S&S, HarperCollins tie in Wacko race
15.07.09 Catherine Neilan in The Bookseller

Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins have tied in their bid to be first to market with a new Michael Jackson book.
Copies of S&S's Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson, by Ian Halperin, were hand-delivered by sales reps into stores, including Waterstone's Piccadilly branch, yesterday (14th July), ready for sale today. Further orders will arrive throughout the day.
Copies of the HarperCollins book Michael Jackson - Legend, Hero, Icon are also expected to go on sale today in Waterstone's branches across the UK, two days before the official launch date, though no one from HarperCollins was available for comment. Charlotte Robertson, group sales and marketing director for S&S UK, said she was "delighted" by the speed with which the company had released the book. "To think that this book was only completed last Friday and will publish this week is a fantastic achievement by the team," she said.