Lurton Blassingame (February 10, 1904 – April 1988)
was an American literary agent.
He was born in
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Are ...
and went to
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
where he studied writing.
His Master's thesis was based on the history of pulp fiction.
His first job was as a writer in Hollywood. From that job he moved on to found the
American Library Foundation with
William Allen William Allen may refer to:
Politicians
United States
*William Allen (congressman) (1827–1881), United States Representative from Ohio
*William Allen (governor) (1803–1879), U.S. Representative, Senator, and 31st Governor of Ohio
*William ...
in 1937.
He was the literary agent for
Frank Herbert,
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein (; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accu ...
,
John Barth
John Simmons Barth (; born May 27, 1930) is an American writer who is best known for his postmodern and metafictional fiction. His most highly regarded and influential works were published in the 1960s, and include ''The Sot-Weed Factor'', a sa ...
,
William F. Nolan, and
Rosemary Taylor. His public relations firm named
Houston Branch Associates was sold to
Eleanor Wood's
Spectrum Literary Agency in 1978.
In 1951, author Robert A. Heinlein dedicated his science fiction book ''
The Puppet Masters
''The Puppet Masters'' is a 1951 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, in which American secret agents battle parasitic invaders from outer space. It was originally serialized in ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' (September, Oc ...
'' "to Lurton Blassingame". He also used Blassingame as a "care-of" address for form letter responses to fans.
In 1980, literary agent Kirby McCauley dedicated his horror anthology ''
Dark Forces'' to Blassingame "with admiration and affection".
Heinlein's posthumous 1989 book ''Grumbles from the Grave'' consists of his letters. There are more letters to Blassingame than any other correspondent. (And some of Blassingames's letters to Heinlein are included.)
[cf. ''Grumbles from the Grave'' First Edition pp140 et al.]
References
External links
Guide to the Lurton Blassingame papers at the University of OregonForm letter response to fans
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blassingame, Lurton
Literary agents
1904 births
1988 deaths
People from Fort Smith, Arkansas
Columbia University alumni