74.10

“Is He Writing the Big One?” Article-interview by Roger Ebert. Journal-Star (Peoria), 18 May, Sec. C, p. 10. Chicago Daily News-Sun Times wire story. Ebert discusses Mailer’s plans for a long new novel (Ancient Evenings, 83.18), and quotes Mailer on journalism and deadlines. Mailer is not quoted in an earlier article, “Mailer Getting $1-Million for Rights to Next Novel” by Eric Pace (New York Times, 21 February, Sec. C, p. 24), but both his agent, Scott Meredith, and his Little, Brown editor, Larned G. Bradford, are quoted. Unnamed sources are also quoted and provide the erroneous information that the novel will trace “a family from ancient history to future history” and end aboard a spaceship. Mailer corrected this story several times before 83.18 was published.