While the general focus of this blog is not new books, I can't help but mention this interesting publisher's gimmick: HarperCollins imprint William Morrow has announced the upcoming release of a book ... and much beyond that. Their release notes: "A world wide publishing event, this book will make headlines around the world. A shattering, provocative and mesmerizing true story, it will receive major national media attention here in the U.S. in addition to making news around the globe." Title, author, subject - all "to be revealed upon publication."
The initial print run of this title is 300,000 - and the retail price will be $25.95. Some clues to its identity come in the shelving suggestions from Ingram: Biography & Autobiography, and Childhood Memoir. Galleycat suggests it might have something to do with Michael Jackson. In an update today, they note that Publishers Weekly got HC publicists to deny that the book was by a White House insider. The PW article mainly focuses on many booksellers' suspicions of the embargoed title and their unwillingness to order large quantities of it without more information, noting that these stunts can backfire just as often as they drive up sales.
Grumpy Old Bookman, following up on the Michael Jackson theme (which will be rather disappointing if true, because I couldn't care less), suggests that the author could be Macaulay Caulkin.
Plunking the ISBN (0061138959) into Amazon reveals a book info page titled simply "Project X" - how very mysterious!
