Last week, Yale Law Professor Stephen L. Carter made a big splash in the book world. His first novel, "The Emperor of Ocean Park," was at the center of a heated auction.\n\nKnopf won the bid with a whopping $4 million for two novels. Even half of that amount would be one of the highest advances for a first novel. Warner Bros., John Wells Prods., and Gaylord Films quickly snapped up the movie...