More good news for publicity-shy author Marisha Pessl: she not only has a fancy new paintbox, she now has a movie deal. Variety reported today that Miramax Films and producer Scott Rudin have bought film rights to her debut novel, Special Topics in Calamity Physics. A preternaturally prescient Pessl forsaw this outcome; in an interview in September's Bookslut (that we, uh, remember somehow), Pessl talked about what she'd want to happen with her book's movie rights: "I hope it goes to someone really good, like Sofia Coppola." Well, no dice on that front, but there's still a chance — albeit a slim one — that Pessl will get her way when it comes to casting: "I like the idea of hiring all unknowns!" We're happy for the Pessl, and we hope for her sake that the deal was a big fat one — the loft she shares with her hedge-fund husband looks a little cramped in this picture; and we were concerned that she wouldn't have enough room for her painting hobby.

We think Elizabeth Merrick, who we made fun of for coming out against stiletto-loving chick lit authors and then holding a book party for her Not Chick Lit anthology at a purse store, has mulitple personalities. On the one hand, she's all 'mature and rational defense of fancy Literature against the dumb bitches who just want to make a buck from writing.' And on the other hand, as evinced during day one of her tenure as Bookslut guest editor, she's all "get back to baby oil and iodine duty chez the breastosauri." We like booby-fixated Elizabeth better than scold on behalf of The Novel Elizabeth, so we hope this personality sticks around. Maybe a THIS IS TIT LIT anthology could result.

Earlier: Not Chick Lit Party Location Speaks Louder Than Title