Book News
Writing machine.
After more than 40 best sellers, James Patterson is just getting started.
He has agreed to a 17-book deal with his longtime publisher, the Hachette Book Group — an unthinkable commitment for most writers, but for Patterson a mere three years’ worth of work.
“Jim has all of these incredible franchises,” said his literary representative, Washington attorney Robert Barnett, who cited such popular series as “Maximum Ride,” “Daniel X” and the Alex Cross detective stories. “And when you put all of those franchises together, that’s a lot of books.”
Hachette announced that the ultra- prolific novelist will turn out 10 adult thrillers, one nonfiction work and six novels for young people by the end of 2012. Financial terms were not disclosed.
His co-authors have included Maxine Paetro and Andrew Gross, and he will continue to collaborate, Barnett said.
“Whenever he works with a co-author he fully discloses it,” Barnett said.
The Associated Press
First Lines
Paying Back Jack, by Christopher G. Moore
Calvino’s last sports jacket was ruined when Nicky “the Toad” Marras’ blood splattered over the lapel and down the pocket. A couple of things to bear in mind about Nicky the Toad: he did die, as Calvino only punched him in the nose after the Toad had reached for a knife hidden inside his boot. One of those fake Gurka knives sold by street-side vendors. The Toad had an affinity for blades. He pulled it when he got drunk and argumentative, or started getting mad over some contested World Series statistic. The year Joe DiMaggio was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and a half a bottle of whiskey had set him off. It was the kind of thing Toad could kill someone over.
Calvino’s maid had sent the bloodied Gucci knockoff to the dry cleaner, and the dry cleaner had sent it back with a note. It seemed that Nicky the Toad’s blood was as obstinate and mean as the man himself. Nothing could be done to remove the stain. They could sew on some patches, but it wouldn’t look like an original Gucci anymore but more like a counterfeit tailored inside a Bangkok sweatshop. And that blurring of the distinction between an original and a counterfeit pretty much summed up Nicky the Toad, who’d watched too many gangster movies.
Independent Best Sellers
Fiction
1. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
2. South of Broad, by Pat Conroy
3. A Gate at the Stairs, by Lorrie Moore
4. The Girl Who Played With Fire, by Stieg Larsson
5. The Last Song, by Nicholas Sparks
Nonfiction
1. Strength in What Remains, by Tracy Kidder
2. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child
3. Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
4. Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall
5. Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers
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