Hollywood Today
Patterson pulls ‘The Murder of Stephen King’
NEW YORK (AP) — James Patterson has decided that an upcoming novel, "The Murder of Stephen King," wasn't a good idea after all and is having the scheduled Nov. 1 publication withdrawn.
In a statement released Thursday through Little, Brown and Company, Patterson said he didn't want to cause King or his family "any discomfort." The book was intended as a tribute to King, a King-like story of an obsessed fan out to get the writer. But Patterson, who co-authored the 150page novel with Derek Nikitas, said he had learned that fans in real life had "disrupted" King's home.
"My book is a positive portrayal of a fictional character, and, spoiler alert, the main character is not actually murdered," he said. "Nevertheless, I do not want to cause Stephen King or his family any discomfort. Out of respect for them, I have decided not to publish 'The Murder of Stephen King.'"
Despite the jarring title and Patterson's best-seller status, the novel ranked just No. 30,491 on Amazon.com as of midday Thursday. King had no involvement with the book and declined to comment last week when asked about it by The Associated Press.
Patterson told the AP last week that he and King don't know each other, although there is some public history between them. In a 2009 interview with USA Weekend, King said Patterson was "a terrible writer but he's very successful." Patterson, speaking to the AP, shrugged off the remarks as "hyperbole."
The novel about King was a featured work in the prolific Patterson's BookShots series of brief, inexpensive fiction. As a replacement, he will be releasing the novel "Taking the Titanic" in November.
Comedian and sitcom star Jerrod Carmichael will author book
NEW YORK (AP) — Stand-up comic and TV star Jerrod Carmichael is now set to be an author.
The creator-star of NBC's "The Carmichael Show" has signed to write his first book. The as-yet-untitled memoir will explore his life through the framework of the personal interactions that have shaped his world view, according to his publisher, Random House.
Carmichael said he's excited to share his perspectives on some of the most interesting people I've encountered, in what I consider the most important medium: the written word."
No release date for the book was disclosed.
"The Carmichael Show," which follows a fictional version of the comedian and his family, premiered in August 2015 and has been renewed for a third season.
Italy reopens Spanish Steps after controversy over fence
ROME (AP) — Rome's iconic Spanish Steps officially reopened to the public Thursday after a cleaning and repair job financed by luxury jeweler Bulgari, the latest in a series of privately-funded restorations of Italy's cultural treasures.
The reopening had been beset by controversy over Bulgari's insistence that the city better protect the newly pristine monument from drunks, tourists and others by fencing off the staircase at night. But Mayor Virginia Raggi said Thursday she didn't think a fence was needed.
"It's fundamental to let people use cultural heritage sites," she said, adding that visitors and Romans alike must be educated to use them responsibly.
Raggi said the city would make sure the steps aren't abused.
Bulgari's flagship store is on the glitzy street that leads to the Piazza di Spagna. In proposing the fence, the company cited damage to the steps over the years and, more recently, the piazza's fountain by visiting soccer hooligans.
The restoration is one of several that Italian authorities have allowed private sponsors to fund amid government budget shortfalls and the unending need to care for Italy's crumbling monuments and artworks. Shoemaker Tod's footed the 25 million euro bill for the Colosseum restoration, and Italy has begun offering generous tax breaks for donations to help public museums and monuments.
But Bulgari's insistence that the Spanish Steps now be better cared for was evidence of a certain sense of entitlement that these private sponsors are able to exert.