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I only published 23 Nancy Drew books, for which I am known, but I actually published over 130 books. Some of those have different types of characters. I wrote a number of series for the syndicate, but I wrote a great many individual mystery stories in my own name. I wrote a prize-winning book, "Dangerous Deadline." It won a national contest.

I had one series that was sort of like Nancy Drew. Only I thought it was better. Those were the Penny Parker books.They were under my own name. Only they never caught on like Nancy Drew did, because they didn't have the distribution. Distribution is everything in the publishing business.

What did your readers get from Nancy?

Most of them identified with her. In my fan mail that I receive, they say that they were inspired to go do things for themselves, to go build themselves careers. I think it was an incentive to go out into the world and to become someone as a woman, you know.

What lessons would you like your readers to learn from Nancy?

I think there's a lesson they all should learn. Women are entitled to their freedom, but they shouldn't use that as an excuse for license. Some of them are mistaking freedom for license. I don't think that should be. I'm a little bit old-fashioned in my thinking, I guess. I didn't intend for Nancy to be a runaround. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to family. I think Nancy would have stood up for family rights.

What is your favorite novel in the series?

I like "The Hidden Staircase." They made a movie of that one. A very bad movie. I don't think they read the book when they wrote the movie. Typical of the industry, I guess.

Do you read Nancy Drew books?

No, I never read them at all. I don't think I've ever read a Nancy Drew book since I wrote them. In fact, I'm sure I haven't.

Did your daughter read Nancy Drew?

She didn't ever read very much. She didn't care much for any kind of books. When she went to school, there was some doubt that I was the author. Some of the kids told her that her mother was not the author of Nancy Drew. She came home and she was upset about that. That was one reason I was glad that they acknowledged me as the author.

I just talked to my mother and told her that there was no Carolyn Keene. She had never known.

That's like saying there's no Santa Claus.
salon.com | Oct. 8, 1999

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