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My brand new Gods of Midnight series introduces you to a cadre of strong, immortal Spartan warriors dedicated to protecting the human race throughout eternity. Spartans-that word connotes sparse, minimal décor, void of pleasure and self-indulgence. And maybe that's true sometimes.

But not so with Ajax.

This guardian loves life. His eons of existence have taught him the value of sensation, luxury, fancy, joy. All of which makes Ajax an easy target for gifts like barrel-aged Scotch, illicit Cuban cigars, or, for the insanely extravagant gift-giver, a Ferrari 550 Maranello.

Of course Ajax's priorities have recently shifted. With the advent of Shay Angel in his life, he's suddenly concerned with far more than his own selfish enjoyment. And a whole new avenue of gift-giving opens up! Shay's Antebellum family estate in Savannah, Georgia, is plagued by mosquitoes, driving Ajax up the wall. So let's brainstorm a bit: mosquito netting to hang above their bed? Or one of those great bug zappers? They may sport a tacky blue light, and the noise might be annoying, but at least it'll keep our hunk bug free!

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David Shanks Praised as Top U.S. Book Publishing CEO in Publishers Weekly

Penguin Group (USA) CEO David Shanks was profiled in this week’s edition of Publishers Weekly as “one of the leading figures in the [book publishing] business in 2008” in a special section, entitled “Advancing the Cause,” which highlighted “several figures and one bold initiative that stand out as deserving of special praise for addressing current conditions with creative, dynamic and successful strategies.”

In the article, headlined “David Shanks Leads the Penguin Team,” PW reporter Jim Milliot wrote:

“When David Shanks took over the reins of Penguin Group (USA) from Phyllis Grann in 2001, his colleagues at competing companies included Jane Friedman, Peter Olson, Larry Kirshbaum and Jack Romanos, all of whom have since left their top spots. But it's much more than his last-man-standing status that has made Shanks one of the leading figures in the business in 2008. Since last year's fourth quarter, Penguin has had a stellar run, turning out a record number of bestsellers across all formats. The company has enjoyed particular success in the trade paperback segment: the Oprah-anointed A New Earth dominated lists early in the year, as did several other Penguin megasellers. And even though the recession will mean a difficult fourth quarter, the company will turn in a very solid 2008.