Clarification

In our report entitled “Author Wins Round in Royalty Dispute” (Aug. 11), readers may have been given the impression that the $209,000 awarded to author Sherry Argov was for back royalties owed for her book Why Men Love Bitches. In fact, of that amount, $25 was considered damages and the bulk was technically for attorneys' fees and other legal costs. F&W has contested other statements made in the article (see www.publishersweekly.com/FWclarification).

Audible Starts Indie Line

Audible is launching an imprint to showcase titles from indie houses before they are released in print. Audible IndieFirst will publish the sorts of titles that usually don't become audiobooks. The titles will be released a month before print publication. The line launches this month with Akashic Books' Demons in the Spring by Joe Meno, and will release 12 titles annually. Titles will be available at Audible.com and iTunes.

Upgrade for iPhone eReader

E-book retailer Fictionwise has released eReader 1.1, an upgrade to the e-book software for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Fictionwise reports that eReader has been installed on 130,000 iPhone/iPod Touch devices and 35,000 of that group have purchased e-books from Fictionwise.com.

RD Sells QSP

Reader's Digest has agreed to sell its fund-raising division QSP to Time for $110 million. QSP uses school and youth groups to sell magazines, gifts and books door-to-door and via the Internet. The unit has struggled as increased competition has resulted in a loss of sales reps, which hurt its performance.

S&S Kids' Goes Hollywood

S&S Children's Publishing has inked a formal agreement with the L.A.-based Gotham Group to share in profits on movies Gotham develops based on its literary properties. The deal pertains only to projects S&S retains film rights on and calls for Gotham to bring film-bound material to the publisher for literary adaptation.

New Akashic Reprint Series

Akashic Books is launching the AkashiClassics: Renegade Reprint series, a line that will bring important works back into print. The series will launch in January 2009 with Home: Social Essays by Amiri Baraka (aka LeRoi Jones), originally published in 1966, and The Hungered One, short stories by noted playwright Ed Bullins, originally published in 1971.

Candlewick Has New DiCamillo

Candlewick Press has acquired the latest title from Kate DiCamillo and will release The Magician's Elephant, aimed at middle grade readers, in fall 2009. Although the house would not release any details about the plot, a film deal for DiCamillo—her book Because of Winn Dixie was made into a 2005 film—has already been ironed out. Holly McGhee and Emily van Beek at Pippin Properties optioned film rights to TheMagician's Elephant to Fox 2000.

Steinbeck Rights Back To Penguin

In a decision overturning a 2006 ruling, the rights to 10 John Steinbeck titles, including The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, were returned to Penguin. The 2006 ruling had given the rights to Steinbeck's son and granddaughter.