'CSI' Creator Brings Character From Novel to TV Show

[Brian Damage]

Anthony Zuiker, the man who created "CSI" for CBS, has taken a character from a novel he wrote called "Dark Prophecy" and inserted him into the television show, reports the Denver Post.

Zuiker wrote a villain in the book, a serial killer named Sqweegel, and that character is crossing over this week into an episode of "CSI." Zuiker hopes the move will help raise the book’s profile.

"If I can just get 1 percent of the 15 million people who watch 'CSI' to buy this book I'll have a best seller on my hands," said Zuiker.

The marketing strategy Zuiker has in mind is innovative and potentially lucrative. He calls it a "cyber-bridge," and says it links publishing, film and social networking.

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