The Creators
About James C.C . Holding
James Clark Carlisle Holding and Laura May (Krepps) Holding had their son, James CC Holding II on April 27, 1907 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania [1]. According to Holding's living family members, he always loved to write, and wrote even when he was a young boy. Holding's writing career began when was only seventeen-years-old, when he submitted a story to The Open Road for Boys [2]. The Open Road for Boys was a magazine that published ten issues a year from 1919-1957. The magazine was written for young men, and it encouraged boys to have outdoor adventures and also featured fictional stories [3].
Holding’s piece was described as a violent tale, but it is unknown exactly what he submitted to The Open Road for Boys magazine because all fictional writings were published by the same contributors each month. It appears The Open Road for Boys purchased stories then rewrote them for each issue. Sadly, it is unknown which story was influenced by Holding's story because the magazine did not credit or cite Holding as a contributing author.
In the 1920's, Holding attended Yale University to study English. While in college, he also pledged to the fraternity Alpha Chi Rho. He graduated with a B.A. in English in 1928, and he was also classically trained in Latin. According to his living family members, Holding biked across Europe with a friend after graduation [2], although the details as to where he visited are lost. When Holding returned from Europe in 1930, he took a job as a firebrick salesman for Harbison Walker Company [2]. A year later in 1931, he married Janet Spice, and decided to leave his job for a junior copywriter position [1]. George Batten Company was an advertising company that merged with Barton, Durstine, and Osborne in 1928 to form what is now known as "BBDO" [4]. While working as a junior copywriter, the Holdings had two sons, James C.C. Holding III in 1933, and Donald A. Holding in 1938 [6]. Holding worked as a junior copywriter for BBDO for 14 years, and received a promotion to copy chief in 1944[1] [7]. In 1953, he was elected vice president and again promoted to copy chief for the Pittsburgh Branch. His most notable contribution to BBDO advertising was the slogan "Ford Pitt, That's It" for Ford Pitt Beer [7].
In 1954, Holding's life took a dramatic turn when his son, Donald, died at the age of sixteen in a swimming accident in Canada. In an interview, James C.C. Holding III recalled, "That shook them deeply. They were looking for ways to escape, to find some therapy. They started traveling" [7]. Although Holding continued to work for BBDO after Donald's accident, Holding decided to retire in 1957 at age 50.
James and Janet Holding used the time to travel the world. They took many cruises because James did not enjoy flying. In the late 1950s, Holding and his wife traveled around the world by sea, which included stops in Scandinavia, Bermuda, and New Zealand. While traveling, Holding began freelance writing in 1959 [8]. Unsurprisingly, these travels influenced Holding's future writings, including Cato the Kiwi Bird. Holding even acknowledged that his trip to New Zealand influenced the setting for Cato the Kiwi Bird. Holding's characters and settings usually had a foreign influence and/or background, which is a common theme in his children's books, mysteries, and poetry [8]. He wrote about 200 mystery and detective stories, and often published under pseudonyms such as Ellery Queen Jr. and Clark Carlisle (his middle names). His mystery writings often appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magaine, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, and Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine [1] [8]. He also wrote 20 children's books [7]. Although he never won an award for his children's books, he did win the John Masefield Poetry Prize, the John Hubbard Curtis Poetry prize twice in his lifetime, and was nominated for an Edgar Award [7] [8].
In 1971, Holding and his wife moved to Sarasota, Florida, where he continued to be an active member of the community [7]. While in Florida, Holding served on the board of the Gulf Gate Public Library, a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Mission Valley Golf and Country Club, and the Yale Club [6].
In 1991, he and his wife moved back to Pittsburgh to live in Sherwood Oaks due to his wife's failing eyesight. [7]. While living there, Holding continued to publish poetry in the Sherwood Oaks resident newsletter [9]. He resided there with his wife until March 30, 1997, when he suffered a stroke and passed away in North Hills Passavant Hospital [2].
About Lee Smith
Lee Smith Albion was born in Rochester, New York, and spent the majority of her life in New York. While growing up in Rochester and Bronxville, New York, Albion was exposed to art at a young age because her father wished for her to be a children's book illustrator [10]. She reflected on her childhood, "Consequently I hated to draw and paint" [10]. It wasn't until the end of high school did Albion discover art [10], and she began training at the Grand Central School of Art in New York City [11]. She continued her education by earning her B.S. degree in Art Theory at Harvard-Radcliffe College, and her Master's at Columbia University [11]. After college, she worked for the Art Students League for four years [11]. After working in the ASL, Albion began to create magazine and newspaper illustrations but she found the competition "horrendous"[10]. She has been published in popular periodicals such as The New Yorker, Gourmet, Saturday Review of Literature, New York Times Book Review, and the Chicago Tribune Book Review [11].
In 1965, she married an attorney and moved to Miami because her husband worked there. In July of 1966, they had a son, and Albion continued to work as both an artist and a mother [10]. Shortly before her son was born, Albion began illustrating for children's books. "I do illustrations for books because I don't seem able to stop. I read a manuscript and I can visualize the whole thing. I ache to set it down on paper. I think, too, of each child who is to read the book and I want him to love each page and feel the atmosphere of the story"[10].
Albion published children's books under the name "Lee Smith" between 1961-1967 [12]. She published a total of eight children's books, four of which she collaborated with Marianna Prieto with Latin-American themes [13]. Albion primarily used water colors, pen and ink, and chalk for her illustrations, but she used glass printing for Cato, the Kiwi Bird [10]. Albion donated color separations for the books she published to the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection in the 1970's, which is North America's leading resource in the field of children's literature [11].
In the 1970's, Albion moved to London, England, where she set up her studio for 21 years. While in England, she won numerous awards and prizes, especially the Stanley Grimm Award for oils. In 1994, she moved back to Florida, where she currently partakes in many art societies and local shows [11].
In 1965, she married an attorney and moved to Miami because her husband worked there. In July of 1966, they had a son, and Albion continued to work as both an artist and a mother [10]. Shortly before her son was born, Albion began illustrating for children's books. "I do illustrations for books because I don't seem able to stop. I read a manuscript and I can visualize the whole thing. I ache to set it down on paper. I think, too, of each child who is to read the book and I want him to love each page and feel the atmosphere of the story"[10].
Albion published children's books under the name "Lee Smith" between 1961-1967 [12]. She published a total of eight children's books, four of which she collaborated with Marianna Prieto with Latin-American themes [13]. Albion primarily used water colors, pen and ink, and chalk for her illustrations, but she used glass printing for Cato, the Kiwi Bird [10]. Albion donated color separations for the books she published to the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection in the 1970's, which is North America's leading resource in the field of children's literature [11].
In the 1970's, Albion moved to London, England, where she set up her studio for 21 years. While in England, she won numerous awards and prizes, especially the Stanley Grimm Award for oils. In 1994, she moved back to Florida, where she currently partakes in many art societies and local shows [11].
[1] Commire, ed. Something About the Author, 1971. Vol. 3, pp. 85
[2] Ove, "James C.C. Holding Jr. Advertising Executive Never Stopped Writing"
[3] "The Open Road for Boys"
[4] Elliot, "An Old Industry Name Signals a Shift into a New Era
[5] "James CC Holding III"
[6] Ove,"James C.C. Holding Jr."
[7] Cortez, Anastasia and Alicia Bott. "Holding, James Clark Carlisle, Jr."
[8] Lanchman, "Prizes, Awards, and Nominations Given for Material Originally Published in EQMM"
[9] Holding, "Something About September"
[10] Kingman, pp. 71.
[11] Palm Harbor Art Club
[12] Commire, ed. Something About the Author, 1982. pp. 71
[13] Lee Smith Albion Papers, de Grummond Collection
[2] Ove, "James C.C. Holding Jr. Advertising Executive Never Stopped Writing"
[3] "The Open Road for Boys"
[4] Elliot, "An Old Industry Name Signals a Shift into a New Era
[5] "James CC Holding III"
[6] Ove,"James C.C. Holding Jr."
[7] Cortez, Anastasia and Alicia Bott. "Holding, James Clark Carlisle, Jr."
[8] Lanchman, "Prizes, Awards, and Nominations Given for Material Originally Published in EQMM"
[9] Holding, "Something About September"
[10] Kingman, pp. 71.
[11] Palm Harbor Art Club
[12] Commire, ed. Something About the Author, 1982. pp. 71
[13] Lee Smith Albion Papers, de Grummond Collection