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Robert Cormier's letter to Ashley Hardiman
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.
Robert Cormier's letter to Trenton Keim 5 May 2000
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…
Robert Cormier's letter to Debra Bunn 6 March 1999
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…
Tenderness draft with Robert Cormier's markings
These six-page non-consecutive typed draft of Tenderness sections shows both handwritten and typed revisions with XXXX over previously typed words. One page includes notes to himself about reframing Lori's parent's situations. The other pages are of…
Tenderness draft with editor's comment
Twenty pages of typescript of Tenderness show extensive commenting and editorial markings. Pages are numbered in pencil but not all pages are consecutive. Editorial comments, presumably from Karen Wojtyla, discuss issues of continuity, suspense,…
Karen Wojtyla's letter to Robert Cormier 12 March 1996
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…
Robert Cormier's letter to Karen 9 April 1996
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.
Robert Cormier's letter to Karen 20 May 1996
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.
Robert Cormier's letter to Craig 28 February 1996
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…
Karen Wojtyla's letter to Robert Cormier 9 April 1996
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.
Craig letter to Robert Cormier 16 February 1996
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…
Judy's letter to Robert Cormier 13 May 1997
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…
Robert Cormier's letter to Judy 28 May 1997
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…
Beverly Horowitz's letter to Robert Cormier 26 March 1998
This one-page typed letter, with Tenderness handwritten and underlined near the top, is from the vice president of Bantam Doubleday Dell congratulating Cormier on his inclusion on the New York Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age" reading list.
Mark Nardini's letter to Robert Cormier 8 December 1998
In this single-page typed letter, a teacher of Murdock Middle/High School introduces his school's short film adaptations of Tenderness and Heroes and extends an invitation for Cormier to visit since his books feature heavily in the senior curriculum.