author
Everett McNeil
1862–1929
A popular American writer of boys’ adventure stories, he spun fast-moving tales of the West, lost worlds, and historical action. He was also part of the New York literary circle around H. P. Lovecraft, which gives his career an extra touch of intrigue.
1 Audiobook
The Cave of Gold A Tale of California in '49
by Everett McNeil
About the author
Henry Everett McNeil, who often published as Everett McNeil, was born in Stoughton, Wisconsin, on September 25, 1862, and later attended Milton College. He became known as a successful author of children's and boys’ adventure fiction in the 1910s and 1920s, with stories that mixed frontier action, history, and fantasy.
His books were often written in the tradition of energetic juvenile adventure novels, and reference sources describe him as one of the more notable writers in that field during his time. He also had links to early film writing, and his name appears in connection with several silent-era screen projects.
McNeil is also remembered for his place in the Kalem Club, the New York circle associated with H. P. Lovecraft. According to biographical sources, he encouraged Lovecraft to submit fiction to Weird Tales, making him a small but interesting figure in the wider story of early twentieth-century popular literature. He died in Tacoma, Washington, on December 14, 1929.