Quick! Who was the first novelist to have three consecutive #1 books on The New York Times Best Seller list?
Danielle Steel? Oh please!
Stephen King? Nope, sorry Uncle Steve.
Dan Brown? A) are you high? and B) why are you reading my blog? GO AWAY!
<takes deep breath>
Let’s try this again.
What is the name of the page you are on?
Jacqueline Susann? Who she?
An author whose first novel, Valley of the Dolls, sold over 30 million copies. Inspired and the template for sex and shopping novels from the pens of Jackie Collins, Joan Collins, Judith Krantz and their ilk. Ladies (and gentlemen), on August 20th every year, raise a glass of champagne and have some caviar in honor of your patron saint, Jacqueline of the Roman a Clef.
Dannnngggggg
Yes, dannnngggggg indeed. Jacqueline Susann wasn’t only the Queen of the New York Times Best Seller list but a master of promotion who set standards that authors these days can’t even begin to compete with. Helen Fielding isn’t ever going to have to face Truman Capote calling her a “truck driver in drag” on the talk show circuit. Stephen King can do satellite interviews from the heart of Bangor until the cows come home but Jacqueline Susann? Impeccably groomed in fall, false lashes and Pucci handing out Danishes and coffee to truck drivers across the country. Flying in a specially leased The Love Machine plane. The lady might have been crude but there was gold under that brass.
Thumbnail Biography
Born on August 20, 1918 (yes, she shares her birthday with H.P. Lovecraft) to society painter Robert Susann and schoolteacher Rose Jans. Aspiring writer and actor even as a child. Bolted to New York City to achieve fame and fortune once she was eighteen. Scraped around the fringes of the theater world for several years. Married press agent Irving Mansfield. Wrote a play, Lovely Me, which sadly failed. Gave birth to son, Guy Hildy Mansfield, who was institutionalized as a small child for his severe autism. Was infamous in the Broadway world for her affairs. Became semi-famous for her live “Schiffli Lace” commercials and a popular book book about life with her beloved poodle, Every Night, Josephine!. Her second book (and first novel), Valley of the Dolls, became one of the biggest selling novels of the time and has sold over 30 million copies to date. Her next two novels, The Love Machine and Once is Never Enough, also became New York Times #1 Best Sellers but did not reach Valley of the Dolls sales figures. Was friends and neighbors with Cosmopolitan’s Helen Gurley Brown. While writing and promoting her books, Jacqueline Susann battled with breast cancer and died on September 21, 1974.
Track These Down
Seaman, Barbara, Lovely Me: The Life of Jacqueline Susann. Seven Stories Press (1996) trade paperback
Every Night, Josephine! (1963)
Valley of the Dolls (1966)
The Love Machine (1969)
Once is Never Enough (1973)
Dolores (1976)
Jacqueline Susann Online
http://www.jacquelinesusann.com
Obituary from The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/01/04/home/susann-obit.html
Stay Away From Unless You Have A Very Strong Stomach IMHO
Isn’t She Great? (2000 bio-pic starring Bette Milder as Jacqueline Susann and Nathan Lane as Irving Mansfield)
Jacqueline Susann‘s Shadow of the Dolls by Rae Lawrence (2001 sequel to The Valley of the Dolls based on Jacqueline Susann’s notes)
Yes, I would LOVE To Get My Hands On A Copy Of This
Yargo (1979)
Jacqueline Susann does science fiction. Released after her death.
Just This Once by Scott French and the computer HAL (1993)
A novel in the style of Jacqueline Susann written with an AI program. Also spawned a legal battle from Jacqueline Susann’s estate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_This_Once
Great Tulu…Just This Once is available at Amazon (sadly NOT in the Kindle Store-that would be just too awesome for words!) and http://www.thriftbooks.com! <adds to shopping basket>
whiskeytangowendymarie.com 