There never has been. For that matter, neither was there ever a Carolyn Keene, nor a Victor Appleton. These are all pen names for a group of writers established by a man named Edward Stratemeyer. Since just before the turn of the century, hundreds of children's series books have sprung from Stratemeyer's fertile mind. His first major series was the Rover Boys, published from to under the pseudonym Arthur M. Stratemeyer soon found that he had far more ideas for stories and series than he could write on his own.
He established a group of writers known as the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Stratemeyer would outline the basic plot of each book to be written, and one of the Syndicate writers known as "ghosts" would write the book, being paid a flat fee and no further royalties. It was a system that seemed to work. Most of the early Stratemeyer books were adventure tales. The readers aren't supposed to identify with Cody.
After he gets caught, his collaborator Josh gets the last word, explaining that he rewrote the script alone and generously offered Cody the stuntman position. Cody presumably winds up in jail, and Bayport returns to normalcy. It's oddly easy to side with the criminal in this case, though. So of course he's disgruntled.
He helped write something and someone else took all the credit. Ghostwriting might constrain writers, but it can free them, too. Writers put their best efforts into the narrative equivalent of a potted plant, but they also work under the comfort of anonymity, which allows them to make a living without being accountable to readers, or without worrying about their reputations.
The best and luckiest writers use ghostwriting to carve out the freedom for the kind of bylined writing they care deeply about. Less fortunate writers often try to do that, too, but they can end up shackled to the mercenary work they intended to outgrow. This was true for the first Hardy Boys ghostwriter, Leslie McFarlane, who was initially relieved that his name wouldn't appear in the series.
But by the time he had written 21 books, many readers knew his name anyway. Before he died, he worried that he would be remembered primarily for his work on the Hardy Boys, instead of the films he directed and the series books that bear his name.
Unfortunately, he was right. Read more: The knotty nostalgia of the Hardy Boys series. Still, there are some unexpected benefits. Ghostwriting seems to teach writers to intuitively balance making books and making a living. First published in , The Hardy Boys series of books created by Edward Stratemeyer has sold more than 70 million copies and been translated into more than 25 languages. The novels have been revised, rebooted, and reimagined at least four times since their debut and the eponymous characters have appeared in everything from comic books and TV shows to video games and cartoons.
The CW currently has a hit Nancy Drew series on the air, and shows like Riverdale , Pretty Little Liars , and Veronica Mars have spent years reinforcing the idea that teenagers are surprisingly great at solving crimes. Whither, the Hardy Boys?
On Hulu , at last. This new adaptation of The Hardy Boys , starring newcomers Rohan Campbell and Alexander Elliot as the sleuthing siblings, is the fifth onscreen version of their story and its mere existence will be enough to delight some fans who just want to see their favorite characters come to life onscreen.
But although this The Hardy Boys series is a perfectly serviceable family mystery with a charming young cast, fans of the original series of novels may find themselves surprised by some of the changes from the source material. Of which there are quite a few — for both good and ill.
Ad — content continues below. Making the Hardy boys younger than ever before does allow the Hulu series to appeal to a wider audience than it might otherwise be able to do. Our knowledgeable staff will help you find the book you want. If we don't have it in stock, we will be happy to order it for you. Your email address will not be published.
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