This profile is part of a series of interviews chronicling the experiences of researchers who use The New York Public Library's collections for the development of their work.

When did you first get the idea for your research project?

Greg Shepard, the publisher of Stark House Press, asked me to write an introduction to three Day Keene novels that he was reprinting. Keene was born Gunard Hjertstedt in 1904 in Chicago, and is best known as a writer of pulp fiction and 1950s paperback original crime novels, but his career really charts the evolution of popular entertainment in America during the 20th century. He got his start acting in vaudeville and stock theater in the 1920s, and for a bit toured the country with Robert B. Mantell performing Shakespeare; in the 1930s, he wrote theatrical plays and radio scripts, and in the 1960s he wrote for television. One of his books even became an Elvis movie! During my research, I recognized a gap in scholarship on Keene. Much of his life and work was still underexplored. He hasn’t received the same sort of attention as other mid-century crime writers like David Goodis and Jim Thompson.

What brought you to the Library? 

Harry Steeger (publisher of Popular Publications, one of the biggest pulp magazine empires) donated an amazing collection to NYPL. The General Research Division has microform copies of Steeger’s pulp magazines, containing Keene stories which have not been republished anywhere else. And the Manuscripts and Archives Division has the Popular Publications, Inc. Records, which includes index cards for Keene’s stories, indicating word counts, pay rates, original titles, and illustrators.

What research tools could you not live without?

The FictionMags index is an incredible crowd-sourced bibliography of popular fiction magazines. I spend a lot of time cross referencing that with WorldCat to see what is available in libraries, and what materials I’ll need to source elsewhere (such as eBay or other booksellers).

What’s the most unexpected item you encountered in your research?

The author index cards in the Popular Publications, Inc. Records are an astonishing source of information. There’s such a mythology around pulp writers banging out stories for a cent a word, and it’s fascinating to see the reality behind that—Keene was often paid 2 cents, and his stories were reprinted in other pulp magazines in the US and abroad, as well as in anthologies.

What’s the most interesting thing you learned from a book recently?

In Ryerson Johnson's Torture Trek, a collection of his western stories, the author reminisces about his early days as an editor for Popular Publications. His boss turned down one of Keene's stories. Undeterred, Keene turned around and asked his agent to keep shopping it; ultimately, it was sold to Good Housekeeping for $4,600. Today, that would be around $65,000! It was hard to sell a story to a "slick," but when a writer could, it was a heck of a payday. 

Describe a moment when your research took an unexpected turn.

Using NYPL’s at-home subscription to Ancestry Library Edition, I was able to find many documents related to Keene and his family, such as immigration records (for his parents), census records, and even Keene’s draft card. These documents gave a shape to his private and family life, and helped me see him as more than just the name on a book spine.

How do you maintain your research momentum?

I wake up around 5:30 a.m., watch an episode of The Bob Newhart Show with breakfast, and then get to work as quickly as possible. I alternate a day of reading a novel or stories with a day of writing, then a day of research, then maybe a day of organizing and planning next steps. Varying the tasks prevents tedium from setting in and keeps progress balanced, so no aspect of the book falls behind. 

After a day of working/researching, what do you do to unwind?

I always keep a guitar next to the computer. Strumming and singing an old country song (or one of my own) is the perfect reward at the end of the day. It’s also a great help when you’re stuck on a problem and need a distraction while you figure out a solution.

What tabs do you currently have open on your computer?

NYPL’s catalog, WorldCat, the FictionMags Index, Library of Congress, eBay, and my Google Sheets bibliography of all of Keene’s stories.

Is there anything you'd like to tell someone looking to get started?

Jump in and let your enthusiasm be your guide. Just because somebody hasn’t written about a piece of information yet doesn’t mean it isn’t out there—it’s amazing what is just waiting to be discovered. And don’t be afraid to ask librarians for help!

Have I left anything out that you’d like to tell other researchers?

Librarians and archivists at NYPL and around the world have been overwhelmingly helpful every step of the way. I’m moved by their generosity, which gives me a lot of enthusiasm to finish my MLIS and enter the field so I can help other researchers.