Posted by Roger Wardale on May 24, 2011 at 13:35:19 user RogerW.
In Reply to: Re: Official ebooks coming posted by Rob Boden on May 24, 2011 at 11:23:32:
I do not believe more than a handful of people — Rupert Hart-Davis, John Bell, and a couple of the Abbot Hall staff — had handled the typescript before Hugh Brogan came across it and read it. When the executors allocated AR's papers, those that related to 'The 12' were taken to Abbot Hall.
From the correspondence in the Cape archive, it seems clear that Howard of Cape realised as early as 1950-ish that AR would not write any more in the series, and If I remember correctly that is what he replied to the correspondent you mentioned. I am sure that Cape would never have promoted a book only half realised in draft, after all the trouble they had had with their perfectionist author.
Thank you Mike for your kind remarks. I wish I could tell you how 'Storyteller' is selling, but the publishers tell me nothing, although there have been good reviews in such as 'Classic Boat', 'Countryfile Magazine' and 'Eastern Daily Press'.