What’s New in the Book World?

KFC erotica, Amazon drama, and more

This week we’ve seen Amazon behaving like Amazon (read: mildly evil), Hillary Clinton speculative fiction, KFC published erotica, and JK Rowling got compared to the Kardashians. I’m at a loss on this one. Read up.

New Amazon Buy Button Program Draws Ire of Publishers, Authors

A new program from Amazon that allows third party book sellers to “win” buy buttons on book pages has caused a minor uproar in publishing circles. Basically, until now, when you bought a new book from Amazon, the copy sold came directly from Amazon, out of stock they had purchased from the publisher. The third party retailers — who are chosen based on price and delivery speed — haven’t acquired their copies from publishing houses, meaning their sales don’t pay writers royalty, count towards BookScan numbers, or help publishing houses. On top of that, the degree of “newness” in Amazon’s policy appears a little suspect, leaving room for used copies to slip in as well. Some people think this is just a part of a larger push by Amazon to force publishers to use their print-on-demand model.

If you're the sort who cares about books-and if you've heard of a nobody like me, you must!-buy your books at Powell's or your local.

 — @NMamatas

[Publishers Weekly/Jim Milliot]

KFC just published a ridiculously raunchy and bizarre romance novella starring a Casanova Colonel Sanders

You read that right. In preparation for Mother’s Day, KFC published a romance novel called Tender Wings of Desire. The plot follows Lady Madeline Parker. While tending bar at a sailor’s watering whole, Madeline encounters a disguised Colonel Harlan Sanders. The two fall in love and begin a torrid affair. While this book is shockingly real, the fried chicken content seems disappointingly scarce.

[Business Insider/Kate Taylor]

New Curtis Sittenfeld novel will imagine Hillary Clinton’s life without Bill

The odd trend of Hillary Clinton speculative fiction has continued. Author Curtis Sittenfeld has just inked a book deal with Random House to publish an as-yet-untitled novel that tracks Hillary Rodham’s life after rejecting Bill’s proposal. This isn’t Sittenfeld’s first turn novelizing a first lady, she wrote 2008 bestseller American Wife about Laura Bush. As of yet, there’s no word on how the changes alters Hillary’s path. Perhaps, without the baggage of spousal relations, she had time to campaign in Wisconsin.

[The Guardian/Bonnie Malkin]

JK Rowling’s ego akin to Kim Kardashian’s, says Joanna Trollope

Writer Joanna Trollope has taken shots at JK Rowling (and Twitter), remarking, “Creating this mass following and tweeting several times a day is like wanting to be [the pop star] Cheryl or Kim Kardashian. Some writers like JK Rowling have this insatiable need and desire to be out there all the time, and that’s entirely driven by their ego.” While I think we can all admit JK Rowling’s Twitter isn’t that good, Trollope’s comments seem, at best, a bit out of touch. For her health, I hope no one makes Joanna aware that Alt-Lit was a thing.

[The Guardian/Nadia Khomami]

Milo Will Sue Simon & Schuster for $10 Million