[Morwen]

Yes - I do understand that a certain hardcore Tolkien following will resist any efforts to introduce new works in exactly the same spirit that we have seen evidenced here.

Yes - I do understand that there will always be a hard and firm difference which can never be changed or altered between what was written by JRRT and anyone else no matter how good or how bad.

Well I've never thought of myself as a hardcore Tolkien follower. Let me say this though - when you speak of efforts to resist the introduction of new tales this conveys the idea that the creation of new ME stories is simply a natural and logical progression. Speaking for myself, I don't see it that way. I see Middle Earth as Tolkien's creation, in the way that any author's writings are his/her creation. If there are "gaps" he never filled, then so be it. IMO I don't think that their existence is an argument for saying that someone must officially take up the task of telling those stories.

What I would like to see: ideally - some sort of effort every few years where writers across the world are asked to submit stories of Middle-earth to a group set up by the Estate and their official publishers. A vetting process could be employed to insure quality and historical accuracy within the canon of work that we have now. Rules could be laid down to tell writers they cannot change anything that Tolkien already has established within that world. Then a book published - perhaps every few years - of authorized Middle-earth stories which clearly state who wrote them and they are not the work of JRRT, Christopher or anyone else Tolkien. I think that would be the best compromise that we could see.

While you may understand that there is a hard and firm difference between the works of Tolkien and latter day efforts I'm not sure that others will maintain that distinction even if it is made clear that the later stories are not the work of Tolkien. It seems to me that if the Estate expressly authorises someone to write stories to "fill in the gaps" it will end up changing the way in which the existing material is read and how existing characters are perceived. And inevitably that alters the Legendarium. Just my view, but I don't see that as a good thing.