Today's Wall Street Journal
tunes into ESPN Books, which aims for the kind of media company synergy
touted--but not always achieved--over the years by many media giants.
For example, the Disney imprint's new book Man in the Middle by
former basketball player John Amaechi, who disclosed recently that he
is gay, has been mentioned "prominently" on ESPN.com and ESPN's cable
channels, the author will be on the cover of ESPN The Magazine,
a book excerpt will be published on ESPN.com's Page 2 and Amaechi will
be interviewed on other ESPN media. Another upcoming title is being
made into a movie that will air on Disney's ABC-TV and then on ESPN and
ESPN2.
Editor Chris Raymond told the paper that he looks for books that will work "for the magazine and for television."
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Cool ideas of the day. Through Saturday, Chapter One Bookstore,
Hamilton, Mont., is celebrating "I love to read month" by encouraging
customers to sit in the store's front window and read for two hours.
"We'll have a comfy chair, you can bring whatever reading material
you'd like, or choose something from our shelves," the store said. "In
return, we'll buy you a drink from JitterZ Espresso, and make a
donation to the Literacy Volunteers--Bitterroot."
Chapter One is also holding its second annual spelling bee on February
20. Co-owner Russ Lawrence, president of the ABA, called last year's "a
huge hit." The $10 entry fee also goes to Literacy
Volunteers--Bitterroot. The
store noted, "We'll have prizes for winners, losers, and those who melt
down most spectacularly."
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Lilly Ambrose has sold Golden Bough Vintage Books, Macon, Ga., to the
used and rare bookstore's manager, Eric Wakefield, according to the Macon Telegraph.
Ambrose, who owned the store for 17 years, is working on a master's
degree in library science and will be looking for a job. Wakefield has
worked at the store for 10 years.
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A great occasion for a fit bookstore: last Saturday, in
conjunction with the Center for Inquiry, BookPeople, Austin, Tex.,
celebrated Charles Darwin's 198th birthday, according to the Daily Texan.
Activities included a birthday cake for Darwin, fossil-making and
storytelling events as well as lectures by University of Texas
professors. "We are really trying to get two audiences: the children
who are just now getting interested in science and learning and adults
who are still learning," Jennifer Brown of the Center of Inquiry told
the paper.