Bend it like Beckham
Matthew Beard

England captain David Beckham has signed a deal to bring out his third book in five years, at the age of 31, an autobiography. He is to put pen to paper for Making it Real.

The book, which Beckham will work on with a ghost writer, will cover his life since his last publication, although it is not clear to what extent he will talk about his alleged affair with his former personal assistant, Rebecca Loos.
Instead it will focus on his footballing prowess and cover in-depth the techniques he has adopted to rise to the top of the world game.

It will also have a tie-in with Beckham’s two football academies in London and Los Angeles.

According to the publishers HarperCollins, as well as featuring "state-of-the art soccer skills and training tips" it will give, "unique insights into Beckham’s world as a footballer and one of the most celebrated faces on the planet."

There will also be plenty of pictures of Beckham, both on and off the field with "personal insights into how his own experiences have shaped his career."

Beckham said of the deal: "I am pleased that what I’m trying to achieve at my Academies will reach a wider audience through this book. I hope that everyone who reads it will not only learn new skills but have fun with their football." A spokesman for the star added: "Its mainly a skills book with a little bit about David’s ambitions. It is aimed at David’s young fans and will be more picture-led than his previous books." Beckham’s deal with HarperCollins follows his fellow England star Wayne Rooney signing a `A35- million deal with the same publisher for five books over 12 years.

His fiancee Coleen McLoughlin also this week officially signed a `A31 million deal with the publishing firm to do a book on fashion and lifestyle. Victoria Beckham who is bringing out her own fashion book, for Penguin, called That Extra Half Inch. She also said that she was planning a children’s book.

—By arrangement with The Independent

Author JK Rowling is now a bit rueful about the fact that she complained about not being able to find enough paper to write the last and final book in the Harry Potter series, for she has now been "deluged" by writing paper sent in by fans who took her message to heart.

In a message posted on her website, Rowling writes, "Be careful what you wish for, it might come true. Since complaining that I had difficulty finding anything to write on after running out of paper while working in town, I have been deluged with paper".

Since making that statement fans had now been sending her not only single sheets, and entire pads of paper, but one enthusiastic merchant had also sent her a whole stack of notebooks with her name embossed on them. "Some of you sent single sheets, others entire pads, one enterprising paper merchants sent a large stack of notebooks embossed boldly with JK ROWLING, which I might not use in public, but which are very lovely all the same. Others told me exactly where you can buy writing paper in Edinburgh; some even enclosed maps. Anyway, I’ve now got enough paper to write several book sevens." — ANI

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