Interesting notions on the identity of the story's...

2008-09-28T21:33:00.000-05:00

Interesting notions on the identity of the story's ghostwriter. I recently read BC's "Mystery in Marrachech" and can definitely see the similarities in Connie Blair stories. Mystery of the Ruby Queens is written in a style that's close enough to the other books, so it's hard to say definitively which ghostwriter was ultimately responsible.

You're right, and I have read the Yellowback Libra...

2008-09-25T16:34:00.000-05:00

You're right, and I have read the Yellowback Library letter but had forgotten the reference to Ann Miller. It's too bad that we do not know more about her.

I had a feeling that the author's name had been mentioned somewhere, but it had slipped from my memory. I decided to go with my theory even though I suspected it would be proved wrong. It made for some interesting speculation, though!

Betty Cavanna wrote the first eleven Connie Blair ...

2008-09-25T07:28:00.000-05:00

Betty Cavanna wrote the first eleven Connie Blair books. I would not be surprised to learn that she adopted a pen name for the G&D series to avoid hurting her library sales which comprised most of the books published under her own name by the companies the librarians liked.

Cavanna attended the famous series book convention in Corning, NY, in 1986. A report by Ernie Kelly, a collector and researcher interested in authorship issues as well as interviewing as many of the series book creators that he could find, was printed in Gil O'Gara's editor column in the July/August 1986 issue of Yellowback Library (#34):

Dear Gil:

Just got back from Corning where I had a great time at the conference. Thought I might give you a brief report to titillate your readers until some more lengthy pieces on the conference come in. Here are a few reflections and remembrances I'll carry with me:

The papers and talks that were presented were almost uniformly excellent, well researched and informative.

The presentation of Richard Mials piece on Tom Corbett, Space Cadet revealed (I think for the first time) the author of this series. You might think about running this some time.*

Betty Cavanna's admittance that although she was the author of the Connie Blair series, she did not write the Mystery of the Ruby Queens. Because of some overwhelming concerns on the homefront she asked her friend Ann Miller, of Phila. to write the book....

With this in mind, I think the authorship of Ruby Queens still remains with Ann Miller.

As one who is vitally interested in the series book authorship question, I have sometimes convinced myself into thinking I could spot traits of particular writers. Some observations proved more accurate than others. I have even experimented with certain computer analysis techniques to find a text to be similar or dissimilar to another control text.

I think there were tapes made at the Corning Conference. I don't know if I have copies of them or if any of the transcripts of the author sessions give more detail on Cavanna's statement about Miller.

Unfortunately, the name "Ann Miller" is a pretty common one so it would be difficult to find information about her beyond what was given.

James Keeline

* The presentation by Mials on Tom Corbett was not written up. I asked a number of people who attended the conference about this important revelation but no one, including the conference organizer, recalled the details. However, I later learned that the writer behind these stories was Joseph Ingham Greene, the author of the similar Dig Allen series for Golden Press.

Comments on Series Books for Girls: Connie Blair's Colorful Clues Part III

Interesting notions on the identity of the story's...

You're right, and I have read the Yellowback Libra...

Betty Cavanna wrote the first eleven Connie Blair ...