Author J.K. Rowling has filed a lawsuit against a Michigan man to prevent him from publishing a guide to her series of Harry Potter books.  The author, along with Warner Bros., who produce the series of films by the same name, are suing the man in federal court to prevent him and a publishing company from turning his online web site into a 400 page book.

The man, Steve Vander Ark, of Byron Center, Michigan, created the “Harry Potter Lexicon,” a guide to the books, in 2000 while he taught at the Byron Center Christian School.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Rowling and Warner Bros. say Vander Ark’s work “regurgitates…J.K. Rowling’s own material” for profit and curtails any plans Rowling may have planned to produce her own companion book to the Harry Potter series.  They also point out that Rowling and her attorneys argue that there’s quite a difference between simple online discussion of the books in general and websites that can be turned into books to cash in.

Says Vander Ark:

“I don’t play golf. I don’t watch a lot of TV.  This is my hobby.  If I had known she would object, I never would have written the book.” 

Seriously, Harry Potter Lexicon is one very cool website with lots and lots of information ranging from time-lines and calendars to an encyclopedia of potions to a Hogwarts visitors guide. Personally, as a former children’s librarian, I can say in all honestly that kids were clamoring for this kind of information years ago, so why Rowling didn’t publish a separate book which included all these goodies a long time ago is a mystery - because she really should have.

Popularity: 3% [?]

NBC’s new dramedy “Lipstick Jungle,” based on the best-selling novel by Candace Bushnell (who also wrote the book “Sex and the City”), which stars Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price, will premiere on Thursday, February 7th. 

The announcement was made yesterday by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, as well as the casr, who appeared during NBC’s live broadcast of “Christmas at Rockefeller Center” special on November 28.

“This provocative new series is a fun, sexy look at strong women in New York City,” said Silverman. “We are very excited about Candace Bushnell’s larger-than-life characters - as embodied by its perfect cast - that has made ‘Lipstick’ a highly anticipated event since the network acquired the best-selling book.”

Based on the best-selling book, the new show follows three high-powered friends as they weather the ups and downs of lives lived at the top of their game.  Raver plays an editor-in-chief of a hot fashion magazine and has her eye on becoming CEO.  Movie exec Wendy (played by Shields) does everything she can to balance career and family, while free-spirited designer Victory (played by Price) longs to make her dreams come true, and maybe find Mr. Right along the way.  

“Lipstick Jungle” also co-stars Andrew McCarthy, Julian Sands, David Alan Basche, David Norona and Paul Blackthorne. 

So far, it sounds a lot like ”Sex and the City” minus one female lead.

Popularity: 20% [?]