Phyllis A. Whitney's first book appeared in print in 1941 when she was 38 years old. Her last was published when she was 94. In those forty-six years, she wrote lots of short stories, 39 adult suspense novels, 14 novels for young adults, 20 children’s mysteries, and several books about writing.
She died at age 104, on February 8, 2008. For a good obituary, check out this one in the New York Times.
In between her birth as a writer and her final demise, in 1985 to be exact, I won the Phyllis A. Whitney Writer's Award for my essay on writing. I received $500. which made me feel like I'd won the Triple Crown. Best of all, Phyllis A. Whitney herself - in person! - read my essay to the assembled. She read it with exactly the right pitc, pace, and tone. She laughed when I prayed she would laugh. In her ending comments, she cheered my ability to arouse varied emotional responses in the course of a few hundred words. She gave me the confident nod that I needed.
Phyllis A. Whitney will be mourned by millions. I will forever celebrate her life and her life's work - especially how she encouraged writers to keep writing. What a gift she was to the world. What an example for us to follow!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Phyllis A. Whitney - Our Loss
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4 comments:
The first three "adult" writers I read as a kid were Phyllis Whitney, John D. MacDonald, and Mary Stewart. I am sure I'd be a different person today if I hadn't become a Whitney fan at such a young age.
How awesome to have won the Whitney award!
Phyllis Whitney was also one of the first adult writers I read. I still have one of my old Whitney books in the family room bookcase. Perhaps it's time to reread it.
What a wonderful memory regarding the award and her reading it!
I've been reading some celebrations of Whitney's life, but this was such a nice personal memory, Nan, and shows the legacy a writer can have even beyond her terrific work itself.
Great tribute and what an accomplishment and experience to win that award.
It is always heartening to hear of successful authors who are generous to us dreamers.
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