"Every excerpt, every page you have written for my book these past weeks shows that you are a writer with a superb use of the English language, a remarkable vocabulary and a very special turn of phrase.You unquestionably have the talent to write almost anything you direct your attention to. You are a great researcher, as your copious notes prior to our work sessions together indicated. And you know how to put words together most skillfully as your work on the manuscript proved."
"Uys showed such a mastery and predilection for plotting that again and again he came up with dazzling ideas that again and again attracted my attention. I am no good at plotting, hold it to be almost an excrescence, and pay far too little attention to it, so that Uys's bold suggestions were often appreciated. It was he who suggested most of the coincidences, most of the confrontations, most of the wild occurrences and it was I who rejected a vast majority of them but I was deeply indebted to him for certain plot lines..."
-- James A. Michener
Chapter IX The Englishmen | Michener First Draft - Nongquase
James Michener's first draft with editing and marginal research notes by Errol Lincoln Uys
Errol Lincoln Uys re-write of James Michener's draft for the story of Nongquase
and the Xhosa "Cattle Killing"
Errol Lincoln Uys typed new draft for James Michener's story of Nongquase
and the Xhosa "Cattle Killing" story.
Excerpt from Plotting Notes by Errol Lincooln Uys for James Michener's novel, The Covenant. These are Uys's detailed proposals for the Saltwoods, the English family in the novel, with suggested story lines and character development.
Errol Lincoln Uys's rewrite with original story about Saltwood's journey to
India and introduction of the Desai family, who will play a major role in later stages of the novel.
