The New York Times has a profile of one of the world’s most sucessful novelists. Can you guess who it might be? And no, it’s not Stephen King, John Grisham, or Dan Brown (over the last few years he has sold more books than all of them combined).
Here are some other clues:
- Since 2006, one out of every 17 novels bought in the United States was written by him.
- He is listed in the latest edition of “Guinness World Records,” published last fall, as the author with the most New York Times best sellers (they reported 45 but it is now up to 51).
- 35 of his novels made it to #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list.
- He published nine original hardcover books in 2009 and will publish at least nine more in 2010.
- His most successful book has more than five million copies in print.
Know who it is yet? Although I’ve read one of his novels (I didn’t like it) I never would have guessed correctly based on these hints. Am I just out-of-touch with mainstream fiction or is this guy the most unknown famous writer in America?
January 27th, 2010 | 3:21 pm
I guessed correctly. He’s a story production machine, that man. Still, I haven’t yet been tempted to take one of his books up and read. I suppose I’m just a little wary of a “name” that churns out new material so prodigiously. But that’s just me.
January 27th, 2010 | 3:25 pm
Ha! I knew it. But only because my husband worked for him.
Does this mean you are out-of-touch? No, it means you are not in-touch with “commercial fiction”. Good for you. It’s a very specific and lucrative genre for those who can break through and have a strong enough stomach (or complete lack of morals) to write it. Patterson is different given where he toiled in his professional life – he had all the contacts plus the talent and staying power to hit big. But the question for him is no different from any other commercial fiction writer, will any of their work endure 100 years or longer?
January 28th, 2010 | 7:09 am
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January 28th, 2010 | 8:22 pm
His stuff is just dreck.
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