"Six Authors in Search of a Character, Part 5: Jacqueline Susann" in ZYZZYVA

The fifth installment of my ongoing essay series in ZYZZYVA Literary Magazine is now live––the series is called "Six Authors in Search of a Character" and it explores the unusual and complicated psychology of writers portraying on screen characters they created in print. Part 5 analyzes Jacqueline Susann's unexpectedly meaningful cameo as a tabloid reporter in VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1967). If you missed the first three installments of the series (on Stephen King's appearance in CREEPSHOW, Richard Wright's role in NATIVE SON, Irvine Welsh's role in TRAINSPOTTING, and Mickey Spillane's role in THE GIRL HUNTERS, you can read them all here).