Prolific and Popular Writers of Our Time

It takes talent to be a prolific and popular writer of books. This talent is innate and cannot be learned. The writing skill can be taught but not the unstoppable and fertile imagination; an imagination that can provide the desperately needed diversion and escapism for the general public in today’s monotonic, stressful, and schedule-driven society. I like to read and have read a lot of books for this same reason. I would like to share my experiences with the works of the following 5 prolific and popular writers of our time.

Lobsang Rampa

He claimed to be born in a turbulent time in Lhasa, Tibet in the early 1900s. At a young age, during a customary astrological session, his special spiritual abilities and purpose in life were revealed. When he was 7 years old, he was sent to the Potala monastery to receive special tutorage by the resident Lamas. It was during those times that he learned of his special purpose in life and developed his clairvoyant and astral travel capabilities. Most importantly, he was able to see the aura that emanated from each person. The aura is basically consisted of magnetic fields of varying frequencies and intensities, thus, colors. By analyzing the person’s aura, the person's states of mind and body can be deduced. His purpose was to educate ordinary people about these special functions that were inherent inside everyone. He had written 14 books on the subject. Each book was well written, informative, and convincing. Anyone who is interested in life after death and the origin of the world’s spiritual orders will find his books inspirational and life changing.

Brain Lumley

He is a writer of unthinking horror and boundless imagination. In the Necroscope series, he created a complex world of the undead, necroscope, necromancer, ESP, and international espionage that were absorbing, realistic, and terrifying. Most of his characters in the books, be them good or evil, will leave long lasting impression in the reader’s sublime consciousness. Some of the scenes are manipulated so vividly in blood and gore that they are not recommended for the faint-hearted. He started the Necroscope series with a trilogy in mind. Due to the popular response from the readers, he completed the series with 5 books in 1991. In the following year, his imagination ventured into the vampire’s sinister world which was accessible through a worm-hole like portal. The good vs. evil and the human vs. the undead bloody battles continued in this alien landscape. There are 3 books in the Vampire series that he completed in 1994.

With today’s movie making technology, his rich visions and grand adventures can be easily transformed to the big screen. If they are properly done, the movie franchise could be in such a scale that would dwarf the likes of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Of course, they will be aimed for the matured audiences only.

Isaac Asimov

He was the most well-known science-fact writer of our time. With a PhD in Chemistry and as a professor of biochemistry at Boston University, he found times to author more than 350 books on the scientific subjects. From atoms to chemical elements, from DNA to the living creatures, and from Earth to the Cosmo, he narrated with a simple and layman language that could be understood by the uninitiated. More importantly, he injected each in-animated subject with a vitality starting with its origin or discovery, its composition or usefulness, its impact on human or contribution to the meaning of life. His books are forever entertaining, informative, and educational. His book on carbon is especially extensive and comprehensive. It traces, explains, and analyzes how and why carbon plays the central role in life on our Earth.

Stephen King

He is the master of the scary and supernatural tales. All his books have sold a total of around 350 million copies and some of them are very popular with the general public. As a result, there are more movies made based on his books than any other writers. Despite his original and unusual storylines, he always imparts worthwhile human values and human struggles for existence as the main themes. For example:

1) The Green Miles – A supernatural tale taken place in a prison facility where people from all walks of life are brief visited. The main character is a 6 and half feet gentle giant with clairvoyant and healing abilities. Through him, the worst and best human characteristics are revealed. Through him, s glimpse of God’s wonder is unfolding.

2) The Shawshank Redemption – An enduring human struggle for existence in adverse conditions is also taken place in a prison facility but with a larger inmate population. The main character is an ordinary banker incarcerated for life on a wrongful wife murder charge. But the brutal prison environment is no place for a gentle soul. By reaching down the survival skills that he never thinks he has, he overcomes adversities and successfully plans the escape from the impenetrable walls after 20 years.

James Michener

He created tales of romance and adventure in the midst of great historical events that usually spanned many human generations. Before writing his book on a specific period of our time, he did extensive research and sometimes, interviewed with the subjects involved. As a result, his books are educational, informative, and entertaining. They transport the readers to the fabric of those bygone eras. Many of his books had also been made into movies that were well received by the general public. Followings are sample digests from his distinguished books.

1) The Source – It traces the origin of the Israelis’ faith from the dawn of time of human sacrifices and many deities, to the one God call Yahweh, the developments of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and finally, the birth of the Israeli nation.

2) Hawaii – It narrates the arrival of the first human from the Polynesia, followed by the white merchants and missionaries, then followed by the migrant workers seeking a better life in the paradise, and finally, the acceptance to be the fiftieth state of the United States of America.

3) Space – The story started in the closing days of WW2 with the planning and capturing of the German rocket scientists, the Cold War, the race to send satellites and men into space, and finally, the manned exploration of the moon.