Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Patrick Larkin (novelist)

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was withdrawn, per WP:HEY. BD2412 T 04:49, 8 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Patrick Larkin (novelist)

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Tagged BLP-sources for over a decade. The single book review offered as a source does not establish notability for the subject as one of a series of coauthors engaged with notable author Larry Bond (from whom the subject can not inherit notability). Unsourced claim of having written "background information" for a boardgame does not add to notability. BD2412 T 02:38, 31 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Note: This discussion has been included in the deletion sorting lists for the following topics: People, Authors, and Literature. CAPTAIN RAJU^(T) 03:22, 31 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Comment: Looks like the article was copied from here almost verbatim, so it's a copyvio issue. That aside, it looks like he's primarily known for his work with Bond, so my initial thought is to turn this into a redirect to Bond's article and add a sentence saying that he's collaborated with Bond. (Sounds like a nice way to say "ghostwriter".) ReaderofthePack(formerly Tokyogirl79) (｡◕‿◕｡) 17:40, 31 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

No offense meant towards ghostwriters, just that a lot of authors don't want to admit that they use them. ReaderofthePack(formerly Tokyogirl79) (｡◕‿◕｡) 17:42, 31 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@ReaderofthePack: I don't think there is any particular basis to doubt that Larry Bond was the lead writer on his books. BD2412 T 19:22, 31 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Redirect to Larry Bond. That's his major claim to fame, as far as RS goes. He's mentioned in reviews, which is why I would say he should be included somewhere, but I don't know if the sourcing is enough to justify a separate article at this point in time. ReaderofthePack(formerly Tokyogirl79) (｡◕‿◕｡) 17:46, 31 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Keep Wikipedia:Notability (people)#Basic criteria says:
People are presumed notable if they have received significant coverage in multiple published secondary sources that are reliable, intellectually independent of each other, and independent of the subject.
- If the depth of coverage in any given source is not substantial, then multiple independent sources may be combined to demonstrate notability; trivial coverage of a subject by secondary sources is not usually sufficient to establish notability.
1. Piippo, Laurel (1989-12-17). "Tri-Citian hits with 'Red Phoenix'". Tri-City Herald. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06 – via Newspapers.com.
  The article notes: "Despite rocketing onto the New York Times best seller list for 15 weeks with his first book, Red Phoenix, Pat Larkin left the East Coast and his co-author Larry Bond and moved to San Francisco. ... At age 29, Larkin, a 1978 Kennewick High School graduate from, launched Red Phoenix, a military techno thriller. The book has Larry Bond's name on the cover, but as co-authors, Larkin and Bond each received a $150,000 advance and started on the book in 1987."
  The article further notes: "Writing the political chapters, Larkin drew on his experience working for three years in Washington, D.C., where he wrote speeches for 140 Republican congressmen. One of a staff of 14, Larkin's job was putting together briefing papers on issues similar to what character Blake Fowler does in Red Phoenix ..."
  The article further notes: "Anyone who thinks Larkin is an apprentice or subordinate or learner because his name is not on the cover quickly should be disabused of that notion by $500000. It purely was a marketing decision by the publishers, who wanted to keep only one name on the cover."
2. Sliwa, Carol. (1992-10-15). "And now a word from the other Patrick Larkin" (pages 1 and 2). The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original (pages 1 and 2) on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  The article notes: "Larkin went on to write speeches for former Secretary of Energy John Herrington, and then served as a speech writer for Pacific Gas & Electric in San Francisco before moving into more lucrative work. He now co-writes 'military thrillers' with Larry Bond. He said both of their books, 'Red Phoenix' and 'Vortex,' hit the New York Times best seller list as well as a variety of local lists. His third book has just been completed."
3. Fordham, Alice (2007-04-07). "You write it - we'll fill in the words". The Times. Archived from the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  The article notes: "Thriller writing does have a long history of collaboration. Twenty years ago Patrick Larkin was writing thrillers with Larry Bond, including The Enemy Within, but, as Larkin says: “In those days, it was quite unusual to have two names appearing on the front of the book, so Larry’s name went on.” Crucially, however: “We split the money right down the middle.” ... Also, while the co-writers have much to do in the way of knocking out the words, they might have less creative input than when Larkin was writing collaboratively. ... When Larkin worked on the posthumous Robert Ludlum series, the brief was even more specific. The editors suggested a plot outline, and the deadline was so tight that Larkin had little time to worry too much about getting the voice just right."
4. "Patrick Larkin". Gale. 2007. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  The article notes: "Career: Novelist, researcher, and speechwriter. U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, researcher. Has also worked as a political and corporate speechwriter. ... Also author of adventure modules for the Star Trek role-playing game and of background history for the Battletech universe. ... Novelist Patrick Larkin has authored original novels, coauthored uncredited novels with collaborator Larry Bond, and authored installments in Robert Ludlum's "Covert-One" series."
5. Book reviews:
  1. Champion, Brian (1993-09-26). "Technothrillers alive and well; Grand-daddy of the genre finds new regions for excitement". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06 – via Newspapers.com.
    The book review notes: "A better read is Larry Bond's Cauldron. Bond was the unacknowledged co-author of Clancy's Hunt for Red October, and for some reason Cauldron co-author Patrick Larkin gets all the kudos (in the preface) but none of the credit (on the book jacket)."
  2. Cannon, Margaret (2005-08-06). "A midsummer's mass of murders". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06 – via Newspapers.com.
    The book review notes: "Robert Ludlum's The Moscow Vector, by Patrick Larkin, St. Martin's, 416 pages, $22.95. This fat tome is the latest in the Covert-One series, which makes liberal use of the late Robert Ludlum's name. "Robert Ludlum's," "Series Created by Robert Ludlum" etc. The actual author is Patrick Larkin, and while he may be channelling Ludlum's spirit, he's not imbued with Ludlum's talent."
  3. "Robert Ludlum's The Lazarus Vendetta". Publishers Weekly. Vol. 251, no. 40. 2004-10-04. ISSN 0000-0019. EBSCOhost 14625406. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
    The article notes: "Larkin (The Tribune ) picks up the reins for the fifth entry in the Ludlum-spawned Covert-One biotech series (The Altman Code ; etc.), ..."
  4. Allen, Paul (2005-01-29). "Ludlum still pulling the thriller strings". Coventry Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06 – via Gale.
    The book review notes: "The Lazarus Vendetta by Robert Ludlum and Patrick Larkin (Orion, pounds 12.99) ... Reputedly based on ideas left behind by the master thriller writer on his death in 2001, it stitches together the modern world's major obsessions - terrorism, eco-warriors and the ever-more pervasive effect of technological research."
  5. Kessel, Joyce (2005-11-15). "Larkin, Patrick. Robert Ludlum's The Moscow Vector". Library Journal. Vol. 130, no. 19. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06 – via Gale.
    The book review notes: "Larkin, the author of Ludlum's The Lazarus Vendetta, again deals with bioterrorism and the secret superspy/doctor Lt. Col. Jon Smith."
  6. Cohen, George (August 2005). "Larkin, Patrick. Robert Ludlum's The Moscow Vector". Booklist. Vol. 101, no. 22. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
    The book review notes: "Although Larkin is the actual author of this novel, "Robert Ludlum" novels now include 26 books, the latter ones, of course, written after his death but in the strong tradition of the novels he wrote himself. This new one falls in the Covert-One Novel series, now numbering six; Larkin also wrote The Lazarus Vendetta (2004), also part of this series. Moscow is the setting, and Larkin occasionally uses Russian expressions to remind readers of the locale."
There is sufficient coverage in reliable sources to allow Patrick Larkin to pass Wikipedia:Notability (people)#Basic criteria.
Cunard (talk) 07:06, 6 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Comment: I rewrote the article. Cunard (talk) 08:18, 6 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Keep. The updated article has enough citations to prove the subject meets notability guidelines.--SouthernNights (talk) 19:46, 6 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion and clearer consensus.
Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, Sandstein 11:16, 7 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Keep per Cunard's excellent save. Multiple notable books with Larkin clearly identified as an important author, I see a WP:NAUTHOR pass. ~ L 🌸 (talk) 00:59, 8 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Keep Per Cunard's rewrite. Atchom (talk) 04:39, 8 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.