Death of a Library

Last week the home of married authors--and long time PWA members--James Reasoner and Livia Washburn burned to the ground. They lost everything. They were insured, they have family and friends who are helping them. They and their daughters are fine and they are confident that they will rebuild.

But it takes longer to rebuild a library than it does a house. They not only lost all their own books and work, but the books and pulps that they had collected over the course of many years. For this reason I'm putting out a call both here and in the next PWA newsletter for book donations.

WWA and their President Johnny Boggs recently published a letter calling for donations, and I am borrowing from that letter here:

Since James and Livia also lost their sizable library, donations are also being sought to help restock their bookcases whenever they have a new home. Kim Lionetti, Livia's agent at BookEnds, has generously agreed to accept any BOOK donations and keep them until the Reasoners have a place to put them. Books should be sent to:

Kim Lionetti
BookEnds Inc.
136 Long Hill Road
Gillette, NJ 07933

I'm sending some vintage paperbacks I have doubles of, and whatever copies of James' books are on my shelves. Send one, ten, or a carton. They will appreciate it all.

Robert J. Randisi
Executive Director, Founder
The Private Eye Writers of America