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In 1969, a group of reporters wrote an intentionally bad and salacious novel under a pen name to prove that sex sells more than quality. It sold 20,000 copies within a few months and spent 13 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list.
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Newsday columnist Mike McGrady led the effort after reading a popular romance novel and feeling fed up with its writing style. McGrady told writers in his office to submit one chapter of an erotic novel each, and he decided to keep only the dirtiest and most poorly written passages.
The book titled "Naked Came the Stranger" revolved around a woman in an unhappy marriage who pursued a series of affairs after discovering her husband's infidelity. The writers used the pen name Penelope Ashe and claimed she was a quiet housewife in Long Island.
McGrady revealed the hoax three years after writing it, on a talk show, which was believed to be the start of Penelope Ashe's press tour.
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