Wolfe News--from the Horse's Mouth

Dear Lupes, Happy to report that Gene is well and writing. My wife and I had dinner with him and Rosemary June 8. And received permission to inform you all--this much: Of course you know ON BLUE'S WATERS is due in September. The second Short Sun Book has been turned in--("IN GREEN'S JUNGLE" Correct Title?)--though not yet "bought" by TOR. Gene seems habitually modest/anxious about his work's chances of acceptance--can't imagine why. It's a touching trait, though. The third book "RETURN TO THE WHORL" has been with his agent and copyeditor for two months. He's waiting for their comments/corrections. Once received, he'll fix and send MS. off to TOR. This means the trilogy is All But done. And, barring any major revisions requested by his editor David G. Hartwell (unlikely), The Work is in the pipeline. And there was much rejoicing. Amusing sidenote re: the short sun books: Gene said more or less, "I finally managed to write a trilogy! Having botched it with the New and Long Sun books." Regret that I pressed him very little on his feelings about the Short Sun books. I was too busy examining the Inner Sanctum--his home. Where he writes: in the basement on a fancy typewriter with one of those screens that let you read the last 10 lines you've written. On a long table stacked 2 feet high with books and notes and manuscripts. The low ceiling is plastered with posters--book covers--his--convention posters, stuff. Books everywhere. A tower of manuscripts five feet tall. Awards and memorabilia displayed proudly in the living room. where hangs a lovely painting of Severian and Father Inire (stepping through a secret door)--A gift from an Austrailian artist/fan. The portrait of Severian very close, Gene said, to how he imagined him. Affectionately assaulted by their 2 dogs--Dilly and Calamity Jane. Breaking News: What He's Writing Now... Gene said he was working on a fantasy novel about Knights. (sic) Lots of battles: clashing swords and clanging armor. (sic) He said he was inspired by his seven year old nephew (Now Ten). He confessed, "It's not very good. But I don't care. I'm having a great time." Oh Lupes, it was Swell. Patrick O'Leary

This interesting report on Wolfe's workplace, coupled with a piece in the latest London Review of Books on the advantages of properly purchasing & archiving literary manuscripts while the author is around to enjoy the benefits, prompts me to raise the issue of how the Wolfe manuscripts might be archived. It is more and more common to see sf authors depositing their materials in libraries (eg., Philip K. Dick). The LRB article also mentions how Iris Murdoch and Stephen Spender made living archives. Of course Wolfe may not wish to do this or may have already made other arrangements, but I would encourage us to think about how his work can be preserved while he is around. best, __ Jeremy W. Crampton http://geog.gmu.edu jcrampto at gmu.edu Dept. of Geography & Earth Science [MS 1E2] George Mason University Fairfax, Va 22030