What About Those Books, Then?

People keep asking me this. (Hey, it's nice that they're impatient.) 

Examining the hard copy printer's proofs resulted in some changes and improvements. It has taken time to get everything right. The two poetry books are done; I am still waiting on the final printing of the memoir, which is under way.

Meanwhile, the date of the 'Voice' referendum here in Australia has been announced as October 14th – when I was thinking of doing a Zoom launch for interested parties who don't live close enough to me to attend in person. 

I've decide it would be insane to have a launch on the same date as such a major national event. Instead I'm going to start with the in-person local launch on November 12th (my 84th birthday). So there is not quite such a big hurry to get the physical volumes into all our hot little hands.

Will I have a Zoom launch at all? I'm not sure at this point, but if I do it will be some time before Christmas. Maybe advance orders will be enough. Or perhaps I'll get the live launch videoed so it's available forever.

I'm starting to plan things like where to send review copies, who to invite to the launch (partly influenced by how many the space can hold) and who I'll ask to read poems on that occasion on behalf of interstate poets who can't attend. (While two of the books are all poetry, even the memoir contains some poems, not all mine.)

My wonderful local friend, brilliant poet Sarah Temporal, has kindly agreed to do the official launching, i.e. the speechifying to open the proceedings. Another dear friend offered, unasked, to help with refreshments.

I sometimes feel that I'm in a sort of limbo, but really everything is moving forward, just somewhat invisibly for now.

The Printer’s Proofs Have Arrived!

My excitement levels are almost unbearable! 

But then I put that aside, to get on with the job of checking the manuscripts for the final time. 

Already I discover why hard copy proofs are so necessary – there’s a layout problem with one volume. I hadn’t realised until I saw it ‘in the flesh,’ so to speak, instead of scrolling down onscreen.

A lesson in trust

Initially I forgot to ask the printer to supply proofs before going ahead! It’s so long since I was involved in the production of a physical book, not just ebooks. That hiccup made me wonder if something had suddenly gone wrong with the serendipity with which this project has so far been blessed. (What? Did the Universe not support it after all?)

Oh, me of little faith! The printer had only got as far as doing the covers when I realised and called a halt – and the covers are lovely. Whew!

Then, the resulting delay actually worked to my advantage. 

I’d invited my stepdaughter to visit, to help me (finally!) go through her late father’s papers. I’d been putting that off too long. She came to stay for a few days this week, we got the job done, and in the course of it we found among his papers some of mine – including a great photo of me at the time of the Pentridge poetry workshops which my memoir is all about. I’d forgotten I had it. 

In fact, I put out a call a little while ago, to old friends and colleagues, to see if anyone had snaps of me from that era. Seems they’re quite rare! But one friend sent me a couple from only a few years later, and I chose one of those for the book. The photo my stepdaughter and I came across is very much better, and from the right time. 

If I hadn’t caused a delay to the printing by being belated in requesting proofs, and if Cecilia hadn’t come to help me with her father's papers this particular week, just before the proofs arrived, I’d never have found that photo in time to insert it into the book in place of the other.

Serendipity is still happening!

Note: Yes, printer’s proof copies usually come bound, but this printer’s binding machine was damaged in the last of the severe floods we've had here in recent years, so at present she sends the binding out to a colleague. It's not essential at this stage, and would be an extra cost and more delay.