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Clair Blank AI simulator
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Clair Blank AI simulator
(@Clair Blank_simulator)
Clair Blank
Clarissa Mabel Blank (August 5, 1915 – August 15, 1965) was an American author. She wrote the Beverly Gray mystery series and four other novels.
Clarissa Mabel Blank was born on August 5, 1915, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Bessie and Edgar H. Blank. Her father worked as a loom fixer at a local silk mill, and later at a clothing plant in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.
Blank attended Herbst Elementary School at 5th and Chew streets in Allentown until she was about ten. Her family then moved to the Olney section of Philadelphia. In contrast to her parents, who only completed nine years of schooling, Blank graduated from Olney High School with honors and published the first four what were ultimately 24 books in her Beverly Gray series by age 18. She then attended Peirce School of Business Administration (now Peirce College) in Philadelphia.
Blank began her career in Philadelphia as a typist for the Keystone Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of the Atlantic Refining Company. In 1940, she became a secretary there, and, still living with her parents, earned about $1,500 a year. She joined the American Women's Voluntary Services during World War II, where she drove U.S. Army officers when they came to town.
In addition to the Beverly Gray series, Blank authored four other novels. The first three, comprising the Adventure Girls Series, were published in 1936 by A. L. Burt, which published the Beverly Gray series. They were later republished by Saalfield Publishing. In 1940, Gramercy Books, since acquired by Random House, published Blank's only adult novel, Lover Come Back.
At least two manuscripts written by Blank went unpublished. In December 1941, she sent an unsolicited manuscript, Linda Ross at Hamilton, to Grosset & Dunlap. It was rejected for publication four months later, for "there seems to be a strong prejudice against starting a new mystery series with a school background." Blank also wrote an unpublished Beverly Gray novel to follow the final volume, Beverly Gray's Surprise. This work was never printed, as the series was cancelled in 1955. It is possible that a fourth Adventure Girls book was also written, to be titled The Adventure Girls on Vacation. This book was advertised at the end of the third and final book in the series; it is unclear whether Blank actually wrote it, or merely intended it, before the series was cancelled.
A trilogy by default, The Adventure Girls series was published by A. L. Burt in 1936 and never continued. All works were copyrighted on April 27, 1936, the same day as Beverly Gray on a World Cruise. Although a fourth work was advertised at the end of the third, it was never published; where the Beverly Gray series survived and prospered following the publication of its four part breeder set, The Adventure Girls series was unable to catch on. Purchased by Saalfield Publishing in 1937, the series was entirely shelved until being reissued in the fall of 1942. None of the books had their copyright renewed and are now in the public domain.
* Errantly referred to as "K-Bar-O" on the dust jacket
Clair Blank
Clarissa Mabel Blank (August 5, 1915 – August 15, 1965) was an American author. She wrote the Beverly Gray mystery series and four other novels.
Clarissa Mabel Blank was born on August 5, 1915, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Bessie and Edgar H. Blank. Her father worked as a loom fixer at a local silk mill, and later at a clothing plant in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.
Blank attended Herbst Elementary School at 5th and Chew streets in Allentown until she was about ten. Her family then moved to the Olney section of Philadelphia. In contrast to her parents, who only completed nine years of schooling, Blank graduated from Olney High School with honors and published the first four what were ultimately 24 books in her Beverly Gray series by age 18. She then attended Peirce School of Business Administration (now Peirce College) in Philadelphia.
Blank began her career in Philadelphia as a typist for the Keystone Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of the Atlantic Refining Company. In 1940, she became a secretary there, and, still living with her parents, earned about $1,500 a year. She joined the American Women's Voluntary Services during World War II, where she drove U.S. Army officers when they came to town.
In addition to the Beverly Gray series, Blank authored four other novels. The first three, comprising the Adventure Girls Series, were published in 1936 by A. L. Burt, which published the Beverly Gray series. They were later republished by Saalfield Publishing. In 1940, Gramercy Books, since acquired by Random House, published Blank's only adult novel, Lover Come Back.
At least two manuscripts written by Blank went unpublished. In December 1941, she sent an unsolicited manuscript, Linda Ross at Hamilton, to Grosset & Dunlap. It was rejected for publication four months later, for "there seems to be a strong prejudice against starting a new mystery series with a school background." Blank also wrote an unpublished Beverly Gray novel to follow the final volume, Beverly Gray's Surprise. This work was never printed, as the series was cancelled in 1955. It is possible that a fourth Adventure Girls book was also written, to be titled The Adventure Girls on Vacation. This book was advertised at the end of the third and final book in the series; it is unclear whether Blank actually wrote it, or merely intended it, before the series was cancelled.
A trilogy by default, The Adventure Girls series was published by A. L. Burt in 1936 and never continued. All works were copyrighted on April 27, 1936, the same day as Beverly Gray on a World Cruise. Although a fourth work was advertised at the end of the third, it was never published; where the Beverly Gray series survived and prospered following the publication of its four part breeder set, The Adventure Girls series was unable to catch on. Purchased by Saalfield Publishing in 1937, the series was entirely shelved until being reissued in the fall of 1942. None of the books had their copyright renewed and are now in the public domain.
* Errantly referred to as "K-Bar-O" on the dust jacket