The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02
HOW AUTHOR CAME TO WRITE FAMOUS BOOK
'The Leavenw0rth Case Pounded on Simple Idea-Anna Katherine
 Green Grows Reminiscent

"As young woman" writes Anna Katherine Green in the August Strand, T began to versify. The result was event. ually the volume, 'The Defense of the Bride Most of these poems appeared from time to time in the magazines and l was reminded by letter from Emerson, now carefully preserved. that he en- couraged me to go on writing verse.
 At this time my mother, who was practically-min woman, suggested that 1 should write novel, I felt unequal to the task, and said so but thought that if ever l had the courage to undertake the work 1t should be one of absorbing plot
 My mind turned to thinking of plots. and one day it occurred to me that the nucleus for a story might be hinged upon the fact of person passing the open door of room, overhearing an accusa : tion, and attributing it to the wrong one of the two occupants. This 1 coupled with the idea that complication could be evolved by guilty party being the first one to announce that a crime had been committed. On these two simple ideas The Leavenworth Case was built
 But the story had to be written and a willing publisher found to print it. This all came about in good season. It took me two years to write the story, and that all was successfully accomplished is proven by the very complimentary and encouraging letter from Wilkie Collins | that lies before me as l pen these lines Although he writes, my eyes are fail 1 ing me. I read the story through at a sit. l ting, marveing at it's ingenuity
 Tt was hard-earned triumph. The | story was written on all kinds and size. of paper. l must have written enough fol | three volumes, judging by large drawer full of discarded manuscript that had not the heart to destroy, even after ths book was in print.
 1 But perhaps the hardest ordeal wen through was the experience I had wher George Haven Putnam informed me thai they thought well of the story, but thai l it would have to be cut down at least 200 words and then he passed on by RossiteI Johnson before they could undertake its
 publication. Therefore, with many mis g1vings and after long interval, sum moned enough courage to cut into a work
 that had all but undermined my health When l had cut out as much of the story as thought could, there were still 15O..
 600 words left to tell tbe tale. This was subsequently cut to 142,O00 and since ther I have written well connected epitomi
 zation of it in 1000 words
 "The day for reading the story to Rossi ter Johnson came and found me in a very 1 depressed state of mind and a case oi nerves. did not know MT. Johnson al well then as do now When he settled
 down to work his manner was that of 6
 man who was summoned to endure tor. ture, but who meant to do his duty by
 the Putnams if he died for 1t.
 The reading lasted "A hours MT. John
 sons only encoudagement during the or
 deal consisted in saying at the conclusion
 of chapter, Read another Then h,
 would close his eyes, lean back, and
 when pause long enough to indicat,
 that another chapter had been ended. h, would repeat, Read another, and so oi l to the conclusion of the book
 1 "On leaving. his only comment was ! Very good Two days after that tn
 Putnams sent me word that they voul'