"Author! Author!" is a short story by Isaac Asimov. It was originally written and accepted for publication in Unknown magazine, but the magazine closed before the story could be printed.
Graham Dorn is a successful writer of a detective story series he despises, starring the insufferable Reginald de Meister. De Meister's fans believe in him so strongly that he becomes real, and starts to interfere with his author's life.
Tropes found in this story:
- Be Careful What You Wish For: One of de Meister's demands is that Graham resolve the Will They or Won't They? storyline between him and his love interest. Graham does — by marrying him to someone else.
- Chick Magnet: Graham wrote de Meister as irresistible to women — which causes trouble when de Meister meets Graham's fiancee June.
- Clap Your Hands If You Believe: A sufficiently dedicated fan can cause the character they believe in to pop into existence.
- "Double, Double" Title:
- Franchise Zombie: Graham can't stand writing the novels, but they pay too well for him to stop.
- High-Class Glass: On his second and subsequent appearances, de Meister affects a monocle.
- Ironic Echo: In the narration — whenever de Meister does something that disconcerts Graham, Graham finds himself re-enacting the line of his story that originally described it:There was something familiar about that snicker. Graham suddenly remembered. It was on page 103 of Murder Rides the Range:His lazy eyelids flicked down and up. He laughed lightly and melodiously, and though he said not a word, Hank Marslowe cowered. There was hidden menace and hidden power in that light laugh, and somehow the burly rancher did not dare reach for his guns.To Graham it still sounded like a nasty snicker, but he cowered, and did not dare reach for his guns.
- Poe's Law: Graham claims the first story was intended as a biting satire of detective fiction, but the public didn't realise that.
- Rage Against the Author: De Meister has a number of complaints to make about the way Graham writes him.
- Snark-to-Snark Combat: Graham and June's normal mode of conversation.
- Spicy Latina: Sancha Rodriguez, a hot-blooded Mexican beauty who makes a brief but crucial appearance.
- True Art Is Angsty: Graham wants to write a Serious Novel about the grim realities of life in a coal-mining town. His fiancee and publisher are less than impressed with the idea.
Tropes found within the fictional "Reginald de Meister" series:
- Betty and Veronica: Letitia Reynolds is the Betty, Sancha Rodriguez is the Veronica.
- Death of the Hypotenuse: In the original draft of "Death on the Third Deck", Sancha died in chapter six.
- Henpecked Husband: What de Meister has to look forward to as Sancha's husband.
- Last Girl Wins: Having been in love with Letitia for five books, de Meister ends up marrying Sancha.
- Will They or Won't They?: The de Meister / Letitia romance. In the end they don't.
