Bill Pronzini Papers

The Bill Pronzini papers consists of literary manuscripts, correspondence and other files, most dating from 1990 to the 2000s. This collection represents over a decade's worth of documentation of an almost forty-year writing career. The collection includes almost all manuscripts of Pronzini's Nameless Detective novels, non-series novels, and short story collections from 1994 to the 2010s. Original manuscripts may be accompanied by editor's copies and galleys, which would assist researchers in studying the evolution of a Pronzini work on its way to publication. Numerous short story manuscripts are also found in the collection and may be accompanied by published copies. Discussion about particular works would be found under correspondence.

Those interested in Pronzini's collaborative projects since 1992, might wish to study the manuscripts among the short story collections, anthologies, and single author collections. Although some scattered correspondence is included with these manuscripts, researchers would certainly want to peruse Pronzini's correspondence with other writers, publishers and editors for more specific details about collaborative projects. The collection includes often detailed and lengthy correspondence between Pronzini and other authors about writing, collecting and remaining in print. In particular, his correspondence with a few former pulp writers offers insights into how many authors survived hard times writing for the pulps.

The introductions, prefaces, forwards, and interviews offer a wealth of information about mystery/suspense and western fiction writing/writers and about Pronzini himself as an imaginative force and fan in their midst.

Pronzini's outgoing and general correspondence can also be found in the collection. The latter group was refined into categories to both complement areas on which Pronzini concentrates his corresponding, as well as to assist researchers wishing to access specific topics of interest. There is certainly topic overlap among folders. The category bookselling was established since Pronzini, a book and pulp collector himself, assists others in search of hard-to-find materials within his field of collecting.

Miscellaneous correspondence includes letters pertaining to libraries, conventions, and book signings. Pronzini's correspondence documents his many collaborations with fellow writers, his views about publishing, his passion for mystery and suspense, pulps, western fiction and his determination that talented, often obscure, authors within these specialties get published and republished for future generations of readers.

Subject files include information about book signings, programs in which Pronzini participated, research inquiries, author obituaries and miscellaneous cards, notes and clippings. The collection is completed by audio recordings which include Pronzini's books on tape as well as interviews.

Researchers interested in researching the published works of Bill Pronzini, donated by him to the Browne Popular Culture Library, should access the University Libraries catalog.