ReganBooks to Be Disbanded

Judith Regan is photographed in the studio of her "Judith Regan Show" on Sirius satellite radio, in New York in this Nov. 16, 2006 file photo. The sensational HarperCollins imprint of Judith Regan, the fired publisher who nearly brought us O.J. Simpson's imaginary "confession" to murder, has been temporarily renamed "HC" and in the fall will be dispersed throughout the company, according to a company statement Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 .(AP Photo/Richard Drew, file) (Richard Drew - AP)

NEW YORK -- Bye-bye, ReganBooks. And farewell, for now, to the Mickey Mantle novel. The sensational HarperCollins imprint of Judith Regan, the publisher who nearly brought us O.J. Simpson's imaginary "confession" to murder, has been temporarily renamed "HC" and in the fall will be dispersed throughout the company.

"We feel our authors will be best served by being integrated into HarperCollins," Michael Morrison, president and group publisher of Harper/Morrow, said Wednesday in a statement. "Our talented, dedicated staff will work hard to ensure a seamless transition."

One Regan book will not be part of the new regime: Peter Golenbock's "7: The Mickey Mantle Novel," which had been criticized by Mantle's family for its explicit sex scenes, including one with Marilyn Monroe. Scheduled to come out in March, the book has been withdrawn, HarperCollins said Wednesday.

"With all the press attention on this book, and all the controversy surrounding it, Peter and I agreed it would probably be best if it would have a fresh start somewhere else," Morrison told The Associated Press.

While Simpson's "If I Did It" faced universal disgust, Morrison acknowledged that opposition to "7" was far more limited. He knew of no planned boycotts, legal action or complaints from retailers. He cited no specific passages from the novel that had created problems.

The "controversy" was essentially criticism from Mantle's family and such former New York Yankee teammates as Whitey Ford.

"I personally liked the book," Morrison said, adding that he had read it twice.

Ford told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he considered a book a "joke" and passed on news of its withdrawal to Mantle's widow, Merlyn. "I had told her before about the book and she had felt terrible about it. She was pleased when I called today and said they weren't going to publish it," Ford said.

Regan was famous for her moneymaking touch, but the public had showed little interest in the Mantle novel. At the time its cancellation was announced, it ranked No. 285,203 on Amazon.com.

Regan's scandalous reign at ReganBooks ended abruptly when she was fired last December amid allegations that she made anti-Semitic remarks to a HarperCollins lawyer, an argument reportedly sparked by concerns about the Mantle novel. In November, Regan's planned Simpson book and television interview were canceled by corporate head Rupert Murdoch of News Corp. in response to widespread public outrage.

Regan has denied making any inappropriate remarks and her lawyer, Bert Fields, has said she plans to sue her former employer for wrongful dismissal and, possibly, for libel. Fields said Wednesday that the paperwork was still being prepared and that any lawsuit was at least a week away.

"My client's reputation has been badly damaged," he said.

Regan's many best sellers have included Jenna Jameson's "How to Make Love Like a Porn Star," Gregory Maguire's "Wicked" and Jose Canseco's "Juiced."

Also Wednesday, a copy of Simpson's book contract was posted online by Court TV's "Hollywood Heat." It confirms earlier reports that the deal was worth around $1 million and was arranged through a third party, Lorraine Brooke Associates, which Fred Goldman, father of murder victim Ronald Goldman, has called a "sham entity" formed to prevent the Goldmans from claiming any part of the more than $38 million Simpson owes from a wrongful death lawsuit.

The contract was signed last May by Simpson, Regan and HarperCollins CEO Jane Friedman, which indicates that high-level officials knew in advance about the project.

The document was included as evidence in a lawsuit Fred Goldman filed last month, seeking any money Simpson received from the deal for "If I Did It." The contract also identifies Simpson's ghostwriter _ Pablo Fenjves, a Los Angeles neighbor of Simpson's murdered ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. When Simpson was tried and acquitted for the murder of his ex-wife and Goldman, Fenjves served as a prosecution witness.

Fenjves, who has ghostwritten other Regan books, has differed sharply with Simpson over the authorship of the key chapter of "If I Did It," when the murders are described. Simpson has told The Associated Press that he had little to do with that part of the book. Fenjves has said the chapter was based on Simpson's own words.

In a recent interview with the online magazine Slate, Fenjves recalled "sitting in a room with a man I knew to be a murderer, and I let him hang himself."