NEWS LITE : PRINCE, PARAMOUR PLAYING THE PALACE?

It looks as if the mourning period's over. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles are doing ``secret overnight visits'' at his St. James's Palace residence, British tabloids reported Wednesday.

``Camilla Sleeps at the Palace,'' roared the Sun, adding that she keeps a cache of duds there. The Daily Mail says she's been spending two or three nights a month at the palace, but never when Princes William and Harry are there. The boys reportedly have never met Parker-Bowles, 50, Charles' crush since 1970.

A royal spokesman declined comment on the reports, saying that Charles' ``domestic arrangements are private, and we do not discuss them.'' The Sun said Parker-Bowles' visits have become a ``talking point in royal circles'' after she was seen at the palace by workmen, delivery men and chauffeurs. Cracked a tabloid: ``What, we wonder, is a woman of her stature doing hanging around the staff entrance?''

Pynchon lets cat out of the mailbag

Thomas Pynchon, 60, of whom little has been known the last 40 years, will have a bit of cover lifted later this year when more than 120 letters he wrote from 1963 to 1982 to his ex-agent, Candida Donadio, become available to scholars. She sold them in 1984 to arts patron Carter Burden for $45,000. Among the revelations: He wonders whether he should have stuck to the math game; refers to his second novel, ``The Crying of Lot 49,'' as ``a short story with gland trouble''; has made public appearances, once as best man at the wedding of writer Richard Farina; loves movies and, when a critic's spot opened at Esquire magazine, said he could do it, noting: ``I can be crisp, succinct, iconoclastic, noncoterie, nonprogrammatic . . . curmudgeonly, insulting, bigoted, psychotic and nitpicking''; was rendered ``sick, almost homicidal'' by a piece written on him by Dick Schaap in 1964; mentions ``Mason & Dixon'' in 1975, 22 years before its publication; and, to a 1978 query about telling his life story, replied: ``I try to do that all the time. Nobody ever wants to listen.''

`Home' star sues to improve image

``Home Improvement'' star Tim Allen is suing a local man for $12 million over a tabloid account of a traffic accident.

Henry Armstrong, a 72-year-old retired film librarian, told the National Enquirer that he was hit by Allen's Ferrari in Studio City. He filed a suit against Allen, who was not ticketed.

``He stood over me as I lay on the ground in agony,'' Armstrong was quoted as saying. ``He was bleary-eyed and unsteady on his feet, and he never uttered a word, never mind said sorry.''

Allen, who has a home in suburban Detroit, sued Tuesday, claiming Armstrong falsely portrayed him as heartless and under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

In June, Allen was fined for driving while impaired in Michigan.

DiCaprio's mother talks Oscars snub

Leonardo DiCaprio's mom, Irmalin, has raised the unthinkable possibility that her boy will boycott the Oscars later this month for a perceived snub in the best-actor category. ``Why should he go?'' she said. ``He wasn't nominated. . . . I don't think he will. He probably won't decide until the last minute.''

Asked himself at Monday's Manhattan premiere of ``The Man in the Iron Mask'' the hot movie star replied: ``I really don't know if I'm going to go.'' Asked if he was hurt by the non-nomination, DiCaprio just shrugged.

Sidewalk pays tribute

to singers

Legendary blues singers John Lee Hooker and the late Janis Joplin were honored on Wednesday with sidewalk plaques in front of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Guitarist Carlos Santana, Mayor Willie Brown Jr. and about 100 shivering fans gathered in front of the auditorium to dedicate the plaques on the Walk of Fame.

They join Santana and the late Grateful Dead lead guitarist Jerry Garcia in the concrete in front of the auditorium in the city's Civic Center. The hall was named for the late rock promoter, who died in a helicopter crash in 1991.

On a cool, sunny afternoon, Santana compared Hooker to the Dalai Llama and Chicago Bulls basketball star Michael Jordan for his God-given talent.

``Your music is a sign to lift people's consciousness so we can truly believe we have peace, life, love and joy,'' Santana said. ``As far as I'm concerned, you've been a guru, a swami and a yogi a long time.''

Of Joplin, Santana said, ``When she started singing, you got goose bumps on your goose bumps.''

The annual unveiling of bronze plaques precedes Saturday night's California Music Awards, also known as the Bammies.

News Lite is compiled by Karen Duffy from Daily News staff and wire reports

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Double take

College student Kimbley Craig, 22, shows a magazine cover to illustrate her resemblance to former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Craig won a look-alike contest over 24 others at a radio station contest held at a Wienerschnitzel restaurant in North Hollywood.

Greg Andersen/San Gabriel Valley Tribune

(2) Allen