Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1980-1997 (Creation)
Extent
14.7 linear feet [44 boxes]
Name of creator
Biographical history
LaVyrle Kulick Spencer was born on July 17, 1943, in Browerville, Minnesota, to Jan and Louis Kulick. After her parents divorced, LaVyrle and her sister moved to Alexandria, Minnesota, with mother Jan.
Soon after graduation from the Staples High School in Staples, Minnesota, LaVyrle married her high school sweetheart Dan Spencer on February 10, 1962. They had two children: Amy Elizabeth and Beth Adair, who passed away in 1990.
Living in the Twin Cities since just after their wedding, Spencer’s first job outside the home was as an instructional aid at the Osseo junior high school in Osseo, Minnesota. During that time, she read the romance novel The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss, a trend setting book that sold millions of copies. In an interview in 1979, Spencer said that Woodiwiss book “broke the barrier by allowing romantic novelists, most of whom were women, to write tastefully but explicitly about sex.” Spencer began her writing career in July 1976, basing her story on a dream she had about her grandmother’s life on a Minnesota farm. Spencer was assisted by Woodiwiss to get that tale published. Her first book, The Fulfillment, was made available in 1979.
Until her retirement in 1997 at the height of her career, Spencer published 24 books. Four were adapted into television movies: The Fulfillment of Mary Gray (based on her book The Fulfillment) (1989), Morning Glory (1993), Home Song (1996), and Family Blessings (1998). Well known Hollywood actors and actresses appeared in the adaptations including Cheryl Ladd, Christopher Reeve, Lynda Carter, and Pam Grier.
Spencer was elected to the Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. Many of Spencer’s books have been New York Times bestsellers.
Spencer’s books are:
The Fulfillment (1979)
The Endearment (1982)
Forsaking All Others (1982)
Hummingbird (1983)
A Promise to Cherish (1983)
The Hellion (1984)
Sweet Memories (1984)
Twice Loved (1984)
Separate Beds (1985)
Spring Fancy (1985)
A Heart Speaks (1986)
The Gamble (1987)
Years (1987)
Vows (1988)
Morning Glory (1989)
Bitter Sweet (1990)
Forgiving (1991)
Bygones (1992)
November of the Heart (1993)
Family Blessings (1994)
Home Song (1995)
That Camden Summer (1996)
Then Came Heaven (1997)
Small Town Girl (1997)
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
The papers of LaVyrle Spencer contain various drafts of nearly all of her published books. Published books with papers contained in this collection include The Endearment (1982), Hummingbird (1983), A Promise to Cherish (1983), The Hellion (1984), Sweet Memories (1984), Twice Loved (1984), Separate Beds (1985), Spring Fancy (1985), The Gamble (1987), Years (1987), Vows (1988), Morning Glory (1989), Bitter Sweet (1990), Forgiving (1991), Bygones (1992), November of the Heart (1993), Family Blessings (1994), Home Song (1995), That Camden Summer (1996), Then Came Heaven (1997), and Small Town Girl (1997).
The papers show the evolution of the writing of the books, demonstrating how Spencer created, crafted, and revised the stories over time.
Series 1: Miscellaneous
This series contains a small amount of material related to Spencer’s life as well as fan mail.
Series 2: Published Works
The series contains drafts of many of Spencer’s published books. Many of the books, especially those early in Spencer’s writing career, have more than one draft. These include original typescripts with handwritten revisions and other corrections, copy-edited manuscripts, and, often times, author galleys.
Series 3: Foreign Language Books
Contained in this series are foreign language translations of many of Spencer’s novels. Languages include Spanish, Polish, and German. These are not accessible through the online catalog.
System of arrangement
The materials are organized in three series. The first series contains a small amount of material related to Spencer’s life as well as fan mail.
Series two is organized chronologically by publication date of Spencer’s books.
Series three is also organized chronologically by publication date of Spencer’s books, then listed by foreign language.
Records are located at 21G.1a-7f, 22G.1a, and 1B.5b.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
There are no access restrictions.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Permission to publish must be secured from the copyright holder.
The LRS dean or designee may authorize short quotations from any unrestricted materials. Long quotations (over five lines) may be made only with the donor's express permission. After the donor's death, all quotations may be authorized by St. Cloud State University.
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Donation
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Additional donations were given though dates are unknown.
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
The published books that were part of this collection were removed. Those that were autographed were added to Rare Books. Those not autographed were moved to the circulating collection in the St. Cloud State library, if they were not already part of the collection.
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Archivist's note
Tom Steman minimally rearranged the existing order of material in June 2014.