Cachalot, 1978 November

This collection contains manuscripts, drafts, typescripts, galley proofs, audio cassette tapes, correspondence with agents and editors, fan mail, and newspaper clippings documenting Alan Dean Foster's career as a science fiction and fantasy writer.

The bulk of this collection is housed in Series I: Novels and Novelizations (Boxes 1-86). This series contains outlines, notes, drafts, typescripts, setting copies, galley proofs, and other materials documenting Foster's numerous original novels and movie novelizations, including Alien, Maori, the Journeys of the Catechist series, the Spellsinger series, the Trilogy of the Damned, and Star Trek Logs 1-10. This series is arranged alphabetically by the work's final published title.

Series II: Screenplays and Scripts (Boxes 87-94) houses screenplays written by Foster and movie scripts and supporting materials showing the movie projects that Foster worked with, including The Chronicles of Riddick, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Terminator: Salvation. This series is arranged alphabetically by movie title.

Series III: Short Stories (Boxes 94-98) houses manuscript copies of short stories written by Foster and manuscripts for four published short story collections: Betcha Can't Read Just One, Mad Amos, The Metrognome and Other Stories, and Montezuma Strip. Also included are materials collected in support of two short story collections that were never published. This series is arranged alphabetically by story or anthology title.

Series IV: Other Writings (Boxes 98-99) houses poetry, radio scripts, newspaper articles, letters to the editor, essays, TV screenplays, and other materials written by Foster. Of particular interest is Foster's MFA thesis, titled Fire and Sword, written at UCLA in 1969. This series is arranged alphabetically by genre and then by title.

Series V: Correspondence (Boxes 99-100) consists primarily of fan mail addressed to Foster. A number of these letters were written by schoolchildren who admired Foster's work and several include drawings of various of Foster's characters. Also included is correspondence from Foster's literary agent, Virginia Kidd, and Ilse Lahn.

Series VI: Video Games (Box 100-101) houses video game scripts, drafts, and notes for The Marexx and a game based on Foster's The Dig.

Series VII: Other Papers (Box 101) houses biographical information and photographs showing Foster, lectures that Foster presented, and other materials. This series is arranged alphabetically.

Series VIII: Cassette Tapes (Box 102) houses nine tapes. One tape records a conversation between Foster and a group of students; four contain material regarding Foster's books; and three are unidentified.

Series IX: Scrapbooks and Oversized Materials (Boxes 103-107) consists primarily of four scrapbooks containing book covers, newspaper clippings, photographs, invitations, announcements, and other materials documenting Alan Dean Foster's career as novelist and screenwriter. These items were compiled by Foster's mother, Helen (Smith) Foster.