James Hardley Chase (The man with many names)

This is the tale of a man with many names at a time from James Hadley Chase to James L. Docherty to Raymond Marshall to R. Raymond, and Ambrose Grant … He was one of the best thriller writers in the 1900s his original name is René Brabazon Raymond born on December 24, 1906, in London, England. 

His reasons for Using Multiple Pen Names were;

1. Genre Diversification (he used this tactics to avoid typecast)

2. Market Strategy (to get new readers)

3. To avoid Censorship and Controversy: One of his books . “No Orchids for Miss Blandish” (1939) His most famous and controversial novel was banned in some countries for its violence and sexual content although it was a huge success and was even adapted into film and stage plays. Another was “Miss Challanghan comes to grief" which also faced legal challenges (you'd wanna tweak a name for that)

4. Literary Experimentation: He used pseudonyms to explore new narrative techniques without negatively affecting his pre-established identity.


Top Bestselling Books by James Hadley Chase:

1. No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1939)

2. The Flesh of the Orchid (1948)

3. You’re Lonely When You’re Dead (1949)

4. The Fast Buck (1952)

5. Come Easy-Go Easy (1960)

6. A Coffin from Hong Kong (1962)

7. The Guilty Are Afraid (1957)

8. I'll Bury My Dead (1953)

9. Just Another Sucker (1961)

10. Miss Shumway Waves a Wand (1957)

What do we learn from him? His father was a surgeon and he wanted him to have a scientific profession but he left home at the age of 18 and followed his own dream, wrote his first book at the age of 33, served in the Royal Airforce during World War II during which he edited the RAF journal. He lived a secluded life but here's what we learn from him:

"You take the punches and keep on walking. That’s how you stay alive."
-Come Easy-Go Easy. 




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