From Jay to Bee, a collection of letters by Janet Frame (1924–2004) to William Theophilus Brown, a painter, and published in May by Counterpoint. Frame was the author of thirteen novels. This letter was written at Yaddo, a writers’ colony, on January 8, 1970.

Dear Bill,

(Breakfast: choice of cereal, raisins, wheat germ. Orange juice. Eggs anyhow. Coffee. Toast, etc.)

Already I’ve begun my countdown of dinners — only so many left! They’re an ordeal. I just can’t bear dining in the presence of authorities. Everything is so formal, everybody so bloody well-behaved, and after dinner we seem to be expected…