William Edmund Barrett (1900 – 1986) was an American writer, best known for the 1962 novella The Lilies of the Field, later made into a movie that won Sidney Poitier his best actor Oscar. Before Barrett got into movies, he wrote many stories for the pulps, including this one that I reviewed a few years… Continue reading Interview William E. Barrett – Best-selling writer, movie man
Category: Authors
One writer looks at the evolution of the western story
John A. Saxon (1886-1947) wrote mostly western and detective stories in a writing career that spanned more than twenty five years. Working as a law clerk, he wrote stories on the side and was part of a California writing circle that included Robert Leslie Bellem, the author of the Dan Turner stories. ABOUT THE AUTHOR… Continue reading One writer looks at the evolution of the western story
Ralph S. Kendall on becoming a writer
Ralph S. Kendall was an Englishman who became a member of the RCMP, a Mountie as they were called then. After a long career, he wrote two novels partly based on his experiences: Benton of the Royal Mounted and its sequel, The Luck of the Mounted. His hero, Benton, was the younger son of a… Continue reading Ralph S. Kendall on becoming a writer
Double booked: Identity theft among authors
We all know of plagiarism, the crime of stealing words without attribution. To deal with it, publishers used to ask for references when they wanted to use a story from a first-time author. But how do you deal with someone who pretends to be a famous author? Read on to find out how authors came… Continue reading Double booked: Identity theft among authors
Harold Q. Masur – Newspaper profile
This was originally published in the Wichita Eagle. Suspense Writer Hits TownMystery Is ‘Why Dunnit’ By BARRY PARISEagle Staff Writer It’s not “who dunnit?” in mystery writing any more it’s “why dunnit?” according to suspense writer Harold Q Masur. Masur, author of Bury Me Deep which sold well over a million copies and was translated… Continue reading Harold Q. Masur – Newspaper profile
From Breaking Hearts to Broken Hearted: Ethel Rosemon’s story
Till Barry Traylor posted a photo in a Facebook group, I had no idea that this pulp existed. I had never seen an issue or read a story from it, but that didn’t make me any less curious about it. It was one of the many magazines that hitched their star to the rapidly rising… Continue reading From Breaking Hearts to Broken Hearted: Ethel Rosemon’s story
Ham & Eggs: The successful pulp recipe of Alfred L. Gehri
We live in amazing times. Things previously impossible because they’d cost too much to try are now feasible. Like me buying pulps off EBay and shipping them across the world or diving into the lives of pulp authors by reading old newspapers and journals online.A few weeks ago, I read my first issue of Popular… Continue reading Ham & Eggs: The successful pulp recipe of Alfred L. Gehri
Isabel Ostrander – Author
Isabel Ostrander was a prolific writer in the early twentieth century, contributing more than thirty serials using three pseudonyms, and perhaps more under other names, to the Munsey and Street and Smith pulps in little over a decade before her untimely death. Many of these serials were later reprinted as novels, some with changed titles.… Continue reading Isabel Ostrander – Author
Clinton H. Stagg – Author, Script Writer, News Reporter
Continuing from last week’s The first blind detective in modern fiction Clinton Holland Stagg, the creator of the first fictional blind detective, was born on 22 November 1888 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey to William E. Stagg and Annie Stagg (neé Holland). There is no record of his father’s profession at the time of his… Continue reading Clinton H. Stagg – Author, Script Writer, News Reporter
Photos of Walt Coburn’s house in Tucson, Arizona
Walt Coburn was a famous western author in the pulps. He started his career as a writer when his lifetime goal of being a cowboy was ended after an accident. With a little encouragement from author Robert J. Horton, who had heard Coburn’s stories earlier and realized his talent for storytelling, Coburn parlayed his start… Continue reading Photos of Walt Coburn’s house in Tucson, Arizona