John Creasey
by George Alex Windish

Rejections.

I hate them.

When I see the mailman stuff that large yellow envelope into the box, my knuckles tighten and my blood pressure shoots up. I beat the crap out of a pillow that I have for that special purpose, play with my dog, then read John Creasey.

Largely ignored and forgotten now, John Creasey was an enormously successful English writer of mystery and suspense. He was born in1908 of poor parents. An undistinguished student, he made a living in the clerical and sales fields, until his first book was published in 1932.

From that first book, he went on to write almost 600 books, using 28 different pen-names.

Before that first book was accepted by a publisher, John Creasey had collected 743 rejection slips!

That makes me feel better.

John Creasey created several series characters. The three most popular being (1) Richard Rollison, a sort of cut-rate Lord Peter Wimsey, known as the Toff. (2) Dr. Palfrey, a scientist who battles several ecological crises, and (3) George Gideon of Scotland Yard, one of the earliest and best series of police procedural.
Creasey was married four times and became a political activist. Much of his later life was spent in Arizona, and he died in 1973.

743 rejection slips.

I have to check. I may have to get a new pillow.

George Alex Windish has been writing for many years, and has become a better typist, if nothing else. He has placed nearly a dozen short stories of horror and science fiction, has had a weekly column in a local Baltimore newspaper, and has written for and edited COUNTRY LINE, a small Pennsylvania magazine. He has also done ad copy and correspondence for businesses.  He has long been a fan of genre literature and truly tacky movies, as well as being a collector of vintage records.  Contact him at GeorgeWindish@aol.com. 

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