Robert Cormier's response to Mike Romano
Robert Cormier's response to Mike Romano dated Nov. 15, 1996 addresses Mike's questions and talks about the news story that drew his attention about the "regular" teens who trashed and "desecrated" a home in Massachusetts upon which he based part of <em>We All Fall Down</em>.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
15 November 1996
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/94" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mike Romano's letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's draft response to Maxine Shosto
<p>Robert Cormier's hand revised draft of his letter to Maxine Shosto addresses her questions regarding <em>After the First Death</em>. In particular, he talks about the ambiguity in the book and says that it is because life is ambiguous. He had mislaid the letter and was unable to get the reply back to her in time for her school report. The heavy pencil edits show his concern with precise language.</p>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/92" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maxine Shosto's letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Maura Fabrice
In his letter to Maura Fabrice, Robert Cormier talks about using The Avenger character in <em>We All Fall Down</em> as a suspense device. He also talks about Buddy and Jane, the inevitability of the last scene, and how "heartbreaking" it was for him to write. He encouraged her to keep reading.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
27 October 1997
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/90" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maura Fabrice's letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Matthias Kopp
Robert Cormier's response to Matthias Kopp dated 7 Feb. 1998 is the means by which he thanks him for the sculpture regarding the award for <em>Tunes for Bears to Dance To</em> given him by the German Catholics.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
7 February 1998
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/85" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matthias Kopp's letter to Robert Cormier</a></p>
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/86" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's response to Dr. Peter Hasenberg</a></p>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Dr. Peter Hasenberg
Robert Cormier's response to Dr. Peter Hasenberg of 14 Nov. 1997 thanks him for the award from the German Catholic community for his book <em>Tunes for Bears to Dance To</em>.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
14 November 1997
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/85" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matthias Kopp's letter to Robert Cormier</a></p>
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/87" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's response to Matthias Kopp</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Khaled Khalaf
In his 22 March 1998 response to Khaled Khalaf's letter, Robert Cormier shares where he got ideas for characters in his book <em>Tunes for Bears to Dance To</em>.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
22 March 1998
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/83" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Khaled Khalaf's letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier letter to Justin
<p>In this brief, half-page letter of reply to Justin, Robert Cormier appears to address Justin's questions that may have been posed in his letter to Cormier about <em>Tunes for Bears to Dance To</em> and <em>After the First Death</em>. Cormier relates his purposes in selecting these novels' topics. He conveys his best wishes that Justin continues his reading life.</p>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
22 October 1995
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Jennifer Cowan
In his two-page "random" response to Jennifer Cowan, as one of several (or more) classmates who wrote, Robert Cormier reveals that <em>After the First Death</em> is told from the point of view of Ben's father. He refers to a pamphlet he enclosed and hoped that would answer some of the questions she and others of her classmates entertained.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
8 May 1986
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/80" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jennifer Cowan's letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's letter to Jason Campbell
This May 7, 2000, one-page letter by Robert Cormier to Jason Campbell at the American School in Dubai, appears to address questions about where he gets his ideas for writing. Referenced are <em>Tunes for Bears to Dance To</em> and <em>Tenderness</em>. For <em>Tunes</em>, Cormier says he worried about publicly displayed sculptures and at the same time, Holocaust deniers were in the news. The ideas merged in his head, driven by his own strong emotions. Regarding <em>Tenderness</em>, he talked about a now-changed law that released juvenile offenders at 18 despite the severity of their crimes. He reiterated that emotions "send me to the typewriter."
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
7 May 2000
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Hall Alexander
<p>In this one-page, typed response to Hall Alexander, dated May 7, 2000, Robert Cormier explains one of the plot knots that Hall had queried him about regarding <em>We All Fall Down</em><em>.</em> Cormier describes a trail of consistent characters' reactions given the circumstances in which he put them. Always an advocate for an active reading life, Cormier encourages Hall's continued enjoyment and deep consideration of books.</p>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
7 May 2000
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/74" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hall Alexander's letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Daniel Lowe, Jonathan Osborne, and Ryan Dvorak
In this two-page typed letter by Robert Cormier to three Alabama middle school students, Daniel Lowe, Jonathan Osborne, and Ryan Dvorak, Cormier apologizes for combining his responses but answers each query in turn. He shares that, yes, he was bullied and describes what that was like. Cormier also addresses his early concerns with the similarities between Harry Flowers and Archie Costello and briefly mentions why he writes about teenagers.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
5 May 2000
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/141" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Daniel Lowe's letter to Robert Cormier 20 April 2000</a></p>
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/68" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ryan Dvorak's letter to Robert Cormier</a></p>
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/67" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jonathan Osborne's letter to Robert Cormier</a></p>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's letter to Craig 9 Dec 1991
This typed two-page letter by Robert Cormier dated 9 Dec 1991 to "Craig" is written line-by-line responses to Craig's editorial questions concerning a draft of <em>Tunes for Bears to Dance To</em>.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
9 December 1991
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/64" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's letter to Craig 29 Jan 1991</a></p>
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/140" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wiz (possibly Craig Virden's) letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's letter to Craig 29 Jan 1991
In this five-page typewritten letter from Cormier to (who appears to be his editor) Craig, dated 29 Jan 1991, there are pages of line-by-line changes in the manuscript of <em>We All Fall Down</em>. These changes appear to be among the most final, perhaps at the galley or proof stage. This letter and his earlier letter to Craig are windows into sentence-level revision activity on the part of this accomplished writer.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
29 January 1991
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/65" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's letter to Craig 9 Dec 1991</a></p>
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/140" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wiz (possibly Craig Virden's) letter to Robert Cormier</a></p>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's response to Brooke Hausman and Carly Meltzer
In this one-page typed letter dated April 14, 1998, from Robert Cormier to Brooke Hausman and Carly Meltzer, he shares his writing technique of "gradual release," that it takes him 1.5 to 2 years to write a book, and that emotions are the engine for him. He advises here that would-be writers must "read, read, read" and write daily because "practice makes perfect." He says that he thinks he has received a lot of correspondence from students at their school, but "evidently" had misplaced it. He asked the girls to convey his best to classmates and that he would reply when the letters turn up.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
14 April 1998
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<p><a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/62" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brooke Hausman and Carly Meltzer's letter to Robert Cormier</a></p>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Robert Cormier's reply to Betsy Larsen
Robert Cormier's letter to Betsy Larsen, answered only three weeks after her letter was written, thanks her for writing. In it, he explains one detail she picked up on: the fallen hammer in <em>Tunes for Bears to Dance To</em>. He gives her a glimpse into his writing life sharing that he started writing poems when he was 12.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
26 January 1996
Elise Takehana, Anna Consalvo
<a href="https://terrorandbullies.omeka.net/items/show/59" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Betsy Larsen's letter to Robert Cormier</a>
JPG, 8.5 x 11 paper
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>