(1869-1930) US dime-novel writer (> Dime-Novel SF), entrepreneur and mass producer of boys' books. House Names used by Stratemeyer himself include Hal Harkaway. He is chiefly important as the founding operator of the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Stratemeyer prepared plot summaries, farmed out writing to a stable of freelance writers to whom he paid pittances, and sold the products to publishers. The Great Marvel series as by Roy Rockwood, the first six volumes of which were written out by Howard R Garis, constitutes perhaps the first clothbound sf series in any language. The Tom Swift books, written by Garis 1910-1932, were the most popular boys' books of all time. Borderline series included Don Sturdy (collaborator unknown) and Bomba, the Jungle Boy (collaborator unknown). After Stratemeyer's death his daughter Harriet Stratemeyer Adams successfully carried on the syndicate. [EFB/DRL]
Edward T Stratemeyer
born 1869
died 1930
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