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From the author who brought the world American Psycho, Less than Zero, Glamorama, The Rules of Attraction and Lunar Park (as well as their cinematic spin-offs) comes a new novel, Imperial Bedrooms.

Bret Easton Ellis is back with a brand new offering, albeit continuing the thread from Less than Zero written twenty-five years ago when the author was still in college. Set to be released to the masses in June, Imperial Bedrooms picks up with Clay, Trent, Blair and co many years after the events depicted in the first novel.

If you want to know what Imperial Bedrooms is like, it’s pretty much along the same lines as the way literary critic Benjamin Alsup sees the rest of Ellis’ work:

“This is Ellis’s career-making insight: Fame and money and ass and murder make the world go round. True in 1985. True today.”

Despite the publishing industry’s concerns that digital technology (Google Books, e-book readers and the iPad) are taking over all forms of entertainment and culture, new statistics suggest that many loyal people are still remaining true to traditional forms such as books, CDs and DVDs.

According to a new survey by technology company Hewlett-Packard (HP), around 95 per cent of British consumers prefer reading old-fashioned books compared to their digital and online counterparts. The HP survey and others like it also found that:

• 70 per cent of UK people aged between 16 and 60 believe digital film and music will never replace the real thing – hard copies

• 75 per cent prefer to watch films on DVD than online

Excellent news for the publishing industry then – books have not been deserted!

According to the latest reports, Pope Benedict XVI has finished writing his second book, the follow-up to his bestselling Jesus of Nazareth. Expected to be released sometime in the next few months, the Vatican are describing it as:

“…dedicated to the Passion and the Resurrection (of Jesus), and starts where the first volume finished,”

The book has been written in the Pope’s native German and sent to publishers Manuel Herder as well as the Vatican Publishing House. The Vatican have explained the delay on the book’s release saying it will take time to translate it into many languages accurately. It also would have been completed sooner – early in 2010 – had the Pope not broken his wrist back in July 2009.

The children’s book that the late Boyzone star Stephen Gately finished shortly before his tragic death in Spain is set to go straight to the top of bestseller lists. Entitled Tree of Seasons, the book is 300 pages long and is a fantasy novel designed for children of all ages.

Due to Stephen’s immense popularity in Ireland, the book’s publishers Hodder & Stoughton are expecting the book to fly off the shelves. Around 15,000 copies have already been ordered in advance in the UK and Ireland, leading the publishers to say:

“We think it may be one of the biggest children’s titles this year.”

Tree of Seasons has been officially released today (May 13th).

Following a rather shocking piece of advice printed on the Zoo magazine agony uncle page, actor Danny Dyer has reportedly appointed lawyers to deal with the issue. Mr Dyer is quoted in Zoo magazine as responding to a letter about getting over an ex with:

“Of course, the other option is to cut your ex’s face, and then no one will want her.”

Speaking as soon as the outrage over the horrible comment reached a climax, Mr Dyer claimed that Zoo had misquoted him. The magazine, however, says they did not misquote him but that they also shouldn’t have printed the comment. They have also terminated Mr Dyer’s weekly advice column as a result.

Bauer Media, who publishes Zoo magazine, have apologised and hastily promised a sizeable donation to Women’s Aid.