Talk:Richard S. Prather

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[edit] Confirming death date

Until the Social Security index for him is available in a month or two, I don't think we can be sure when he died. One editor said Feb. 14, another said Feb. 16.

We need a citation for the death date. The following sites I've tried are blogs that talk about it, but

a) Wikipedia doesn't allow blogs to be cited except for an article-subject's own blog, and
b) they don't give a date anyway:

cached text at http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:jFVHbOG3cJUJ:mysteryfile.com/blog/%3Fp%3D29+richard+s.+prather&hl=en&strip=1

It's also not dated at Crimespot.net, and a search turns up nothing at the Sedona Red Rock News newspaper.

You can see I've tried to do a thorough search. Any help? Thanks!--Tenebrae 03:40, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

News obit Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-prather8mar08,1,590273,print.story Penarts 09:03, 8 March 2007 (UTC)LindaPenarts 09:03, 8 March 2007 (UTC)


Linda Pendleton states: I was asked to write the official obituary for Richard S. Prather by his family and to release it to major newspapers. It was sent to the news agencys on March 2, and should be printed by papers very soon. Here is the official obit:

News Obituary, For Immediate Release: Richard S. Prather, Author of the Shell Scott Mystery Novels

Richard S. Prather, creator of the successful “Shell Scott Mystery Series,” died February 14, 2007 at his home in Sedona, Arizona. He was 85 years of age.

Prather's long and successful writing career began in 1950 with the publication of his first Shell Scott mystery novel, “The Case of the Vanishing Beauty,” published by Fawcett's Gold Medal Paperback Originals. His successful and best-selling Shell Scott series of thirty-six novels plus four short story collections, published between 1950 and 1987, have sold over 40 million copies in the United States and have enjoyed foreign language publication, selling millions more world-wide. In addition to the Shell Scott mysteries, Richard penned three novels under pseudonyms. He wrote the first Dragnet novel based on the television show, “Dragnet,” titled, ADragnet: Case No. 561,@ published under the name, David Knight; used that same pseudonym for the initial publication of “Pattern for Murder,” later republished by Gold Medal Books as “The Scrambled Yeggs” by Richard S. Prather; and used the pen name Douglas Ring for “The Peddler,” which was later republished under his own name by Gold Medal. He also published a number of short stories; and lent his name to the Shell Scott Mystery Magazine.

Richard Scott Prather was born in Santa Ana, California on September 9, 1921. He served in the United States Merchant Marine during World War II, from 1942 until the end of the war in 1945. Richard married Tina Hager in 1945. He then worked as a civilian chief clerk of surplus property at March Air Force Base in Riverside, California until leaving that career to become a full time writer in 1949. Tina, his wife of 58 years, passed away in April of 2004.

Richard S. Prather=s last book, “Shellshock,” was published in hardcover in 1987 by Tor. He received the Private Eye Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986, and was twice on the Board of Directors of the Mystery Writers of America. His Shell Scott mysteries are now back in print with ereads.com and available as POD paperbacks and ebooks, and a number of his novels are at booksinmotion.com as unabridged audio books. “The Peddler,” a non-Shell Scott novel, is now back in print, published by Hard Case Crime, November 2006.

Although Richard Prather had not published a new novel for several years, his mystery writing and classic Shell Scott character remain an inspiration to fans, both old and new, and to aspiring and established writers. He leaves behind one unpublished Shell Scott manuscript. The Richard S. Prather Manuscript Collection is at the University of Wyoming, Laramie.

Linda Pendleton, author and widow of Don Pendleton, creator of the “Executioner, Mack Bolan” novels, and friend of Prather’s, recently completed an exclusive interview with Prather about his long writing career and his life. What has turned out to be his last interview, is available at http://www.donpendleton.com

In this exclusive interview, Prather had this to say about his Shell Scott character: “I created Shell Scott as essentially a light-hearted, optimistic, happy-go-lucky fellow, and from the beginning I wanted my books—even though they’re mystery novels about murder and crimes and troubles and crooks—to reflect that upbeat attitude, to focus more on the “mystery” than the “murder,” more on the approaching light than the gathering darkness. There’s always enough misery in the world, and I didn’t want to add more to it.”

Prather is survived by a cousin, Mildred V. Comstock of Bakersfield, California; and Mrs. Comstock’s daughter, Pat Willis of Springville, California.

Donations may be made in Richard S. Prather’s name to the American Heritage Center, Manuscript Collections, University of Wyoming, Laramie.


Submitted by Linda Pendleton on behalf of the Richard S. Prather family. Penarts 19:10, 4 March 2007 (UTC)Linda Pendleton

[edit] "References" vs. "External links" vs. "Footnotes/Notes"

Hi, all. The reason I've changed "External links" to "References" comes from these sections of Wikipedia:Cite_sources, quoted verbatim below. (Please note in Item 2 below that the italics are theirs, and not inserted by me.) Thanks!

1)

Maintaining a separate "References" section in addition to "Notes" or "Footnotes
It is helpful when non-citation footnotes are used that a "References" section also be maintained, in which the sources that were used are listed in alphabetical order. With articles that have lots of footnotes, it can become hard to see after a while exactly which sources have been used, particularly when the footnotes also contain explanatory text. A References section, which contains only citations, helps readers to see at a glance the quality of the references used.

2)

Further reading/External links
An ==External links== or ==Further reading== section is placed near the end of an article and offers books, articles, and links to websites related to the topic that might be of interest to the reader. The section "Further reading" may include both online material and material not available online. If all recommended material is online, the section may be titled "External links". Some editors may include both headings in articles, listing only material not available online in the "Further reading" section.
All items used to verify information in the article must be listed in the "References" or "Notes" section, and are generally not included in "Further reading" or "External links". However, if an item used as a reference covers the topic beyond the scope of the article, and has significant usefulness beyond verification of the article, you may want to include it here as well. This also makes it easier for users to identify all the major recommended resources on a topic.


So sources used to write an article go under "References", and other helpful citations go under "External links" if they're linkable and "Further reading" if they're not online. — Tenebrae 22:43, 27 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:ThePeddler-cover.jpg

Image:ThePeddler-cover.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 03:50, 29 September 2007 (UTC)