Ken Holt 16 - Clue of the Silver Scorpion

Comments by Sam's godson

 

Date From To Quotes
6/18/2002 Tim Gallaway Ken Holt Yahoo Group Message #720 "Sam had promised me a "brand new" Ken Holt Mystery for Christmas during a family visit to their home in the fall of 1960.  I actually saw the partially finished manuscript (typed on a tiny little French portable typewriter which Sam used for nearly 40 years to write everything including postcards!)  The book was not printed until January 1961, so I received it as a belated Christmas present.  He told me years later that it was not his best work because it was being rushed through publication to arrive on the shelf in time for Christmas ...  but they didn't make it.   He was aware of discrepancies in the story, though I disagree with your assessment that is was "forced."  He attributed the discrepancies to hurried proofing, etc.  There were also family/health emergencies that year which further delayed his work, but I won't go into that here.  Sam's biggest complaint about writing commercially was having to fit the "buying" schedule rather than the "writing" schedule."

 

Last Revision:  September 23, 2006 03:16 PM