The Expectant Author

Well-known American author Walter Lord, who was in the South Pacific 12 months ago collecting in formation on wartime Coastwatching n the Solomons, is happy with pro gress on his manuscript, From his home in New York City recently Mr Lord wrote: “Gestation : or an elephant is 21 months .. . a rhinoceros, 15 months ... a pig, : our months ... a kangaroo, only M days; but giving birth to my book about the Coastwatchers in the Solo nons is a slower process.

“It has taken so long because I aave always wanted the book to be wen more than a record of the Coastwatchers themselves. They are he ‘stars’, but I also wanted to tell ibout the natives who helped them, he missionaries they worked with, he downed flyers and castaways they escued, the Marine patrols they guided, the pilots and submariners vho serviced them, even the Japan ese who chased them.

“To me, it’s this whole cast of

intriguing characters that gives the saga of the Coastwatchers its special appeal, that makes it almost an anachronism in modern war—a story where individual human beings are still important.

“This has meant a lot of digging. (How do you find a flyer who spent a few days on Vella Lavella 33 years ago?) It has also meant a lot of tra velling—37,ooo miles at last count.

And it has meant a lot of correspon dence. I’m in touch with 176 people in five different continents!

“Now the job is almost done. I’ve finished 11 of 12 chapters—about 105,000 words. There remain the problems of maps, illustrations, edit

ing, and especially checking. Many

Islands people will be hearing from me in the next month or so, as I try to get straight some point that I’ve missed.

“When the book comes out during 1976, I only hope they feel it does justice to all the time and trouble they’ve taken to help me”.