It Books Signs New Book by Justin Halpern, the # 1 New York Times Bestselling author of Sh*t My Dad Says

NEW YORK, NY (June 15, 2011) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today a deal to publish the next book by New York Times bestselling author Justin Halpern. Halpern is the author and comedy writer behind the runaway bestseller Sh*t My Dad Says, which sold 1,000,000 copies within its first year of publication, appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for 40 weeks (including 11 weeks at number one), and has been sold to 20 countries worldwide.

The book, currently referred to as Unt*tled, was acquired by Mauro DiPreta, Vice President and Associate Publisher of It Books from Byrd Leavell of the Waxman Literary Agency. Unt*tled has a tentative publication date of Spring 2012.

Unt*tled will be a series of essays recounting the twists and turns Halpern’s romantic life has taken. Among the stories he has to share: how he learned about sex by walking in on his parents at age nine, getting caught burying stolen pornography in his back yard by his father a few years later, and surviving as the last of his college friends to lose his virginity. Finally (spoiler alert), having taken stock of his love life, Justin jumps on a plane to San Francisco to propose to his girlfriend.
“Growing up, every time I saw a men’s magazine cover that had a headline about ‘73 Ways To Please Your Girlfriend,’ all I could think was, ‘I’m good with one; just tell me one way to please her. Also, I don’t have a girlfriend. Is there an article about that?’” Halpern says. “Throughout my life, most of my brushes with sex and relationships ended with embarrassment. Now, that could be because I’m awkward and began balding at an incredibly early age, but I’d like to think lots of other people felt the same way, and this book is for all of them.”
“If Sh*t My Dad Says established Justin as a new comedic voice,” says DiPreta, “Unt*tled cements it. The man can write as insightfully and humorously about romantic relationships as he can about fathers and sons. We are thrilled to continue to publish Justin with It Books.”

About Justin Halpern: In the summer of 2009, Justin Halpern created a Twitter account as a way to archive his father’s no-holds-barred, expletive-ridden words of wisdom. Within a month, www.Twitter.com/shitmydadsays became an Internet sensation. More than 2.5 million people currently follow Halpern’s musings on Twitter and Facebook alone. Justin’s first book, Sh*t My Dad Says (HarperCollins / It Books), a collection of essays about growing up with his unapologetically honest father, is a #1 New York Times bestseller. Justin currently splits his time between Los Angeles, where he is a writer on the CBS show “How To Be A Gentleman,” and his parents’ home in San Diego. He can be found online at www.Twitter.com/Justin_Halpern and www.JustinHalpern.tumblr.com.

About It Books: Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including the # 1 bestsellers Red by Sammy Hagar and Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern, as well as Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci, and The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos. Upcoming publications include Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Beauty, Disrupted by Carré Otis. HarperCollins, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.

Justin Halpern had was released from the CBS writers room of $#*! My Dad Says to give us a few of his all time favorites.

Favor!te Film: Godfather II

Favor!te Album: Pet Sounds

Favor!te Book: Lord Of The Flies

Favor!te Work of Art: Dali’s portrait of Mrs. Jack Warner

Favor!te Designer: Whoever designed the Snickers

Favor!te TV show: Breaking Bad

Favor!te Blog/Website: Theonion.com

Favor!te Twitterer: Tie between Bill Oakley (@thatbilloakley) and Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33)

Favor!te You Tube Video: Riskay’s “Smell Yo Dick.” A fine ballad that examines both sides of the argument regarding infidelity.

Favor!te Internet Meme: Hitman Monkey Finds No Joy In His Job

What are you most excited about for 2011? The same thing every year, the San Diego Chargers season, which will end ultimately in heartbreak.

Who do you most want to smooch on New Year’s Eve? My fiancee (I am required by law to say so, but also feel this way)

What do you want the most as a holiday gift? Tie between World peace and one of those remote control helicopters from Brookstone.

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Justin Halpern is the New York Times bestselling author of Sh*t My Dad Says. You can follow him on Twitter and visit his website.

It’s year in review time, folks.  This year we’ve asked the editors, marketers, publicists and favorite authors of It books to share with us what they think the highlights of the year have been.  We start our series with one of our favorite editors, Kate Hamill.

Favor!te Film: “The Kids Are All Right”

Favor!te Album: Tie between Mumford & Sons’ “Sigh No More” and Eminem’s “Recovery”

Favor!te Book: Jonathan Franzen’s FREEDOM

Favor!te TV show: Tie between “30 Rock” and “Dexter”

Favor!te Blog/Website: www.AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

Favor!te Twitterer: Justin Halpern, www.twitter.com/shitmydadsays

Favor!te You Tube Video: “Double Rainbow”

Favor!te Internet Meme: “If Historical Events Had Facebook Statuses” (shamless plug: full-length book coming from !t in Fall 2011!)

What do you want the most as a holiday gift? An iMac.

Visit the Shit My Dad Says at SomeEcards.com store and let the truth be heard. Some choice examples:

Oh, and don’t forget to buy the # 1 New York Times bestseller Sh*t My Dad Says book.

We forge ahead with our list of favor!te things. Book editor extraordinaire Kate and YIL regular contributor Jeremy offer their 2009 round-up.

KATE’S FAVOR!TES

Favor!te Film: Inglourious Basterds

Favor!te Album: Neko Case’s Middle Cyclone

Favor!te Concert: Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame 25^th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden

Favor!te Book: Christopher McDougall’s BORN TO RUN

Favor!te Designer: Calypso St. Barth

Favor!te TV show: 30 Rock

Favor!te Website: someecards.com

Favor!te Twitterer: Justin Halpern, Shit My Dad Says

Favor!te You Tube Video: I’m On A Boat

JEREMY’S FAVOR!TES

TR: The future president

Favor!te Film: Up was a solid film, but I’m still waiting for some more Oscar bait.

Favor!te Book: Wilderness Warrior by Douglas Brinkley. Teddy Roosevelt used to wrestle his pet bear on the White House lawn. Those were the days.

Favor!te Fashion Designer: The Hill-side. Two words: denim neckties.

Favor!te TV show: Predictably, Mad Men. But in terms of new stuff, I’m all over Jersey Shore.

Favor!te Blog: The Constant Siege (often NSFW)

Favor!te Real Housewife: “Thick As Thieves”  Caroline

Favor!te Twitterer: Warren Ellis (AKA Internet Jesus). A sample: I have 149,935 followers. The 150,000th must kill someone of my choosing or I will murder their family.

Favor!te You Tube Video: Not technically Youtube, but The Ed Hardy Boyz I SAID “SWEET BELT BUCKLE, BRO!”