June 6, 1962: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
...We intend to stay quietly at home all summer and I expect to spend the time hauling rocks and weeding and such. I do not expect to write until fall-after all, two novels in one year by the 1st of May is considerable copy, and I find I am tired and uninspired after finishing Glory Road.
August 6, 1962: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
Glory Road is a departure, even for you. It is more fantasy than science fiction. It is an excellent adventure story, seasoned with sage thoughts, spiced with interesting sex. There were a number of spots where I wanted to stop reading and find an audience to share your ideas with. I do hope this will have a real success. I find it delightful.
September 30, 1962: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
...I am not interested in his offer. Not the amount of the fee-a ms. is worth what you can get for it...sometimes zero. Nor do I object too much to the labor of cutting. What I do object to is that he wants me simply to chop off the last hundred pages.
If I do this, what is left is merely a sexed up fairy story, with no meaning and no explanations. I do not want this story published in such an amputated form. About thirty pages of that last hundred is indeed rather preachy, rather slow, and (if I were to cut) I would sweat that stretch down as much as possible-i.e., from the hero's arrival on the planet Center until his decision to leave-but I am quite unwilling simply to chop the story off at the point where they capture the Egg of the Phoenix. It leaves the story without meaning.
December 7, 1962: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
Putnam likes Glory Road. There should be a little tightening in it, and "a few not very serious" suggestions for changes. Will mark ms. and send with detailed letter.
FARNHAM'S FREEHOLD
March 9, 1963: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
The new novel ([Farnham's Freehold] working title: Grand Slam) I did in 25 intense days, 503 pages. Ginny seems to like it better than Glory Road, says it moves fast and can't be cut much. However, I intend to cut it a lot and get it to my typist about the end of this month. I haven't read it yet, but enjoyed it as I wrote.
March 21, 1963: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
I don't know how you manage to produce a novel of 500 pages in 25 days, even a first draft.
July 8, 1963: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
Good story in Farnham's Freehold, with enough adventure for some of the men's magazines.
August 21, 1963: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
Peter [Israel] said he was writing you about cutting and revision ideas, and you probably have his letter by now.
October 4, 1963: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
Peter Israel says, "Bob Heinlein is the boss. I'll express my opinions, but I have enough respect for his skill and judgment so that if he says a thing can't be done, I'll go along with the way Bob feels it has to be done. If he says the story cannot be cut below 100,000 words without seriously hurting it, I'll publish it at 100,000."
October 12, 1963: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
Farnham 's Freehold contract with Putnam's: On page two I have changed the wordage to " 100,000" and struck out the delivery date and made it "to be arranged." I need to know [their] absolute rockbottom deadline for fall '64 publication. I know that he does not need the finished ms. by New Year's Day, that being what I struck out-nor could I deliver it by then in a smooth, retyped form; I've got too much to do to it, and my typist will need at least two months after I have finished cutting it. When you ask him for his absolute deadline, please point out to him that in twenty-five years I have never missed a deadline by even one day. I am quite sure that most editors stick at least a month of cushion into a deadline date since most writers are notoriously unpunctual in such matters. I want to know what his real date is. I will meet it.
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...