Bookish Launches With High-Profile Exclusive Content: Michael Connelly On The Book He Needed To Stop Writing; The Onion Editors Review "Fifty Shades Of Grey" And "The Art Of War"; "Eat, Pray, Love" Author Elizabeth Gilbert Takes On Philip Roth; Excerpt From The Upcoming Thriller "Six Years" By Harlan Coben

NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bookish (www.bookish.com), a one-stop, comprehensive online destination designed to connect readers with books and authors, launches today, providing visitors with exclusive content and insider access to A-list writers. Notable launch stories include:

• A joint interview with legendary crime fiction writer Michael Connelly and prize-winning suspense author Michael Koryta, revealing that Connelly had begun a book centering on a school shooting prior to the tragedy in Sandy Hook. The article also features juicy tidbits about both Connelly and Koryta's upcoming books: www.bookish.com/connelly

• The editors of The Onion offer humorous reviews of the latest bestsellers and classic books in an ongoing series that will kick off with the erotic novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" and landmark business tome "The Art of War": www.bookish.com/onion-reviews

• Elizabeth Gilbert, renowned for her bestselling memoir "Eat, Pray, Love," takes on Philip Roth's vocal condemnation of the writing profession in an exclusive essay that also features her singular perspective on the benefits of living life as a writer: www.bookish.com/gilbert-roth

• With Harlan Coben's latest psychological thriller "Six Years" debuting March 19, Bookish provides visitors with a first look at the book's first chapter: www.bookish.com/coben-excerpt

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130205/NY54097LOGO)

With the backing of Hachette Book Group, Penguin and Simon & Schuster, as well as the participation of 16 other major publishers, including Random House, Inc., Scholastic, HarperCollins Publishers, and Perseus Books Group, Bookish will provide readers with a wealth of original and exclusive content about books and writers, while also allowing users to conveniently browse, discover and purchase new reads without leaving the site.

Celebrated authors, personalities, and public figures will be at the center of interviews, articles, opinion pieces and more throughout the weeks following launch, including Po Bronson, Rhonda Byrne, Susannah Cahalan, Nelson DeMille, Lauren DeStefano, Lucy Hawking, Mary & Carol Higgins Clark, Ellen Hopkins, Jamaica Kincaid, Karen Kingsbury, Brad Meltzer, Susan Orlean, Rachael Ray, Jake Tapper, Oliver Stone & Peter Kuznick and Teddy Wayne.

The Bookish editorial team, made up of seasoned journalists, book editors and industry professionals, will update the site daily with features that give a fresh and compelling perspective on books and authors. With copious original book coverage about authors and inside information on upcoming books each week, the site lets visitors engage with great reads and writers across 18 popular categories in sections devoted to subjects ranging from "Fiction & Literature" and "Young Adult" to "Biographies & Memoirs" and "Cookbooks, Food & Wine." 

Visitors to Bookish looking to find their next book will also benefit from the site's state-of-the-art recommendation tool. After simply inputting up to four books from a specific category, Bookish will quickly generate recommendations from a proprietary algorithm that factors in editorial themes, professional and consumer reviews, publishing house editor insights, awards and more.

Each title featured on Bookish has its own book page. These dedicated pages showcase a range of elements, including:

• An easy-to-access preview of the first chapter through Bookish's e-Reader
• Related book videos
• A roundup of Bookish's must-read lists in which the book has been spotlighted
• A newsfeed of the latest stories from around the web related to the book
• A brief book description
• Cover art
• Other books by the same author

The site also features similarly robust author pages, whether the writer is a modern bestselling novelist like Jonathan Franzen or Patricia Cornwell, a legendary literary figure such as Jane Austen or Ernest Hemingway, or an up-and-coming writer like Kevin Powers or Michael Sears.

In addition, visitors to the site can:

• Seamlessly share their actions on Bookish with followers and friends on Twitter and Facebook
• Create a virtual shelf of favorite books that they have read and/or a wishlist shelf for books that they want to read
• Share personal book reviews and star ratings on the site

Bookish also gives users the option of buying both physical books and e-books through a seamless process on the site (powered by its e-commerce partner Baker & Taylor), or to easily click through to a retailer of the user's choice, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble or IndieBound, to purchase their next read. In addition to e-commerce, Bookish will also derive revenue through digital advertising sales.

"Bookish was created to serve as a champion of books, writers and, most importantly, readers," said Ardy Khazaei, CEO, Bookish. "Ultimately, we seek to expand the overall marketplace for books, and whether a book gets into a reader's hands via Bookish's e-commerce partner or another retailer, everyone–from the publisher, to the retailer, the author and the reader–wins."

To heighten Bookish's consumer awareness and reach, the site is collaborating with USA TODAY. As part of the initiative, Bookish's e-Reader technology will be integrated on USA TODAY's site enabling visitors to preview books and get recommendations. As part of the collaboration, Bookish's original book-related content will also be syndicated through USA TODAY's site. In return, Bookish will feature USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list and more.

Visitors can expect to see additional interactive features rolled out over the next few months as the Bookish team works continuously to enhance the site's user experience.

"Bookish is creating an ideal destination for readers that gives them experience, trusted recommendations and exclusive content," said David Young, CEO, Hachette Book Group. "The website's content and offerings will be informed by the insights of publishers, and will connect books and readers in innovative ways. We're very excited about this central community for books and authors."

"We're very pleased to present and support Bookish, another example of our ongoing commitment to using technology to connect writers with readers everywhere," said David Shanks, CEO, Penguin Group (USA). "By combining resources with our partners, we're creating a robust site that will become a go-to destination for all book lovers. We look forward to receiving consumer feedback as new features and functionalities are added."

"Today's launch is a banner moment for readers, authors and publishers alike," said Carolyn Reidy, President and CEO, Simon & Schuster.  "Bookish utilizes the publishers' deep knowledge of our titles together with cutting edge technology to help readers make informed choices, and we look forward to growing and evolving the site in the service of helping readers find books." 

About Hachette Book Group:
Hachette Book Group (HBG) is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second-largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG publishes under the divisions of Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, Orbit, Hachette Nashville, and Hachette Digital. For more information, visit http://www.hachettebookgroup.com.

About Penguin Group (USA):
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam's Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.

About Simon & Schuster:
Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic and audio formats.  Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom.  For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

About Bookish:
Bookish LLC is backed by leading publishing houses Hachette Book Group (HBG), Penguin Group (USA) and Simon & Schuster. Launched in 2013, the site is a comprehensive online resource designed to connect readers with books and authors.  For more information, visit www.bookish.com.

SOURCE Bookish