The version Stepney relays after personally listening to the interview is a lot more neutral; not that he “will never write again,” but simply that he’s not writing fiction anymore, since he’s now a journalist. She also notes that, as of 1984, he was still involved in fandom, and based on her recounting, he generally seemed pretty amiable about the situation, even offering to help find the missing last page. 35/
(Link: Susan Stepney's website: https://www-users.york.ac.uk/~ss44/sf/eyeargon/argnmail.htm)