THE NEXT THIRTY YEARS
By
JUDY HOWARD
At the age of ninety, Fred Klein’s years are woven into the
history of publishing, writing, and the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference like
the words on the yellowed pages of a well-read novel. For thirty years in New
York City Fred was Vice President of Bantam Books, head of marketing and
ultimately Executive Editor. “Who can say these days they worked for only one
company for thirty years?” Fred is astonished by his own record. of achievements.
He never guessed those three decades would represent a mere third of his
prestigious career.
After retiring to Santa Barbara, California he became a part
of The Santa Barbara Writers Conference and helped create The Santa Barbara Book and Author Festival His literary life is rich with celebrity experiences
both personal and professional. When asked, are you a dog owner, he laughs and answers
in a voice as deep and rich as his career, “No dogs! I don’t look like a dog
owner, do I?”
What Fred Klein doesn’t look like is his age. He leaned back
is his chair comfortable with the new generation of writers before him.” I walk
on the beach every day. Five years ago I had a quadruple bypass and only missed
three days. Within a week it was as if I never had surgery.”
Is it difficult to keep up with the new technology, one interviewer
queries? Again his voice resonates as his peeps listen. “I carry a cell phone
only when I travel, and then, only to receive calls because I’m not sure how to
make one.” But, in contrast, he streams weekly on the local Santa Barbara TV
channel 17 called, Literary Gumbo in
which he interviews authors. “I believe in giving a voice to all authors in the
area.”
“Everyone has asked who I’ve published, but let me tell you
about one that I didn’t publish.” Fred sat up as the memory came alive. “A man
called me with a proposal for a book. The Godfather had just become a hit and
the man suggested a story about what happens to the children of mafia
families.” Fred agreed and grew excited about the possibility, prematurely running
with the title, “Godson.”
“For the initial interview, I flew to Phoenix, Arizona and
the man and I rode around the city for three hours as he elaborated about the
people he’d “offed” in Las Vegas and Chicago. We couldn’t meet in public where
he might be seen so he stipulated any further contacts and questions would have
to be conducted through his agent.
In the publishing world everything has to be validated and
indemnified. My boss insisted we had to have proof, who was this guy, who was
his mafia family? So I would call the agent, his agent would call him, and then
he would call me. I asked him, ‘Why are you doing this?’ He explained he was an
alcoholic and joined a twelve step program and it would be his way of making
amends. Finally, we insisted and the man agreed to send proof. A week later I
received a video of the man I had spent three hours in the car with riding the
streets of Phoenix. The clip demonstrated the man pushing another man into a
vat of molten steel at an Indiana steel mill.”
“We never published the book.”
The peeps in the crowd
roared. “I have a million stories.” He told
them.
“Two weeks ago my old boss called me to tell me about a
dream he had in which he and I had started a mystery book publishing company
and we called it The one eighty – The two
ninety year old men publishing company. We laughed it off, but who knows?”
At the age of ninety Fred Klein offered up his philosophy on
the secret of growing old: Stay positive and become Involved, no matter if it
is with your family, your church or your community. Find something to be
committed to and become passionate about it.
Stayed tuned for Fred Klein's next thirty years.
