Building the book

I received a sample layout from my publisher yesterday and like the look, the font and type size. Made a couple suggestions and sent back the PDF.

The process is becoming exciting and I'm eager to see the cover. Also awaiting a map from the artist, which should arrive Sunday. Should receive a call today from a historical society person confirming the correct name of Watkins Glen in 1848. Wikipedia says "Jefferson," but I've been cautioned not to completely trust Wikipedia. Don't know if that's warranted or not.

After the book is flowed, I'll have one more intense reading of the "first pass pages." Don't expect many changes/corrections. Hope to have a copy in my hands--and many other hands--by Christmas. That's what I want from Santa.

Check out Coastal Gardening

Spent some time at the Carolina Beach marina pulling weeds and plotting where to plant the pansies and violas that'll take us through the fall and winter.

My other blog, Coastal Gardening, is fun to write and quite informative. Basically, I'm experimenting with my own property, transforming a weedy, sandy front yard into beds of drought-tolerant, native plants.

If you have experiences to offer regarding gardening in coastal areas, please share them. You'll find the link under Interesting Links on the right side of this page.

An absolutely text book hatch

It's been just over a month since 95 baby sea turtles made their way into the surf at Carolina Beach from a nest nurtured by Island Women. I wonder how many are still swimming. It's discouraging to know only one in 5,000 turtles makes it to adulthood and returns to nest on the same beach where it hatched decades earlier.

But these babies were strong. They boiled out of the nest about an hour after I and another volunteer got there, saw the depression and began calling volunteers who were supposed to begin sitting the nest that evening, Sept. 11.

What a sight! Those little turtles, about the size of a quarter, got a whiff of sea water, saw the shining red-light lantern leading them to the ocean and off they went! Thrilling! And an experience I'll never forget.

A Shocking & Unnatural Incident

I've been working on this book since the winter of 1991. The first manuscript I sent to potential publishers was nothing like the final product I sent to Dog Ear Publishing--17 years later. No wonder none of them wanted it. But THIS manuscript is good. Very good. I'm proud of it.

The story features three young girls whose lives reflect the three issues leading up to the First Woman's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY in 1848: temperance, abolition and women's rights.

So, Tess is the daughter of a drunken handyman; Beany the daughter of a runaway slave; Lucy the daughter of a wealthy abolitionist attorney. Once my Web site's up, I'll link to it and you can learn more about the girls and their adventures and traumas.

In the meantime I'm reading Brian Jud's Beyond the Bookstore, learning everything there is to know about marketing.

The book's on its way

It's been a long wait, and we'll have to wait a little bit longer, but my first book, A Shocking & Unnatural Incident, is at Dog Ear Publishing. With some luck, it'll be off the press before Christmas.

I've been attending seminars on guerilla marketing, self-publishing and maximizing my Web site with search marketing and pay-per-click. There's much to learn and I'm encouraged by so many authors and publishers willing to share their knowledge and expertise.

Sometimes I get frightened (like right now) by all the work that needs to be done. The desperate need to think outside the box and find alternative venues to sell books. They say the easy part is writing the book. The hard part is selling it.

Comments? Experiences?

First day on the job

It's time. After months of wondering about the value of hosting my own blog, I've done it. Signed up. Picked the title. Picked the template. Now I'll see just how easy it is.

For starters, it's exciting! An opportunity to talk to the world. Learn. Share. Contribute.

I hope the kayakers, gardeners, sea turtle saviors and, of course, fellow authors will drop me a paragraph or two.

Talk to you soon.