The Time 100 Most Influential People in the World is, by and large, a grab-bag of politicos, entertainers and technology entrepreneurs. But it also gives a nod to the publishing world. Among the Time 100 are:
-- E.L. James, the pseudonymous author who turned gratis fan fiction into a huge payday with "Fifty Shades of Grey," a trilogy of soft-core porn that has attracted a large readership of women.
-- Ann Patchett, the best-selling author who started an independent bookstore in Nashville to provide an alternative to big box stores and online retailers.
-- Walter Isaacson, biographer of Steve Jobs and recent speaker at the CityLit Festival in Baltimore. As Baltimore Sun blogger Gus Sentementes noted today, despite the bio, Isaacson uses a BlackBerry for his work as CEO of the Aspen Institute. (He also has an iPhone for personal use.)
Others on the list, including Stephen Colbert and Chelsea Handler, are published authors. But it's tough to put "I Am American (And So Can You!)" and "Are You There, Vodka? It's me, Chelsea" in the same category as the others' works.
