No more acknowledgments of fan magazines sent to me-it simply results in more of them and requests for free copy.
In short, no more of anything unless it durn well suits me and adds to my own pleasure in life. More and more, over the years, strangers have been nibbling away at my time. It has reached the point where, if I would let them, all of my working time would be wasted on the demands of strangers. So I am lowering the boom on all of it — and if this makes me a rude son of a bitch, so be it. My present life expectancy is seventeen years; I’m damned if I will spend it answering silly questions about ‘ ‘Where do you get your ideas?” and “Why did you take up the writing of science fiction?” several thousand or more times. I hereby declare that an author has no responsibility of any sort to the public…other than the responsibility to write stories as well as he knows how.
If I can stick to this, I should get in quite a lot more writing, and quite a lot more healthy work with pick and shovel and trowel-and a judicious mixture of these two may enable me to stretch that life expectancy quite a bit. But I ‘m not going to let those remaining years be nibbled away and wasted by the trivia that some thousands of faceless strangers seem to feel is their right to demand from anyone in a semipublic occupation.
July 10, 1967: Robert A. Heinlein to Lurton Blassingame
Herewith is a curious letter from an instructor, — , at the U. of Oregon. I was about to tell him that I could not stop him, but not to let me see the result-but I decided that I had better let you see this and get your advice and/or veto. If Mr. — does this adaptation “just for fun,” as he proposes, I suspect that he will then fall in love with his own efforts and get very itchy to produce it. Which could be embarrassing. Lurton, even though “Green Hills” is a short, I think it has possibilities — someday-as a musical motion picture. So I am hesitant to authorize anything which might cloud the MP or stage rights. What shall I tell him? Or do you prefer to write to him? (I’m not urging you to-not trying to shove it on you. But I do want your advice.)
October 12, 1967: Margo Fischer (secretary to) Lurton Blassingame to Robert A. Heinlein
A drunk began calling at 3:15 insisting on Heinlein’s phone number…After telling him at least seven times that he would have to write a letter which would be forwarded airmail, he became sarcastic and went on and on. After 15 minutes I told him I was hanging up, and I did. He was incoherent and it was impossible to tell him he had to write a letter. He said he would wire. He wanted to know about ” — We Also Walk Dogs.” I told him it was in an anthology published by World. He’ll probably call you and be abusive about me. Over and over he kept saying, “Mam, Mam” — long silence, then he’d say, “It’s a hard world.” Silence. Then, “We should all be courteous to one another.” Etc.
February 28, 1968: Margo Fischer to Robert A. Heinlein
Here’s a little ego boo for you.
The telephone just rang. A voice said, “I was told I could get some information from you. About one of your clients. About Robert Heinlein.” Cagey Margo. “Who is this?” “I’m nobody-that is, nobody in the business,” he said. “Just a Heinlein fan.” Me again — “Well, what did you want to know?” .
He wanted to know when Heinlein was going to have another book. “He hasn’t written anything for some time,” was the complaint. “I have two favorite authors. Michener and Heinlein. Michener just came out with one and I was hoping I could make it a double red-letter day.”
Then he added, “Heinlein is the one bright spot in this whole fantasy-science-fiction world.” A pause. “Moon is the last one he’s written, right?” Then I said, “Have you read Stranger1?” Answer: “Four times.” Finally, ‘ ‘Just one more thing-how long does it usually take him to write a book?”