Penny Marshall's book deal with a twist

Filmmaker-actress Penny Marshall has a book deal with a fresh twist: The publisher is Amazon.com.

The online retailer, which has been steadily expanding its publishing operations, announced Tuesday that it will release Marshall's memoir "My Mother Was Nuts" in Fall 2012. Marshall starred in the 1970s sitcom "Laverne and Shirley" and went on to direct such hits as "Big" and "A League of Their Own."

According to Amazon, she will also write about her marriage to Rob Reiner, her friendship with John Belushi and her fight against lung and brain cancer in 2009.

Amazon recently signed a deal with best-selling self-help author Timothy Ferris. Rival booksellers, worried about helping a competitor, have expressed strong reservations about selling books released by Amazon.