Ghostwriters

[Criss]

I noticed that you sometimes know which ghostwriter has written which book.
Is there a list somewhere? How can I find out more about who has written what?

[tomswift2002]

You have to check out Ghost Of The Hardy Boys by Leslie McFarlane.  It was published in 1977 and went out-of-print very quickly, but it is a treasure trove of information on the first Hardy Boys author, Leslie McFarlane.

Basically McFarlane wrote #'s 1-17*, 22-25 between 1927 and 1946.  McFarlane's second wife, Amy, finished writing #26 after Leslie wrote the first couple of chapters.

*With 17 The Secret Warning is currently being credited to both Leslie McFarlane and Dr. John Button due to the fact that the printed text contains the writing style Leslie McFarlane that has been identified as his with other known McFarlane Hardy boys books, while there is also text that is very amateurish that seems to come from Dr. John Button, the author of the Original Texts of Hardy Boys 18, 19, 20 and 21, and is comparable to the text from #19.  But also different Hardy Boys fans have visited the Stratemeyer archive at the New York Public Library and have found a release form from Dr. John Button for The Secret Warning, while the only claim to authorship for Leslie McFarlane found in writing is in his autobiography which is mentioned above, in which McFarlane mentions that he remembers writing the book but does not remember any details about it, as well as an interview that was published in the November 1978 issue of the University of Guelph's Canadian Children's Literature.

Also check out The Hardy Boys Wiki at hardyboys.wikia.com.  Also hardyboys.us, however, some of the details on this site are questionable while others have since been found to be in error.

[Criss]

that's interesting, thanks a lot.

Are there any details on the Casefiles writers?

[tomswift2002]

So far a lot of those records haven't been released and are only known to Simon & Schuster.  But over on a Three Investigators website, Bill McCay (Star Trek The Next Generation #22 Chain of Command, April 1992) has said that he was the editor that Simon & Schuster and Mega Books went with in 1987 to start up the Casefiles series and that his first decision was blowing up the Hardy's sedan.

Peter Lerangis has also mentioned that he was involved with the Hardy Boys and the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys SuperMystery'88 series.

http://www.threeinvestigatorsbooks.com/BillMcCay.html

[SDLagent]

Bill McCay killed Iola Morton!

[Olivia]

Bill McCay killed Iola Morton!

IIC's #1 Enemy.

Kidding.

I admit, it was good for the series.

(...but she's still alive and out there...)

[hardygirl847]

I think it's really interesting to see who wrote which books. For the LONGEST time, I thought Franklin W. Dixon was a real person...and so was Carolyn Keene. I was wrong! Finding out that so many people wrote these books was kind of like finding out your favorite superhero (like Batman) wasn't really real either. lol Then again I grew up with the Casefiles and didn't even bother with the bluespines. Now that I am older, I can appreciate where they came from (originals) and the fact that there would have to be many people writing them since they started in 1927. Such information wasn't important at all to me when I was 12.

The whole Iola thing brings up the question...what would have happened if Callie had died instead? How different would Frank be and the whole series? Why did they decide to kill Joe's girlfriend? Was it because he's the more impulsive, girl crazy of the two??

Anyone who writes fanfic is welcome to try that line of thought...but it would be a huge undertaking.

[MacGyver]

The current Book Club Discussion book (#80 in The Hardy Boys Casefiles- Dead of Night) explores that idea some.

[Olivia]

The whole Iola thing brings up the question...what would have happened if Callie had died instead? How different would Frank be and the whole series? Why did they decide to kill Joe's girlfriend? Was it because he's the more impulsive, girl crazy of the two??

Interesting thoughts.

I think Joe was the right choice because...it's weird to say, but I'm not sure it would have had has much as an impact if it was Callie. Or I just can't imagine it.

The current Book Club Discussion book (#80 in The Hardy Boys Casefiles- Dead of Night) explores that idea some.

Hmm. I might peek in.

I've been wanting to join, but I haven't had access to the books or haven't been organized/around enough to start yet. Hopefully soon.

[hardygirl847]

MacGyver,

Our discussion might but the book itself doesn't really go into it too much. Sure, something happens with Frank/Callie...but it's too short to be compared to Joe/Iola.

Olivia,

Yeah I think with Joe's personality always being more a bit more headstrong and into girls more....it made sense for him to have huge tragedy to deal with. That sounds mean...Let me rephrase....Um...Iola's death supercharged Joe's already impulsive nature. Frank has never been quite like that...and therefore it might have been TOO much of a change. Not sure on that one. I think it worked out well. It still interests me to think about what if it was the other way around.

Also, please do come and discuss the books. Sometimes it starts out as just the book but can delve into more topics and issues as well. In a few weeks, we will be taking choices for next year. You will have a chance to choose your own book that you would like to discuss and be in charge of that month's discussion. It's super easy and YOU get to have a choice in the matter. So if there's something you don't have now, you could always suggest a book you liked, remembered, or have access to. We welcome new people anytime!

[Olivia]

hardygirl847:

I'm glad you understand what I mean about Joe!

And thanks about the Book Club thing. I hope to look into it soon

[MacGyver]

MacGyver,

Our discussion might but the book itself doesn't really go into it too much. Sure, something happens with Frank/Callie...but it's too short to be compared to Joe/Iola.

Well, yeah- that's why I said "some". It at least gives readers a little inkling of what could've been. But it would really be up to the readers to flesh out the details from there in their own speculations- hence our discussion on the book as you mentioned.

[hardygirl847]

hardygirl847:

I'm glad you understand what I mean about Joe!

And thanks about the Book Club thing. I hope to look into it soon

Welcome and we'd love to have you!

Well, yeah- that's why I said "some". It at least gives readers a little inkling of what could've been. But it would really be up to the readers to flesh out the details from there in their own speculations- hence our discussion on the book as you mentioned.

Right...the nature of our discussions to get to express our ideas and bounce back and forth with other people's. I think it's very interesting and enjoy it.

Frank always gets portrayed as less emotional and more analytical. He is that but he's more than that too. No matter who you are, if something like that happened, you would be affected...even if they were find in the end. That will stay around with you forever. I like to write Frank as having a bit more depth to his character. He's my fave ( even though I LOVE Joe too) but sometimes I feel he gets the short end of that stick because the writers want to just have Joe be the emotional one.

Dunno...mushy brain now...late....can't form thoughts...lol

[Olivia]

Yeah. Obviously it would influence him, but the question is, to what extent and what would that look like? Would he be as open/external about it?

Perhaps another reason they may have chose Joe to go through that is so the brothers can keep their personalities. If Frank dealt with it in a way where he became hot-headed and impulsive, the brothers wouldn't be different anymore, which loses what's interesting. Or if they changed roles, that would be weird.

Well, you got me thinking some more.

[MacGyver]

That would actually be kind of interesting to have Frank go crazy and over the edge and have Joe having to try to pull him back to reason.