Mercury Radio Arts, the production company owned by outgoing Fox news host Glenn Beck, is getting into the publishing business. The company is launching Mercury Ink, which will co-publish books with Simon & Schuster.

The move comes a week after Beck announced a new “daily deals” website, Markdown.com, and after we reported that Beck is planning to launch a web-based TV channel called GBTV when he leaves Fox News.

Our sister blog GalleyCat has more on Mercury and Beck’s new book deal.