New Book Dropped By Publisher

In the crossroads where publishing and public relations meet, a controversial author can be good news or a big, banging headache.

Warner Books has decided that Frederick Lenz, author of “Surfing the Himalayas: A Spiritual Adventure,” a book it had been planning to publish this winter, is the latter, and has taken the rare step of dropping the book.

Laurence J. Kirshbaum, Warner’s chief executive, said Wednesday that the book was canceled because of “marketing differences with the author.”

But people in the publishing industry said Warner had become wary of the book after a magazine reporter called to tell the publisher that Lenz had been described in news articles as a cult leader.

A June 1993 article in The New York Times said former students of Lenz had accused him of financial improprieties, sexual misconduct and depicting himself as a deity. Lenz denied the charges.

St. Martin’s Press, an earlier bidder for the book, purchased the publishing rights to the work from Lenz’s agent late last week for an undisclosed amount.

It is unaware of any controversy involving the author, a spokesman said.