Don’t expect honesty in the fiction aisle
A Bio Isn’t a Bible
Writers’ Week
Bestselling crime author Dagg Bark took pride in his book cover bio. He insisted it be read verbatim before every radio or television interview. It gave him credibility, added gravitas to his prose. His publisher printed it next to his portrait wearing a Burberry overcoat with tie loosened at his neck and two day’s growth on his chin.
“Bestselling crime novelist Dagg Bark knows the streets of Los Angelas where he served for twenty years on the beat and as homicide detective. During his tour of duty he closed more cases than any other cop on the force, using the same skills he taught his hard-boiled hero, Blake Howl. Every detail in his novels is authentic, lifted from real crime scenes on the blood-soaked streets of the City of Angles.”
Bark’s book blog gave him credibility, added gravitas to his prose. His publisher printed it next to his portrait wearing a Burberry overcoat with tie loosened at his neck and two day’s growth on his chin.
His critics often noted that Burr’s publisher never corrected the typos in the bio, but Burr brushed them off. “It’s part of the brand now.” It was also part of his legal defense should the Los Angeles PD ever sue him for claiming to have worn the LA blue. Rupert Pilpusher, aka Dagg Bark, never gave a second thought to including his police credentials on every book jacket. He wrote fiction; his readers should know that included anything on the cover.
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an anthology of modern horror
Wry noir author Phillip T. Stephens wrote Cigerets, Guns & Beer, Raising Hell, the Indie Book Award winning Seeing Jesus, and the children’s book parody Furious George. Follow him at Phillip T Stephens.
