RARA-AVIS: MacDonald

From: Scott W. Ulrey ( ae238@acorn.net)
Date: 29 Apr 2000


        In his survey of American literature Anthony Burgess mentions

MacDonald as a mystery writer who "lavishes a great deal of fine writing

on the mystery genre." From Burgess this is high praise.

        As I remember MacDonald came back from the war (WWII) with the

desire to be a writer, but not sure if he could hack it. He took

6 months and 500,000 words and then looked over what he had and decided

that he could do it for a living. At some point, early on, an editor

suggested that a series character would be a good idea. MacDonald

said that he wrote 3 (or 4) McGee novels without sending them in.

Again, he wanted to see if it worked.

        The editor /publisher liked it. And that was that.

        Most of the above is from an interview that I read a very long

time ago. Probably one of the few that he gave. It's the best I can

remember of the thing after maybe 25 years.

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