THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS
June 21, 1965: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
The original of this letter goes with the original ms. of The Brass Cannon [The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress], the carbon goes with the carbon ms. Both will be sent to you tomorrow, original by airmail in the early morning, carbon by air express in the late afternoon, in an attempt to have them go by different airplanes. As you probably know from the news, we are isolated other than by air -- and the last I heard they were borrowing 1916 Curtiss pushers in order to move all the passengers, freight, mail, and food that is moving in and out of our small airport. Anent ms.: Please send the original to Putnam; it has with it a form for their supercolossal prize contest. But would you please tell him that I really have no expectation of a science fiction novel winning...
July 6, 1965: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
Putnam's likes new book, same terms as last book. Don't like title; can you suggest another?
November 30, 1965: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
You saw a copy of -- 's letter to me; I phoned him today. He had thrown me a curve in his proposals to edit a ms. which -- had approved in toto-but I tossed him another curve back saying okay and how quickly could he ship me the edited ms. for my approval? -- and pointed out to him that I had never signed a contract in the past with Putnam's, nor accepted any advance, until the ms. was fully approved down to the least word. I think he was taken aback by this, but he quickly agreed to go over the ms. himself, see what the copy editor had done, and then either okay it the way I had submitted it, removing the copy editor's changes, or send it to me for my approval.
THE PAST THROUGH TOMORROW
March 9, 1963: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
I am returning herewith Peter Israel's letter concerning ihe Future History. I don't know just what he wants. I had had in mind an omnibus reprint book, using the first three books of the Future History. We hold all rights to (hese and we own the plates.
I suggest that we tell Israel that what we are offering is the first three volumes, for reprint, separately or as one jumbo volume-with plates furnished by us-and that if he does not want them, please tell us so in order that we may offer same to Doubleday's Science Fiction Book Club. I feel quite sure that they would take a chance on such an offer, with the plates laid in their laps. These three books are very famous in the field and they have not been available in hardcovers in years-and never from the S-F book club.
I WILL FEAR NO EVIL
August 21, 1969: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
Robert says that the new novel is as long as the Bible, but considering the number of authors of that, I doubt it. It is still in the process of completion. We'll send up a few rockets when it's done, and maybe you'll see one of them!
August 28, 1969: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
[Robert] left me a note saying, "Please tell him that I am anxious to learn what the new book is all about, too -- especially the ending.
"I seem to be translating Giles Goat Boy into late Martian."
September 2, 1969: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
. Robert's up to what he says is the last chapter. Then he added thoughtfully, "I hope it isn't like the short story." But I think this time he means it. He spent last night killing off someone; must have been a sort of Rasputin, from the length of time it's taken.
October 1, 1969: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
What word do you want about the novel? It's in the cutting stages-I thought that it dragged in spots. Don't you want to be surprised? All I can tell you is that it is quite different from anything I've ever read before, by Heinlein or anyone else. It will go to the typist before we leave here for the class reunion...
October 7, 1969: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
Re the new book, Robert has his doubts about Mac [Truman MacDonald Talley of NAL] liking it, pointing out that he turned down Stranger, but says he's been publishing some far-out stuff lately. My comment was that he can't sell the public Elsie Dinsmore anymore.
October 13, 1969: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame The cutting goes along slowly...
November 12, 1969: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
While I was writing / Will Fear No Evil and you and Ginny and Margo were handling everything else, a lot of nonfrantic items accumulated in your box on my desk. It appears from the file that I have not acknowledged checks in writing since 22 June. I intend to acknowledge checks and books, so that you will have a written record.
December 4, 1969: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
I'm just afraid that I shall have to type I Will Fear No Evil, which will completely spoil my winter! I think the first draft was 689 pages.
January 19, 1970: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
I spent more time reading I Will Fear No Evil than I've spent on a manuscript in years. This is only partly because of the book's length-I've gone through longer ones faster-but the novel has so many good lines in it that I gave myself time enough to enjoy and chuckle over them.
January 31, 1970: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
Today Bob will probably sign his "X" on two powers of attorney. One for you, one for me. Yours will be for conducting business affairs, mine a general one...and
I suggest that we both keep them, not limited in time, for emergency use.
Robert is in good spirits, but quite weak, with nurses around the clock. The incision looks huge to my inexperienced eyes, and it had a drain in it until yesterday :...
February 12, 1970: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
This new novel is probably closer to mainstream than science fiction than any Robert has done...he wants to have some sort of mass distribution on it, either by early paperback or serial, or perhaps both. The paperback business doesn't seem to cut much into the trade edition sales, whereas the Doubleday Book Club does. If we can't get serial or early paperback publication, we'll reluctantly let it go into a book club edition. The sales on The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress proved my point on that.
February 26, 1970: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
Just returned from the hospital, and Bob was trying to eat lunch...he ate his whole egg for breakfast, and I don't know how much more, but he's still getting IV feeding, and is very unsteady on his feet. But at least we're away from the wheelchair, and he goes out into the corridors to walk. He'd refused to leave his room for about a month, and this is [a] considerable breakthrough. Also, I gave him The Insult Dictionary, and he started reading it, which is better than the detergent dramas and quiz shows, etc., he's been watching on TV.
I urn also sending a letter from Lady Gollancz. Robert read this letter, and said firmly, "No bowdlerization." So will you please tell [her] politely to go to hell? The passage referred to is the one in which the hero feels sorry for the victim rather than the criminal. She wanted to take it out.
EDITOR'S NOTE: By this time, publishers in many countries were putting out Robert's work, especially his juveniles.
Several British publishers had contracts for books, among them Gollancz. The chief of that firm had been knighted by the crown-Sir Victor Gollancz. When Sir Victor died, his wife took over the firm.
When they were about to publish one of the juveniles (and I am not sure now just which one it was), Lady Gollancz asked whether she might omit several sentences dealing with punishment of a character for a crime he had committed. The law on this point is firm, both here and in the UK: no publisher of a reprint edition may make changes in copy once the sale is made, without the written consent of the author.