This Week, Two Magazine-"Influenced" Books Are Released: (1) Sally Koslow's Little Pink Slips Is Almost "Fictionally" Autobiographical.

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We present these two scenarios:

A. Fargo, N.D.-born journalist moves to New York. Serves as McCall's editor-in-chief until being shunted aside for Rosie (May 2001), which fails (October 2002). Launches Lifetime (May 2003), leaves (January 2004), and it fails (September 2004).

B. Fargo, N.D.-born journalist moves to New York. Rises to become Lady editor-in-chief, and she is in the midst of giving the profitable monthly an overhaul when management hires a "hot" celebrity and renames it Bebe. Editor is demoted, and she is subsequently given a little pink slip.

In both examples, what follows next is the fun. It was Koslow (yes, Fargo-born) who was the first of many victims in the McCall's-to-Rosie escapade. That, perhaps, with a bit of the Lifetime experience, induced her to write Little Pink Slips (Putnam), about an editor in an almost-parallel universe. Except, we presume that Magnolia Gold's life--with its designer wardrobes, Botox, frequent Michael's restaurant visits, frequent New York Post mentions, and, need we say, affairs--is at least somewhat more extravagant than Koslow's (or anyone else from Fargo, for that matter), who in real life is married and the mother of two sons.

That is why, for magazine execs, Little Pink Slips has a Danielle Steel-like allure to it, except that it is personal. "What I wanted to do is a book as fascinating as The Devil Wears Prada [the fictitious look at Anna Wintour's Vogue], except from the perspective of an editor," says Koslow. "That it has resonated among colleagues--some of whom do not know me--who read advances proved that I struck a chord." Book-jacket endorsements come from American Media editorial director Bonnie Fuller, Ladies' Home Journal editor-in-chief Diane Salvatore (see page 3), and CosmoGirl editor-in-chief Susan Schulz.

OK, Little Pink Slips will be a must-read in midtown Manhattan's magazine "ghetto," but will it play in places like Fargo? Koslow, whose second, in-progress book is not magazine- related, says yes. "Being editor has become a glamorous business," she says. "That has appeal everywhere. Little Pink Slips is a fun book on an industry that I know and love." Release is Thursday (April 12), and Koslow's book signings include an April 30 appearance at New York's Barnes & Noble (Broadway at West 67th). Here's to a Fargo appearance, too.

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