” and suggested he write it in English. He did. In January, 1997 he began surfing the Internet to find information on publishers and came across Authorlink

“I thought Authorlink was a great idea for an aspiring writer living in a remote area and with no contacts in the publishing world. My book was accepted for listing on the service and after only two months, in March, 1997, Authorlink Editor Doris Booth informed me that literary agent Elisabet McHugh was interested in reading the full manuscript. After receiving valuable background information from Doris about the agent, I signed with Ms. McHugh on April 3.”

In the following six months, Ms. McHugh encouraged Jansen to refocus the book and he completed the new version in August, 1997. Only a month later John Wiley & Sons made the offer to publish the book.

His advice to new writers: “Listen to the feedback you get from publishers who don’t want to buy. Your work must be unique and you must be able to tell a publisher why it is so special. Finally, don’t let anyone take away your dream of being published.”

Archives November 15-30, 2001

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