Ann Patchett's Successful Independent Bookstore, Cloud Atlas Shrugged, and More

by
Evan Smith Rakoff
11.29.12

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:

Self-published author Terri Donald is suing movie star Tyler Perry, claiming his 2012 film Good Deeds is based on her 2007 book titled Bad Apples Can Be Good Fruit. (Reuters)

In other Hollywood news, author Neil Gaiman is penning a screen adaptation of his book American Gods for HBO. (GalleyCat)

Adam Mansbach suggests a list of new titles for newly merged Penguin and Random House, including Cloud Atlas Shrugged, and Tuesdays with Moby Dick. (Esquire)

Random House has created several new genre e-book imprints, and paidContent examines the publisher's possible aims and motivations.

Creative Loafing takes the pulse of Atlanta's burgeoning literary community.

"The reason I was signing and wrapping books in my basement is that more orders were coming in than the store could handle, and the reason so many orders were coming in is that, a few days before, I had been a guest on The Colbert Report." Author Ann Patchett reflects on a successful year at Parnassus Books, the independent bookstore she co-owns in Nashville. (Atlantic)

Novelist Jennifer Gilmore reflects on the retirement of Philip Roth. (Forward)

A collection of rare manuscripts and dictionaries is up for auction next week at Bonhams in New York City, and is expected to fetch around one million dollars. (Fine Books & Collections)