Forbes: King is the 3rd highest paid author

[mae]

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat...rs-list_b36552

This week Forbes published their annual list of the highest paid writers. Novelist James Patterson leads the pack with $84 million–a $14 million increase from last year.

Here’s more from the article: “The jump comes courtesy of a 17-book, $150 million deal Patterson signed with his publisher, Hachette Book Group, in 2009. The peerlessly prolific Patterson, who works with a team of co-authors to boost his output, published 10 of those books during this period. All told, including his backlist, he had an astonishing 20 titles on PW’s year-end lists of bestsellers, comprising more than 10 million copies.”

Like Patterson, Stephenie Meyer and John Grisham write both children’s and adult books; they both made the cut raking in $21 million and $18 million respectively. The authors on the list who write exclusively for children include Rick Riordan, Jeff Kinney, Suzanne Collins and J.K. Rowling. The list included three members of the Kindle Million Club. Below, you can check out the top five authors.

James Patterson, $84 million

Danielle Steel, $35 million

Stephen King, $28 million

Janet Evanovich, $22 million

Stephenie Meyer, $21 million

[jhanic]

I find it interesting that Patterson qualifies even though he doesn't actually write all the books. Also, classifying J.K. Rowling as solely a children's author doesn't seem right.

John

[John_Kenton]

Come to think of it, King's ranking is even more remarkable considering that "popular" fiction often rises and falls with the fads of the times... While he may have lost some of his readers most notably during the 1990s (I think), he is still top of the game when it comes to a broad, popular appeal, speaking to 17-year-olds as well as more seasoned readers. Plus the media never once losing interest... this is most certainly a pop cultural phenomenon in its own right.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

This is an ANNUAL list. King had several books released over the last 12 months. That's why he is so high on the list this year.

[Randall Flagg]

I would guess that King's lowest annual income year in the past decade is still nothing to sniff at.

[Merlin1958]

And King is "Semi-Retired" in a sense. He no longer writes cause he has to, he writes cause he wants to. Same with publicity and other peripheral means of income. In the literary world he is more or less a "Done deal" whatever he attach's his name too. No? He is, unquestionably "The King of Horror" and maybe Halloween!!! LOL

[Garrell]

He is our "Shakesphere" and I am happy to have been in his time

[mystima]

When did John Grisham start writing children's books? I don't seem to remember his name in the children's section of half price books last time I was there.

[Bev Vincent]

Last year-- he's working on a series, the first of which is Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

[mystima]

ah i see....my bad....lol

[Merlin1958]

ah i see....my bad....lol

Guess he has his eye on sum o' dat J.K. Rowling booty!!!! LOL

[John Blaze]

grisham rocks, as do most of these authors. I can't believe Danielle Steele makes that much. Her books annoy me by flooding the shelves at the secondhand bookstores i frequent. :/

[Jean]

today bears were looking through paperbacks on a newsstand and were amazed how much Steele there was. WTF?

[Merlin1958]

today bears were looking through paperbacks on a newsstand and were amazed how much Steele there was. WTF?

Oh, she's fucking EVERYWHERE!!!!!!