Never again. No more. Two books will be enough for me for this lifetime.
Sure, I say it now, given out, wasted, morning-sick of being burdened with this thing not quite fully formed, so ready to have it done and over with.
We’ll see. I’m very very close to having this one out of my hands at least for a few weeks while it goes to print. We are into final edits, the contract and a check for half goes off in today’s mail if the printer in Michigan gets me the form in time.
There are more than 50 images in this book, folks–you’ve seen most or all of them at one time or another, and I’m realizing that this is another “blook”–a book whose words and pixels first met readers right here, though the book is more polished than a typical morning fragment.
I might be wrong, but I think that the pride and satifisaction I will feel holding this book in my hand for the first time (hopefully still in early May) will surpass that of meeting Slow Road Home for the first time exactly three years earlier.
I can’t imagine doing this again. But then, we have another child after the anguish, inconvenience and pain of the last one have passed, don’t we. Books, like children, are born of some odd (pro)creative imperative that is bigger than us. Or a kind of temporary insanity mediated by hormones, coffee and boredom. I dunno.
Say, Fred…..I took anatomy, but I don’t recall learning where the book tubes are located. Can you enlighten me? LOL
IT’S OK IF WE HAVE SEEN THOSE IMAGES IN PREVIOUS FRAGMENTS…….THE BOOK, AS THE FIRST BOOK, WILL BE SOMETHING WE CAN READ, PLACE ON A SHELF, AND THEN GO BACK AND REREAD, OR LOOK AT THE IMAGES TIME AND TIME AGAIN. TWO BOOKS, FROM AN AUTHOR THAT LOVES NATURE, THE EARTH, AS WE THE READERS DO, MEANS SO MUCH TO THOSE OF US WHO FOLLOW YOU FROM FRAGMENT TO FRAGMENT. THE STORIES ARE ALSO A PART OF US, THE HUMANITY STORIES THAT YOU PUT OUT, GIVE US MEANING.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO FEEL PRIDE AND SATISFACTION.
MARK
I don’t think you’ll be able to stay away from the publishing process. Writers are gluttons for punishment–how else would we keep going?
I’ve accepted my offer at Hollins for the fall, so I’ll have to come over to Floyd and see what all the fuss I’ve been reading about on here for over two years is all about.
Good luck with the final edits!
I certainly hope that the pains and hassle “birthing” this new book will recede with time, and that you consider doing more books in the future. Even a compilation of “the best of Fred First’s posts” would be welcome, perhaps as an ebook.
And as far as the new book’s having photos we’ve seen before, I never tire of seeing your beautiful photographs. Unless I’ve missed it, I’d like to see links to your SmugMug and other galleries of your photos on this page.
Hang in there! The end is in sight!
Oh, Fred, does it really matter that we’ve seen the photos before? Part of the ritual of reading each Frag post is to run up and down the side bar several times looking AGAIN at Parkway, Back Roads and Autumn….and which banner will he be using today? The photos are like living things.
Hang in there friend!
You sound like someone who’s just spent a couple of days in labor and delivery, a little delirious, proud, sad, overwhelmed and pleased. Everyone says “never again” at that point but…..we’ll see.
I speak from experience when I say that – as a male – having your tubes UN-tied is a much more painful experience than having them tied to begin with 🙂 Hopefully the same is not true when it comes to producing literature!