Who in book and magazine publishing had the most to be thankful for when they sat down to their turkey and all the trimmings? Well, here are my nominees for several who really should be counting their blessings:

First of all, Susan Lyne, the former editor and TV executive, who was just named chief executive of Martha Steward Omnimedia. Ms. Lyne, who has been on the company’s board for five months, was previously president of entertainment at ABC. She was dumped unceremoniously from that job last spring because of ABC’s poor ratings. But Ms. Lyne had been nurturing “Desperate Housewives” which has turned out to be this season’s mega-hit, especially popular with women.

As head of Martha Stewart, Ms. Lyne will make $900,000 a year and could earn a $1.35 million bonus. She also received a signing bonus of $447,120 and options to buy 400,000 Class A shares at $18.57 each, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Recently, Ms. Lyne visited Stewart in prison and claims the Domestic Diva will be coming back “in full force.” Stewart, although incarcerated, also has something to be thankful for – and no, not her current gig cleaning the prison’s administration building. Last week she made $32.7 million (on paper, anyway), due to the merger of Sears and Kmart. In the future, her products could be sold at both stores. Even Sharon Patrick, Martha’s longtime partner and the company’s newly departed chief executive might be grateful. No more screaming matches with Stewart. And she’ll never again have to make cranberry sauce from scratch.

Children’s book author Judy Blume has been saying thank you a lot. The best-selling writer, whose books have sold more than 75 million copies, received a lifetime achievement award from the National Book Foundation at the recent National Book Awards. Ms. Blume’s works, which include “Freckle Juice” and “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” address such coming-of-age topics as masturbation, menstruation, and virginity. When accepting the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, she read a note from a young fan asking: “Dear Judy, Please send me the facts of life – in order.”

According to the American Library Association, Ms. Blume is the second most banned author of the past 15 years, which has hurt neither her book sales nor her popularity. To cap it all off, she was also named a “Woman of the Year” by Glamour magazine in their December issue and given an award by the actor Ethan Hawke at a red carpet Glamour event at the Museum of Natural History.

Another woman in publishing who is counting her blessings is Marji Ross, the president of Regnery, the Washington-based conservative publisher. Ms. Ross told me that this is the third straight record-breaking year for the house, which in August published “Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out,” which was no.1 on the New York Times best-seller list. “Of course, I am especially thankful for that book, ” Ms. Ross said, “It always exciting when a book makes it to no. 1.”

But was it especially exciting considering the outcome of November’s presidential election? “I am grateful for being involved in an industry that can make a difference,” she declared. “Political books have grown enormously in importance in recent years. Nowadays these books tend to frame and influence the debate and that what makes it both exciting and important.”

When it came to publishing “Unfit for Command,” by Swift boat veteran John O’Neil, Regnery moved quickly, signing it in June and publishing it in August. “We can do that because we are small,” Ms Ross said.

Their controversial right-wing books may garner few reviews but that doesn’t seem to bother Ms. Ross. “I think we have had more books on the New York Times best-seller list that have not been reviewed by the New York Times than any other publisher. It is the cable news show and talk radio that sell our books.” What is she most excited about in the months ahead? A new book by Newt Gingrich called “Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America,” which will be out in January.

Celebrity magazine editors Janice Min, editor of US, and Bonnie Fuller, Star magazine’s editorial director, must have allowed themselves a second slice of pumpkin pie yesterday. That’s because readers really, really like them – or, at least, the magazines they edit.

The very latest Mediamark Research findings, which estimate audience size, indicate that celebrity weeklies are on a roll. The Fall 2004 data, which covers the period from March to October, is particularly positive for the new, glossier version of American Media’s Star. Among adults 18 and older, Star’s readership grew to 8.2 million, up 12.5% from spring 2004. For the key 18 to 34 demographic, Star’s readership grew 27% to 3.4 million while its median age fell 4.6% to 39.7. These figures are vitally important to advertisers, who are constantly seeking younger readers.

US, Star’s closest competitor, also did well. Readership rose 14% to 7 million and surged 56% among adults 18-34 to 4.9 million.

Those figures provided a welcome respite for the somewhat embattled Ms. Fuller. Ms. Fuller, who revitalized US and then decamped unexpectedly to Star for a rumored $1 million paycheck, has her share of critics. Known as a tough boss – allegedly one current staffer sends e-mail to the gossip columns listing Ms. Fuller’s tirades and transgressions – she is also known to drive up newsstand sales and make money for the company for which she works. On Thanksgiving Eve, just like the celebrities she covers, Ms. Fuller was profiled on “60 Minutes II.” On the show, media critic Simon Dumenco claimed the magazines she creates are the equivalent of crack cocaine. “They’re irresistible,” he said. You just have to stop and pick them up.