Big Book Bucks: Bill Loverd of Alfred...

Big Book Bucks: Bill Loverd of Alfred Knopf publishers would neither confirm nor deny reports circling in New York last week that the company is paying $4.25 million for Katharine Hepburn’s autobiography. “You know how it is. Someone prints a figure--$3 million, $4 million, $5 million. It’s accepted as gossip or gospel, and in a matter of days the rumor is out: ‘Katharine Hepburn is getting $5 million!’ ” he said.

Prophet in His Own Land: Disciples of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft are campaigning in his hometown of Providence, R.I., to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth with a monument to the man who inspired authors like Stephen King. But city officials aren’t eager to honor the writer, fearing a torrent of similar requests.

Go East, Young Man?: Gary Hart and Denver businessman David Miller have started a firm to garner down-to-earth profits from Eastern Europe. “The Soviet Union is loaded with American business people offering everything from T-shirts to 707s and many of them are rather starry-eyed,” Hart said. The former U.S. senator withdrew from the race for the presidency in 1987 because of an alleged liaison with model Donna Rice.

Presidential Preparation: Peruvian President-elect Alberto Fujimori, 51, is very frank about his newness to politics. “We could always take political classes or find advisers who can help us in that area,” said the agronomist and former university president in Lima late last week. Fujimori takes office July 28.