Philosophical scope of fiction in Sidney Sheldon life
Ume Sumayya

Abstract
My aspiration to contemplate what I want is the fundamental question that essentially arises whenever associate degree scholar of ideas ‘deals with a piece that he hopes to grasp. Such scholar could have centered his attention on a piece of literature - a literary composition, a play, a completely unique novel - or on a piece of philosophy – some exercise in moral, political, religious, or different such mode of thought. However the fundamental question can all tell such cases remain the same: what area unit the suitable procedures to adopt within the try of arrival at understanding of the work? This paper provides a synopsis of Sidney Sheldon life, reviews its key scientific challenges, and discusses its philosophical implications. It ends with many words concerning the implications of his work for the society.
INTRODUCTION
Sydney Sheldon is the most celebrated dramatic/suspense novel author of twentieth century. He’s additionally film, TV & amp; stage show/drama author and winner of an honor. Sydney’s own life was a pure drama, poorest at one stage; rich person at another. State capital wrote his 1st novel at the age of fifty three once individuals begin coming up with for retirement. It had been an enormous flop, he didn’t surrender, wrote another that clothed to be an excellent success. He thought of life as a completely unique, you never understand what happens next till you switch consecutive page. Never Stop, never quit, was his message. Browse a photo from his fascinating autobiography by kashif ilyas:
The thronged building hall was full book lovers. A celebrated new publisher had invited 3 writers to sign their new books for consumers. There have been long queues ahead of 2 authors however the third one was sitting alone. Not even one client for him. It had been quite embarrassing and undignified for him. Hours passed however nobody turned up to him. “May I take your autograph please?” A lady approached him softly. Jumping out of his chair thirstily, he took the book, wrote a pleasant sentence signed it. “So what did you wish in my novel?” he enquired with excitement. The woman smiled tenderly and responded, “Son you were sitting alone, I felt sympathetic and hence bought your book.”

With broken heart, he came to his building and constant awake all night. When hours of deliberation he set to offer a novel writing. It’s not me; I ought to persist with my previous activities of TV and stage drama writing, he ended. Feeling calm currently, he turned to his bed. Looking of the window he noticed daylight slowly doing away with darkness. Suddenly it reminded him of his own writing “every dark night has to finish & bright day has to arrive, instead of frightening from the dark, just think it is only few moments before the Morning!” He left the bed instantly and started writing his next novel.
Dissatisfied from his 1st novel, it absolutely was Sheldon, the foremost famed fiction/suspense navel author of twentieth century. Sydney’s life was packed with drama. At the age of seventeen he set to finish his life attributable to dangerous money state of affairs. He was near to swallow sleeping pills once his father arrived. He advised Sydney sensibly that I do not mean to stop you from suicide. I will only say that:
“You don’t know what can happen tomorrow. Life is like a novel. It’s filled with suspense. You never know what’s going to happen until you turn the page. I am sorry to listen to that you simply need to suicide. By this you'll solely miss on the opportunities and excitements that square measure owing to follow within the next chapter Remember, you can decide to close this book [of life] anytime but once closed this book can never be opened again.”
This sentence modified Sydney’s life forever. By 1970, Sydney was fifty three years previous. He had written prosperous stage dramas, won honor and was watched on TV by millions across USA. There was one more dramatic chapter which begins in his life. 5 publishers rejected his novel. Ultimately one accepted it for under $1000.Not even one person bought Sydney’s book except that wife World Health Organization did therefore out of mercy. Did Sydney provide up? No, he wrote one more novel “The alternative facet of Midnight”. it had been an enormous hit and sold in millions. He became millionaire? No, rich person actually! Sydney unbroken on writing novels for successive twenty seven years, solely to become the foremost illustrious suspense author. In his own words:
“Life is like a lift, it goes up & down. If you are in crisis, assume you are at the bottom, but be sure it will go up. The secret of success is that Never Quit the lift!”.
On another occasion Sydney wrote:
“Don’t give up. There are too many nay-sayers out there who will try to discourage you. Don’t listen to them. The only one who can make you give up is yourself.”
So friends, choice is yours, quit, or Stand-up for yourself.
“You have two choices. You can keep running & hiding and blaming the world for your problems, or you can Stand Up for Yourself and decide to be Somebody important.”

BIOGRAPHY

Sidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917–January 30, 2007) was an American writer. His TV works spanned a 20-year period during which he created The Patty Duke Show (1963–66), I Dream of Jeannie (1965–70) and Hart to Hart (1979–84), but he became most famous after he turned 50 and began writing best-selling novels, such as Master of the Game (1982), The Other Side of Midnight (1973) and Rage (1980). He is the seventh best selling fi ction writer of all time. The Naked Face (1970) was Sheldon's first novel, and was awarded the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for best first mystery novel. This began a consistent stream of novels, which brought him the bestsellers list an extraordinary number of times, and included recently "The Stars Shine Down" (1992) and "Nothing Lasts Forever" (1994).His best-known titles, all published by William Morrow, include “The Other Side of Midnight” (1974); “A Stranger in the Mirror” (1976); “Master of the Game” (1982); “If Tomorrow Comes” (1985); and “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” (2004). He suffered from bipolar disorder, which is detailed in his autobiography, The Other Side of MeHe died in 2007.

OVERVIEW OF SIDNEY SHELDON PHILOSPHY IN HIS WRITING
Sidney Sheldon was rarely accused of writing great literature, but many of his works were wildly popular. His protagonists were usually women, and often had libido in mind. His books were called 'trashy' or 'melodramatic' by critics, but were always best-sellers. In The Other Side of Midnight a woman spends years plotting vengeance on a man who betrayed her; in If Tomorrow Comes a woman seeks revenge after being convicted of a crime she did not commit; in Rage of Angels a female attorney is falsely accused of being involved with organized crime. Sheldon also wrote page-turning thrillers like Windmills of the Gods and The Sky is Falling, and even tried science fiction with The Doomsday Conspiracy.
A Sidney Sheldon novel typically contains one or more — usually many more — of these ingredients: shockingly beautiful women, square-jawed heroes and fiendish villains; fame, fortune and intrigue; penthouses, villas and the jet travel these entail; plutonium, diamonds and a touch of botulism; rape, sodomy, murder and suicide; mysterious accidents and mysterious disappearances; an heiress or two; skeletons in lavishly appointed closets; shadowy international cartels, communists and lawyers; globe-trotting ambassadors, supermodels and very bad dogs; forced marriages and amnesia; naked ambition and nakedness in general; a great deal of vengeance; and as The New York Times Book Review described it in 1989, “a pastoral coed nude rubdown with dry leaves.”
Mr. Sheldon turned to fiction only in his 50s, after having an idea for a thriller he felt was too psychologically nuanced for film, TV or the stage. He sold this book, his first novel, to Morrow for $1,000. The story of a handsome psychoanalyst accused of murder, it was published as “The Naked Face” in 1970. Though Mr. Sheldon jetted to exotic locales to research his books and lived in homes brimming with art and antiques, his life had little in common with those of his characters — at least, to hear him tell it, in one crucial respect.

EXPLORING THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FICTION IN HIS WORK
Fiction is a general term used to describe an imaginative work of prose, either a novel, short story, or novella. Recently, this definition has been modified to include both nonfiction works that contain imaginative elements, like Midnight in the Garden Of Good and Evil by John Berendt (Random House, 1994) and Dutch by Edmund Morris (Random House, 1999), and novels consisting largely of factual reporting with a patina of fictionalization, such as Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (Knopf, 1997). However, in the truest sense, a work of fiction is a creation of the writer's imagination.
Mystery
Mystery is a popular genre, boasting a huge established audience. All mysteries focus on a crime, usually murder. The action tends to center on the attempts of a wily detective-type to solve the crime. And the climax usually occurs near the end, in a leisurely setting where all the elements of the mystery are neatly assembled for the reader's convenience. The solution, complete with surprises, is then delivered to the characters and the reader alike.
Mystery subgenres include spy, detective, and crime stories. You can find a vast network of mystery writers associations, conventions, and conferences, as well as publications to help mystery writers pursue their craft. For information, contact Mystery Writers of America.
Great practitioners in this genre include Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and Earle Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason. Present day giants include Carl Hiaason, James Ellroy, Robert Parker, James Lee Burke, and Elmore Leonard.
Romance
Romance is a huge category aimed at diverting and entertaining women. In romance novels, you have elements of fantasy, love, naïveté, extravagance, adventure, and always the heroic lover overcoming impossible odds to be with his true love. Many romances, especially the gothic romance, have an easy-to-follow formula — a young, inexperienced girl living a somewhat remote existence is courted or threatened by an evil man and then rescued by a valiant one.
Other subgenres include historical, contemporary, fantasy romance, and romantic suspense. If historical detail and settings interest you, try writing a regency or historical romance. If you enjoy a dash of mystery or intrigue, then romantic suspense novels are for you. However, if you're interested in more modern stories with sexual candor, then consider writing a contemporary romance.
Certainly, you have lots of opportunity in the field of romance writing, which is the largest, most diverse, and most popular of the commercial genres. And romance writers' organizations can provide exact writing guidelines. To receive a set of guidelines, contact Romance Writers of America.
First-class romance writers include Jude Deveraux, Victoria Holt, Judith McNaught, Daphne Du Maurier, Jennifer Greene, and Nora Roberts.
Women's fiction
It's common knowledge in the publishing industry that women constitute the biggest book-buying segment. So, it's certainly no accident that most mainstream as well as genre fiction is popular among women. For that reason, publishers and booksellers have identified a category within the mainstream that they classify as Women's Fiction. And its no surprise that virtually all the selections of Oprah's Book Club are in this genre.
From a writer's perspective, some key characteristics of these books include a focus on relationships, one or more strong female protagonists, women triumphing over unbearable circumstances, and the experiences of women unified in some way. The field includes such diverse writers as Barbara Taylor Bradford, Anne Rivers Siddons, Alice McDermott, Judith Krantz, Anne Tyler, Rebecca Wells, and Alice Hoffman.
Science fiction/fantasy
Science fiction/fantasy novels depict distant worlds and futuristic technologies that whirl readers far away from the here and now and yet provoke contemplation of contemporary issues. Imaginative, thoughtful, and other-worldly, this robust category is made even more popular by the Star Wars and Star Trek series. Leading science fiction and fantasy writers include Ray Bradbury, Arthur Clarke, Isaac Asimov, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as the current, multi-best-selling, young adult author J.K. Rowling.
To obtain professional assistance in this genre, contact the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Suspense/thriller
Suspense novels and thrillers are tense, exciting, often sensational works with ingenious plotting, swift action, and continuous suspense. In this genre, a writer's objective is to deliver a story with sustained tension, surprise, and a constant sense of impending doom that propels the reader forward. Unlike mysteries, thrillers are dominated by action in which physical threat is a constant companion, and a hero (James Bond, for example) is pitted against a nefarious villain.
This genre includes the great espionage writers, including John Le Carre, Len Deighton, Ian Fleming, Clive Cussler, and Frederick Forsythe. It also includes the police procedurals of Patricia Cornwell, Tony Hillerman, and Lawrence Sanders, as well as the courtroom bestsellers of Scott Turow, Richard North Patterson, Steve Martini, and John Grisham, and the military thrillers of Tom Clancy and Stephen Koontz.
Western
Known simply as westerns, these novels about life on America's post Civil War western frontier usually involve conflicts between cowboys and outlaws, cowboys and Native Americans, or Easterners and Westerners. While this category still has a mass-market audience and a thriving regional market, it's not the popular genre it was 25 years ago.
If you're interested in writing a western, contact the Western Writers of America
Zane Grey and Louis Lamour, both deceased, are still among the popular western writers.
Horror
Filled with gut-wrenching fear, this popular genre keeps readers turning the blood-filled pages. From a writer's perspective, the defining characteristic is the intention to frighten readers by exploiting their fears, both conscious and subconscious: fears of supernatural forces, alien visitations, madness, death, dismemberment, and other terrifying notions.
Tracing its roots back to the classic tales of Edgar Allan Poe, the horror genre today is dominated by Stephen King, whose vast output of bestsellers under his name as well as his alter-ego Richard Bachman has dominated the bestseller lists for nearly 25 years. Other major horror writers include Mary Shelley, Roald Dahl, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Dean Koontz, and Anne Rice.
While horror isn't science fiction, the SFWA provides a great deal of information and community services aimed at horror writers. To obtain its professional assistance, contact the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Young adult
This genre includes any type of novel with a protagonist in the 12 to 16 age range that speaks to the concerns of teenagers. Currently, J.K. Rowling and her amazing Harry Potter (Scholastic Press) books are dominating the field. Rowling's accomplishment — a truly universal story, brimming with magic and fantasy as well as likable characters that readers identify with — is an amazing feat. Watch out for all the Harry Potter wannabes in the coming year.
Success stories in this genre share many of the qualities evident in the Harry Potter books: a memorable voice (J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, Little Brown, 1951), believable characters (Golding's Lord of the Flies, Perigee, 1959), and a willingness to write about the disturbing subjects that preoccupy teens and preteens (Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, Dell Yearling, 1972, or Holes by Louis Sachar, FSG, 1998).
GRAND CHALLENGES IN HIS NOVELS
If Tomorrow Comes
If Tomorrow Comes is a 1985 crime fiction novel by American author Sidney Sheldon. It is a story portraying an ordinary woman who is framed by the Mafia, her subsequent quest for vengeance towards them and her later life as a con artist. A 3-part TV miniseries with the same name based on the book was released in 1986.
The Other Side of Midnight
The Other Side of Midnight is a novel by American writer Sidney Sheldon published in 1973. The book reached No.1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. It was made into a 1977 motion picture of the same name, directed by Charles Jarrott. The cast included Marie-France Pisier, John Beck, Susan Sarandon, Christian Marquand and Josette Banzet. It was remade in India as the Hindi film Oh Bewafa (1980). Sidney Sheldon had written a sequel, the title for the 1990 novel being Memories of Midnight. It was adapted into a 1991 television mini-series starring Jane Seymour as Catherine Alexander. In Japan, it was adapted and broadcast as a radio drama, with a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno and Maaya Sakamoto.
Memories of Midnight
Memories of Midnight, sometimes known as The other side of midnight (book 2) [1] is a 1990 novel written by Sidney Sheldon. It is a sequel to Sheldon's The Other Side of Midnight
The Best Laid Plans
The Best Laid Plans is a 1997 novel by Sidney Sheldon. Possible inspiration for the title comes from a paraphrasing of the Robert Burns poem "To a Mouse" into modern English.
Philosophical implications in his Novels
Schools of Thought
Philosophers can typically be associated with different movements, or schools of thought, that gained momentum during different parts of its history. While this is far from exhaustive list, here is a brief overview of some of the major divisions:
• Realism versus Idealism: Rationalists hold the belief that things (chairs, colors, people, etc.) and the characteristics they possess exist independently of the mind. Like most branches of philosophy, one can be a certain "type" of realist. For example, a moral realist would believe that something is in essence "right" or "wrong," it is not determined by any individual's opinion. Idealists hold that the limits of knowledge lie solely in the mind, and that part--and, depending on the idealist, all--knowledge lies within thought and metaphysics. They hold that the "thing" one perceives is not its full reality.
• Rationalism versus Empiricism: Rationalists tend to base as much knowledge as possible--if not all knowledge--on reason. They hold that many truths can be obtained independently of one's sense experience. Empiricists, on the other hand, claim that most knowledge stems from one's sense experience. The core of their argument rests on how much of knowledge, if any knowledge, is innate, and the how one learns truths that are not immediately associated with sense experience, particularly mathematics.
• Skepticism versus Pragmatism: Skeptics doubt the existence of any "right answer." An extreme skeptic will hold that nothing, not even oneself, can be known. Thus, the only truth one can ascertain depends on what conditions one assumes to be true, but one can never expect to come to any definitive answer. Skepticism never assumes anything to be true. Pragmatists, in contrast, will accept a claim as true so long as its practical application does not refute it. Thus, it judges a theory's truth or validity on the consequences of accepting that truth, but, unlike skepticism, does not reject a claim's truth unless given a practical reason for rejecting it.
• Existentialism: Existentialists are fundamentally concerned with the existence of human beings and their relationship with the world outside themselves. Existentialists focus on how man attempts to make sense of the world in which he or she lives, and disagree on how much or little humans beings can succeed in finding order in the universe beyond themselves.
• Structuralism: Structuralists and post-structuralists believe that language, as it appears in symbolic logic and ordinary discourse, determine the limits of one's conception of reality. While structuralism sought to understand the system of language that determines man's thought, post-structuralists hold that the limits of language also limit one's ability to fully understand how language is used, limited, and otherwise manipulated.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To put it bluntly, I am not a die hard fan of Sidney Sheldon. Yet, his writing style has never ceased to amaze me. I have read each of his books and waited eagerly for new releases. Sidney Sheldon - Master of the game? Yes indeed!! His fans have spanned across all continents and several generations- adolescents to lonely housewives, career women….and jobless heart broken males. You name them!! A writer whose flavor has been savored and tasted, relished, but sometimes rejected. His style of the feministic approach, heroines that are brazen, sexual innuendos, mystery, marvel and most of all – the talent to keep the reader griping onto the book till the very end. He is, of course, a writer unique in himself.

1) Mystery-
The essence of human nature is to be captivated by suspense and marvel. History is witness to that. Gods were a result of superstitious beliefs, marvels, mystique and the fear of the unknown. Mayans and Egyptians were stupefied by beliefs that originated from the unknown ….and the wish to know! Sheldon has maneuvered and exploited this trait of Homo sapiens in his writing. The mystery and suspense grips the reader. It has both entertainment and a well placed storyline. Many readers claim to devour his books in one sitting for this very reason. He mostly opens up the book with an appetizer of mystery. This creates suspense and the reader is compelled to read on and on. It’s a small literary device but works wonders in creating a bestseller.

2) Construction-
In a 1982 interview, Sheldon said that he tried to write his books so that readers would not put them down without completing. He constructed the novel in such a way that when the reader got to the end of the chapter, he or she was compelled to read the next. It’s the technique of the old Soap operas- “leave the guy hanging on the edge of the cliff at the end of the chapter”. Besides simply using suspense he also used the right...