Nathan Lane picture book out next fall

NEW YORK -- Nathan Lane's first book is no shaggy dog story.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers announced Monday that the Broadway actor known for his starring role in "The Producers" has a deal for a picture book, "Naughty Mabel." Scheduled for next fall, the book was cowritten by Lane and his partner, Devlin Elliott. It will be illustrated by Dan Krall.

In a statement issued through his publisher, Lane said he and Elliott were inspired by their overindulged, well-groomed French bulldog, known to her owners as "the queen of the Hamptons." The book is the first of a planned series about Mabel's misadventures.