Dear Velikovsky: here is the proposal for a contract with Umschau, resulting from the visit by Mr. Curths to my home. You will see that we have returned to single volume publication because I do not think the time factor having to take precedence over economic aspects, namely (1) your royalties, and (2) the market potential. As a fourth title definitely sold now we will have Earth in Upheaval. At my suggestion this book, however, would be in larger format, and richly illustrated with photographs and diagrams - black and white and possibly coloured if we can prepare it for other languages as well. Instead of paying an advance (which has no effect on our income in any case), Umschau undertakes to provide all these pictures and the artwork, for our subsequent approval, of course. We shall then gain about two thirds more on royalties from the higher price of the book. As a further advantage the publication of this work even in addition to the half yearly intervals of the regular titles will not hurt the sale of those, due to its different aspects. And lastly I have also thought in this way to get around Doubleday’s copyright clause. Deliveries of Welten should begin end of February / beginning of March, Peoples in August, Ramses then again in February 79. So translation on Peoples should start at once, and for the first book trade advertising must also begin immediately, quite apart, of course, from setting the text. Trade adverts have been prepared for December 2, 9 and 27, and publication advertising in the general media will extend to DM 50,000.- ($ 20000.-) I have agreed to tabelize an appendix to Welten in the sense of a Record of Success, and that you might wish to write a special Vorwort for the second German edition. Finally, a press release would appear as soon as I have your general approval to the contract. Compared with other proposals we have here everything to wish for: I therefore urgently await your good news! With friendly
wishes, Marx Copy to Seaside |