s in major magazines and on the radio.
Although large companies continue to have an advantage, in Cyberspace small
publishers can put up very competitive marketing efforts.

We think that paper books will be around for a while, because using them is
habitual. Many readers like the feel of paper, and the 'heft' of a book held in
the hands or carried in a purse or backpack. I haven't yet used a digital book,
and I think I might prefer one - because of ease of search, because of color,
because of sound, etc. Obviously, multimedia 'books' can be easily downloaded
from the Web, and such books probably will dominate publishing in the future.
Not yet though."

ML: "What did the Internet bring to your professional and personal life?"

MS: "Professionally, the Internet has become my major research tool, largely -
but not entirely - replacing the traditional library and even replacing
person-to-person research. Now, instead of phoning people or interviewing them
face to face, I do it via e-mail.

Because of speed, it has also enabled me to collaborate with people at a
distance, particularly on screenplays. (I've worked with two producers in
Germany.)

Also, digital correspondence is so easy to store and organize, I find that I
have easy access to information exchanged this way. Thus, e-mailing facilitates
keeping track of ideas and materials.

As for personal uses, the Internet has increased my correspondence dramatically.
Like most people, I find that e-mail works better than snail mail. My geographic
range of correspondents has also increased - extending mainly to Europe. In the
old days, I hardly ever did transatlantic pen-palling.

I also find that e-mailing is so easy, I am able to find more time to assist
other writers with their work - a kind of a virtual writing group. This isn't
merely altruistic. I gain a lot when I give feedback. But before the Internet,
doing so was more of an effort."

ML: "How do you see see your future life - professional and personal - in
connection with the Internet?"

MS: "I'm not very state-of-the-art so I'm not sure. I would like to have direct
access to text - digitally read books in the Library of Congress, for example,
just as now I can read back issues of many newspapers. Currently, while I can
find out about books on-line, I need to get the books into my hands to use them.
I would rather access them on-line and copy sections that I need for my work,
whereas today I either have to