When I lived in London a few summers ago, I had an unhealthy fascination with the lovely lass known to some as Katie Price, but to the rest of the world -- OK, the tabloid-loving, London-dwelling public -- as Jordan. Mostly because her breed of celebrity is so fame-specific (at least Pamela Anderson, who is about her equivalent, sort of acts) that she didn't really have to do anything to stay in the public eye beyond engage in a token catfight or two or reveal her current shag in an almost perfunctory way.

Which probably explains why her biography, BEING JORDAN, turned out to be a "surprise" hit -- all those agents and editors who turned the project down didn't think the book would sell because really, why should it? Except it did, and now, she's moved on to her next project:

If Naomi Campbell can do it, why not Jordan? In 1997, Heinemann/Mandarin published Campbell’s novel Swan. Now, Century’s Mark Booth has commissioned two novels and a second volume of memoirs from Katie Price, aka Jordan, whose memoir, Being Jordan, was published by John Blake, selling 500,000 copies in hardback and contributing to Blake Publishing being named Van Tulleken Small Publisher of the Year at this year’s British Book Awards.

Agent Maggie Hanbury, who admitted to PN that the book had not been an easy sell, wouldn’t be drawn on the terms of the new contract, except to say that “it involved a lot of noughts… let’s say it was a very substantial three-book deal.” Blake was invited to the bid for the memoirs, but told PN: “She’s a great author, we love her. But she’s probably now suited to a bigger publisher. Small publishers like us are good at coming up with original ideas and developing them. But once we’ve established an author, they’re probably better off elsewhere. We’re innovators, an ideas factory.” The memoir, as yet untitled, picks up where Being Jordan left off, and is “well under way”, with publication as a Century hardback scheduled for February ’06. Once again, Price will be working with ghostwriter Rebecca Farmworth.

Of course, Pam-based comparisons are only going to become more frequent, if Jordan and her ghostwriter deliver something along the lines of STAR and STAR STRUCK. And no doubt those mammoth implants will feature prominently on the cover and the marketing plan...