James B. Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an award-winning American author. Formerly the chairman of advertising company J. W. Thompson in the early 1990s, Patterson came up with the slogan "Toys R Us Kids". Shortly after his success with Along Came A Spider, he retired from the firm and devoted his time to writing. The novels— featuring his character, Alex Cross, an African-American forensic psychologist formerly of the Washington, D.C. Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, now working as a private psychologist and government consultant— are the most popular books among Patterson readers.
In 2006, James Patterson sold more than 12 million books in North America alone. In total, Patterson's books have sold an estimated 130 million copies worldwide. He has won awards including the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild's Thriller of the Year, and the International Thriller of the Year award.¹
"These books are entertainments. It's a very different process than if you're trying to write Moby Dick, or The Corrections. That's painful. That's different from very simple, plot-oriented storytelling. If I was writing serious fiction, I'd want more rest time."
Novels by James Patterson: .
Double Cross (Alex Cross), You've Been Warned, The Quickie, The 6th Target, 7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club), Cross, 3rd Degree (Women's Murder Club), Step on a Crack, Roses Are Red (Alex Cross Novels), 2nd Chance (Women's Murder Club), 1st to Die: A Novel, Maximum Ride: School's Out - Forever (Maximum Ride), The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel, Along Came a Spider, and Sunday's at Tiffany's.