James Frey's new sci-fi series has landed a publisher. HarperCollins Children's Books will handle North America for I Am Number Four, the first part in a six-installment book series about space teenagers who hide out on Earth because there's shit going down on their planet. Frey's writing partner, recent Columbia MFA grad Jobie Hughes, will actually do most of the writing, Frey's just the guy who came up with the idea. And, you know, got the thing sold. DreamWorks has already optioned the book and Michael Bay is interested. [NYT]

A blogger, like for the internet, has sold a book! And guess what! It's not based on a blog! Wonkette editor Ken Layne will go through HarperStudio to have his travelogue-cum-social theory tome The Left Coast published. Here's the blurb: "Ken Layne's THE LEFT COAST is a history of California's culture, environment and politics framed by his bravely idiotic solo hike up the entire 1,000-mile coastline of America's weirdest, most populous state." Sounds interesting! [HS]

Poor disgraced Argentinian loveboy Mark Sanford will not be publishing his planned second book. The South Carolina governor was set to roll out a book called Within Our Means about spending money like good right winger, but now that it's been revealed that both his heart and penis are functioning properly, he is no longer qualified to talk about anything ever again. [Time]

That whole unauthorized sequel to Catcher in the Rye was blocked by a judge when J.D. Salinger sued because a) he's a crank and b) he was right, but now the defense lawyer for Coming Through the Rye has said they'll appeal. So it'll all go on forever. [GalleyCat]

you forgot to mention that when the alien archeologist dig up our computers they are also going to find alot of blogs and articles from dumbass reporters that think they absolutely right and everyone else that disagrees is "half-literate". why don't you grown up and realize that if you blog about political news, be prepared to get alot of angry people. don't like it? get a different job and stop sitting on your fat ass, criticizing people that don't agree with you. feel free to retaliate and call me all sorts of names, it's your time to waste. I'll never be back here again.

Yeah, time for a change and with Obama you get 57 states. foflmao!!

You see Ken you idiot As an American I am so fed up with people like yourself trying to push hussein obama on us.

Well, used to like Hillary...but what does God say—about murder??? Let's pray for her and this party. We still need a supernatural intervention to make us one in love and peace. Only Jesus is that power!

Ken, if you are so smart why are bloging? You are too dumb to be a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist. Guess you get your kicks putting other people down.

Here's my concern.... "I WILL STAND WITH THE MUSLIMS SHOULD THE POLITICAL WINDS SHIFT IN AN UGLY DIRECTION." Barack Obama Well I stand with the United States of America and I believe its high time those leaked to terrorist organizations are brought to justice. I don't care who they are or how many.

Ken,

What was the purpose of your commentary?

WAS IT TO DEPRESS THE HELL OUT OF ME.

IT WORKED.

LOL

It's Gawker Media's anal side: we like to make changes in a neat package. As well as my own promotion, there are new managing editors at two other titles; and there's a new site launching today. At Wonkette, the political gossip site, by popular demand, the legendary Ken Layne is back, this time as managing editor. And, at Defamer, Gawker's entertainment gossip title, Mark Graham is coming in as managing editor.

Mark Lisanti, the site's founding editor and one of the best writers on the web, will remain. But Defamer's expanding, into celebrity photos and video clips, and original reporting. So we're hiring the site's first managing editor. Mark Graham, who'll take over the administration of the operation, was a manager at Viacom. More importantly, he's an old-school blogger, creator of Whatevs, one of the first pop culture blogs.

And the one last bullet point to this company press release: Annalee Newitz, a contributor to Wired among many other publications, is helming Gawker's new science fiction and futurist culture site, io9, which launches today.

With all due respect to Ken, Jason, Nick and Elizabeth and all you other bloggin' fools:

Why I live in San Francisco, not NY or LA.

3)I don't have a British accent, the must-have accessory in New York or LA these days. Brits have replaced Southerners, particularly in NY, as the still-smoking heavy-drinking foul-mouthed objects of curiosity for the pseudo-lit set and its hangers-on. Ain't that right, Nicky?

4)Fucking and shopping are not competitive sports here, except for gay men.

Chris Nolan

Dear Chris,

San Francisco-bashing: Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel^TM

1) Eye of the beholder. Okay, San Francisco, generally: pretty. Ish. Sometimes.

Drunks, heroin addicts, poop in the streets: not so pretty.

2) You must be refering to that other mystical San Francisco Ken was talking about.

3) You've been away from NYC far, far too long. Brits are, like, soooo over. And Southerners? Hellooooo 1988!

And as Graydon Carter would say, there's nothing wrong with drinking, smoking and cussing.

4) We'll take competitive fucking and shopping over competitive self-righteousness anyday. Which is sillier: my supermodel girlfriend is hotter than your supermodel girlfriend, or my soy milk is more organic than your soy milk? Tomato, tomahto.

5) Don't hate us because we're beautiful.

6) The only reason why San Francisco is cheaper is because people are fleeing the city like a rats on a sinking ship. Fewer big spenders mean supply exceeds demand and prices fall. (It certainly wasn't cheaper before April of 2000.)

7) People in New York don't recognize Trillin because they're part of the media culture; they recognize Trillin because his picture's on the book jacket cover and people in New York actually read books instead of burning them. (We hear the Berkeley Library has been officially reduced to the Winnie-the-Pooh anthology, so as not to offend anyone anywhere.)

8) Fur: one woman's guilt complex; another woman's portable space heater.

9) I'm trying really hard to understand the appeal of a car town with no parking, crappy public transportation, and massive hills that make casual bicycling an extreme sport and it's just...not...happening. I mean, really. You have trolleys; how can you possibly expect to be taken seriously?

10) Unexpected treats: the noticeably absent crunch of crack pipes under your Manolos when you exit your building; being able to eat a thick juicy steak without horrified glares of disapproval and/or avocado; and being almost as far away from Berkeley as geographically possible.

We can only assume that the heroin dealers have proliferated to such an extent that all breathable air in the Marina is now laced with smack, as heavy narcotics are the obvious prerequisite for a top 10 list that favors San Francisco over New York. Maybe you should come back to New York and detox. (If we hear you talking about what a nice down-to-earth guy that Larry Ellison is, we're sending over a rescue squad; we don't care what you say.)

As for Ken Layne, we haven't done the "L.A. Sucks" issue yet, so I suppose it's a bit premature to talk about skies in lovely shades of slate from which birds periodically freefall, having choked to death on the pollution. But soon!

Best Regards,
Elizabeth Spiers