William J. Benners

William James Benners Jr. (1863–1940) was a writer, publisher and historian of dime novels, which was a class of popular fiction that flourished in the mid- and late-nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century. Benners was also a poet, actor and an avid traveler who maintained correspondence with many dime novel authors, and aimed to compile a directory of popular writers and bought and sold stories and publishing rights, and also penned some dime novels of his own.