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For some time now, I've been using my personal blog page (www.wdlittle.blogspot.com) to keep everyone posted on the progress of Mexican Bowl Fishing. However, since I use that blog mainly for the posting of short stories and rants about my misfortunes, the book progress was getting somewhat lost in the mix. I've decided that, since Authorhouse was nice enough to set this site up for me, I'll use this site to post book updates and the blogspot site for regular, everyday fun. So, in keeping with the spirit of that decision ...
The manuscript is finally done and has made it through the copy editing phase with surprisingly few corrections. In telling people about that, I have to laugh. They actually beleive that I'm simply talented and have therefore produced a clean first draft manuscript. The truth, of course, is that I get into heated arguments with the auto-correct feature in Microsoft Word. I'll write a sentence, only to see it turn green. This unfortunately upsets the perfectionist within me and I stop what I'm writing to go back and decide how to correct my last line. Obviously it is hard to keep a flow going when you are constantly correcting along the way. Somehow, I've managed.
The submission to Authorhouse was made late last night and I think everything looked pretty good. I've got a consultation meeting, (phone conference, thank God), with the design team coming up sometime next week where we'll be discussing the overall project as well as cover design, etc. I guess that's the next step.
I was also excited to receive back a review already, this coming from V-Twin News Editor, Robin Hartfiel. I'll save the review for the book cover, (although its also posted on this site somewhere), but it's a good one. He enjoyed the book and in fact, read the entire manuscript in one sitting. He's the second person involved with the project that has done that, so I feel pretty good.
I'll post something more as soon as I get through next week's design meeting. That should also provide me with a better idea of the actual release date, but we're still tentative on an early-August release.
Assuming that we can make that date, I already have plans for an open (open to the public) release party, probably hosted at my motorcycle dealership outside of Sullivan, Missouri. I plan to host that event myself and personally sign each of the books purchased that night. I've also got an offer to do a signing on August 8th at the annual Ronald McDonald House Charities Kid's N Clay's Auction in St. Louis. This is a program that we donate a four-wheeler to every year for their raffles, (we've raised over $50,000 for the charity to date), and committee chairman Phil Brown has offered a table for a book signing at that event if we're ready. I'm really hoping that we can get it together in time!
More as I know it ...
All the best,
WDL |