February 23, 2006 For more information: Frank R. Scatoni 619-807-1887 frank@ventureliterary.com "No Kill Date" Venture Literary Sells Consumer’s Guide to Avoiding the Hidden Fees of Corporate America to Random House On February 23, 2006, Greg Dinkin of Venture Literary sold the rights to Bob Sullivan’s untitled consumer-advocate book based on his MSNBC column, “The Red Tape Chronicles,” to Random House (Jill Schwartzman will be the book’s editor). Cable television and cell phone companies, credit card issuers, the federal government—all of these entities constantly lasso consumers with red tape. America is awash in deceptive marketing. In this compelling prescriptive guide for consumers, investigative journalist Bob Sullivan delves into the shady world of bad deals and bad companies, and the sneaky fees that pile up when dealing with them. Acting as a consumer’s best friend and secret ally, Sullivan helps consumers avoid getting trapped in the snares of hidden fees. Readers learn of specific language to watch for at checkout counters, car dealerships, and on credit-card applications. Armed with this knowledge, buyers can avoid hundreds of dollars in unnecessary payments. The book helps consumers win back money that has been unjustly pilfered from them by providing sample letters and telephone scripts created to counter obstinate customer service representatives. It describes the “magic words” that can immediately turn around a confrontation with almost any company. And it introduces readers to the new, unique thirty-minutes-a-month plan that is the best part-time job they’ll ever have, helping them systematically attack their monthly bills, ridding them of unfair fees and usurious interest charges. Bob Sullivan is one of the nation’s most well-known Internet- and TV-based journalists. His current column, “The Red Tape Chronicles,” combines investigative reporting with community-watchdog blogging to unmask government waste and corporate misbehaviors. At NBC, Sullivan is known as the resident technology expert and consumer advocate concerning twenty-first century headaches. Sullivan regularly appears on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. He also frequently appears on-air as a contributor to MSNBC, CNBC, the Today show, and various local NBC affiliates. He is also the author of Your Evil Twin: Behind the Identity Theft Epidemic, published by Wiley & Sons in 2004. To learn more about Venture Literary, visit: www.ventureliterary.com. To learn more about Random House, visit: www.randomhouse.com. To learn more about Bob Sullivan, visit: http://www.youreviltwin.net/.