I'm not sure who's on first, which chicken chased which egg or even how to tell you about this. See this book cover? It's a real book – and Entertainment Weekly says it isn't even bad. But the author – well, the author isn't real!!! He's a character on an ABC TV program called – guess what — Castle!
Played by Dr. Horrible's own Biggest Enemy Captain Hammer — aka Nathan Fillion – he's a debonair, wealthy mystery writer with an actress mother and a typically New-York-wise daughter with whom he has a refreshingly healthy relationship (Mom too, actually.)
So there's nothing wrong with the show; it's slight, sweet and kind of funny although it could certainly be better written. In fact, from the reviews I've read, it might be better if Richard Castle (who remember, doesn't exist – really) wrote the scripts as well as his books.
Yes books because apparently this is the first of many. And you can get it on Kindle and Castle even has a brief (equally fictitious) bio on Amazon "Richard Castle is the author of numerous bestsellers, including the critically acclaimed Derrick Storm series. His first novel, In a Hail of Bullets,
published while he was still in college, received the Nom DePlume
Society's prestigious Tom Straw Award for Mystery Literature. Castle
currently lives in Manhattan with his daughter and mother, both of whom
infuse his life with humor and inspiration."
Got that? Fillion/Captain Hammer (this guy) also plays a fictitious writer on a lightweight TV show and somebody – whose name isn't anyplace and as far as I can determine hasn't played anyone (other than a ghostwriter) has written a novel in his name.
This isn't a scandal or a crime – it's just so damned funny. Fillion seems like a fine fellow and Castle is certainly likable enough. But it's hard to get books published these days – especially fiction.
So all you struggling writers out there — now you know how to sell your novel. Make it into a TV show and your literary career is assured.
As my mom used to say, "Only in America!"