The on-again, off-again sale of Dennis Publishing is on ... again! After balking earlier this summer, sources say British men's magazine mogul Felix Dennis is once more leaning toward selling Maxim, Stuff, and Blender, three of the four titles that make up his U.S. holdings. (The Week, the fourth title, would likely not be part of any deal.) Dennis president Stephen Colvin, after lying dormant through the late summer, is once again in a frenzy of activity, which insiders believe is related to a sale.

Moreover, advertising reps at Dennis were recently told they were required to meet face-to-face with Colvin to review each and every one of the company's accounts. Of course, Colvin's zeal is motivated by more than mere loyalty: Sources say both he and CFO/COO John Lagana own a piece of the company and are eager to cash in. "Both of them would love to retire," says an executive close to the negotiations.

Dennis's interest in unloading his magazines is nothing new; in past years, he has reportedly held talks with American Media Inc., Wenner Media, and Hearst. "This is a guy with a history of putting a toe in the water," said the executive. But Dennis went a step further when, according to the New York Post, he hired investment bank Allen & Co. in April to prep the company for a sale, with an asking price of $250 million. Since then, Girls Gone Wild goon Joe Francis and former Wenner Media exec Kent Brownridge have reportedly expressed interest in buying, and sources tell Radar Axel Springer, which publishes the German edition of Maxim through a licensing arrangement, has also taken a close look.

Several sources said they believed Brownridge, who served as Jann Wenner's majordomo for over two decades before retiring last December, was still hoping to tender an offer backed by private equity money—one source believed Steven Rattner's Quadrangle Group was in the mix—and possibly involving other former Wenner execs. "He got blown out of Wenner," said an insider. "He wants to get Jann back for that, and he's bored."

Asked about sale discussions, Colvin tells Radar, via email, "It's all just business as usual around here, and business is GREAT." Now that doesn't sound like someone who's trying to sell something, does it?