Just released today: Phantom by Terry Goodkind, Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke, and Sleeping with Fear by Kay Hooper.

There’s been a number of news items posted since our last update (and my apologies for not posting them sooner). To start with, a hospital in England that holds the rights to Peter Pan is coming out with a “sequel” to the original, in hopes of raising some money from it before their rights run out in 2007.

The Da Vinci Code is still being accused of plagiarism as two of the authors of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail prepare to appeal the court case that they lost.

There have been blog entries from a number of authors, including Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martian, and Neil Gaiman (just a few - I’m sure there are others).

As a final note - we’re a little late on this, but Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs and Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark were released on the 11th. Genres are thriller and mystery, respectively.

Apparently, there’s a contest set up to recognize bad writing - and there has been since 1982. Jim Guigli won it after entering 64 pieces.

In the end, the judges decided that this was the worst of them:

Detective Bart Lasiter was in his office studying the light from his one small window falling on his super burrito when the door swung open to reveal a woman whose body said you’ve had your last burrito for a while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes said she could make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean.

AP has the full story.

There’s something on saving the world with science fiction, JK Rowling is receiving another honorary degree, and Google’s still in trouble with the publishing industry.

Robert Jordan, author of the Wheel of Time fantasy series, also updated his blog today.

Holly Lisle’s new book, I See You (a romantic thriller) is in stores today.

Most writers will probably know Holly from the tutorials, workshops, and other articles for writers that have been posted on her website. Past novels that she has published include Talyn, Midnight Rain, and the Secret Texts trilogy.

New books released today:

- Proof Positive by Philip Margolin - legal thriller
- What They Want by Omar Tyree - general
- The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho - literary fiction; released in the US today but previously published elsewhere.

Guardian Unlimited Books has a story on the declining public library in the UK, and the makeovers that some have been receiving:

The library, at Richmond in west London, is one of three in the UK which re-opened yesterday with fanfares and visits by celebrity authors after intensive 12-week makeovers.

Each library transform costs around £90,000 (approximately $165,000 USD).

I was under the impression that the film adaption of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy was already a sure thing, but it seems that the production was just given the official “green light” by New Line.

The film’s budget is £83 million. 12-year-old Dakota Blue Richards (who Pullman describes as “absoloutely marvellous”) has been cast for the role of Lyra, and filming will start in September - the sceduled release date is Autumn, 2007.

Guardian Unlimited Books has the full story.