The woman who served time in jail for refusing to talk to a federal grand jury about her knowledge of a murder got a $600,000 advance on her book. Does anyone think she would have gotten the book deal without serving the time?

For the story, go to:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/1391642

Well, John, as a fellow writer you know how difficult it is to get into the business -- unless, of course you're one of the fortunate and quite deserving ones like our friends Rick or Ken. I don't think that writer (we'll save the term "author" for later judgment) would have had one one-thousandth the opportunity had it not been for the publicity she got by cooling her heels in the jailhouse. But, to be quite fair, she did stick it out, and if a publisher is willing to fork over the cash because of her "plight" then more power to them. I mean, look at the other guy (we don't know if he can write or not)who got a huge book advance after using the country's white house (it does belong to us, doesn't it?) to feather his bed, so to speak.

Hi John -- I thought that folks might also be interested in the story on your office that was in today's paper. "The County Line" means more than a barbeque restaurant in Austin. Thanks for all you do -- Joni

In my former life as a reporter, it used to be considered something of a badge of honor to be jailed for contempt for protecting a source. I would doubt the reporter was motivated primarily by a book deal when she chose the path of inaction that landed her in jail. But I'm sure that deal -- with an advance A.P. and John can tell you is sweeter than what most publishers (including TDCAA) offer -- makes her time in the slammer a little easier, in hindsight.

And I'd rather read her book than, say, Anne Heche's or Dennis Rodman's.

While I agree that I'd be slightly more likely to read Ms. Leggett's book than Ann Heche's or Dennis Rodman's (given that there's a zero percent change of me reading those), judging from her article in Newsweek a few months ago, this woman is a much better whiner than she is a writer. Her writing was high-schoolish and her main complaint about the federal detention center was that "the toilet paper is too rough." My opinion is that if you are such a delicate flower that you require Charmin, then you have no business as a "true crime writer" (or as a prosecutor -- and for the record, the toilet paper at the Williamson County Courthouse is like newspaper with Braille writing on it and we're not complaining to Newsweek about it).

OK, Jane, maybe a little too much local color.

Well, maybe the toilet paper in your courthouse helps in the sentencing arrangements talked about in that article mentioned above. You never know what might goose a guilty person into taking more time, or causing a cranky juror to whack a defendant. By the way, have you ever noticed the t.p. in Madison County? 3M sandpaper, medium grit. Purchased no doubt by someone with the middle name of Wayne.

Diane-

You say you'd read her book over Anne Heche's or Dennis Rodman's, but you make no mention of other fascinating tomes. How about reading it instead of "Pleas, Probation & Punishment", "State's Appellate Manual", or that page-turner, "2001-2003 Texas Crimes"?

Really now, you are usually much better with the shameless plugs.

Well, Dan, you're obviously just smoking with envy that you don't get to write books with me. (So far, anyway.) Ask John and A.P. how much fun we have. I can think of no other reason why you'd slam me for my blatant plugs of TDCAA publications (which, by the way, can be ordered by calling 512/474-2436, and then they're shipped the VERY SAME DAY!)

As for toilet paper, A.P. makes a good case for the 3M medium grade in Madison County being the worst ever, but I might offer up for your consideration the toilet paper they provide in the elementary schools in the Austin area. They're that 5" x 5" single-sheet business that either gets jammed (so that you get no sheets of paper, or a shard of a piece) or comes out in a big clump (so that you have 100 sheets of t.p.). I think the schools are subconsciously encouraging our school kids to have bad hygiene and skip the wiping altogether, because it's just plain discouraging to work with the paper they're giving.

I'm sure you all wanted to know that.

You see, that's why folks hate getting bogged down in paper-WORK...it shouldn't be work, for crying out loud. But, come to think of it, maybe we could get a deal on Rodman's book and use the pages, sans any photos, for the necessary room.

Wonder if Scott's band ever does "Wipe Out" -- imagine the video could be quite unusual, on a roll, even.