LOCAL

LOCAL

PILAW Poetry Slam

YOUNGSTOWN — Pig Iron Press Literary & Arts Works will sponsor its 11th annual Pig Iron Poetry Slam at the Lemon Grove Cafe, 122 W. Federal Street. Parking is in the AMPCO lot on Commerce Street, between Phelps and Hazel streets.

The event is an open poetry competition, peer reviewed by a panel of judges including the Master of Ceremonies — Dr. Raymond Beiersdorfer of Youngstown State University — five randomly-selected audience members and the audience itself.

Sign-up will be at the door from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m., with readings to begin at 7:30. No advance registration is required.

There is no age, experience or other type of restriction to participate. However, props and costumes are prohibited, and readers are limited to one original poem with four minutes to present it. First prize is a piggy bank and gift basket; second prize, a gift certificate.

A dollar donation is requested from everyone attending. Funds raised will benefit the 28 public programs supported by the PILAW, including Second Tuesday Poetry readings; Work-in-Progress Writing workshops; poetry readings at First Night Youngstown, at Pig Iron Press and the YSU Summer Arts Festival; and the PIP Community Street Festival.

For more information, call (330) 747-6932.

Awards

Byatt, Coetzee on Booker Prize shortlist

LONDON — A.S. Byatt and J.M. Coetzee are again among the six finalists announced for literature’s prestigious Man Booker Prize.

Byatt’s Edwardian family saga “The Children’s Book” and Coetzee’s semi-autobiographical “Summertime” are leading contenders for the $82,000 fiction award.

A victory for South African Nobel literature laureate Coetzee would make him the first writer to win the Booker three times. He took the prize in 1983 with “Life & Times of Michael K” and in 1999 with “Disgrace.”

Byatt won the Booker in 1990 for “Possession.”

But, they face strong competition from Adam Foulds’ “The Quickening Maze,” inspired by 19th-century poet John Clare; Simon Mawer’s “The Glass Room,” the story of a Jewish family set against the backdrop of the rise of Nazism; Sarah Waters’ “The Little Stranger,” a spooky tale that unfolds in 1940s England; and Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hill,” a historical novel set during the reign of Henry VIII, which odds makers are heralding the 4/5 favorite to win.

The winner will be announced Oct. 6.

BOOK DEALS

Crankin’: Patterson signs a deal for 17 books

NEW YORK — After more than 40 best-sellers, James Patterson is just getting started. He has agreed to a 17-book deal with his longtime publisher, the Hachette Book Group — an unthinkable commitment for most writers, but for Patterson, a mere three years’ worth of work.

“Jim has all of these incredible franchises,” says his literary representative, Washington attorney Robert Barnett, who cited such popular series as “Maximum Ride,” “Daniel X” and the Alex Cross detective stories. “And when you put all of those franchises together, that’s a lot of books.”

Hachette announced that the ultra-prolific novelist will turn out 10 adult thrillers, one nonfiction work and six novels for young people by the end of 2012. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Patterson’s co-authors have included Maxine Paetro and Andrew Gross.

E-MATTERS

E-book release delayed for Kennedy memoir

NEW YORK — E-book fans will have to wait for a download of Sen. Ted Kennedy’s memoir.

“True Compass,” one of the year’s most anticipated books, is scheduled to come out Monday. But publisher Twelve, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, has decided to hold off “indefinitely” on a digital edition. Jonathan Karp, head of Twelve, said the delay was a “business decision.”

Kennedy, diagnosed last year with brain cancer, died Aug. 25 at age 77. The book was originally scheduled to come out in 2010, but was moved up to October 2009 then to Monday in hopes Kennedy would live to see its publication. Twelve has announced a first printing of 1.5 million copies, and pre-orders of hardcover have been strong enough to place the book in the top 10 on Amazon.com. “True Compass” has a list price of $35. E-books usually sell for under $10.

Kennedy agreed to publish with Twelve in 2007 and reportedly received up to $9 million for his book, a rare firsthand, high-level account of one of history’s most famous political dynasties.

Combined dispatches