Writers and hockey, oh my

Eugene Volokh has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on behalf of some writerly names, among them Michael Crichton, Elmore Leonard, Scott Turow, Harry Shearer, Ron Shelton and Larry David. It's an interesting First Amendment case in which ex-NHL player Tony Twist successfuly sued over his name being used for a character in a fictional comic book. A court in Missouri agreed that Twist's "right of publicity" was being violated, but the writers and the Authors Guild (with Volokh's help) want to appeal. Says the professor:

Special bonus for my fellow science fiction fans: How often do you get to read a brief that cites Robert Heinlein (two books), Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and David Gerrold?

Meanwhile, Publishers Lunch brings news of a couple of book deals:

Paperback rights to Marcos M. Villatoro's Home Killings, Minos and a third untitled novel, all featuring Latina homicide detective Romilia Chacón, have been sold to Bantam Dell.

Historian Mike Davis's Heavy Metal Freeway has been sold to Metropolitan. It's about "the most bizarre election season in American history."