'Hill Black, the agent, would call me and say, 'Well, Knopf turned it down. In 1970 he finished his first novel, 'The Naked Face,' and asked author Irving Wallace for the name of an agent.

Sheldon hasn't always been so hard to get. The house guests are sequestered until they finish reading the book and make an offer.

They make a deal with studios, because the studios are eager to see those manuscripts first if it's a hot author.' Rather, his publisher, William Morrow head Larry Hughes, flies out with his editor to Sheldon's house in Holmby Hills, Calif., or to the rented castle in Italy or the flat in London. 'Many publishing houses have spies who mimeograph manuscripts. 'I don't send my books to the publisher's office,' said Sheldon, whose devious mind has brought him millions. In town recently to interview former CIA chief Richard Helms, as well as several ambassadors, senators and foreign service types, all for his next book, he talked over a cup of coffee in his posh Regent Hotel suite. Look twice to be convinced that he isn't being played by Cary Grant, one of his best friends. In his checked sports coat, sincere tie, white hair and black-rimmed glasses, Sheldon, at 67, is the very image of a best-selling California author in a sitcom. 'My agent said he figured CBS deserved some fanfare for their million.' Then, in the middle of a weekly executive meeting, 'the door opened and in walked four tuxedoed men with violins playing 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic,' followed by two girls in evening dresses bearing silver trays with copies of my manuscript on it, and behind them girls strewing rosebuds. 'I wouldn't let CBS see the book itself until it was published,' said Sheldon. The three words were 'female con artist.' The book is 'If Tomorrow Comes,' currently topping The New York Times and The Washington Post best-seller lists. None of these are books by Sidney Sheldon, as the title and description of this Listopia say ('The Best of Sidney Sheldon Your favourite from the dear author.Three words about Sidney Sheldon's new book were all CBS Television needed to hand over $1 million for the mini-series rights. I've taken off several already:Īnd so on and so forth. If you would like me to take them off, just give the titles & numbers and I'll take care of it (or another librarian will). I noticed quite a number of books are not by Sidney Sheldon.

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