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mm / i / A \ / ^ \ \ 1 / W \ \ [PEOPLE PLACES WHATNOT] humans in the news Associated Press Making TV a turnoff AUGUSTA, Maine ? He made his ed by Ms. Winfrey. A charge of inname as a local public TV show host decent exposure against Winfrey Now Gov. Angus King is borrowing was dropped March 29. an idea straight from late-night tele- Ms. Winfrey's lawyer, David Vinvision to encourage kids to turn off cent, testified Monday that Thompthe tube. son-McLeod said he would drop the King, longtime host of Maine charge and the lawsuit for $750,000, Public Television's "MaineWatch," the amount being offered by tabloid was the first governor to endorse newspapers for an exclusive interthe national TV Turnoff Week cam- view. ^ paign scheduled for next week. Vincent said two out-of-town Borrowing from David Letter- prosecutors then posed as lawyers man, King has offered a Top 10 list for Ms. Winfrey and offered Thompof alternative activities, starting son-McLeod $250,000. He said with "Read a book." Other ideas in- Thompson-McLeod raised the declude asking people over 80 what mand to $300,000 when he didn't they did before TV was invented get the money fast enough, then set and shooting hoops with a friend, up a news conference at which He also tried to draw attention to Kennedy discussed the claim against possible links between TV viewing Vernon Winfrey, and violence, poor performance in Kennedy fined Thompson-McLeod school and other problems. March 14. Bribery in the first Breaking out NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? A grand ju- FRANKFURT, Germany ? Steffi ry will investigate bribery allega- Graf is taking a four-week break tions against a lawyer for the woman from tennis to stay healthy and avoid who accused Oprah Winfrey's fa- burnout. ther of sexual assault. In an interview released TuesA judge ordered the panel to look day, Graf told Sport-Bild magazine into whether Frank Thompson- she would return at the German McLeod solicited a bribe to drop the Open in Berlin May 15-21. charges and a $3 million lawsuit "If I continued to play now, I'd against Vernon Winfrey. burn myself out, and I don't want Pamela Kennedy had claimed to do that The most important thing Winfrey forced her to touch his gen- for me this year is to stay healthy, itals and asked for sex in January and Fm going to take as much time in exchange for a scholarship fund- off as I need," Graf said. ^Sore" |j| : ^ | \8 .^v x. . :;:jfS|:ii ^ vV Infill \ -$wsss Jackets, Dresses ^ and Outfits Many items $14.99 or Dresses less... Outfits Lingerie/S SAVE 50% to 80% on gaining du merchandise from the Jeans Top Mail Order Catsuits Catalogues Shorts in America Sweaters j Ti I yjijH i ^? I Pull) J i Fiction (? Since when did romance entail shirtless k I men and half naked women in a historical | setting? When Fabio showed up, of course. I Stephanie Sonnenfeld I Asst. Features Editor Avoiding romance novels is "In the past month, I've p no easy thing. Try as you only read one or two. Durmay, but youH never avoid ing the summer I can pop [ them because they are off two a week, but here it \ ^1 everywhere ? everywhere takes me forever to read \ being from K-Mart to Columbia's lo- one," said McKnight, a po- (V cal store, The Happy Bookseller. litical science freshman from arm r 1?1 ?11 1?:?UU, ^ 6 iney iruumiii*; iiuvtrisj seii uiuu;, naiuxiuc. v_ _ especially when they come out," said McKnight and Varner pre- fsQ ^ Rhett Jackson, owner of The Happy fer reading novels by well <$9 Bookseller. known author Danielle Steele, /ml v But why do they sell at all? With yet there is a variety of other fink v Dlots often cited as worn out and with novels to choose from. W wess Jess *##&? __ ' ; k? ^ ^ a leepwear ^ Bodysuits, f _lj JfiF Swimwear and J,M Cotton/Knitwear Mr~ I commonly criticized writing styles, Charlie Sterne at Volume \ why do romance novels remain so 1 bookstore noted that almost every 1 popular? publishing firm has its own line of According to an article by Helen romance novels, the most widely ' Holzer in The Atlanta Journal and known being Avon, Harlequin, Love ri Constitution, romance novels are an Swept, Silloute and Regency books. $8.9 million a year business, with Although popular romance plots tl women spending $1,200 annually on take place in a historic time period b these books. But these figures mean with cover illustrations to match, ronothing to romance novel readers. mance novels, like everything else, n "I guess I'm a romantic and it are expanding their market to meet v [reading romance novels] gives me a the needs of all readers. chance to get away from everyday Metro Atlanta writers Gwyn 0 things at school and live other peo- McGee (pen name Eboni Snoe) and 0 _ pie's lives," said Michele Varner, a Angela D. Benson currently have writ- s freshman psychology and music ed- ten romance novels with black hero- n a ucation major from Rock Hill. ines. These books, marketed under c Varner estimates that she reads the name Arabesque, are pubiisnea a around two romance novels a month, by Pinnacle Books as a part of the c She only buys two or three books a company's new line of multi-cultur- c year and then trades the books with al romances. friends and reads theirs. The Los Angeles Times recently c Good thing Varner's roommate, wrote an article noting that romance Mona McKnight, is also an avid ro- fiction is really straying from tradi- ^ mance novel reader. Like Varner, tional young and innocent plots. Many 11 McKnight cites the escape idea and are now being told from the male point ^ the easy reading of romance novels of view. as the primary reasons why she in- But this diversity may not increase ^ dulges in these books. the appeal of romance novels to new t "We found over the last 11 years Paschal Swann, lat people in this general area don't owner of White Buffalo Used and Rare uy romance novels," said Sterne.. Books in Cayce, attributed the sale The lack of romance novel sales of his stock of romance novels to his lay not be limited to smaller, pri- two for one policy. He said since the ately owned bookstores in the Co- price for the books are so cheap, read imbia area. For example, privately ers come and "buy up a handful" of wned, but large, Oxford Book store books. n Pharr Road in Atlanta has the According to a Columbiana Mall ame sales problem with romance Waldenbooks employee, Joan Hoftiezlovels. Of the 450 titles the stores er, her store had sold 30 brand new arries, there are 1,550 units with an romance novels so far this week and pproximate turnover rate of 10 per- estimated that the store would sell ent, which Steve Shipman of Oxford probably about 100 romance books ailed a "poor average." this week. Hoftiezer has noticed that "That's probably because we don't most of the romance novel buyers are arry Harlequin," Shipman said. drawn to the historical plots and the Oxford's used and rare store, Ox- age of the buyers "seems to be pretord Too, has a better market for ro- ty much across the board." nance novels. Oxford Too employee, "Older women generally buy the .qiii*q Q+oocror eaid fViprp is a "vprv Recrencv series, which are set in the iuuiu uum wiuiu 1U Ui I L.J ->"U J apid turnover" on their romance mar- 17th and 18th centuries and there is et for many reasons. One reason is not much sex in these books," Hoftieziie store sells used five romance nov- er said. If you're in the dark about things like safer sex and birth control, you better brighten up. Planned Parenthood? offers confidential and affordable services to help protect your health. So please - before you get hurt, get smart. Planned Parenthood 256-4908 Off Forest Drive, 1/2-mile from Providence Hospital Saturday, Lunchtime & Evening Hours Available """"WfcGltttsco I j Maybe our students are smarter. I " J50 or maybe they're just better J-lfl "mk prepared. The Princeton Review is iM the nation's fastest growing GMAT ll lltl ^ course. And for good reason. HL. 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