Jacqueline Susann

Jacqueline Susann (August 20, 1918 – September 21, 1974), author of Valley of the Dolls, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When she was a child, her philandering painter father would send her to the movies while he met with his mistress. After the movie, he would pick her up and have her tell him what the movie was about so he could tell his wife about it when they returned home.

Facts

• Susann typed her manuscripts on a hot-pink IBM Selectric typewriter.
• She spent 7 to 8 hours a day working on the plots of her books. She used a blackboard and color co-ordinated chalks to keep track of where her book was heading.
• Her most famous book, Valley of the Dolls, was so rough in manuscript form her editor had to spend six weeks with her rewriting it.
• When her books were coming out, she'd get up at dawn to take coffee and doughnuts to the truckers who were delivering her books—just to make sure the books arrived safe and sound.
• She and Irving would drive around the country to meet the sales clerks. She would keep track of everyone's birthdays, their kids' names, and their pets—all so she could talk to them more personally.
• Susann also made a point of appearing regularly on TV talk shows, and even game shows, to promote her latest book. She continued to do this even into her last months; Jackie always put up a good front, and nobody who saw her knew how ill she actually was.
• After her death, Susann was cremated and her ashes placed in a special container styled like a hardcover book, with "Jacqueline Susann 1918-1974" stamped on the front-cover side.