"Carolyn Keene" Marsh

I remember how devastated I was when I learned that Carolyn Keene, the author of the Nancy Drew Mysteries was not a real person. Unlike Keene, Carole Marsh is a real person who readily accepts all the press and awards. However, like the Nancy Drew mysteries, Marsh's 10,000 books have been written corporately by the many employees Marsh overworked over the years. Once upon a time she was a writer, but then realized that generate income she needed to hire writers. She may come up with an idea, structure, or even a prototype for a series, but almost all the actual writing is done by underpaid employees who are never credited for any of their work and who work in factory-like conditions cranking out more Carole Marsh titles while she travels promoting herself as the author.

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Ghost writers?
Submitted by dollaradayandfound on Thu, 06/28/2007 - 9:31am.

Is this something like the FWC organization and the country remedies for warts? Are they written by writers?

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Actually
eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Thu, 06/28/2007 - 10:13am.

this lady does have a very touching story about how she grew up, nearly blind, began writing, and became very successful.

Now she has a business of her own, fine home, pool, cars, private airplane, etc. The company is the family, the husband is one thing, daughter another, son another, and of course Carole is in charge.

There are several areas and types of children's books they do, historical books, state books, "about the world" books, mystery series, a wide variety of subjects. A good deal of traveling is done to "research" information for books. Characters are often her own children or the children of employees. Found most interesting the book they did on sex education for children . . . quite thorough!


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Travel and Research
Submitted by jz1972 on Thu, 06/28/2007 - 10:52am.

The research is done by the "writers" in the office using previously pubished books and the Internet while Carole calls in and asks how the research is going while she is traveling. The family is definitely in charge, but the other employees are the ones cranking out the copy, at least until they crack under the pressure.

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