What’s the Deal with James Patterson?

Written by Jon Williams

First off, a happy belated birthday to the author, who turned 70 last week.  As a librarian, you are no doubt aware of Patterson’s prolific nature and his constant presence on the bestseller lists. Have you ever wondered, though, exactly how he manages to put out so many books?

Patterson published his first novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, in 1976, before he turned 30, but it wasn’t an easy road. He had a full-time job in advertising as he wrote it, and the novel was rejected 31 times before it finally found a home. It won the 1977 Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author, but did not sell many copies. Nevertheless, his career path was set. For the next twenty years, he continued to work in advertising as he wrote novels, including two of his best known: Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls.

Those two novels introduced detective Alex Cross, one of Patterson’s most lucrative creations. As of now, there are 25 Cross novels, the most recent of which, Cross the Line, was published in November. The character has also made the jump to the big screen: Kiss the Girls (1997) and Along Came a Spider (2001) starred Morgan Freeman; then, in 2013, the character was rebooted in Alex Cross, with Tyler Perry in the title role. That movie was based on Patterson’s 2006 novel Cross, and a second movie starring Perry is in production based on 2007’s Double Cross.

For twenty years after The Thomas Berryman Number was published, Patterson continued to work full-time as he wrote. He retired from advertising in 1996 (although he continues to be involved in campaigns for his own work). In those twenty years, he published eight novels. Following his retirement, his publication pace really picked up. In 1996 alone, he released three novels: Hide & Seek, Miracle on the 17^th Green, and Jack & Jill. Since then, not a year has passed without the publication of at least one Patterson book, and most years have featured several.

How does he do it? For one thing, the writing in Patterson’s books is relatively simple, streamlined for maximum readability. Secondly, he has turned his books into a cottage industry, collaborating with a number of other writers to produce many of them. This 2015 article in Vanity Fair describes the process, in which Patterson provides his collaborator with an extensive outline that details the plot from beginning to end, and then revises and rewrites the manuscript to his specifications once it is fleshed out. Some of his collaborators have included Richard DiLallo, Mark Sullivan, Michael Ledwidge, Liza Marklund, and Maxine Paetro. Patterson’s most recent novel, Black Book, published earlier this week, is a collaboration with David Ellis.

Part of the strategy behind Patterson’s writing style is his intention to appeal to an audience that may not otherwise be interested in reading, as a way of promoting literacy. When he noticed that his own son Jack was a reluctant reader, Patterson decided to jump into the arena of young adult literature. Thus, in 2005, the Maximum Ride series was born with the first book, The Angel Experiment. Now his involvement in the genre has grown to include seven more series (including Middle School, which led to the recent feature film) as well as quite a few standalones. Lately, Patterson has turned his attention to adults as well, launching a series of Bookshots: short, exciting reads that can be easily consumed in one sitting (and although he’s not as involved in the writing process, there’s also a line of Bookshots Flames aimed at romance readers).

So that’s the “secret” behind how James Patterson writes to many books. Needless to say, such a large share of the market has made him quite a wealthy man, and he has put a substantial amount of that money where his mouth is, donating large sums to fund scholarships and literacy programs, in addition to launching ReadKiddoRead, a website devoted to providing resources to parents in the effort to pass the joy of reading to their kids. That being the case, there’s really not much else to say, other than: Go, James, go! To share more of his impressive oeuvre with your patrons, SmartBrowse his name on our website, and point them toward our collection of his audiobooks on hoopla digital.

Hot This Week: March 27

There's something for everyone on this week's movie list, which sees four new titles make their debuts. Ed Sheeran holds onto the coveted #1 slot in music, while the soundtrack for the box office smash Beauty and the Beast shows up at #3. Four new novels on the fiction list are led by the latest thrilling collaboration between Clive Cussler and Justin Scott, while titles from Michael Savage and Rod Dreher break onto the non-fiction list.

DVD

1. Moana
2. Trolls
3. Doctor Strange
4. Solace
5. Hacksaw Ridge
6. Fences
7. Masterminds
8. Arrival
9. The Edge of Seventeen
10. The Accountant

CD

1. Ed Sheeran, Divide
2. Metallica, Hardwired...To Self-Destruct
3. Beauty and the Beast Soundtrack
4. Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
5. Moana Soundtrack
6. The Weeknd, Starboy
7. Trolls Soundtrack
8. Big Sean, I Decided
9. Post Malone, Stoney
10. Khalid, American Teen

Fiction

1. The Cutthroat, Clive Cussler and Justin Scott
2. Dangerous Games, Danielle Steel
3. Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman
4. The Devil's Triangle, Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison
5. In This Gave Hour, Jacqueline Winspear
6. Without Warning, Joel C. Rosenberg
7. Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders
8. A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles
9. Silence Fallen, Patricia Briggs
10. The Whistler, John Grisham

Non-Fiction

1. Trump's War, Michael Savage
2. Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance
3. Portraits of Courage, George W. Bush
4. Killing the Rising Sun, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
5. The Magnolia Story, Chip and Joanna Gaines
6. Big Agenda, David Horowitz
7. The Benedict Option, Rod Dreher
8. When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi
9. The Book of Joy, Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
10. Dear Ijeawele, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Two Classic Albums Reissued

Written by Jon Williams

Classic rock fans are in for a treat—or, more accurately, two treats—over the course of the next two New Music Fridays. Two rock legends are releasing remastered and expanded versions of albums that came out in the 1980s.

First up, available tomorrow, is Paul McCartney’s Flowers in the Dirt. Originally released in 1989, it was McCartney’s eighth solo album (or fifteenth, if you include his Wings outings) after the dissolution of the Beatles. Ever the collaborator, Sir Paul enlisted the help of Elvis Costello for this album, and together the two co-wrote four tracks. The special edition reissue features a second disc comprising nine demos, five of which are songs that were not originally included.

This is also the tenth installment of the McCartney Archive Collection, which are classic album reissues supervised by Sir Paul himself. It follows the Wings classic Band on the Run, the solo albums McCartney, McCartney II, Ram, the live album Wings Over America, Venus and Mars, Wings at the Speed of Sound, Tug of War, and Pipes of Peace. Each of these contains a treasure trove of extra songs not found on the original release. The first release in the collection came out in 2010, and McCartney has continued to put them out while also maintaining a full worldwide touring schedule and releasing two new albums: Kisses on the Bottom, a collection of covers with two original songs, and NEW, containing all-new material.

Next week offers a similar treat when Fleetwood Mac reissues their 1987 album Tango in the Night in honor of its 30th anniversary. The standard edition is a remaster of the original album, while the expanded edition will include a second disc that offers a number of outtakes and rarities from the recording sessions. The album is notable for being the last to feature Fleetwood Mac’s “classic” lineup of Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and John and Christine McVie. It also experienced a resurgence in 2014 after the song “Seven Wonders” was featured in the season finale of American Horror Story: Coven, a season in which Stevie Nicks appeared as herself on the show.

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of their iconic album Rumours, which was released in February of 1977. One of the bestselling albums of all time, it received the reissue treatment in 2013, an expanded three-disc edition that includes live tracks as well as early takes of the album’s songs. The band’s other albums to feature their most well-known lineup are Fleetwood Mac (1975), Tusk (1979), and Mirage (1982). Although Tango in the Night was their last album together, they do still perform live.

Paul McCartney and Fleetwood Mac are stellar artists who have been making outstanding rock music for decades. These new reissues of classic albums are the perfect opportunity to share their work with your music-loving patrons.

Hot This Week: March 20

The first Hot This Week of the newly minted spring season sees two new movies at the very top of the list. The new album from multiplatinum singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran tops the music chart, along with new R&B sensation Khalid at #6. New novels from Danielle Steel and Patricia Briggs lead the way in fiction, while Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Joan Didion break onto the non-fiction list.

DVD

1. Trolls
2. Doctor Strange
3. Hacksaw Ridge
4. Masterminds
5. Arrival
6. The Accountant
7. The Girl on the Train
8. Allied
9. Moonlight
10. Manchester by the Sea

CD

1. Ed Sheeran, Divide
2. Metallica, Hardwired...To Self-Destruct
3. Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
4. The Weeknd, Starboy
5. Moana Soundtrack
6. Khalid, American Teen
7. Trolls Soundtrack
8. Big Sean, I Decided
9. Post Malone, Stoney
10. Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack

Fiction

1. Dangerous Games, Danielle Steel
2. Silence Fallen, Patricia Briggs
3. Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman
4. Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders
5. A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles
6. Heartbreak Hotel, Jonathan Kellerman
7. The Whistler, John Grisham 
8. The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead
9. A Piece of the World, Christina Baker Kline
10. Echoes in Death, J.D. Robb

Non-Fiction

1. Portraits of Courage, George W. Bush
2. Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance
3. Killing the Rising Sun, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
4. Dear Ijeawele, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
5. When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi
6. The Book of Joy, Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
7. Big Agenda, David Horowitz
8. The Magnolia Story, Chip and Joanna Gaines
9. South and West, Joan Didion
10. Thank You for Being Late, Thomas L. Friedman

Hot This Week: March 13

Three new movies make this week's list, including Moonlight, this year's Academy Award winner for Best Picture. Speaking of the Academy Awards, La La Land's near miss that night propelled its soundtrack back onto the music chart, where it's joined by a pair of new country albums. Joanne Fluke's latest murder mystery makes its debut on the fiction list, while former president George W. Bush's collection of military tributes joins the non-fiction list at #1.

DVD

1. Hacksaw Ridge
2. Masterminds
3. Arrival
4. Moonlight
5. Manchester by the Sea
6. Allied
7. The Girl on the Train
8. The Accountant
9. Keeping Up with the Joneses
10. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

CD

1. Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
2. Little Big Town, The Breaker
3. Trolls Soundtrack
4. The Weeknd, Starboy
5. Moana Soundtrack
6. Big Sean, I Decided
7. Aaron Watson, Vaquero
8. La La Land Soundtrack
9. Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack
10. Metallica, Hardwired...To Self-Destruct

Fiction

1. Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman
2. Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders
3. Banana Cream Pie Murder, Joanne Fluke
4. The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead
5. Echoes in Death, J.D. Robb
6. Heartbreak Hotel, Jonathan Kellerman
7. Humans, Bow Down, James Patterson and Emily Raymond
8. A Piece of the World, Christina Baker Kline
9. A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles 
10. The Whistler, John Grisham

Non-Fiction

1. Portraits of Courage, George W. Bush
2. Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance
3. Killing the Rising Sun, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
4. The Book of Joy, Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
5. Homo Deus, Yuval Noah Harari
6. Big Agenda, David Horowitz
7. The Magnolia Story, Chip and Joanna Gaines
8. This Life I Live, Rory Feek
9. Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari
10. When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi

Hot This Week: March 6

Two Academy Award winners, Hacksaw Ridge and Manchester by the Sea, make their way onto this week's movie listing. A trio of newcomers graces the middle of the music chart. Four new titles on the fiction list are led by the conclusion to Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath trilogy detailing the events following Return of the Jedi. In non-fiction, a pair of titles by Yuval Noah Harari make the list in tandem.

DVD

1. Hacksaw Ridge
2. Arrival
3. The Girl on the Train
4. Manchester by the Sea
5. The Accountant
6. Keeping Up with the Joneses
7. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
8. Bad Santa 2
9. The Secret Life of Pets
10. Tyler Perry's Boo! A Madea Halloween

CD

1. Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
2. Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack
3. The Weeknd, Starboy
4. Big Sean, I Decided
5. Charlie Wilson, In It to Win It
6. Ryan Adams, Prisoner
7. Alison Krauss, Windy City
8. Trolls Soundtrack
9. Adele, 25
10. Post Malone, Stoney

Fiction

1. Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders
2. Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman
3. Star Wars: Aftermath - Empire's End, Chuck Wendig
4. Echoes in Death, J.D. Robb
5. Heartbreak Hotel, Jonathan Kellerman
6. A Conjuring of Light, V.E. Schwab
7. A Piece of the World, Christina Baker Kline
8. Humans, Bow Down, James Patterson and Emily Raymond
9. The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead
10. The Girl Before, JP Delaney

Non-Fiction

1. Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance
2. Killing the Rising Sun, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
3. Homo Deus, Yuval Noah Harari
4. The Book of Joy, Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
5. Big Agenda, David Horowitz
6. This Life I Live, Rory Feek
7. The Magnolia Story, Chip and Joanna Gaines
8. Born a Crime, Trevor Noah
9. When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi
10. Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari