Materials received from Mildred Ames between 1981 and 1991.
Non-circulating; available for research.
This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. Code). Reproductions can be made only if they are to be used for "private study, scholarship, or research." It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials, other than that noted above.
Born on November 2, 1919, to Edward and Amelia (Miller) Walsh, Mildred Ames grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, going through secondary school there. In 1946 she married William Ames, who was in the Air Force, and moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where they lived until the end of World War II. After leaving Texas, Ames and her husband moved to southern California, eventually settling in Palos Verdes Estates. Mildred Ames died of a respiratory illness on July 20, 1994.
As a schoolgirl in Bridgeport, Ames was an avid reader and an aspiring writer as well, writing her first story, which she termed "a tearful melodrama," at the age of eight or nine. According to Ames though, most of her "working life was spent in offices, big and small, private and government, tediously keeping records that allowed the country to get on with its business." During these years her occupations included milliner, sales person, telephone operator, and secretary. When she was forty, however, she finally decided to pursue her childhood aspiration of writing professionally. After years of rejection, interspersed with limited success for her shorter works, Thomas Bouregy and Company published her first book, a gothic novel titled Shadows of Summers Past, in 1973.
After writing The House of the Haunted Child, also published by Bouregy in 1974, Ames began to write juvenile literature. Dutton published Is There Life on a Plastic Planet?, her first novel for young readers, in 1975. Over the next fifteen years Ames wrote more than a dozen juvenile and young adult books, two of which, What Are Friends For? and Anna to the Infinite Power, were adapted for television. With settings ranging from the Depression era of her childhood to contemporary science fiction, her stories focus on personal growth, relationships, and universal emotional experiences. Ames once commented that when she wrote, she always tried to follow the advice of a former editor, to "Make 'em laugh; Make 'em cry; Make 'em wait;" and, adding her own requisite, "Make 'em think."
Sources:
The collection includes manuscripts, typescripts, galleys, proofs, and blues for twelve of Ames' novels for youth, spanning fifteen years. Correspondence between Ames and her publishers, regarding the production process, accompanies the papers for several of the titles.
Anna to the Infinite Power (1981), one of the novels that was adapted for television, explores the conflict between scientific manipulation and human values in the "futuristic" world of the 1990's. The collection contains correspondence between Ames and her publisher, Scribners, as well as the edited typescript for the book and jacket matter. Cassandra-Jamie (1985) centers around Jamie Cole, a seventh grader who quickly develops a close relationship with her newest teacher in an attempt to fill the void left by her mother's death. Holdings for this title include the corrected typescript, layout for the title page, and three sets of galleys marked with corrections. For Conjuring Summer In (1986), a murder mystery involving a 14-year-old heroine that encounters supernatural forces, the collection contains publisher correspondence and the edited typescript.
The Depression Era story, The Dancing Madness (1980), follows the troubles of seventh grade Mary, and her older sister, who must learn to keep their dreams in perspective against their poverty during the 1930's. This title is represented by publisher correspondence, an edited typescript under the title "The Cruelest Summer," three sets of edited galleys, an uncorrected proof copy, and a full set of blues. In Grandpa Jake and the Grand Christmas (1990), young Lizzie and her little sister get to know their grandfather, who has returned after deserting his family years before. In the process the girls learn that his grandiose promises do not always turn out as they expect. This is one of the few titles for which the collection holds a handwritten manuscript, and a typescript with holographic notes, in addition to two other typescripts.
For Is There Life on a Plastic Planet? (1975), Ames' first juvenile novel, the collection contains publisher correspondence, an edited typescript, and the author's set of galleys. The story follows Hollis, a chubby but imaginative pre-teen girl, on a journey from her wretched reality in the planned community built by her Uncle Jack, into an intriguing fantasy world at Ms. Eudora's newly opened Shop of Living Dolls. Nicky and the Joyous Noise (1980) tells of two children from different backgrounds, who find solace and strength in the interesting front yard of an eccentric neighbor. This title is represented in the collection by the typescript entitled "Make a Joyous Noise."
Another of Ames' younger novels, Philo Potts, or The Helping Hand Strikes Again (1982), is a light-hearted comedy about an eleven-year-old boy whose love of canines leads him to investigate a neighborhood dognapping that involves two hardened criminals and a pack of wild dogs. Holdings for this title include the edited typescript, 3 sets of galleys, model page layouts, and a proof with paste-ups of the chapter opening pages. The jacket art for this title was separated out and placed with other materials by the artist, Gail Owens (DG0756). The Silver Link, the Silken Chain (1984) is the title for which Ames donated the most original material, including the publisher correspondence, handwritten manuscript, edited typescript, three sets of galleys, typescripts for the jacket matter, and an edited proof. The story centers on two unpopular teenagers who are paired for a school project and subsequently build a relationship that develops their emotional strength, and a telepathic connection between them.
In What Are Friends For? (1978), Amy makes a new friend based on the two girls' common experience with their parents' divorce, but Michelle turns out to be a different person than when they first met and Amy must learn to deal with a difficult friendship. The collection contains publisher correspondence and an edited typescript for this title. Who Will Speak for the Lamb? (1989) examines exploitation of people and animals through the eyes of two teenagers, whose parents are trying to live vicariously through them, and who come together in a protest against scientific research on animal subjects. This title is represented in the collection by an edited typescript, three different sets of proofs, a complete set of blues, duplicate blues of some sections, and three successive versions of the jacket matter proof. The final title included in the collection is Without Hats Who Can Tell the Good Guys (1976), which deals with the problems experienced by a foster child caught between his new, but unwanted, foster family and his real father, who can not possibly live up to Anthony's expectations. Holdings include the publisher correspondence, edited typescript, and a photocopy of the author's set of galleys.
Illustrator Gail Owens (DG0756), who illustrated the jacket of Philo Potts, or The Helping Hand Strikes Again, has other artwork included in de Grummond's holdings.
A. Books (1975-1990)
Box/Folder
A. Books
ANNA TO THE INFINITE POWER by Mildred Ames (New York: Scribners,
1981).
1/1 Publisher correspondence, 14 items.
1/2-6 Typescript, edited,
1/2 chapters 1-5, pp. 1-42;
1/3 chapters 6-9, pp. 44-85;
1/4 chapters 10-14, pp. 86-132;
1/5 chapters 15-18, pp. 133-173;
1/6 chapters 19-22, pp. 174-214.
1/7 Jacket matter, 3 pp.
CASSANDRA-JAMIE by Mildred Ames (New York: Scribners, 1985).
2/1-4 Typescript, edited,
2/1 paste-up of title page;
front matter, 6 pp.;
chapters 1-4, pp. 1-37;
2/2 chapters 5-8, pp. 38-73;
2/3 chapters 9-13, pp. 74-107;
2/4 chapters 14-16, pp. 108-129.
2/5-6 Galley, Master Galleys, edited,
2/5 front matter - chapter 7, pp. 1-35;
2/6 chapters 8-16, pp. 36-68.
2/7-8 Galley, Author's Copy, minor corrections,
2/7 front matter - chapter 7, pp. 1-35;
2/8 chapters 8-16, pp. 36-68.
2/9-10 Galley, Master Pages, minor corrections,
2/9 front matter - chapter 7, pp. 1-36;
2/10 chapters 8-16, pp. 37-71.
CONJURING SUMMER IN by Mildred Ames (New York: Harper & Row,
1986).
3/1 Publisher correspondence, 4 items.
3/2-6 Typescript, edited, with holographic notes,
3/2 chapters 1-3, pp. 1-40;
3/3 chapters 4-6, pp. 41-79;
3/4 chapters 7-10, pp. 80-119;
3/5 chapters 11-14, pp. 120-150;
3/6 chapters 15-19, pp. 151-188.
THE DANCING MADNESS by Mildred Ames (New York: Delacorte, 1980).
3/7 Publisher correspondence, 7 items.
3/8-11 Typescript, The Cruelest Summer, edited,
3/8 front matter, 5 pp.;
chapters 1-3, pp. 1-41;
3/9 chapters 4-7, pp. 42-81;
3/10 chapters 8-11, pp. 82-119;
3/11 chapters 12-13, pp. 120-143.
4/1-2 Galley, Master Galleys, edited,
4/1 front matter - chapter 6, pp. 1-26;
4/2 chapters 7-13, pp. 27-50.
4/3-4 Galley, Master Pages, minor editing,
4/3 front matter - chapter 7, pp. 1-27;
4/4 chapters 8-13, pp. 28-47.
4/5-6 Proof, minor editing,
4/5 paste-up of title page;
front matter, 1 p.;
chapters 1-5, 28 pp.;
4/6 chapters 6-13, 40 pp.
4/7 Uncorrected Proof.
4/8 Blues, minor editing.
GRANDPA JAKE AND THE GRAND CHRISTMAS by Mildred Ames (New
York: Scribners, 1990).
5/1 Manuscript, 54 pp.;
Typescript, Original Draft, edited, with holographic notes,
chapter 1, 7 pp.
5/2 Typescript, photocopy, Second Draft, front matter - chapter 13, 53 pp.
5/3-4 Typescript, edited,
5/3 jacket matter, 3 pp.;
chapters 1-8, pp. 1-37;
5/4 chapters 9-13, pp. 38-96.
IS THERE LIFE ON A PLASTIC PLANET? by Mildred Ames (New York:
Dutton, 1975).
5/5 Publisher correspondence, 11 items.
5/6-9 Typescript, edited,
5/6 front matter, 5 pp.;
chapters 1-3, pp. 1-36;
5/7 chapters 4-7, pp. 37-82;
5/8 chapters 8-11, pp. 83-119;
5/9 chapters 12-15, pp. 120-171.
5/10-11 Galley, Author's Set, edited,
5/10 front matter - chapter 8, pp. 1-22;
5/11 chapters 9-15, pp. 23-44.
NICKY AND THE JOYOUS NOISE by Mildred Ames (New York: Scribners,
1980).
6/1-4 Typescript, Make a Joyous Noise, edited,
6/1 chapters 1-5, pp. 1-44;
6/2 chapters 6-9, pp. 45-84;
6/3 chapters 10-13, pp. 85-122;
6/4 chapters 14-15, pp. 123-142
PHILO POTTS, OR THE HELPING HAND STRIKES AGAIN by Mildred
Ames (New York: Scribners, 1982).
6/5-8 Typescript, edited,
6/5 front matter, 5 pp.;
chapters 1-4, pp. 1-44;
6/6 chapters 5-8, pp. 45-78;
6/7 chapters 9-12, pp. 79-120;
6/8 chapters 13-16, pp. 121-163.
6/9-11 Galley, Master Galleys, edited,
6/9 front matter - chapter 5, pp. 1-22;
6/10 chapters 6-11, pp. 23-43;
6/11 chapters 12-16, pp. 44-63.
7/1-3 Galley, Author's Copy, minor editing,
7/1 front matter - chapter 5, pp. 1-22;
7/2 chapters 6-11, pp. 23-43;
7/3 chapters 12-16, pp. 44-63.
7/4-6 Galley, Master Pages, minor editing,
7/4 front matter - chapter 4, pp. 1-28;
7/5 chapters 5-9, pp. 29-54;
7/6 chapters 10-16, pp. 55-96.
7/7 Model pages, 3 items.
7/8-10 Proof, with paste-ups,
7/8 front matter, 3 pp. ;
chapters 1-5, 31 pp.;
7/9 chapters 6-11, 32 pp.;
7/10 chapters 12-16, 29 pp.
THE SILVER LINK, THE SILKEN TIE by Mildred Ames (New York:
Scribners, 1984).
8/1 Publisher correspondence, 4 items.
8/2-7 Manuscript,
8/2 prologue - chapter 4, pp. 1-39;
8/3 chapters 5-8, pp. 40-81;
8/4 chapters 9-12, pp. 82-122;
8/5 chapters 13-16, pp. 123-166;
8/6 chapters 17-20, pp. 167-201;
8/7 chapters 21-25, pp. 202-[244].
9/1-7 Typescript, edited,
9/1 front matter, 5 pp.;
prologue - chapter 3, pp. 1-35;
9/2 chapters 4-7, pp. 36-76;
9/3 chapters 8-11, pp. 77-118;
9/4 chapters 12-15, pp. 119-162;
9/5 chapters 16-19, pp. 163-203;
9/6 chapters 20-23, pp. 204-244;
9/7 chapter 24 - epilogue, pp. 245-255.
10/1-4 Galley, Master Galleys, edited,
10/1 front matter - chapter 6, pp. 1-31;
10/2 chapters 7-14, pp. 32-64;
10/3 chapters 15-18, pp. 65-83;
10/4 chapter 19 - epilogue, pp. 84-109.
10/5-8 Galley, Author's Copy, edited,
10/5 front matter - chapter 6, pp. 1-31;
10/6 chapters 7-14, pp. 32-64;
10/7 chapters 15-18, pp. 65-83;
10/8 chapter 19 - epilogue, pp. 84-109.
11/1-4 Galley, Master Pages, minor editing,
11/1 front matter ; prologue - chapter 5, pp. 1-29;
11/2 chapters 6-12, pp. 30-58;
11/3 chapters 13-18, pp. 59-85;
11/4 chapter 19 - epilogue, pp. 86-111.
11/5 Typescript, jacket matter, copy edited, 4 pp.
11/5 - 12/3 Proof, edited,
11/5 front matter, 5 pp.;
prologue - chapter 2, pp. 1-20;
11/6 chapters 3-5, pp. 21-52;
11/7 chapters 6-9, pp. 53-82;
11/8 chapters 10-13, pp. 83-116;
12/1 chapters 14-16, pp. 117-145;
12/2 chapters 17-20, pp. 146-177;
12/3 chapter 21 - epilogue, pp. 178-214.
WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR? by Mildred Ames (New York: Scribners, 1978).
12/4 Publisher correspondence, 9 items.
12/5-9 Typescript, edited,
12/5 front matter, 2 pp.;
chapters 1-3, pp. 1-33;
12/6 chapters 4-6, pp. 34-71;
12/7 chapters 7-9, pp. 72-104;
12/8 chapters 10-13, pp. 105-140;
12/9 chapters 14-17, pp. 141-175.
WHO WILL SPEAK FOR THE LAMB? by Mildred Ames (New York: Harper
& Row, 1989).
13/1-6 Typescript, edited,
13/1 jacket matter, 4 pp.;
front matter - chapter 2, pp. 1-30;
13/2 chapters 3-6, pp. 31-75;
13/3 chapters 7-9, pp. 76-110;
13/4 chapters 10-14, pp. 111-153;
13/5 chapters 15-18, pp. 154-200;
13/6 chapter 19 - afterword, pp. 201-252.
13/7-9 Proof, Marked Set, edited,
13/7 front matter, 4 pp.;
chapters 1-7, 37 pp.;
13/8 chapters 8-16, 39 pp.;
13/9 chapter 17 - afterword, 33 pp.
13/10-12 Proof, Master Set, edited,
13/10 front matter, 4 pp.;
chapters 1-7, 37 pp.;
13/11 chapters 8-16, 39 pp.;
13/12 chapter 17 - afterword, 33 pp.
14/1-3 Proof, 1st Revised Master Set, minor editing,
14/1 front matter, 4 pp.;
chapters 1-7, 37 pp.;
14/2 chapters 8-16, 39 pp.;
14/3 chapter 17 - afterword, 33 pp.
14/4 Blues, edited.
14/5 Blues, duplicate, pp. 1-24, pp. 153-216;
Blues, Copy #3, pp. 153-216.
14/6 Proof, jacket matter,
1st setting, edited, 1 p.;
1st revised, edited, 1 p.;
2nd revised, minor editing, 1 p.
WITHOUT HATS, WHO CAN TELL THE GOOD GUYS by Mildred Ames
(New York: Dutton, 1976).
14/7 Publisher correspondence, 4 items.
14/8-11 Typescript, edited,
14/8 chapters 1-3, pp. 1-34;
14/9 chapters 4-6, pp. 35-72;
14/10 chapters 7-10, pp. 73-117;
14/11 chapters 11-12, pp. 118-145.
14/12-13 Galley, Author's Set, edited,
14/12 front matter, 3 pp.;
chapters 1-6, pp. 1-38;
14/13 chapters 7-12, pp. 39-75.
Processed: February 1996
Revised: June 2001; September 2014
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