Not a lot to go on there, Kath! Any chance of sharing more of one of the stories, or even contacting the patient? You might try over on Readers' Paradise.

Here is a link that might be useful: Readers' Paradise

Could it be this guy?

Here is a link that might be useful: Steve Robinson

Maybe, Flamingo, but none of those books looks like the one he was reading. Robinson's books look interesting, though!

Socks, that's just it, I don't remember. Can't contact the patient either, he's long gone.

Did you check all of the pockets of your scrubs? Or maybe look in your car?

Nothing in the car, Flamingo. Will check my scrubs.

Nothing in the scrubs. Just dumped my purse of all it's contents. Nothing. Oh, well.

This will drive me crazy, Kath! How about this guy?

Here is a link that might be useful: Steven Pressfield?

Wow, Flamingo, I think that's him. In fact, I'm almost positive that's the book he was reading. Now to find the book he was telling me about. Thanks a bunch!

One more example: great pool of resources at the KT!

ole joyfuelled

This may be a stretch but check out Clive Cussler. Several of his adventure books are based on historical events and characters of Germany.

I'm not dismissing your memory of the name "Steven" but sometimes our memory can play odd tricks. (At least I think my memory does, thus my suggestion.) Like Flamey, this would drive me nuts so I'm really interested in the answer.

I'm almost positive it's Pressfield. I can sort of remember writing his last name down now and the scorpion on the front cover of that book. But will check out Clive Cussler too. lol

Cool, Kath, I hope he's the one. I Googled "historic fiction Germany author Steven" (and also Stephen). Then I checked a few of the results out. I love a good search. :)

Hi LKGrace, so good to see you, I miss you. I LOVE the Clive Cussler books, the Dirk Pitt ones especially. They made a couple of them into movies, "Raise the Titanic" and "Sahara". I liked "Sahara" better, great soundtrack. The books are long and involved and very action packed and descriptive.

This is amazing! You are right, joyful. There's a lot of knowledge here.

Once I posted a "guess what" thread, and I think the third poster guessed it! (I was a new grandma!)

Great resourcing and researching skills! I love a good research challenge.
My husband has Clive Cussler on his top ten list. He has read everything by him I am pretty sure. I know we have a LOT of his books and I have put several on his tablet.
I will have him look at Pressfield.

Flamey's the girl!

Flamey, I've missed you too and it's good to see you.

Raven, my husband is a large fan of Clive Cussler and I've also noted the other names mentioned for him to check out because I think he will enjoy them.

Kathleen, I'm so glad "we" got the answer. LOL Another mystery solved. Life is good.

Clive Custler no longer writes the books bearing his name, following the same practice as James Patterson, John Sandford, Tom Clancy, and many others. He stopped writing a number of years ago. He and others use so-called "co-authors" and ghost writers. It's a practice I personally find deceptive and greedy.

To me, writing a book is an individual's creative work, like producing a painting, or composing music. It's not a "brand". I stop reading the work of any author who does this. Funny enough, it's only the very successful ones who can pull it off, and those so situated hardly need the money.

Have to agree with you there, Snidely. I too think it's deceptive. Didn't know those authors did that!

Paul Kemprecos explains how his great collaboration with Clive Cussler came about. Nothing nefarious, deceitful, or deceptive involved, in fact very thoughtful of CUSSLER to help him get back into writing again. Cussler wrote a vast number of books on his own and has most definitely earned the respect and admiration of millions of people who gladly buy his work. Helping other authors by sharing in his works and introducing his readers to them is the opposite of greedy it is extremely gracious and kind.
So glad we are still able to have and share our opinions!

Here is a link that might be useful: Paul Kemprecos co-author

I read the page you linked to, on which the guy said he had been unable to make a living writing under his own name and had been contemplating a career change before affiliating with Custler. Did you catch that? Does his writing suddenly improve because his books now say "Written by Custler"? I don't think so.

I've linked a NY Times article from 2007, describing how 13 "Robert Ludlum" books were published in the 6 years after his 2001 death (there have been more since then). Some done by uncredited ghostwriters. When asked, the representatives of both the Ludlum estate and the publisher said they weren't concerned about whether their practice was reasonable or fair to readers.

Imagine if paintings were produced in the 1920s labeled "Sunflowers Revisited and Another Starry Night", by Van Gogh by Andre Jansen. Or new classical music is released, "Beethoven's Symphony No. 15 and No 16" by Fred Flugelhorn. I wouldn't view those as additional works of these masters and I think most would agree with me.

Yes, we're all entitled to our views. I think yours is naive on this particular practice. I hope you realize that the rights holders are likely making the lion's share of the profit, not the replacement writer. The practice is for their benefit, not that of the stand-in.

These works are no more than authorized counterfeits.

Here is a link that might be useful: Robert Ludlum publishes from the grave

I don't care who writes the book as long as it's good. I don't buy books, so I'm not wasting anything but a little time if I'm disappointed.

I just signed up at my library for some of the Clive CUSSLER books that are co-authored by Paul Kemprecos, based on your recommendation, Raven. Thanks! I'm going to try to get some of his "Soc" series, too.

Here's an idea for a modern-day singer/songwriter.

Maybe you could write ... and perform ... Beethoven's 15th (or so).

ole joyfoul