This review explores Cormier's novel Tenderness. It touches upon the terrifying realism of the plot and the characters. Later, it quotes Cormier's discussion regarding character development; specifically the ways that characters come alive for him…
This Reader's Companion includes a biography of Cormier, an interview with him, a summary of Tenderness, and suggested discussion questions. Included with the companion is a promotional letter from the editor, Craig Virden, who talks about the…
In this letter, presumably responding to a student, Robert Cormier shares his sources of inspiration for Tenderness that came from the news and his adolescence. He shares that Wickburg is a fictionalized version of Worcester, MA and encourages the…
This one-page letter from Cormier accompanied his revised Tenderness draft. He addresses the character shifts he made with Lori and Eric and expresses his gratitude for her comments and his contentment with the revised version of the novel.
This two-page letter to Karen Wojtyla details his response to the copy editor's comments on Tenderness. The changes frequently address word choice, names, ages, and quote attributions.
In this one-page typed reply to Judy's letter, Robert Cormier confirms that the quick pacing of Tenderness was deliberate. He mentions that he created the character of Lori well before beginning the actual novel. He concludes by praising Judy's…
In this short half-page letter, Cormier thanks Debra for choosing Tenderness as her senior thesis. He reveals that one inspiration for this character Lori came from a girl he knew whose life he pitied. He was also interested in the humanity of serial…
In this four-page letter to his editor, Craig Virden, Robert Cormier defends his decision to label Tenderness a YA novel even though it features some departures from the genre, including an older protagonist and a morally ambiguous main character in…
In this brief letter, Cormier points to Tenderness as a reflection of rampant violence in the real world and expresses hope that even monsters like Eric Poole can be saved.
In this one page typed, Cormier's Bantam editor Karen Wojtyla confirms receipt of his revisions to Tenderness. She encourages Cormier on his progress with the novel and informs him of the timeline for bound and unbound galleys.
This five-page, single-spaced editorial letter concerning Tenderness from the editor, Karen Wojtyla (Bantam Doubleday Dell), constructively critiques the work in progress. She asks him to mention "monster" only sparingly, to reconsider how much…
This one-page typed letter is from a friend of "Bob and Connie". Judy confesses her fascination with serial killers, especially Ted Bundy, and praises the powerful characterization in Cormier's Tenderness. She speaks about her uncomfortable empathy…
In this two-page typed letter, a friend of the Cormiers praises Robert's latest novel, Tenderness, and promises to float it as a possible topic at reading groups. Lattre praises Cormier's ability to write from the perspective of a teenage girl and…
This draft version of Delacorte Press's reading guide for Robert Cormier's novel Tenderness presents the final 16 discussion questions and five others that were not selected for the publisher's Reader's Companion. The questions range from fairly…
In this four-page letter from Cormier's editor, Craig Virden, it is apparent that Craig consulted with his colleague, Karen Wojtyla, and other editors at Bantam Doubleday Dell regarding the Tenderness manuscript. Craig explicitly mentions Karen's…