Those of you who know my methods may recognize a familiar literary device that revealed itself in my work from time to time.  Do you not see my name screaming out from this title?  Don’t worry, apparently no one else did either.

 

            Less there be any doubt of who authored The Beale Papers, I placed my initials TWICE in the first three words of this great mystery.

 

THE BEALE PAPERS!
EAP    EAP

 

            Coincidence, maybe, but not likely.  A close examination of my work will reveal a lifelong pattern of inserting the names, initials, birthdates etc. of myself, my brother Henry and, particularly my mother Eliza, my “step-mother” Muddy and my wife, Virginia.  

 

For example, the name L’Espanaye, given to the murder victims in The Murders in the Rue Morgue, twice contains my initials and almost spells Allan.  

 

The two Wilson’s in William Wilson have my own birthdate. 

 

Ulalume-A Ballad, contains the double-l, double-a pattern in Allan.  

 

In Mesmeric Revelation, V, the dying mesmerized subject, and P, the mesmerist, suggest myself and my beautiful wife Virginia, who died so young.

 

            There are numerous instances of my use of my own name, initials, birth date etc. throughout my work.  The Beale Papers merely continues this tradition. (July 2002).