St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-27

interviewer ventured 10 ask Miss Lib
hey.
4 love them all" was the quick re-
Spouse. accompanied by short, tinkling
laugh, and continuing: "'Do you know,
there are so many young girls writing
To me about what authors they
should read. do not believe in recon-
mrndIng any individual author. As |
say. | love them. ALL. and believe that
it is best for everybody to follow their
own tastes. For instance, | love to
read George Eliot, hut because |
like her works and recommend
them to you, it does not
follow that they will also please your
palate. Therefore | repeat, everybody
should please themselves. Again, re-
ceive many comm unicatiOns from bud
ding authors desiring Information as to
how they should start to write novel.
Think of it, Asking me to furnish them
with an original plot, for that is what
such request means. How do write
my novels? We'll, that is a difficult
question. / never write two novels in
the same way. The best way. un-
doubleday, as you suggest, is to prepare
a SynOpSiS-a SkeletOn-Of your plot.
By that means you properly work out
Ycur ideas and, believe, attain the best
success. | write as the spirit moves.
| have had three chapters. of a novel
in type before any of the remaining
chapters had been written or the uti-
mate ending of the plot finally decided
upon. But l would not recommend
young authors TO follow such an eX-
ample, for unless you know your work
well the result must necessarily be bad.
How long have | been writing? Well,
began four years ago. originally
wrote serials for Robert Bonner. of the
New York Ledger. But do not want
to say anything about them. Let ne
tell you about my works published in
book FORM"
"Miss MiddletOn's Lover etc?"
Yes, | published Miss MiddletOn's
Lover three years ago. The heroine is
a Brooklyn lady, and well known to the
prominent people of that city. My
description of her is so perfect that she
was quickly recognized by the readers
of Miss Middleton Lover The novel
has been very successful, and the latest
returns had from my publishers gave
the total sales at 120.000 copies. | was
so pleased with the cOrdiality extended
to Miss Middleton's Lover that within
two months of its publication lproduced
"A Forbidden Marriage which also has
had good reception, $4,000 copies hav-
ing been sold. The heroine was young
lady met at Saratoga. My latest, and
what | consider my best novel. is That
Pretty Young Girl 1t is all purely
Imagination. and, though published
within three months. has had an i'm
mrnSe sale, The printing presses have
been working day and night to supply
the demand. A month ago 10000 copies
had been sold, and to-day | anticipate
the sales will be equivalent to another
hundred thousand. am delighted with
the expressions of opinion it has called
forth from the people of this country,
and in England, too"
You publish in England. then?"
Hardly. The publishers of England
are kind enough to publish for me, and
are still kinder to themselves in forget
ting the authors commission. l learn
that That Pretty Young Girl has had
an unprecedented sale in England
half a million, l understand. No, l
have not received any conscience money
from the English publishers. Publish
prs, YOU know, have no conscience. That
was the reason why 1 decided to pub
lish my own books in this country. l
am the only lady author who does.
Archibald ClaVeriHg6iunter, author of
mir. Barnes, of New York is his own
publisher, and from a monetary point
of view, has found it very successful"
"Are you gathering materials in the
Northwest for a new nOvfl?'
Miss Libbey laughed lightly and pro-
ceeded: THAT is just what you news
paDeI men ask me wherever / go.
cannot say I'm here gathering materials
for another novel. but of course Pm
quite ready to make use of anything
which NAV come before my notice. But.
10 be candid. | don't intend to write
another novel for a year. l desire a
rest, so, accompanied by my mother,
am taking tour through the country.
We will shortly leave st. Paul for Den
yer. Col"
care you partial to drawing eharac-
tiers from lite?"
"NOw, in reply to that. let me refer
YOU to my preface In That Pretty
Young Girl You will find there say
Some say human life should he painted
as it is; that wickedneSS should be
written up as it is found in every day
life, that the unwary may know where
the shoals and quicksands lie. l hold
this should not be. Dissection is good
| for science; but the world at large
would scarcely be benefited if doctors
should unfold the secret horrors they
know concerning the human family.
This holds good with authors as Welt.
Ignorance of wicked ways is bliss, there
fore it's folly to be wise.
The interview was thereupOn termi-
mated. but before diSmisSing Miss Lib
hey, it may be added her morals are of
the most wholesome character. They
are intended to show the good, the true
side of life. In response to complaint
that her heroes should have more sand
and less of the angel. Miss Libbey
SAYS: II write of men as 1 find them
IOyaI, noble and brave, with a Chi
Various reverence for wOmanhoOd. and
who holds that purity in woman is the
rose bloom which jewels her existence.