The New York Times published an article by Richard Sandomir last week titled The Ludlum Conundrum: A Dead Novelist Provides New Thrills in which he discusses the not uncommon practice of a famous writer’s estate authorizing publication of books under the author’s name after his death.
Sandomir discusses specifically the 13 novels published under the name Robert Ludlum since his death six years ago. He also notes that V. C. Andrews has been “writing” books since her death in 1986 and even Hemingway’s estate released several books after his death.
Frequently over the past several decades, famous writers entering the last years of life have paired with younger authors to “coauthor” additional books. The newcomer gradually takes over the franchise, with many later becoming authorial celebrities in their own right. This practice seems very straightforward and benevolent (not that the celebrity author gets nothing from the deal, however).
Somehow, I find it less straightforward and far more mercenary for books written by others, acknowledged or not, to appear on the shelves under a celebrity author’s name. (I am not talking about the editing and releasing books written by the famous author but never published, which seems reasonable and proper—although one does have to wonder why the author chose not to publish them…)
I doubt my estate will have to worry about it, but such practices just don’t feel right to me.
