Andre Norton Forum

Re: Through a Needle's eye

: I am having the best time rereading all my Norton's in order by year published. If you have not done this it is a great way to see her progress and themes over a period of time. I am now at year 1970; and after finishing High Sorcery, a great short stories collection. I noticed the similarity of the short story ,Through a Needle's Eye and the book , Octagon Magic published in 1967.Character names, setting and style are different. But they have the same theme and source of mystery, needles with power to let someone escape into another world through Sewing. : The Style of the short story reads older , language somewhat reminiscing of Ralestone Luck. But I do not think it is that earlier. : I would love to know if the short story actually was written earlier and she updated it when she wrote Octagon House. The only publishing date I can find on the short story is 1970 when it was published in High Sorcery. : Anyone know when the short story was actually written?

The earliest publication date for the story is in 1970. The earliest date for the book is 1967.

If you live near Syracuse University (NY) you could sit down with the Andre Norton part of their archive collection and try to research this one. I spent 2 days reading through the items, including correspondance. I don't think there were any fragments of that story. I have just checked the "shelf list" that I made at Syracuse. "Through the Needles's Eye" shows up as a 10 page copy typed on white paper (usually the final draft for those years) in the same box as GATES TO TOMORROW items. The transcript for OCTAGON MAGIC is in a box dated around 1968, further confusing the issue, as it might be written earlier than "Through the Needle's Eye"

Actually there are several Andre Norton pieces that are written in a 'style'. I find that both ROGUE REYNARD and HUON OF THE HORN suffer through writing style. I think that you will find that "By a Hair" uses a style similar to "Through the Needle's Eye", and was first published in 1958. It is not impossible that "Through the Needle's Eye" was written at the same time, but could not find a publisher.

I have just checked the "shelf list" that I made at Syracuse. "Through the Needles's Eye" shows up as a 10 page copy typed on white paper (usually the final draft for those years) in the same box as SPELL OF THE WITCH WORLD and GATES TO TOMORROW items. The transcript for OCTAGON MAGIC is in a box dated around 1968, further confusing the issue, as it might be written earlier than "Through"

As for re-using a story? Check out "London Bridge" and OUTSIDE and "Amber Out of Quaythe" and WHEEL OF STARS [?].

************* Through the Needle's Eye" HIGH SORCERY, 1970, Ace

OCTAGON MAGIC illus. Mac Conner 1967, World, 189p, $3.95 LC 67-13822, (Cover Mac Conner) (A1299 on DW rear) Orange Bd.

"London Bridge" FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Oct 1973 MANY WORLDS OF ANDRE NORTON, R.Elwood ed 1974 BOOK OF ANDRE NORTON, R.Elwood ed., DAW 1975

OUTSIDE il by Bernard Colonna 1975 Feb, Walker & Co, 126p $5.95 Boards (Cover Bernard Colonna) Blue Paper Bd., ISBN 0-8027-6185-2(cl), LC 73-92454, "10 9 8...2 1"

"Amber Out of Quaythe" SPELL OF THE WITCH WORLD, Andre Norton, DAW 1972

WHEEL OF STARS il Chris Miller 1983, Wallaby, 318p T-pap $7.95 (Cover C Miller) ISBN 0-671-47001-9 LC 83-133955