DL/A-Z//HARPER C/1 - [Correspondence with Harper Collins 1991-1992]

DL/A-Z//HARPER C/1

Sub-file

[Correspondence with Harper Collins 1991-1992]

13/08/1991-08/12/1992

18 Letters (typescript and MS)
7 Fax
1 Greetings cards
1 Postcards
1 Article

Guardian

Harper Collins

001 is a letter from John Boothe of Harper Collins to Doris Lessing, making arrangements for a business lunch.

002 is a letter from William M. Shinker of Harper Collins to Lessing, confirming that he has signed a publishing agreement with her and introducing editor Terry Karten. Lessing hand writes "card 5.9.95"

003 is a letter from Lessing to John Boothe and Maggie Usiskin of Harper Collins. She complains about the demands made by publishers for authors to attend promotional events and give interviews. She recounts anecdotes involving Bob Gottlieb and Julian Barnes. She attacks publishers' use of new media, such as radio and television, and suggests that visits to universities and literary festivals are more fruitful. She states that promotional events expend the "essential fuel" of writers, which is a "kind of brooding and solitary silence".

004 is a letter from Usiskin to Lessing, sounding out ideas for publicity events for London Observed and African Laughter. It attaches a fax from Vogue magazine requesting an interview and a letter from Blackwell inviting her to speak at a literary festival.

005 and 006 are letters from Usiskin to Lessing arranging publicity events, including an invitation to do an interview with BBC Radio 4's Bookshelf [accepted].

007 is a fax from Harper Collins to Lessing introducing the Writers in Profile series. Lessing hand writes "Very good interview"

008 is a fax from Harper Collins to Lessing inviting her to a dinner with industry bigwigs including Jonathan Clowes.

009 is a greetings card from Usiskin to Lessing, thanking her for her participation in interviews and bookshop events.

010 is a letter from Blackwell to Usiskin, confirming Lessing's appearance at a literary festival in Oxford and asking for confirmation of dates.

011 is a letter from Usiskin to Lessing, enclosing 009 and mentioning an interview for the Russian Section of the BBC World Service.

012 is a letter from Peter Winslow of Harper Collins to Lessing, arranging lunch.

013 is a fax from Jane [indistinct] of the Harper Collins New York office, confirming interviews in the United States to promote African Laughter.

014-016 are letters from Usiskin to Lessing arranging publicity events, including a lecture at the Centre of Commonwealth Studies at the University of Stirling and an interview on BBC's Woman's Hour. Encloses a fax from the Centre of Commonwealth Studies enquiring after her lecture there.

017 is a fax from Sue McMillan to Usiskin referring to Lessing's forthcoming trip to Zimbabwe.

018 is a postcard from Terry Karten to Lessing, referring to her "The Thoughts of a Near-Human".

019 is a fax from Donna-Maria Cullen of Good Relations to Usiskin. Good Relations is part of Lowe Bell, latterly Bell Pottinger. Referring to Lessing's forthcoming trip to Zimbabwe, Cullen requests her participation in Project Zimbabwe, intended to put a positive spin on the situation in Zimbabwe. "Whilst many [journalists] send excellent pieces on the drought, as many send 'ancien regime' style copy which consistently criticises the way things are now."

020 is a fax from Martin Weaver of Harper Collins to Brie Burkeman, listing the sections of African Laughter that Newsweek wants to use in an excerpt.

021 is a letter from Usiskin to Lessing. She writes after Lessing has returned from a trip to Zimbabwe, arranging promotional activities for Lessing to attend. She mentions interest from The Guardian in an article regarding the conditions in Zimbabwe, set to coincide with publication of African Laughter.

022 is a letter from Usiskin to Lessing. She states that Project Zimbabwe [see 019] has been shelved; she asks Lessing to attend a book signing; she encloses a fax from Channel 4 soliciting an interview for a series on "fear".

023 is an article [run in The Guardian] by Lessing regarding the economic, climatic and political conditions in Zimbabwe, based on her recent trip there. It describes drought, economic mismanagement and environmental damage. She points to signs that the challenges might force Zimbabweans to overlook ethnic differences and work together, recounting an anecdote about the monument to British army officer Allan Wilson. She asks the editor to mentions her new book African Laughter underneath the article.

024 is a letter from The Guardian to Usiskin, confirming receipt of Lessing's article and the fee to be paid for it.

025 and 026 are letters from Usiskin to Lessing, arranging promotional activities for Lessing to attend.

027 is a letter from Joy Chamberlain of Harper Collins to Lessing. She states that she has found an artist for Lessing's graphic novel Playing the Game – David Lloyd – and extols his virtues, requesting Lessing's approval. She mentions that Lloyd wants "complete freedom to use his own judgement".

028 is a letter from Chamberlain to Lessing, updating her on negotiations with David Lloyd, illustrator of Playing the Game. She apologises for the lengthy process of choosing an illustrator. She specifically apologises for the "cavalier" wording of her previous letter, especially regarding Lloyd's "complete freedom". Lessing hand writes "Brie this has just arrived. Let them get on with it. I want nothing to do with it. D."