The writing of alternate chapters

[doesitmatter?]

I'm sure I read somewhere that with this book, one author wrote chapter 1, 3, 5 etc. and the other author wrote chapter 2, 4, 6 etc., although this didn't happen with Black House (the majority of the first 100-150 pages of Black House seems to be mostly Straub). Apparently Steve and Peter wouldn't reveal who wrote which chapters of The Talisman, but all we'd need is proof of who wrote a particular chapter, and that would let us know the truth. Which leads me (finally) to my question. Did Steve inadvertently reveal the truth when he said that Peter wrote the 'you can never be too skinny or rich' line? (Can't remember where Steve wrote this, however. I think it was On Writing, or perhaps some foreward or afterword.) Because I thought the deal was that one author wrote the whole chapter by himself, so if Peter wrote the 'you can never be too skinny or rich' line, does that prove that Peter wrote that chapter?

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

I think Jessica Mitford first came up with that line, certainly someone else, it's a quote.

Long days and pleasant nights

[Moderator]

I thought that line was by Gloria Vanderbilt but my limited research attributes it to being either a socialite by the name of Babe Paley or Mrs. J. Gordon Douglas, Sr. Getting back to the writing of the chapters, though. My understanding is that they did not pick odd/even chapters--rather, they each wrote to the point where it felt right to stop and then passed it off to the other. Steve has told me that there are parts of The Talisman where he's not even sure who wrote it.

[GNTLGNT]

Well, (as we used to say in my miscreant youth), ain't that cool as ten dudes?...