Forever Yours, Anna

by Kate Wilhelm

Release: July 1987
Format: Short Story
Genres: Science Fiction, Mystery and Crime
Audience: Adults
Content: Definite Time Travel
Original Language: English

Handwriting expert Gordon Siles becomes obsessed with four censored letters written by a woman named Anna to an introverted scientist whose missing research results may have national security implications.

— Michael Main

It should have ended there, Gordon knew, but it did not end. Where are you, Anna? he thought at the world being swampted in cold rain. Why hadn’t shecome forward, attended the funeral, turned in the papers?

DEBUT

“Forever Yours, Anna,” Omni, July 1987.

VARIANTS

1 English variant

TRANSLATIONS

Translations to French, German

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

Circa AD 1970 to 1999: presumed time period

Time Travel Methods

Unexplained Time Travel Methods

Themes

Causal Loops: The letters lead Gordon to find and marry Anna in his present, which in turn leads to her later writing the letters that come back in time to him.

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

From Long Island, late 20th century ⋙ to some five years later. Multiple round trips. Note: It’s unclear how many times the scientist traveled or whether anyone else did, too.