Jack Vance, prolific, prize-winning pulp author, dies at 96

Jack Vance, prolific author of science fiction, mystery and epic fantasy, died Sunday at 96, his son John told the Associated Press. He had written more than 60 books during his long life.

Was Rudyard Kipling a plagiarist?

A letter, written by British author Rudyard Kipling in 1895, is up for auction. In it, Kipling confesses to it being "extremely possible" that he "promiscuously" borrowed from the work of others.

New Bridget Jones will be 'Mad About the Boy'

Bridget Jones is coming back, and she'll be "Mad About the Boy." That's the title of the upcoming novel by Helen Fielding, who's writing her first Bridget Jones book in more than a decade.

Judge rules gifts cards from belly-up Borders bookstores worthless

Those clinging hopefully to the old Borders books gift cards stashed in their drawers or wallets are out of luck, a Manhattan federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Paperless public library to open in Texas

A groundbreaking paperless public library system will open in Texas this year, the BBC reports.

Qantas to fly the literary skies

Australia's Qantas Airlines is promoting the announcement of its extended flight routes by commissioning a series of books that last exactly as long as each flight.

No e-book for Stephen King's new novel, 'Joyland'

In a move to bump up physical book sales, Stephen King will not release an e-book version of his new novel, "Joyland," the Wall Street Journal reports.

Jaron Lanier takes a hard look at the wired world

The Writer's Life: The smart, accessible 'Who Owns the Future?' peers critically at the online state of affairs and finds it out of balance.

Belle & Sebastian's Stuart David to write a book about the band

Stuart David, a founding member of Belle & Sebastian and its original bass player, will write a memoir about his time in the seminal indie pop band.

A Carlos Fuentes boom on the anniversary of his death

The Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes is the subject of a small, literary boom on the anniversary of his death.

Dan Brown: Happy 'Inferno' publication day

Happy publication day to Dan Brown, whose latest Robert Langdon thriller, "Inferno," officially hits shelves Tuesday. Online, it's already declared its dominance: It's Amazon's No. 1 bestselling book.

Welcome to Easy Rawlins' world: a Q&A; with Walter Mosley

A few weeks ago, I met Walter Mosley on Pico Boulevard near Fairfax, around the corner from where he was raised. This is a neighborhood that still fuels Mosley¿s imagination.

Michelle Tea turns a radical eye on YA in 'Mermaid in Chelsea Creek'

The writer and co-founder of Sister Spit talks about trading memoirs for a young adult fantasy trilogy.

Walter Mosley revisits Easy Rawlins' neighborhood

The seemingly dead detective is back in 'Little Green.' In an interview, Mosley discusses his legendary character as he wanders his old Mid-City neighborhood -- also Rawlins' home turf.

Microsoft may buy Barnes & Noble's Nook unit for $1 billion

According to internal documents obtained by the website TechCrunch, Microsoft has offered $1 billion for the digital assets of Nook Media, Barnes & Noble's digital book venture.

Candace Bushnell's upcoming novel leaked by hacker Guccifer

Candace Bushnell, author of "Sex and the City," is the latest to fall victim to Guccifer, the hacker who exposed former President George W. Bush's secret life as a painter, New York magazine reported.

Come to papa: Ernest Hemingway's papers return from Cuba

Records from the estate in Cuba where Ernest Hemingway wrote many of his most famous books have been digitized and brought to the United States, the Associated Press reports.

An artisanal Bible: A handwritten copy, four years in the making

A man in upstate New York has just about finished a task that was common enough until the invention of the printing press: Over the past four years, he has copied the King James Bible by hand.

Ken Baumann's secret life in books

He's best known for 'The Secret Life of the American Teenager,' but he's also in the literary vanguard as a writer and publisher of Sator Press.

Flip Wilson, a pioneer in prime time

Kevin Cook's new biography, 'Flip,' looks back at the life of a black TV star who helped break the color line

'The Mothers' follows one couple's attempt to adopt

Jennifer Gilmore's novel traces the ups and downs of one hopeful, frustrated pair.

Young Adult imprint? Go on, try one - everybody's doing it

Publisher Algonquin on Wednesday announced Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint to be launched this fall. In so doing, it is climbing on to a very crowded bandwagon.

Vivid portraits in William Stout's 'Legends of the Blues'

William Stout's "Legends of the Blues," picks up where R. Crumb's "Heroes of the Blues" left off, illustrating legendary blues musicians for the new book, coming May 7.

Beastie Boys memoir in the works: No sleep till deadline?

Rumors that the Beastie Boys would soon be penning a memoir were confirmed on Monday by the book's U.K. publisher, Faber & Faber: "Yes, it is true," the imprint's blog said.

A teen's quest for self-discovery in 'Maya's Notebook'

In Isabel Allende's latest novel, a troubled young Chilean-American woman flees for her life.