Well, we can now say that it is the true and legitimate beginning of doing this women’s travel humor book for Travelers’ Tales. Sure there’s the contract, and all the research—the reading and rereading of story after story. The ones you liked. The ones you didn’t like. And most confusing of all, the ones that were well written, but you weren’t in the mood for that particular day.
40 minutes ago I handed the nice Eugene Fed-Ex lady a box of the first draft. 23 stories with sidebars, and a handful and a half of stories I just couldn’t say yes or no to. Travelers’ Tales will get it on Friday, and then begins the real meat of the publishing process.
The executive approval. The throwing in, and out, and back in again of stories. Then production will start building their files and databases. Permissions will start on the ones from the heavy hitting publishers. (Those can take 4+ months to clear). As soon as I got back from Fed-Ex there were already two more stories waiting in my inbox to be read and considered. Not today. With the heaviness of being two weeks late, even if I was never yelled at once, I’m resting.
So, is it going to be a good book? You better believe it. I can already feel that it’ll be even better with cartoons, so I’ve got to start rallying the troops for the final ok on those. James or Larry will read it first, maybe both at the same time. And I can’t wait to see which ones they laugh out loud to. From what I threw in for the 1st draft, I’d say 75% of them cracked me up good more than twice throughout the story.
Ok, I’m off to the showers. It’s hot and dry in the Sky Cube. You could easily say that I’m missing my fog right about now.
Ah, so its the ‘Sky Cube’ pretty slick. Anyway it may be hot but they do serve good wine and beer there. Good sandwiches too.
Nick