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Carole Mikita ReportingThe publication of a book by the parents of Elizabeth Smart has unleashed a fresh flood of publicity over the case.
The book release is set for next week, following two NBC reports, one on 'Dateline' Sunday and the other tomorrow night with Katie Couric...
"Come on, you can do it (all riding horses) ...Katie: I know you all have been careful not to talk about what Elizabeth went through. At the same time, can you believe she was able to... Ed: Survive... Katie: Survive... Lois: She was willing to give her life so that we could all survive... because that was the constant threat... I will kill your family, I can kill you, I can kill your family..."
Executives at 'Doubleday' publishers of Ed and Lois Smart's book are said to be worried about an onslaught of publicity, particularly an appearance for which the Smarts were paid on CBS promoting a made-for-TV movie scheduled to run next month. The book is getting its own boost from an exclusive Katie Couric interview, airing on KSL tomorrow night.
After contacting Utah television, radio and newspaper reporters last week for interviews about the book Ed Smart cancelled those interviews scheduled for today. Ed and Lois even cancelled a Salt Lake book signing tentatively set for November 4th.
The media frenzy is raising questions about whether the Smarts are exploiting their daughter's story, but there is certainly enormous interest. Deseret Book is anticipating a huge sale; books will be on the shelves there Monday.
Boyd S. Ware, Deseret Book Dir. of Retail Admin.: "We've doubled our typical order for a national release of this calibur, and think that's just the starting place. We expect very good sales on 'Bringing Elizabeth Home'."
Greg Near, Borders Area Marketing Manager: “Actually this will be the biggest release coming into the store since 'Harry Potter'."
Ironically, Doubleday's complaints may have led to the cancellation of local television interviews, but it was the book publisher itself that actually arranged for the Smarts to talk with both Oprah Winfrey and Katie Couric.
We will have more tomorrow night's special titled "Bringing Elizabeth Home" including an interview with Katie Couric.
