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Beaufort Books Publishing Deal with Goldman Family

On August 14, Beaufort Books announced that it had finalized a publishing deal with the Goldman family for the O.J. Simpson tell-all book, If I Did It. The news comes some eight months after News Corp. and ReganBooks announced the cancellation of the controversial Simpson book and television special following a firestorm of protest raised by booksellers, Fox TV station affiliates, and many in the general public who vehemently decried the project.

In August 2007, a Florida bankruptcy court awarded the rights of If I Did It to the Goldman family. The Goldmans, the publisher, and Sharlene Martin will all contribute portions of sales proceeds to the Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice.

Los Angeles-based literary agent Sharlene Martin of Martin Literary Management brokered the deal between the Goldman Family and Beaufort Books. "I am very proud to be part of my clients' effort to expose this confessional to the rest of the world. Once I read it, I knew I wanted to help get this book out so any illusions of 'fiction' would be dismissed," Martin said in a statement.


Stockton Just Says No to Superstores

On Tuesday, August 14, Stockton, California's city council voted 6 -1 to block any stores that exceed 100,000 square feet and contain full-size grocery stores, Stockton's Recordnet.com reported. That may mean no Wal-Mart, which had plans to build two stores in Stockton, in Weston Ranch and Spanos Park West. And Recordnet.com noted the decision could also spoil plans for a Super Target in northeast Stockton. As Councilwoman Suan Eggman put it to the Recordnet.com: "I don't want to be a big-box city."


HarperCollins Launches "Browse Inside" for Apple iPhone

HarperCollins Publishers recently announced the launch of the "Browse Inside" feature for the Apple iPhone. According to HarperCollins, the Browse Inside "digitally replicates the experience of browsing the pages of a book prior to purchasing." For those with an iPhone who wish to experience the pilot project firsthand, open the Safari browser on the iPhone, and go to http://iphone.libredigital.com.


Marc Gluckman Named VP, Sales and Marketing for Coutts

Marc Gluckman has been named Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Coutts Information Services, North America, a subsidiary of Ingram Book Group. Gluckman will oversee the U.S. and Canadian sales departments, and he will manage the e-content and new business divisions in North America as well. He will be coordinating sales and marketing efforts along with Andy Alferovs, Vice President of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and Stephen Pugh, Vice President of Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.