Author K.P. Bath sentenced for child porn

In the category of authors behaving despicably: Children's author K.P. Bath was sentenced yesterday to six years in prison for possession of child pornography according to news reports. Bath, 51, is the author of several books, including "The Secret of Castle Cant" and "Escape from Castle Cant."

According to the Portland Oregonian, federal agents searching for the illegal material found what appeared to be a manuscript, possibly the book "Flip Side," which was scheduled for release last fall. His publisher, Little, Brown, abandoned the book last year, when the allegations against him were made public.

The case -- which makes for sordid reading -- was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, the federal prosecutor's office in Portland said.

Here's an excerpt from his bio on goodreads, which describes work in a factory, followed by degrees in English and creative writing: Penniless and alone, he turned to his pen. The result was his first novel, The Secret of Castle Cant. The book found a following among the better sort of child, and spawned a sequel, Escape from Castle Cant. With the purchase of a ukulele Bath entered a period of contented productivity. He now lives with his cat, Sam Underfoot, in Portland, Oregon.

Correction: He now lives behind bars.