Laurence Shames

Laurence Shames has been a New York City taxi driver, lounge singer, furniture mover, lifeguard, dishwasher, gym teacher, and shoe salesman. Having failed to distinguish himself in any of those professions, he turned to writing full time in1976 and has not done an honest day's work since. He has published twenty books and hundreds of magazine articles and essays. Best known for his critically acclaimed series of Key West novels, he has also authored nonfiction and enjoyed considerable, though largely secret, success as a collaborator and ghostwriter: He has penned four New York Times bestsellers. These have appeared on four different lists, under four different names, none of them his own. This might be a record.