(p 169)
September 22,1989
{talking about Hurricane Hugo}…crashing into land…at Charlotte, South Carolina. That was a secondary target; I know an editor at TOR BOOKS who lives there, Harriet McDougal, former senior editor. Her husband is Robert Jordan, author of several Tarzan novels, but don’t judge him by that; he’s about to get into major fantasy, and will be one of the leading figures in the genre. I know. {…} I read his first huge fantasy epic in manuscript; it hasn’t been published yet. {continues on how Harriet helped him publish a book}
Tarzan—Conan: What’s the difference? They are both big muscular men who run around in loincloths.
ARRGG. I hope this is a mistype by you MPS, and that this was not really printed in a book. Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston, SC, then tracked inland and hit Charlotte, NC. I know—I was living in Charlotte, NC, and the chimney on the apartment above us blew over, collapsing the apartment above us at 5:30 in the morning. That was Friday; they told us to get out on Monday after inspecting. We moved Tuesday. The true eye of the world went over us too…
Anyhow, when living in Charlotte, much was made about the “ch” effect—people not being able to distinguish Charlotte from Charleston, and Charleston, SC from the same name in West Virginia, so I am a little sensitive. That is why I hope that the Charlotte, SC reference was your mistake Mike, and not Piers Anthony’s. I can excuse you, since you live in Delaware, but I would hope that something like a book would get it right.
Sorry to be venting…
I just ran to get the book and I’m sorry, but it was Piers Anthony’s error. (This is in the same chapter as the Tarzan reference.) Remember, these letters were written freehand and were not proofread, as most books would be. They copied these letters into the book, and edited for style not content.
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