The Disappeared: an introduction

Lord knows I spend enough time on this blog talking about what many other literary blogs, websites, and books also discuss ad nauseum--the path to publication. I also talk a lot about writers who have been in the game for a while, who sustain long careers.

But what truly fascinates me are those who drop off, never to be heard from again. Because I am not sure what’s a bigger fear: to never be published, or to have some degree of success and then see all of your works in the out-of-print rack, the publishing equivalent of deep storage.

I'm a curious person by nature, and my favorite question is "why?", followed closely by "what happened?" And in some ways, there's no greater mystery (to my mind, anyway) than a writer who appears on the horizon for one, two, maybe more books, then disappears. Because such instances demonstrate that the struggle to get published is only the beginning, that there's still a hell of a lot of hard work to be had afterwards. That a flashy advance only goes so far, because if it doesn't earn out, then a book or two later and you're firmly ensconced on the remainder shelves--if you're lucky. That perhaps a writer's really only capable of writing a book or two, and moves on to other things. Or that personal matters get in the way. In all the rush to bring aboard fresh faces, debut novelists, others have to be shunted aside. There's simply not enough room for everyone.

Crime fiction, especially, is a genre filled with names that appear on the horizon briefly, maybe even make a big splash, only to taper off. What happens when such a writer is in the middle of a series that has a cult following, and disappears? Was he or she dropped by his publisher, the contract cancelled because the books didn't sell? Or was there another reason? Or maybe the writer's still out there, working under a new name, even a completely different genre.

A few months ago, I was perusing the MWA’s Edgar nominee database to see if there was any correlation between being nominated and career longevity. And as I went back further in time, I recognized fewer and fewer names. Especially interesting to me were those nominated in the Best First category; one would think that if a book was considered amongst the best of that year, that the writer in question might have some talent, or some following. But even in that category, there were many, many names that simply aren’t being published anymore.

Where are the out-of-print, the dispossessed, the disappeared? Where did they go? What happened to them?

Those are the things I want to find out. And so, I'm launching a new feature, to appear every couple of weeks or so. I have a few people in mind that I'd like to discuss in depth, to put their short-lived careers in perspective, and highlight some names that are, perhaps, unjustly neglected. But I'm more than happy to take outside suggestions as well, both in the comments and directly to me.

Comments

[derik]

I'm assuming you've seen the (not very good) movie "Stone Reader", which is about a disappeared author.

[Bryon]

This is a great idea. There are several writers who have fallen off the planet that I wondered about. You can do a literary "Where are They Now."

A few of the biggies for me are:

1. Rob Kantner
2. Karen Kiejewski
3. Gregory McDonald

[michael]

I miss William Murray. The folks at Black Orchid told me he just quit because he couldn't stand dealing with publishers any more. It's also possible he hit a giant Pick Six bet at Del Mar and decided just to play horses.

[Graham Powell]

How about Benjamin Schutz, who wrote the Leo Haggerty series, including the great short story "Mary, Mary, Shut The Door"? He could see the writing on the wall, so in the last book in the series, MEXICO IS FOREVER, he had Haggerty go through quite a bit.

He resurfaced a couple of years ago with a short story, "Lost And Found", which was a sequel to "Mary", but as far as I know that's all.

[Jennifer Jordan]

4. William Leonard Marshall

5. Kent Anderson

Byron, there is an article on what happened to Rob Kanter by Joe Konrath in the first issue of Crime Spree Magazine.

[Kevin Wignall]

Sarah, great idea, though a little unnerving for those of us in the game - you will email us beforehand if we're set to feature?
Also a great post on this subject, one on which I could expand at length, because I also represent another angle - how you can disappear in one country but not another. I've had so many people asking when "For the Dogs" was coming out in the UK that I've had to send out a group email explaining that the US version is available from amazon.co.uk, but that's it. What most people don't understand, and I've talked to Olen about this in the last week, is that the real work actually starts around the second and third books - that's when you have to start digging in, carving out your spot until it's invulnerable to the vagaries of the publishing world.

[Mike]

I can second the recommendation of "Stone Reader", and of the writers mentioned by Bryon, McDonald had a new novel out just last year. The writer I'd most like to know about is Scott Smith. To me, "A Simple Plan" (1993) was absolutely the best crime novel of the 90s, and one of the best I've ever read. Then it was made into an excellent movie by Sam Raimi. But as for Smith himself, I haven't heard a word in the eleven years since. How can someone write one book this good, then just vanish?

[Jennifer Jordan]

So, Kevin, what you're saying is you're a mirage?

[Kevin Wignall]

J, I prefer to think of myself as an oasis with a well-stocked bar and a great pianist. So there you go, I'm not a mirage, but I'm clearly delusional.

[Sarah]

Well, I see this new feature is attracting some interest. As Jen points out, Crime Spree features a lengthy article about Kantner, and I believe a new collection of short stories will be out later this year from PointBlank Press.

Mike, I too wonder about Scott Smith, but I think he got bit by the Hollywood bug (and may or may not be directing movies, too) so that might explain things. Still, I haven't read A SIMPLE PLAN yet so this is as good an excuse as any...

[Nichelle Tramble]

What about Terris McMahon Grimes who wrote the series based in Sacramento, California?

[Aldo]

Jennifer,

I'll ask Dennis McMillan about Kent Anderson. I think he still writing.

[Aldo]

Kevin,

Is it really use typing into this blog?

[Olen Steinhauer]

Sarah, as a nominee, the post sends shivers down my spine.

Kevin and I have been discussing this for good reason--a first novel gets some flurry of attention because it's a first. Then the second or third...well, that seems to be when some mysterious mixture of PR, reviews, simple luck, and perhaps a bit of pluck, can keep you in the public eye.

I'm interested to see what you can dredge out of the shadows from these previous attention-grabbers, maybe find some common mistake, or come to the more likely conclusion that it's just the winds of fate.

What a freakin' business. Why didn't I study medicine?

[Aldo]

Olen said Well, probably because you are a good writer. You and Kevin just need to stick to business at hand and the audience will find you. It is important that the rest of, the reading public, but the pressure on the idiots at the Big Houses to promote and nourish you guys.

When these guys tour, get out to those readings/signing and do as I do, talk to the sales reps and ask them for contact info so that the agents and publishers get some feedback info beside the bottom line $$$$.

[Sarah]

It's interesting to also make the distinction between authors who have disappeared intentionally and those who have simply been forgotten.

[Dan Wickett]

Yes, please follow up on the Kantner disappearance for those of us who don't get Crime Spree.

Being from Ben Perkins' home city of Westland, the books were a treasure to stumble upon. I met him when The Red, White and Blues was published - he did a signing in a store nearby. At that time he was complaining about not even having a paperback contrack, let alone a hardcover deal.

I know he's done some work with ISO-9000, had (and may still have) a website and a book for sale on that topic (Quality Control).

Thanks

[Rob Kantner]

Thanks for the interest. I dropped out of book writing when I started my own consulting firm in the mid 90s. In recent years I have published several mystery shorts with Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and one of them has been anthologized in Best American Mystery Stories 2004 (which just came out). PointBlank Press has contracted to bring out a Ben Perkins short story anthology. Check my site www.RobKantner.com for further updates. Thanks!

Rob