These days, it seems like nothing is pure when it comes to media. Books turn into movies, which spawn video games and TV series. Magazines and newspapers direct readers of the print edition to exclusive online content (and vice versa). Authors of books take advantage of free publicity opportunities by becoming bloggers. And now, the new trend to hit the shelves of Barnes and Noble (and Powell’s!) – bloggers who score themselves some sweet book deals. Below, a few of the offerings: Go Fug Yourself: The Fug Awards – Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
To be honest, I’m not quite sure why this needed to become a book.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell – Tucker Max
I’m embarrassed to say I actually paid money for this book.

Television Without Pity: 752 Things We Love to Hate (and Hate to Love) About Television – Tara Ariano and Sarah D. Bunting
Written like an encyclopedia with cross-referenced entries and a sad lack of illustration, this book takes the website’s TV obsessions to the next level.

PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Extraordinary Lives (and sequels) – Frank Warren
The perfect book for emo tea parties.

Stuff White People Like – Christian Lander
This blogger reportedly swung a $300,000 advance for this book, prompting him to add #92 on his list of Caucasians’ favorite things – book deals.

Overheard in New York: Conversations from the Streets, Stores, and Subways – S. Morgan Friedman and Michael Malice
Overheard in the Office also became a book.

The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media – Gawker Media
Rumor has it this manuscript sold for a quarter-mil but fewer than 1,000 copies were sold - and Portfolio.com proceeded to chronicle its dismal sales with weird glee.

Passive Aggressive Notes: Painfully Polite and Hilariously Hostile Writings – Kerry Miller

I Can Has Cheezburger? A LOLcat Colleckshun – Professor Happycat and icanhascheezburger.com

Coming Soon:

F My Life – Maxime Valette, Guillaume Passaglia and Didier Guedj
This Is Why You’re Fat – Richard Blakeley and Jessica Amason
Less than two months after launching the site, this pair scored a deal for a book that’s perhaps not the best thing to leave lying out at dinner parties.

F*** You Penguin – supposedly coming out in fall 2009 from Random House. This one I would buy. Seriously.

Tags:   blogs · books · publishing industry · Tanya1 Comment