Ed Gorman has some more questions and comments about Dan J. Marlowe. I've sent him a note about Al Nausbaum's relationship with Marlowe, but I'd like to take off from Ed's remark about the support Marlowe received after his stroke from So. Cal. writers like Richard Laymon. I have three odd little items called "Fastback Sports Books" by Marlowe and one by Laymon. These were published in 1985, and they're 25-30 pages long. I have no idea where they were sold or who the intended audience was. I just couldn't resist picking them up when I saw them. I wonder how much Marlowe and Laymon got paid for these.
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I think in his memoir, A WRITER'S LIFE, Laymon says these books were used in schools for remedial reading classes. I can't check because I can't find the book right now, organization not being my strong suit. But they were definitely intended for older kids with low vocabulary levels.
Thanks for the info, James. I guess I should read Laymon's memoir. I didn't even know about it. Writing "easy readers" must have been an interesting break from Laymon's other novels. But then I think he was also "Lee Davis Willoughby" a time or two. Another interesting break.
Yes, Laymon wrote THE LAWMEN as Lee Davis Willoughby, his only house-name book as far as I know. I've read it, and it's pretty good.
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