Amazon to Turn Fan Fiction into a Money Maker for Writers
The fan fiction world has long been home to amateur authors writing more for fun than money. But Amazon's new Kindle Worlds will finally let them get paid for their stories.
harry potter
Box Office Showdown: Iron Man vs. Harry Potter
With an impressive box office opening for "Iron Man 3," Tony Stark is showing signs of becoming a better a draw for Walt Disney than Harry Potter was for Time Warner.
Amusement Parks' Attendance Numbers Were All Fun in 2011
Amusement park turnstiles were clicking in earnest last year: The world's 25 largest theme parks saw their attendance rise by an average of 4.8% in 2011.
'The Lorax': He's Bigger Than You Think
The Lorax raked in $70.2 million in ticket sales this weekend, making the animated feature film the year's biggest theatrical opening so far. That's good news for Comcast's Universal Studio and it's probably just the beginning.
What to Watch This Week: New Tablets, Old Retailers
There's never a dull moment on Wall Street, especially when new tablets and old banks are in the way. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week ahead: The Kindle Fire, the Nook Tablet, and earnings reports from Sears, Gap, Hot Topic, Lowes Home Depot and Staples.
Why Movie Watchers Are Abandoning the Multiplex
Noticed that your local movie theater is a little quieter than usual lately? Don't go thinking that moviegoers have just gotten more considerate. The reason phones aren't ringing, babies aren't wailing, and know-it-alls aren't giving away plot twists before they happen is simple: People just aren't there.
Why Are LEGOs So Expensive?
It's a question that echoes across the Internet, on blogs and message boards, and in the content of a specialty wiki called Brickipedia: "Why are Legos so expensive?" Our search for an answer starts in Denmark, and ends in the playrooms of countless children around the world.
The Price of Serious 'Harry Potter' Fandom: $401.08
When it comes to providing bewitchment for the buck, Harry Potter has notched some mesmerizing numbers. Fans who bought all the hardcover books, the DVDs, and attended the movies in first run, paid an average total of $401.08 -- not counting the $20 to $30 they'll pay for the DVD or Blu-Ray of "Deathly Hallows: Part 2."
Face-Off on Stocks: Disney, Viacom, Time Warner
It's award season in Hollywood, with the Oscars just weeks away. But stocks are forward-looking, so investors are already keying on summer blockbuster season. And a bigger-than-expected summer hit or two can indeed provide a catalyst for media and entertainment company shares.
Daily Blogwatch: The Fed's $110 Billion Problem with $100 Bills
Among Wednesday's top stories for investors: Why Quepasa is no Facebook, what went wrong with the Fed's new $100 bills and why the Dogs of the Dow strategy might be ready for a comeback.
New Harry Potter Film Grosses $125 Million in Opening Weekend
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" had the most successful opening of the series so far, bringing in $125 million in U.S. box office sales last weekend. That gives the Warner Bros. title the sixth-most successful U.S. movie launch ever.
Daily Blogwatch: Two Stocks Hotter Than Apple
Among today's top online stories for investors: Why holiday spending will surprise; two stocks hotter than AAPL; and are insiders trying to tell us something with all this selling?
Is Author Rick Riordan the Next J.K. Rowling?
Will author Rick Riordan reach J.K. Rowling territory? Millions of fans of his 'Percy Jackson' series would answer that question with a resounding yes, but it will take Hollywood's blessing to vault him into that hallowed territory.
Can Harry Potter Work Magic for Beleaguered Theme Parks?
With the unveiling of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios Orlando has officially raised the bar for vacation attractions in summer 2010. The bold move is only one of many strategies that theme parks are using to turn around an industry that has been brutalized by the recession.
