Grumbles From the Grave

CHAPTER XI

ADULT NOVELS

THE PUPPET MASTERS

November 4, 1950: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

I have not written lately because I have been working seven days a week and far into the night on the new novel -- 75,000 words down on paper so far and all I need now is a smash ending. That is giving me trouble. I should be working on it at this moment (8:30 P.M., Sat. Eve.) but enough things have accumulated that I must write.

December 2, 1950: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

Herewith the original and first carbon of The Puppet Masters.

As the story stands, it is a bit long (about 90,000 words) for serialization and much too long for a single-shot, but I would much rather cut to an editor's specific requirements than to cut blindly ahead of time. I append hereto something which you may or may not see fit to send along with the copy submitted for serialization: a list of possible breaks. I don't know whether this is good salesmanship or not, but I thought it might help if an editor could see at once that the story was very flexible, serialwise. As you know, I can cut, bridge, write around, etc., to shorten anything they want shortened to any extent they wish...

I suspect, too, that a magazine editor will want the sex in this toned down; that's easy.

January 5, 1951: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

Oh yes-Bradbury [Walter Bradbury, science fiction editor for Doubleday] wrote to me about The Puppet Masters; I wrote back agreeing to make all suggested cuts and changes, but nevertheless expressing some difference of opinion as to the advisability of the revisions. In my opinion a horror story -- which this is-is not improved commercially by watering it down. Edgar Allan Poe wrote a great many things; I own and have read all his works-he is known for about 5% of his published writings, all sheer unadulterated horror, much of it much more grisly than mine. But I am going to do exactly what Bradbury says to do; he's paying for it and I need the money.

March 23, 1951: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein

Revision on Puppet Masters satisfied Doubleday. Sent word to Gold [H. L. Gold, editor of Galaxy].

April 3, 1951: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein

Talked with Gold today. The magazine is undergoing a policy change, and must wait before purchase. Controlled from abroad-France and Italy-will let LB know when there is definite word.

April 21, 1951: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

You will recall that you advised me that Gold's original demands for revision for serial publication were outlandish in view of what he would pay-about $2,000.

June 3, 1951: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

Galleys for The Puppet Masters have arrived; galleys for Between Planets are expected this week; Gold wants synopses for The Puppet Masters. I am still on a merry-go-round but will take care of these items without undue delay. I learn from the grapevine (but not from -- ) that "Green Hills" is about to be published.

August 20, 1951: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

I have been sitting on my hands this past week to keep from writing a stiff letter to Gold. He sent me an advance copy of the September Galaxy with the first installment of The Puppet Masters. Gold turns out to be a copy messer-upper; there is hardly a paragraph which he has not "improved" -- and I am fit to be tied.

Now Galaxy is an excellent market and I do not wish to make your task any harder by antagonizing an editor to whom you may be offering more of my copy-but if I were freelancing without an agent, I'd be quite willing to risk losing the market permanently in order to settle the matter. What I would like to say to him is: "Listen, you cheesehead, when we were both free-lance writers I had a much higher reputation than you had-in fact you never wrote a number-one science fiction story in your life-so who in hell do you think you are to be 'improving' my copy!"

Well, I didn't and I won't-but that is how I feel and it is the literal truth; Gold is turning out a good magazine, but as a writer he was never anything but a run-of-the-mill hack. This whole matter no doubt sounds like a tempest in a teapot, particularly as Gold did not change the story line but merely monkeyed with dialog, rephrased sentences and such-in short, edited the style. Look, Lurton, my plots are never novel, I am not an originator of brand-new and wonderful ideas the way H. G. Wells was; my reputation rests almost solely on how I tell a story...my individual style. It is almost my entire stock in trade.

Without changing the plot in the least, without changing the manuscript in any fashion that could be detected by someone else without side-by-side comparison, Gold has restyled the copy in hundreds of places from my style to his style. It would be very difficult to show how he has damaged the story, but in my opinion he has changed a story-with-a-moth-eaten-plot amusingly told into a story-with-a-moth-eaten-plot poorly told. This is my first serial appearance in a long time; his changes will not make it easier to get top rates for my next such appearance. The cash customers won't know what is wrong, but they will have the feeling of being let down-not quite "first-rate Heinlein."

I'll cite just one example out of hundreds: At one point I have a nurse say, "Eat it, or I'll rub it in your hair."

Gold changes this to, "Eat it, or you'll get it through a tube."

See the difference? My phrasing is mildly (very mildly) humorous. It conjures up a picture of a nurse who maintains discipline by cajolery, by the light touch, the joking remark. Gold's phrasing is as flatfooted and unsmiling as an order from a hard-boiled top sergeant.

There are both sorts of nurses, admitted. But the entire characterization of this nurse (Doris Marden) had been consistent as the sort of a person who kidded her patients into cooperation (modeled after a nurse who attended me at Jefferson Medical); with one phrase Gold louses up the characterization and turns her into the top-sergeant type.

In another place I describe the heroine as "lean"; Gold changes it to "slender" -- good Lord, heroines have always been "slender"; it's a cliche". I used "lean" on purpose, to give her some reality, make her a touch different.

You see? All little things, but hundreds of them. I can't prove that the story is spoiled. Maybe it isn't, but I know that it is filled with stylisms that never would have come out of my typewriter. You might try the magazine version yourself without checking for the changes, but simply checking to see if it tastes the way it did the first time you read it.

All this is spilt milk except (a) the last installment may not yet be set in type, (b) it may be possible to prevent it from happening in the future. On the first point, the reader's impression of the story depends largely on how he feels when he finishes the story; if Gold can be pushed into returning to the version he bought for the third installment, the louse-up of the first and second installments won't matter too much. Could you talk tough to him, point out that it has been repeatedly adjudicated that mere purchase of the right to publish does not give to him the right to change copy under my byline and that he must print as written, or run the risk of a lawsuit? Or could you kid him out of it, convince him that he should do it to cater to my prima-donna feelings? On point (b) you can either reach an understanding now, or take it up whenever we again submit copy to him, but he must clearly understand and (I think) agree in writing that all changes must be made before the sale is completed; once sold the entire ms. is "stet" and must remain so.

Hell's bells, I don't mind the few little changes that most editors make and I don't mind a reasonable amount of revising done by me to editorial order, but this guy has monkeyed with every page.

This is not artistic temperament talking, Lurton-had it been I would simply have blasted at him in person. I am seriously concerned with the business aspects-a strong belief that the property has been damaged commercially and that it will affect the market value of future properties.

I've started fiddling with a new story.

September 24, 1951: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein

Gold tells me that he has written you a letter of apology for his heavy hand on your story, and promises that, though he edits all material which comes his way, from now on yours will be inviolate.

THE DOOR INTO SUMMER

February 2, 1956: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

I am 104 ms. pp. into a new novel, hopefully intended for the so-called adult trade. It is giving me chronic headaches and chronic insomnia and I wonder why I ever entered the silly business-but if I hold up physically, The Door into Summer should be finished in draft this month and finished in smooth around the end of March. Maybe.

We have a foot of snow on the ground, pheasants all over the place, and Pixie hates it. He blames Ginny.

May 31, 1956: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

Re synopses for Door into Summer. I write my own synopses only when the editor twists my arm and demands it-which is usually. If Boucher [the editor of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction] is willing to do them himself, I'll be delighted; he's more literate than I am anyhow.

DOUBLE STAR

March 23, 1955: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

I am aware that I should have written to you several days ago, but I trust you will forgive me when I say that I have completed the novel I was working on. Its present title is Star Role {Double Star], it runs about 55,000 words, and is intended for an adult audience. (No sexy scenes, however, and no taboo monosyllables-just an occasional damn or hell, and I may even take those out. The book should be suitable for the kids who will read it anyway.)

I held down the length in the belief that serial sale would be easier; I hope that this one will finally crack Colliers, the Post, or some other adult and not-SF-specialized market. I figure that, costs being what they are, a short length will make it more attractive for both trade book and pocket books as well.

I don't know whether you should advise Doubleday or not. I like [Walter] Bradbury but I do not like the screwy "Science

Fiction Book Club" aspect of their contract; they sold a lot of copies of my books with them and I got very little out of it -- I do not regard two and a half cents per copy as a good royalty on a hardcover edition put close on the heels of the trade book. Since Bradbury turned down the travel book, we are no longer under option to Doubleday; perhaps this would be a good time to look into the Ballantine deal if it is still being offered.

In any case, I have an adult novel available for book and serial.

April 21, 1955: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein

Congratulations on a good novel. Enjoyed all of Double Star; wished it longer. No slow spots.

June 3, 1955: Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein

The Post thought your novel was excellent and the only reason they did not buy it as a serial was that they do not want to devote that much space to science fiction. Campbell is buying it, to run in February, March, and April issues. Doubleday to bring it out in March.

GLORY ROAD

May 9, 1962: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

I have not written for some time because I have been writing that new novel, now completed: Glory Road, 409 ms. pages, about 105,000 words. I am now revising it for my typist and will cut it a little but not much. You will have it not sooner than two months from now as my typist does my work as "moonlighting," as she has a daytime job. This is an adult market story with enough sex in it to give heart failure to those who complained about Stranger. It is fantasy verging on SF.

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...

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.

So Robert refused her request to make the change.

Yesterday, over in Santa Cruz, I ran across a note Robert had made about the new book. Sorry I can't quote it in full, but he said, "This may be my last novel. I am not going to let some editor cut it when he doesn't understand it completely." He's always said that this story couldn't be cut because of its complexity...although I thought it should be. It is possible that he's right. In any case, this is something that will have to be done cautiously rather than trying to fit it into a Procrustean bed. He did do some cutting before the final typing and Xeroxing. I read it and proofed and made changes, where the typist had made mistakes. And the cut version is a lot faster than the first one was!

March 7, 1970: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

I know that [Robert] has definite ideas about what he wants in the new book contract, bul*he just says, "You and Lurton handle it," so we'll have to stall a while longer.

March 31, 1970: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

Robert is pleased with the serial sale [of / Will Fear No Evil to If]. He had every intention of having serial publication on it, if possible.

The doctors are very pleased with Bob's progress, but he still spends most of the time in bed, and is really not up to doing any work at all. Besides, sometimes his mind isn't as sharp as it usually is, and we hope that by the time this copy-editing is completed, he'll be up to looking at it...And having had the close brush with eternity he recently had, he's going to make some changes in his way of living. Just what those changes will be remains to be seen. It will probably include such things as no speeches (he finds them quite disturbing), no interviews, etc.

April 8, 1970: Lurton Blassingame to Virginia Heinlein

Rush me Xerox of your power of attorney. We need to attach it to the new Putnam contract.

November 20, 1970: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

The reviewers seem to be complaining about the lack of explicit sex in / Will Fear No Evil. One said, "The Victorian Mr. Heinlein -- " Does any book ever please reviewers?

January 14, 1971: Virginia Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame

Thank you very much for the article from the New York Times. I will salaam to the Boss every morning from now on. How does one person get to be the hero of the New Right, Women's lib, and the hippie culture all in the same breath? We must all be schizophrenic!