One Hit Wonders

In the music industry, a one-hit wonder is an artist generally known for only one single hit. More commonly, however, one-hit wonders are serious-minded musicians who struggled to continue their success after their popularity waned. Many music industry one-hit-wonders are novelty songs recorded for humor or to cash in on a fad and to an extent are deliberately short-lived. Examples include Rick Dees’s "Disco Duck," related to the disco craze of the 1970s; and C.W. McCall's "Convoy," related to the CB radio craze of the 1970s, and Chubby Checker lost 50 pounds with his one-hit wonder “The Twist”.

The literary world is not without its one-hit wonders either. Though the term is sometimes used in a derogatory manner, both genres experience long lasting popularity for the most part such as “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, who won the Pulitzer prize in 1961. What about “Gone With the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell who also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1937. Boris Pasternak wrote “Doctor Zhivago” and after his manuscript was smuggled out of Russia, he was rewarded by being exiled to the country and banned from writing. This did not prevent him from being awarded the Nobel Prize in 1958.

These authors left their mark on the world just as Beethoven and Mozart did. Is it possible that we will ever see the likes of them again?

Why do you write? Is it for fame, fortune, humanity, expose or for love?

I write because I must and it is the best way for me to escape into a world that I can control. Yes, even in non-fiction writing I can control what I write about.

Everyone has a story inside them. What’s yours?

This morning while watching the news, I saw Lynne Cheney, wife of VP Richard Cheney marketing her newest children’s book, “50 States”, which is about the history of each of the 50 United States. Another book, “Sole Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of a Navy Special Operations Forces team was promoting his book. “Sole Survivor” is about four Navy Seals fighting off dozens of Taliban fighters in a two and one-half hour deadly fire fight.

New authors with new books excite me because I know I can do it too. Although Lynne Cheney is not a new author, I garner motivation from her to reach out and teach others. Motivation and Inspiration can be found when least expected.

Do you have a one-hit wonder hiding in you?

Take this quiz about authors who only published one book and you may be able to answer the question.

Write it down,

Carma