The younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge has been the subject of a fierce bidding war by some of Britain’s largest publishers for her first book. It is understood that publisher Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin books, last week signed her up to a publishing deal worth £400,000. 
 
 According to industry sources, the negotiating process involved delicate discussions about the book’s timing. 
 
 Ms Middleton will wait for the launch of her first book until after the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations next summer so that she is not seen to be cashing in on her royal connections. 
 
 She is keen for the book to be released next year but is determined that she is not seen to be making money from her closeness to the royal family. Therefore the book is likely to be launched late next autumn, after the summer celebrations around the Queen’s Jubilee but in time for the Christmas market. 
 
 “She wanted to publish it next year, but it will be timed to come out after the Jubilee,” said one book industry insider. 
 
 The book will be a guide to being the perfect party hostess. It will include recipes, anecdotes and details of how to throw a range of different types of event. 
 
 The fact that Ms Middleton’s agent David Godwin, whose DGA company also represents Vikram Seth and William Dalrymple, has secured such a high six-figure advance shows that the industry is expecting high sales. 
 
 “It is a massive amount of money, particularly in the current environment,” said one agent. 
 
 According to its website, Michael Joseph publishes “highly commercial, popular fiction and non-fiction, principally interested in publishing Top Ten bestsellers”. Other authors on its roster include Jamie Oliver, Jeremy Clarkson and Ant and Dec. 
 
 Publishers who were also keen on the book are thought to include Harper Collins and Cornerstone, a branch of Random House. 
 
 Ms Middleton has toured around different publishing houses pitching the book over the last few months. Book executives said that she went down a storm. 
 
 Publishers believe that her experience as a professional party-planner at Table Talk, a London-based company, and her regular contributions to The Party Times, the online newsletter of her parent’s Party Pieces firm, make her perfectly positioned to write an authoritative book. 
 
 A spokesman for Michael Joseph was unavailable for comment. ||||| Pippa Middleton's butt is in trouble. Don't worry, not her actual buttocks, but you know figuratively speaking, Pippa's ass is on the line. After word got around that the world's most famous little sister (take that Ashlee, Ali, and Solange) was getting $1.5 million to pen a book about party planning and etiquette, people were kind of pissed off. The Telegraph reports that Pips' been in talks with publishers for a while now and that things are getting serious. 
 
 The "Pippa factor" may have sold a few handbags and launched a few fan blogs, but this party planning book may be the one thing that could burst that bubble. 
 
 It's not like she planned the royal wedding, after all. And etiquette, hmm. Wasn't she photographed dancing with a dude in her bra with bottles of booze in the background? Sounds fun, but ... that doesn't really necessarily display the characteristics of someone who's a supposed expert on manners, decorum, and propriety. 
 
 Her family owns a party supplies business so Pippa is no stranger to the game, but to say that Kate has nothing to do with this humongous book deal would be a bit unfair. There are plenty of successful, well-known party planners in this world who could actually share tried and true tips on throwing the best fete, but Pippa isn't one of them. She's a perma-tanned beauty and pseudo-royal who's in the spotlight because of her relatives, not because of her expertise. 
 
 And I'm not the only one who thinks this is a bad idea; not many people are fans of Pippa's alleged contract. The U.K. economy is not that great and to hand over money for a fluff piece written by someone related to Kate Middleton is ticking off a lot of Britons. And I'd have to agree that it's midly perturbing. Pippa seems like a smart, beautiful and resourceful woman -- she doesn't need anything handed to her. Kate's coattails probably look like a lot of fun to ride, but she shouldn't hop on just because it's easy. Pippa seems better than that. 
 
 Do you think Pippa should write a party planning book? 
 
 Photo via Splash News
– When do you get paid six figures to write a party planning book? When you’re Pippa Middleton, of course. Her Royal Hotness has officially signed a book deal worth more than $620,000 to write the guide, which will be out by next Christmas, the Telegraph reports. She was originally rumored to be in talks for a deal worth more than twice that amount, which, of course, led to some uproar. Hilariously, the Telegraph notes that Middleton’s book will be released after the Queen’s summertime Diamond Jubilee celebration so that Pippa “is not seen to be cashing in on her royal connections.” To be fair, she does have professional party planning experience, and she regularly contributes to her parents’ online party planning newsletter. That would totally get most normal people a book deal! The guide will reportedly include recipes and stories, as well as instructions for hosting many different events.