best in the business, and save your nasty ("Then how do you know him?") question. The answer is, from The New York Health Club racquetball tournament, where the gods of chance paired us three years ago. We have played off and on ever since. Alan says that if the Saltworthy is as good as you say it is, that we can probably swing a soft-to-hard deal, with Viking doing the h'cover and Zenith the pb. I know it isn't precisely what we wanted, John, but think of it this way: did you ever in your life believe there might come a day when we would be doing the pb edition of a Viking Press book? Little Zenith? And as for the cynical Mr. Saltworthy, I think you could say his luck has changed with a vengeance. We might have been able to swing $20,000, and that much only if we'd been able to get Enders enthusiastically on board. With Viking as a partner, we may be able to score this guy a $100,000 advance. That's my salary for almost four years.
Williams wants to see the ms. ASAP. You should take a copy over to their offices on Madison Avenue yourself. Put on a title page that says something like LAST SEASON, by John Oceanby. Sorry about the cloak and dagger, but Williams thinks it's necessary, and so do I.
Roger
PS: Make me a copy that I can take home and read over the weekend, would you?
interoffice memo
TO: Roger FROM: John RE: "LAST SEASON," by "John Oceanby"
Are you saying you set all this in motion without reading the book? That takes my breath away.
John
from the office of the editor-in-chief
TO: John DATE: 4/3/81 MESSAGE: You're my guy, John. We may have had our differences from time to time, but I've never doubted your editorial judgement for a single moment. If you say this is the one, this is the one. On that score, the ivy makes no difference. You're my guy. And while I probably don't need to tell you this, I will: no contact with James Saltworthy until we hear from Alan Williams. Okay?
Roger
interoffice memo
TO: Roger FROM: John RE: Vote of confidence To say I'm touched by your confidence in me doesn't go far enough, boss. Especially after the Detweiller fuck-up. Fact is, I'm sitting here at my desk and damned near blubbering on my blotter. All will be as you say. My lips are sealed.
John
PS: You do know, don't you, that Saltworthy must have already sent the book to Viking?
from the office of the editor-in-chief
TO: John DATE: 4/3/81 MESSAGE: First, no blubbering on the blotter - blotters cost money, and as you know, all expenses must now be forwarded to the parent company on a week by week basis (if we needed another sign that The End Is Near, surely that's it). Blubber in your wastebasket... or go on down to Riddley's former quarters and water the plant with your grateful tears.
(Yes, I know perfectly well that no one is paying the slightest attention to my strong recommendation that we all stay clear of the ivy. I could put it in writing, I suppose, but it would just be a waste of ink. Especially since I've been down there a time or two myself, breathing deep and drawing inspiration.)
Second, how can you call the Detweiller business a fuck-up, considering how it has turned out? Harlow Enders and Apex may not know we're ready to turn the corner into a glorious future, but we do!
Third, Alan Williams checked the files over there. Last Survivor was supposedly read (or scanned, or perhaps just shifted from the envelope it came in to the one it went back in) and rejected in November of 1978. The editor who signed off on it was one George Flynn, who left publishing to set up his own job-printing business in Brooklyn about a year ago. According to AW, and I quote, "George Flynn had the editorial antennae of a rutabaga."
Fourth, don't give the ms. to LaShonda. Make the copies yourself, and remember the false title page.
Fifth (I'm ready for a fifth, believe me), please no more memos until at least afternoon. I know I said "everything in writing" from here on out, but my head is starting to ache. I have one from Bill I haven't even looked at.
Roger
interoffice memo
TO: Roger FROM: Bill Gelb RE: Possible Bestseller
You asked for ideas, and I've had what might be a doozy, boss. I went over to Smiler's earlier in the day