Typed Letter Signed, on his address printed letterhead, 4to, La Jolla, CA,
CHANDLER, RAYMOND THORTON (1888-1959) Author of crime stories and novels of immense stylistic influence upon modern crime fiction, especially in the style of the writing and the attitudes now characteristic of the genre. His protagonist Philip Marlowe, is synonymous with "private detective", along with Dashell Hammett's "Sam Spade".
To his agent, H.N. Swanson, regarding 'Verdict' magazine's publishing his work without his permission. "The August issue, so-called, of the magazine VERDICT contains as a feature story an old novelette of mine entitled BAY CITY BLUES, which was published in DIME DETECTIVE, June, 1938, this magazine being the property of Popular Publications, Inc. ... This, I call to your attention, is what I call one of the cannibalized stories from which I took material published in a book, and for this reason I would in no circumstances consent to its republication. Since you knew nothing about it either, the question arises of what we are going to do about it. Their stalling about payment for the other story suggests to me at least that they may not intend to pay for that, unless in the meantime you have heard from them ... Surely if a letter is to have any effect at all it will have to come from a lawyer and be couched in pretty strong language; and I think it's about time we had an opinion as to where I stand on these stories. .. Needless to say I'm boiling mad because the whole deal looks to me like a piece of cold-blooded piracy .." Signed, "Ray." (Item ID: 149)
$1,750.00
