Correspondence/synopses/draft samples, 1977-1985

The series is composed of two sub-series Published and Unpublished material.

Published material starts with the first short story Shrake published, in 1959, and ending with his last novel to be published, in 2006, this sub-series is arranged chronologically according to publication date. It contains handwritten, typewritten and computer-generated drafts, proofs of all kinds, correspondence, contracts, promotional materials, research files, and press clippings. The book with the most copious files is The Borderland, started in 1976 but not published until 2000. In general, the files for the earlier novels, being before the advent of computers, contain more materials like corrected drafts and proofs.

The Unpublished sub-series is arranged alphabetically, this is a much smaller sub-series than its predecessor, contains mainly early short stories and unfinished novels. One of the unfinished novels, “These Unhappy Occasions,” led directly to Blessed McGill. Also included is a finished novel titled “Malibu Zulu” that Shrake completed in 2008 and intended to publish under a pen name. (It was published as Hollywood Mad Dogs in 2020).