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Size | 9.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 650 items) |
Abstract | Vera Allen Cleaver (1919- ) and Bill (William Joseph) Cleaver (1920-1981) were married in 1945. They collaboratively wrote hundreds of stories for pulp magazines and sixteen novels for children and young adults. Chiefly drafts and some proofs of fourteen of the sixteen novels written collaboratively by Vera and Bill Cleaver and of two novels written by Vera Cleaver alone, along with some correspondence concerning those novels. Also included are materials relating to novels written by Vera Cleaver and a series of general correspondence with publishers about the Cleavers' work and with others about arranging speaking engagements. There is no family or personal material. |
Creator | Cleaver, Vera. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
Processed by: Clara Fountain, Barbara Sloane, April 1985, Roslyn Holdzkom, December 1986, June 1988, January 1993
Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008
Back to TopThe following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Vera Fern Allen Cleaver was born in Virgil, South Dakota, on 6 January 1919, the fifth of nine children. Reared during the Great Depression, she had to interrupt her formal education, which, she has said, she continued in public libraries. She later graduated from a school of business.
William Joseph Cleaver was born on 24 March 1920 in Hugo, Oklahoma. At age five, he was placed in a private school in British Columbia, where he stayed until he was fourteen. His young adulthood was spent in Seattle, Washington, where he attended public schools. From his youth, he was interested in writing; he also educated himself in public libraries. He served in the military during World War II, during which time he met and married Vera Allen. Like his wife, Bill Cleaver graduated from a school of business.
The opportunity to travel widely during the Cleavers' extended military career with the U.S. Air Force figures in their writing.
The Cleavers wrote in collaboration until Bill Cleaver's death in 1981 at age 61. Their routine was to gather ideas and discuss them for several months before establishing the central motif and characters. Vera Cleaver would then do the actual writing. Their themes are realistic, and they are noted for their expert use of dialog and sympathetic probing of human nature.
Early in their writing career, the Cleavers produced over 300 stories for pulp magazines, of which some 279 were published. They also published work in more widely-respected nationally circulated magazines. According to Mr. Cleaver, the couple began to feel that they could use their writing talents toward a more worthwhile end, and turned to writing books for pre-adolescents, adolescents, and young adults.
During their life together, all of their works were cooperative efforts except for the first, The Nurse's Dilemma, written by Vera Cleaver in 1966. As a couple, they wrote sixteen novels, most of which have been well reviewed and widely acclaimed in both the United States and England.
The books written by Bill and Vera Cleaver are as follows:
Ellen Grae (Lippincott, 1967), Horn Book Honor List
Lady Ellen Grae (Lippincott, 1968)
Where the Lilies Bloom (Lippincott, 1969), Horn Book Honor List, National Book Award finalist
Grover (Lippincott, 1970), National Book Award finalist
The Mimosa Tree (Lippincott, 1970)
I Would Rather Be a Turnip (Lippincott, 1971)
The Mock Revolt (Lippincott, 1971)
Delpha Green and Company (Lippincott, 1972)
The Whys and Wherefores of Littabelle Lee (Atheneum, 1973) National Book Award finalist
Me Too (Lippincott, 1973), ALA Notable Book
Dust of the Earth (Lippincott, 1975), Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, Western Writers of America Shelf Award
Trial Valley (Lippincott, 1977)
Queen of Hearts (Lippincott, 1978), National Book Award finalist
A Little Destiny (Lothrop, 1979)
The Kissimmee Kid (Lothrop, 1981)
Hazel Rye (Lippincott, 1982)
After Bill Cleaver's death, Vera Cleaver continued to write, producing Sugar Blue (Lothrop, 1984) and Sweetly Sings the Donkey (Lippincott, 1985).
Vera Cleaver cites the Cleavers' residences as follows:
Seattle and Vancouver, Washington, 1945-1948
Tampa, Florida, 1948-1954
Tachikawa, Japan, 1954-1956
Chaumont, France, 1956-1959
Tampa, Florida, 1959-1964
Carmel Valley, California 1965
Boone, North Carolina, 1965-1969
Lutz, Florida, 1969-1971
Winter Haven, Florida, 1971-
Sources: Children's Literature Review, Vol. 6 (1984), pp 95-96, 114; other brief biographical treatments, copies of which are in the accession file for this collection; and a letter, Vera Cleaver to Carolyn Wallace, 18 June 1985, in the accession file.
Back to TopThis collection includes drafts and some proofs of fourteen of the sixteen novels written collaboratively by Vera and Bill Cleaver and of two novels written by Vera Cleaver alone, along with some correspondence concerning those novels (Series 1). Also included is a series of general correspondence with publishers about the Cleavers' work and with others about arranging speaking engagements (Series 2).
There is no family or personal correspondence or other personal material.
The following list was received with the materials transmitted from the estate of Vera A. Cleaver. Materials are not necessarily in order as listed.
Rough draft of "Belle Pruitt"
Rough draft of "Moon Lake Road"
Correspondence with publisher on "Angel of Moon Lake Road," "Kitty Dale"
First revision, master set, "Belle Pruitt"
Correspondence between Vera Cleaver and Dorothy Briley, editor-in-chief at Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, concerning "Angel of Moon Lake Road"
Corrections to "Angel of Moon Lake Road"
Correspondence with publishers of "Where the Lillies Bloom" and wildcrafting research
Book reviews of "The Kissimee Kid," "Moon Lake Angel," "A Little Destiny," and "Sweetly Sings the Donkey"
Galleys for "Belle Pruitt"
Correspondence relating to study of contemporary beliefs
Uncorrected proofs of "Where the Lillies Bloom"
Master proof of "Moon Lake Angel"
Research material: North Carolina
Research material: Florida
Research material: Missouri
Research material: Arkansas
Research material: South Dakota
Research material: Arts and crafts
Research material: Agriculture
Photographs of central Florida
Back to TopArrangement: by novel, then by type of item. Note that correspondence pertaining to more than one novel (and to matters other than the novels) is in Series 2.
Complete and partial drafts (4 items, totaling about 300 pages); galley proofs (2 items, about 50 pages each); and correspondence (about 30 items).
Folder 2 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 3 |
Partial Draft, attached to Draft 1 |
Folder 4 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 5 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 6 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 7 |
Correspondence 1966-1968 |
Complete and partial drafts (2 items, totaling about 400 pages); galley proofs (1 items, about 80 pages); and correspondence (about 23 items).
Folder 8a |
Draft 1 |
Folder 8b |
Draft 2 |
Folder 8c |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 8d |
Correspondence 1968-1977 |
Folder 8 |
Correspondence 1970-1977 |
Complete and partial drafts (6 items, totalling about 550 pages); galley proofs (2 items, totalling about 80 pages); and correspondence (31 items).
Folder 9 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 10 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 11 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 12 |
Partial Draft, Chapters 1-7 |
Folder 13 |
Draft 4 |
Folder 14 |
Draft 5 |
Folder 15 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 16 |
Correspondence 1967-1976 |
Outline (1 item); complete drafts (3 items, totalling about 330 pages); galley proofs and plate proofs (3 items, totalling about 150 pages); promotional material (3 items); and correspondence (20 items).
Folder 17 |
Outline |
Folder 18 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 19 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 20 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 21 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 22 |
Plate Proofs |
Folder 23 |
Promotional Material |
Folder 24 |
Correspondence 1968-1970 |
Synopis and chapter outlines (about 4 items); complete drafts (3 items, totaling about 360 pages); galley proofs (2 items, totaling about 100 pages); and correspondence (10 items).
Folder 25 |
Synopsis and chapter outlines |
Folder 26 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 27 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 28 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 29 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 30 |
Correspondence 1968-1979 |
Summary and research material (2 items); complete and partial drafts (5 items, totaling about 550 pages); page proofs (2 items, totaling about 320 pages); and correspondence (8 items).
Folder 31 |
Summary and research material |
Folder 32 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 33 |
Partial Draft, attached to Draft 1 |
Folder 34 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 35 |
Partial Draft, attached to Draft 2 |
Folder 36 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 37 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 38 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 39 |
Correspondence 1969-1976 |
Partial drafts (2 items, totaling about 200 pages); scattered chapters and pages (about 70 pages); complete drafts (5 items, totaling about 530 pages); page proofs (3 items, totaling about 450 pages; and correspondence (15 items).
Folder 40 |
Partial Drafts |
Folder 41 |
Scattered chapters and pages |
Folder 42 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 43 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 44 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 45 |
Draft 4 |
Folder 46 |
Draft 5 |
Folder 47 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 48 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 49 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 50 |
Correspondence 1972-1975 |
Outline and notes (about 5 items); complete drafts (3 items, totaling about 375 pages); galley proofs and page proofs (2 items, totaling about 170 pages); and correspondence (25 items).
Folder 51 |
Outline and notes |
Folder 52 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 53 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 54 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 55 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 56 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 57 |
Correspondence 1972-1974 |
Scattered chapters and pages (about 25 pages); complete drafts (4 items, totaling about 500 pages); galley proofs (2 items, totaling about 100 pages); and correspondence (31 items).
Folder 58 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 59 |
Scattered chapters and pages |
Folder 60 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 61 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 62 |
Draft 4 |
Folder 63 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 64 |
Correspondence 1972-1974 |
Complete and partial drafts (3 items, totaling about 340 pages); galley proofs and page proofs (2 items, totaling about 200 pages); and correspondence (6 items).
Folder 65 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 66 |
Partial Draf |
Folder 67 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 68 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 69 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 70 |
Correspondence |
Complete drafts (5 items, totaling about 600 pages); galley proofs and page proofs (3 items, totaling about 260 pages); jacket design (1 item); and correspondence (14 items).
Folder 71 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 72 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 73 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 74 |
Draft 4 |
Folder 75 |
Draft 5 |
Folder 76 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 77 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 78 |
Jacket Design (improperly titled) |
Folder 79 |
Correspondence 1976-1980 |
Complete drafts (3 items, totaling about 360 pages); scattered pages with corrections (about 20 pages); galley proofs and page proofs (4 items, totaling about 460 pages); and correspondence (16 items).
Folder 80 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 81 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 82 |
Scattered pages |
Folder 83 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 84 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 85 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 86 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 87 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 88 |
Correspondence 1977-1981 |
Synopsis and notes (5 items); complete drafts (4 items, totaling about 500 pages); galley proofs and page proofs (3 items, totaling about 250 pages); and correspondence (9 items).
Folder 89 |
Synopsis and Notes |
Folder 90 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 91 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 92 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 93 |
Draft 4 |
Folder 94 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 95 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 96 |
Correspondence 1978-1979 |
Outlines and notes (5 items, totaling about 20 pages); complete drafts (4 items, totaling about 480 pages); galley proofs and page proofs (2 items, totaling about 260 pages); and correspondence (14 items).
Folder 97 |
Outlines and Notes |
Folder 98 |
Draft l |
Folder 99 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 100 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 101 |
Draft 4 |
Folder 102 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 103 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 104 |
Correspondence 1979-1980 |
Outlines and notes (15 items, totaling about 50 pages); complete drafts (5 items, totaling about 560 pages); galley proofs (2 items, totaling about 360 pages); jacket design and notes (3 items); and correspondence (6 items).
Folder 105 |
Outlines and Notes |
Folder 106 |
Draft 1 |
Folder 107 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 108 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 109 |
Draft 4 |
Folder 110 |
Draft 5 |
Folder 111 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 112 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 113 |
Jacket Design and Notes |
Folder 114 |
Correspondence 1981-1982 |
Outlines and notes (1 item, totaling about 30 pages); complete drafts (2 items, totaling about 190 pages); galley proofs (2 items, totaling about 310 pages); and correspondence (18 items).
Folder 115 |
Outlines and Notes |
Folder 116 |
Drafts 1 and 2 (interleaved) |
Folder 117 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 118 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 119 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 120 |
Correspondence 1982-1983 |
Complete drafts (3 items, totaling about 360 pages); galley proofs (3 items, totaling about 450 pages); blueline (1 item); page proofs (1 item); and correspondence (4 items).
Folder 121 |
Drafts 1 and 2 (interleaved) |
Folder 122 |
Draft 2 |
Folder 123 |
Draft 3 |
Folder 124 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 125 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 126 |
Galley Proofs |
Folder 127 |
Blueline |
Folder 128 |
Page Proofs |
Folder 129 |
Correspondence |
Arrangement: chronological.
Correspondence with publishers and with professors of education and librarianship, most of them at institutions in Appalachia; and a few fan letters. There is very little of a personal nature; topics discussed include reviews of the Cleavers' books and the arrangement of speaking engagements.
Folder 130-141
Folder 130Folder 131Folder 132Folder 133Folder 134Folder 135Folder 136Folder 137Folder 138Folder 139Folder 140Folder 141 |
Correspondence, 1968-1982 |
Filed in Boxes 7 and 8