Phew! The first wave of intense publishing activity has ebbed – and I’m still standing. Thanks to all of you for your support this far.
The big news is that we’ve got a book cover designed and agreed. I’ll post it on the website as soon as I have image to share. For now, I can tell you that it uses as its base the photograph of the millworkers that’s already on my website.
Thanks to Bill Allerton at Cybermouse for his ingenious design which he generously gifted to me and to the Troubador in-house designer who tweaked that and set it is as a book cover ready to go. The design is for front, spine and back and the cover will be in a matt laminate finish.
Can you get a sense of how delighted I am with it?
The other news is that I sent the the first proofread manuscript back to Troubador on Monday by special delivery to arrive midday Tuesday – and I’ve just been emailed the corrected version this morning. I know I mentioned it in last blog, but I want to say a big thanks to Jan Vallance and Denis Green for proofreading the manuscript in a tight space of time. I couldn’t have done it without you!
And I could not have done it if Denis hadn’t been willing to take the manuscript with us on a week’s holiday to Pembrokeshire to continue the proofread. The photographs above are of Bosherston Lakes and the water lilies growing underwater all set to bloom across the lakes in June. So we did have time for good outings as well as work.
There was a final little drama on Monday afternoon. Denis and I were double checking some of the pages on the kitchen table. I had just made and set down a mug of tea carefully at my corner. I reached over to take the page from Denis – and knocked over the mug. A flurry of activity ensued to whisk the pages off the table on to a dry worktop and mop and dry them using towels and then hairdryer. Thankfully, although stained at the edges, all proof marks were clear.
Embarrassed though I was to include a clump of such pages within the otherwise pristine manuscript, my overwhelming feeling was to get the blooming thing posted and out of my hair. Right then I just needed shot of it!
Well done Mary, and Denis and Jan!
Must share a quick story: At age 12 I fell off my bike, came into the kitchen bleeding from several scrapes. My mother was sitting at the kitchen table proofing her manuscript. She looked up as I came in the room; looked horrified – which frightened me into thinking my face was badly damaged – until she stood and threw herself across the table, saying, “For god’s sake, don’t bleed on the manuscript!”
Hi Hope,
That’s a good story. And I can appreciate how writing and proofreading runs in the family.
Thanks for your comments. Your interest is very supportive.
Mary
Mary, sounds a gigantic task & think the spillage encouraged the manuscript on its way. Well done one and all.
Thanks for your continuing comments and encouragement, Elizabeth.
Much appreciated. Mary
Lovely to have this update, Mary (and thanks for the mention!)
Delighted to hear of the progress.
Thanks Jan. I’m still standing! See you Friday. Mary