the rails. I wrote an agent in N.Y. before I left in January on my trip but got no reply. I submitted it to Lyle Stuart who replied that he had gotten burnt pretty badly on "Year Among the Girls" and didn't want to do another book on "TV". I thought I had a couple of publishers on the string here in L.A. but both fell through. So as of April 1 the manuscript is in the hands of an author's agent here in L.A. IF she agrees to take it we will have to wait a bit to see if she is successful, but if she is not I shall give up and publish it myself. We won't get nearly as wide a distribution that way but the book is needed and so I can't wait much longer. Here again you can help by advance sub- scription. I naturally can't tell what its selling price should be until it is printed and it will naturally have to be done in fewer copies at a higher price if I do it than if a publisher does it. But let's start with the idea of $5 per copy. I'll make a "can't lose" gamble with any of you that want to make a pre-publication order for it at $5. If the price can be less, you'll get the extra back. If its regular price comes out at $5 you are even and if it has to be a $6 book you will still get it for $5. So if you wish to help in this way to accumulate the money for it I will appreciate it.

III. A WORD OF EXPLANATION: I have a number of stories, some on hand and some already printed including "War Story" in this and the next edition which involve change of sex in some way. There has been some comment about my willingness to print such stories and at the same time to be opposed to sex change surgery except for the very few who really should have it. My explanation, or justification if you wish, is this: Practically all FPs have at one time or another fantasied the idea of actually being a female-girl. Some get so infatuated with the idea that they become pseudo transexuals and unfortunately sometimes succeed in obtaining the surgery. Others like Mary and myself are able to realize that change of gender is what we really seek and not change of anatomy. But for many others it becomes a kind of wishful world. The stories that have and will be printed which involve this cross over are all based on some sort of unusual plot situa- tion which justifies the change about. They aren't just about a char- acter who follows the usual route of pestering doctors and eventually going to Tijuana or Casablanca on his own.

It is my feeling that since most FPs have this fantasy it may much more safely be expressed vicariously through fictional devices thus hopefully lessening the intensity which might otherwise develop into an urge for the real thing. So, since I'm aware that most of you enjoy such stories I am not averse to printing them, but I felt it necessary to give a word of explanation about my willingness to do so since the question of my own inconsistency has been raised.

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