To Walter Hurley, an executive at Bobbs-Merrill [Letter 110]

590 North Rossmore
Hollywood, California

December 18, 1943

Mr. Walter Hurley
The Bobbs-Merrill Company
468 Fourth Avenue
New York City

Dear Mr. Hurley:

Just a greeting from a happy author—knocking on wood. Everything is wonderful so far, and I hope it will continue this way, for the sake of “The Fountainhead”, which means for the sake of all of us.

Mr. Henry Blanke, who is to produce “The Fountainhead” for Warner Brothers, is one of the most brilliant and distinguished producers in Hollywood. He is very enthusiastic about the book and intends to make a big picture from it. I give you one guess as to what my first thought is. Yes, that it will help the sale of the book. I’m a one-track mind.

The Warner Studios have been grand to me. Boy, how they treat authors out here! I have a huge office, a secretary and all the usual grandeur. No, I don’t think I’ve gone Hollywood yet, but what a temptation! Only I do miss New York, and the Empire State Building, and even the Bobbs-Merrill office (or should I name that first?)

Please drop me a line and let me know how things are going with the book at your end, how are the sales, what happened on the Literary Guild deal which Mr. Baker mentioned to me, and everything and anything else. I feel like an exiled mother and you are the guardian of my child—so let me know all the news.

Look up my article [“The Only Path to Tomorrow”] in the January Reader’s Digest. I hope you can use it as publicity for “The Fountainhead.” Please do so—in any manner that it could tie in.

This will have to serve as a Christmas greeting, since I’ve had no time to order cards, so please give my love and wish a Merry Christmas for me to Janet, Jo, Mr. Munson, Mr. Baker and last, but not least, yourself. As well as to everyone in the office who remembers me—and I hope they all do.

Here’s to a prosperous New Year for “The Fountainhead”, which means for Bobbs-Merrill and me. (I still hold no other wish.)

Sincerely yours,