Author:Dean R. Koontz

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Dean Koontz apparently wrote 30 or so erotic books for Cameo books and others early in his career under various pen names. These allegedly include Skin Summer by "Ann Griffin" (American Art Enterprises, 1983 and Cameo, 1970), Protest Ball by "Ann Griffin" (published by American Art Enterprises in 1989 and originally published in 1970 by Cameo); and Sharing by "Richard Young" (published by Barbizon in 1973, originally published under the title Share the Warm Flesh by "Gracie Amber" in 1970 by Cameo). One erotic book was actually published without benefit of pen name under Dean Koontz and his wife's own names (Bounce Girl, Cameo, 1970). Dean Koontz has since denied having ever written any erotic books with the exceptions of Bounce Girl (Cameo, 1970) which credits Dean Koontz and his wife as authors without benefit of pen names, and the “Leonard Chris” book "Hung", but this is inconsistent with the evidence and prior statements by Dean Koontz himself.

The Library of Congress apparently has confirmed that Gerda Ann Koontz (Dean's wife) holds the copyrights to all of these books. In an article written by Dean Koontz entitled "Dean's Drive" in the sci-fi fanzine Energumen #8 (6/71), Dean admitted to writing 30 erotic books in 1970 in addition to Pig Society and The Underground Lifestyles Handbook (both of which were also published by Cameo books in 1970). One of the titles that Dean Koontz admits to having written in this article ("Thirteen and Ready") was written under the penname of Ann Griffin – the initials A.G. being those of his wife in reverse. In an early sci-fi fanzine, Beabohema #8 (1970), Dean Koontz again talked about writing these books. Dean Koontz's writing how-to book "How to Write Popular Fiction" (1972) refers to these books and specifically to the Ann Griffin penname.

Additional evidence suggestive of Dean Koontz’s use of these pen names is as follows: The “Ann Griffin” Cameo book Protest Ball lists the author's address as Harrisburg, Pennsylviania, which is where Dean and his wife were living in 1970, the year of its publication. "Ann Griffin" is one of the five names listed in the dedication of the gothic romance Demon Child (which Koontz wrote under the penname of “Deanna Dwyer”). All five of the first names listed in the dedication of Demon Child match the first names of Cameo erotic books that have been attributed to Dean Koontz.

Note: this information is adapted from information provided by online bookseller “fbks68” who reports verifying all the above data from the original publications