| December 19, 1983
Dear Don,
Seeing you on Saturday should not have been a
surprise to me, given all your past support.
Still, I was surprised, and gratified you came.
It was splendid of you to think of doing so.
I sold, I think, 16 books. Then, taking my
books (along with the elderberry jam) to the
Saturday class at NHC, I sold 15 more.
(The students asked me to bring them.) There are
now books at Vernondale’s store–the
“demonstrater” open to p. 53, about the store,
among other things. And there are books at the
Concord stores–as well as the K. Bookshelf, of course.
About the job at U/MO: the time has now
passed for their arranging of interviews. Maybe
the job never got funded–there was some
question about that. Or maybe I got caught
in the struggle between the Press and the English
department. It’s not a serious struggle–but,
as I got it, there is some feeling among
department members that they should run the Devins
2/
contest and the Breakthrough series, now handled
by the Press and the poet/judge chosen for the
particular year.
Speaking of that reminds me to tell you not
to be surprised if someone contacts you about
being the next judge. They were quite interested
in you when I suggested your name (I hope
you don’t mind). The fee is $2500. I have
one last bit of lobbying to do in a follow-up
letter to Ed King about my story and other
things. So if you have any objections, please
let me know.
Hope all is well with you and Jane–
and that the recent cold snap has not
irritated Joey’s condition.
Love,
Wes |
