NEW YORK, June 10, 2008 -   Simon Spotlight Entertainment (SSE), an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced that it has acquired the autobiography of Academy Award® winning actress Marlee Matlin.  Tentatively titled, "I'll Scream Later," Matlin's book will look at her life -- from being diagnosed as deaf at 18 months old to at 21, becoming the youngest woman to win an Oscar® for her role in "Children Of A Lesser God," to the present day. 

For the first time, Matlin will delve into how being thrust into the spotlight and becoming a role model for 30 million deaf and hard of hearing people, was tempered by her own unresolved issues and battles with addiction and abuse, many of which she kept hidden from the public and her family. Matlin will also outline how she defied critics who proclaimed her career, as she humorously stated, "DOA - Deaf On Arrival."     

Invoking her signature humor Matlin stated, "I was fortunate to have parents who encouraged me each day to go out and explore despite the barriers. As a young girl I imagined myself as Marcia Brady who just happened to be deaf, skating down the street saying hi to everyone I knew. But today, as a mom of four, I'm no longer Marcia. I've morphed into Alice, the Maid. Goodbye, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia."

Matlin will also delve into her loves and life in Hollywood, including her work in film as well as her Emmy-nominated television work on shows such as "Picket Fences," "The Practice," Law and Order: SVU,"  "The West Wing," " The L Word" and her recent ground breaking performance on "Dancing With the Stars."

Jennifer Bergstrom at SSE negotiated the deal with Alan Nevins of The Firm Entertainment which includes world rights.   Bergstrom said "Marlee is an incredible woman and her story blew us away. It's filled with surprises which will touch readers in a very personal way."  Nevins also represented Marlee's "Deaf Child Crossing" series of children's novels for Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing.   Matlin will collaborate with Los Angeles Times Entertainment Editor Betsy Sharkey who will take a leave absence to work on the book.   Tricia Boczkowski at SSE will edit the book, which is scheduled for publication in Spring 2009.

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Simon Spotlight Entertainment (SSE) launched in 2004 with He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth To Understanding Guys by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, which became an instant national bestseller - hitting the #1 spot on the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.   Other bestselling SSE titles include the recent #1 New York Times bestseller, Are You There, Vodka?  It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler, sTori Telling by Tori Spelling, Vindicated by Jose Canseco, The Cardio-Free Diet by Jim Karas, The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller, Happy Endings by Jim Norton, The I Chong by Tommy Chong, Positively False by Floyd Landis, and Steve & Me by Terri Irwin.   Recent and upcoming titles include The Comfort Table by Katie Lee Joel (SSE's first cookbook), Freakin' Fabulous by Clinton Kelly, and Between a Rose and a Thorn by Bret Michaels.  

Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Online, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at http://www.simonsays.com/