Self-Inflicted: Man Writing Kindness in America Book Admits to Shooting Self

A West Virginia man who claimed to have been shot hitchhiking across the country while writing a book on kindness in the United States has admitted the whole incident was a hoax.

Authorities say that 39-year-old Roy Dolin shot himself in the arm as a desperate ploy to garner attention for the book he was writing, titled Kindness in America. Police believe Dolin shot himself and then created an elaborate story about a man driving a maroon colored pick-up truck pulling up and shooting him without provocation as he walked along a desolate stretch of Montana road last week.

Authorities later arrested Lloyd Christopher Danielson III, 52, and charged him with felony assault in connection with the crime. Dolin would finally admit that he had made the entire incident up, and charges have been dropped against Danielson, who remains in jail on unrelated drug charges.

Before admitting it was all just a hoax, Dolin talked at great length with reporters from around the world about the alleged crime, claiming he was writing a photographic coffee table book detailing how kindness still existed in the heart of America.  He would go on to cite several incidences of spontaneous kindness he had experienced during his journey across the country, although those claims are now suspect. He also told reporters that the attack had not changed his mind that kindness still existed in the nation.

It is believed his main motive was to gather enough attention to score a high-dollar book advance from a publishing house as well selling movie rights to his story.

The Diary of Foxy Knoxy: Amanda Knox Signs Lucrative Book Deal

Amanda Knox, the American who was accused of murdering a love rival while studying in Italy, has signed a lucrative book deal to tell her story. Sources say that Knox met with a number of high profile book publishers and that a bidding war broke out for her memoirs. Harper Publishing came out on top of the bids, with an offer estimated to be in the range of $4 million for international publishing rights.

Knox, who spent four years behind bars in an Italian prison accused of murdering British student Meredith Kercher, was exonerated of all charges and was allowed to return to the United States in October. Her boyfriend,  Raffaele Sollecito, was also cleared of all charges in the murder, which made headlines around the world and kept millions captivated. The news isn't as good for Sollecito, as Italian prosecutors asked the country's highest criminal court to reinstate the murder convictions against him and Knox this past week.

Knox, 24, has only done one interview since being released from prison last year. She is currently dating musician James Tarrano and living in Seattle, Washington. The as-yet-untitled memoir is expected to be released by early 2013.

Pippa the Party Planner Promotes Publishing Plan

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton's ambitious younger sister Pippa has signed a lucrative publishing contract to pen a book on party planning. The 28-year-old stunner signed the six-figure deal with Penguin imprint Michael Joseph in the UK.

There was said to be a fierce bidding war over the publishing rights to the book on how to be a perfect party hostess, with the winning publisher bidding $650,000 for a one-book deal. Pippa has been at the head of her family's London based party planning company Table Talk, as well as writing for the company's official website, for the past several years. Middleton's literary agent David Godwin negotiated the lucrative deal after Pippa (real name Philippa) submitted a proposal with a sample chapter. She will not use the services of a ghostwriter and will pen the entire book herself, with the help of an editor, her agent reveals.

It is believed that Pippa asked permission from Queen Elizabeth to write the as-yet-untitled book before submitting the proposal, as she did not want to appear as if she was banking on her royal connection. Before Pippa's sister Kate married Prince William earlier this year in a lavish ceremony, the Middleton family had forged their own home entertaining empire that is now said to be worth over $65 million. Looks as if Pippa is set to become the UK's answer to Martha Stewart.