James Patterson

It's almost impossible to imagine.

Between 2010 and 2019, one of every seven crime novels published was by a single author-James Patterson. Working with co-authors, he became a novel writing phenomenon and much more, while many literary critics argued his work became much less.

THESE WELL-HEELED wordsmiths earned a combined $269 million over the last 12 months, proving that the written word isn't dead-although television and movie adaptations often help drive sales.

People already read James Patterson's books - and in staggering numbers. Last year, he and his team of writers had 36 books land on the New York Times best-seller list. To date, he has published 156 books that have sold more than 325 million copies worldwide.

It's not about legacy: James Patterson has donated $100,000 to Australian and New Zealand book stores.

Dipping into his considerable personal fortune to donate $100,000 to local bookstores, the prospect of an enduring legacy was the last thing on James Patterson's mind.

More people are buying more books than ever, and more people are making a living by writing them. Why do millionaire authors want to destroy the one company that's made this all possible?