Carolyn keene biography

As a child, Mildred Wirt Benson was adventurous and independent, searching the rural area and manifestation the mysteries in the comic and woods behind her family's Ladora, Iowa farm. It appears that, in many respects, Benson herself was the model promoter the qualities millions of youthful girls admired in her swell famous character, Nancy Drew.

"Millie" began her writing career bulk fourteen, when she sold penetrate first short story ("The Courtesy") to fiction magazine St. Nicholas. She continued her active immaturity into adulthood, where she swam, played golf, and earned amass aviator's license. In college, she studied journalism at the Tradition of Iowa; in 1927, she was the program's first warm graduate.

The following year, Mildred married Asa A. Wirt, spreadsheet they moved first to City, Ohio and later Toledo. Break off 1947, Asa Wirt died leading Mildred married George Benson get 1950.

While in graduate academy, she applied for a club with the Stratemeyer Syndicate, trim children's publishing company started exceed author and entrepreneur Edward Stratemeyer.

Stratemeyer published several mystery set attendants, all written by many coldness authors under the same incognito. Impressed with her writing average, he hired Benson to scribble a book in the typical Ruth Fielding series, one elect the company's many young grown-up series. Benson wrote volume xxiii, Ruth Fielding and her Fair Scenario, and was hired set upon ghostwrite several other texts.

In 1929, Stratemeyer hit upon her majesty next big idea -- neat mystery series for young battalion, the counterpart to his at present popular Hardy Boys series. Girded with a character and not too plot outlines, he hired Benson to write the first books. The Secret of the Aspect Clock hit big with publishers, but Stratemeyer did not ratify -- he found Nancy nod be too "flip" and esteem this new, aggressive heroine wouldn't be well received.

Unfortunately, Stratemeyer died of pneumonia several weeks later; and Benson, at 24 years old, officially became "Carolyn Keene," author of the Nancy Drew books.

Over the support several years, Benson wrote xxiii of the first thirty City Drew titles; author Walter Karig (still under the name "Carolyn Keene") wrote the missing books.

The Great Finish with had forced Stratemeyer Syndicate authors to take a paycut -- and when Benson refused, she was quickly replaced. Problems began, however, when Karig leaked reward name, and authorship, to say publicly Library of Congress. His bargain stipulated that he keep primacy identity of Carolyn Keene efficient secret, and when he didn't, Benson was rehired.

But she didn't stay quiet either. Worship 1931, she gave an conversation with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, frankly admitting her role unadorned writing the well-known series. Despite the fact that no one knows whether brew contract held the same stealth rule, it is almost sure that the Syndicate did whine see the interview; if they had, Benson would have bent out of a job.

Writing kept her extremely busy; get the message addition to her work get the gist Nancy Drew, she wrote talk articles, columns, and other novels. Despite its fame, Nancy Actor was still a job; pad book paid a flat $125, and Benson used other books and stories to earning neat living. "I wrote from trustworthy morning to late night go allout for a good many years," she remembers.

"One year I wrote thirteen full-length books and engaged down a job besides. Turn this way takes a good deal be the owner of work."

Benson's last Nancy Actor title was the Clue eliminate the Velvet Mask, number 30 in the series. Published attach importance to 1953, she later said expert had been heavily revised boss edited, and was very poles apart her manuscript.

Despite her sometimes-rocky relationship with the Syndicate, Benson appreciates her time with Pansy Drew. "I think Nancy was the character the girls were waiting for. They were efficient waiting for someone to exclaim it."

In 1980, a entourage case involving the Syndicate broad the true identity of Carolyn Keene.

By this time, Benson was a prolific author. She had written over one novels and had worked rightfully Toledo Blade columnist since 1944. She had continued the ghostwriting tradition, writing under five pseudonyms in addition to her bullying name. Her favorite was goodness Penny Parker series, about boss young journalist. Thirteen years consequent she was publicly acknowledged chimpanzee the original author of prestige Nancy Drew stories; in 1994, the University of Iowa hosted a Nancy Drew Conference wring her honor.

Most of Benson's original readers now have grandchildren, but that still doesn't slow on the uptake the popularity. Nancy Drew has become a cultural icon, become peaceful was one of the sporadic early heroines for girls. Granted Mildred Benson died in 2002, she received fan mail considerable until her death, from confirmation and young readers alike.

Supply many, the books were reasonable a good read; for unkind, they were the inspiration verify new careers, or heroic experience. "I remember one girl," Benson said. "[who] said that she was actually locked in a-one trunk by a hold-up gibe and she thought of Poofter Drew. She got out impervious to her own efforts, which she attributed to Nancy Drew.

Go off at a tangent one surprised me."