Tattered Essence

The BBC is looking to sell a majority stake in BBC Audiobooks. At least sources familiar with the company are saying that.

BBC Audiobooks was formed in 2001 and includes the American division BBC Audiobooks America.

The decision to sell is part of BBC’s strategy to more tightly focus its operations. Look for the sale to be completed in 2010.

Crime novel author Dominick Dunne has died at his home in NYC. He was 83. He was believed to be battling bladder cancer. He has a new novel, “Too Much Money,” coming out in December.

A self-published book is doing the impossible. It is getting a window and launch event at Neiman Marcus.

Self-publisher Mandy Williams, who is the “Black” of the sister writing duo, “the Red and the Black,” is not an easy person to turn down.

The store manager of the Houston Neiman Marcus compares the book that she and sister, Tina Pennington, wrote, What I Learned about Life When My Husband Got Fired!, to a cross between The Devil Wears Prada and a practical book on finance.

The book will be rolling out to other Neiman Marcus stores in Texas and be available online in a special Neiman Marcus edition.

The Bellwether Prize committee will accept submissions from September 1 through October 2, 2009. This period is for the 2010 award. The prize was established by Barbara Kingsolver,

The prize supports the writing and publication of serious literary fiction addressing issues of social justice in culture and human relations. It has been awarded in even-numbered years for the past decade. In addition to the $25,000 cash prize, the award guarantees publication of the winning novel by a major U.S. publishing house.

Liam Neeson “is negotiating to star in Unknown White Male, the Dark Castle thriller that will be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra,” Variety reported. The film is adapted from Didier Van Cauwelaert’s novel Out of My Head. Production is set to begin next January.

Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) will direct a screen version of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. “The project has been set up at Universal, where Scott will produce the project with an eye to direct. His sometimes collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio, meanwhile, will produce with an eye to star,” according to the Hollywood Reporter, which added that Farhad Safinia will adapt the novel and “much of the timing going forward will depend on the script.”