Author of Nancy's Mysterious Letter and 80+ Books
Carolyn Keene is a pen name writer that has been used over the years by a lot of different people, both men and women. A number of writers were hired by the company that was the creator of the Nancy Drew series, the Stratemeyer Syndicate. The writers used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene for Nancy Drew to ensure the creator's anonymity. Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father, Edward Stratemeyer. Before passing the reins t... o her sister Harriet, Edna contributed ten plot outlines. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt) who breathed into Nancy's character such a feisty spirit. Mildred, including the first three, wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. What helped make Nancy an instant hit was her characterization. During the years under Harriet Stratemeyer Adams' reins, the Stratemeyer Syndicates devotion to the series helped keep the series alive and in store for each successive generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels together with several writers. Books from Nancy Drew have been condensed, racial stereotypes have been removed and the language has been updated. Other Nancy Drew volumes writers include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series for the Syndicate after Mildred quit writing, and a revision of the first 34 texts began in 1959. Walter Karig, who wrote three novels during the Great Depression, was temporarily given the role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene." Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller, and Margaret Scherf also contributed to the prolific existence of Nancy Drews.READ MORE
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Bell seated himself behind the desk, motioning for Nancy to stand opposite him. There was tense silence for a moment. Then Bell reached for a desk telephone.
"I am going to call the police, Miss Drew, and turn you over to them on a charge of trespassing, breaking, and entering with an attempt to steal."
"I wish you would," Nancy replied. "if it is possible over that dummy telephone.
Strauss! Oh yes, he was so-so. He wrote pretty music-
The Blue Danube and Tales from the Vienna Woods.
But what is that compared to Mozart?'
Suddenly, Bess and George spotted Nancy coming towards them. 'Nancy!' the cousins chimed simultaneously and raced toward her.
'I see our bus driver is still at it.' Nancy grinned.
'All the way from Salzburg." George groaned.
'Did he run off the road again?'
'Not once but many times,' Bess said. 'It was awful. Once he got so angry because someone compared Beethoven to Mozart that he actually stopped the bus, ran outside, and shouted into the valley,
Beethoven is a bore. Mozart is sublime.
Over and over. The professor had to go out and drag him back to the bus.
Madame Valenska sat down in one of the chairs. Whose fortune shall I tell first? she asked the girls. Nancy stepped forward. Mine. I mean . . . maybe you can tell me about something I lost. Madame invited Nancy to sit in the chair facing her. She waved her hands in front of Nancy’s face. I can see your name begins with a P. Is it . . . Patty? Nancy heard Jessie begin to laugh. It’s Nancy, Nancy said. Nancy, Patty—close enough, Madame said with a shrug. She took Nancy’s hand and traced Nancy’s palm with her index finger. That tickles! Nancy giggled. I can see that what you lost is very valuable, Madame Valenska said. Can you also see where they are? Nancy asked. Madame Valenska’s eyes twinkled. She leaned back in her chair. All I will say is this: Be aware. The clues are there. Be wise. And use your eyes. Nancy wrinkled her nose. That sounds more like a riddle than a fortune. It is a riddle, Madame said. But it also tells your fortune. Thanks, Nancy said. But she felt disappointed. I’ve gotten better fortunes in cookies, Jessie whispered as they headed out of the tent.
