The World’s Best Paid Authors

Sure it isn’t the success it once was–blame it on the economy, the Web and the big-box stores–but the publishing industry’s top earners still manage to turn pages of prose into piles of cash. In fact, the 10 stars on our list of the best-paid authors pulled in a combined $563 million between June 1, 2007, and June 1, 2008, thanks to hefty advances, impressive sales and silver screen adaptations.