Echoes

I had this funny notion that it would be, if not easy, simpler to put together a book that already had all the content. Where the only thing lacking was the layout. Not true! Designing the cover, artwork, layout – both the text and graphics – for Echoes took over a year. Each time we thought we had the final copy, something else would jump out at us that needed to be fixed immediately.

Fonts came and went as different people looked over my book, and gave insight on what wasn’t as easy to read on printed paper as it had been on the computer. Art was edited, edited, and edited some more. A less expensive (for customers) black & white issue was designed and then dropped when it failed to look good in print. Proof copies arrived — to be flipped through, discarded, picked-up again a week later with fresher eyes . . . and then handed off to someone else hoping they wouldn’t find any more changes. But there was always one more.

We finally decided that the proof copy received in February 2012 was it. I’d make the last set of changes and release it for publication. If nothing else, I simply cannot afford any more proof copies! (I’m paying what you’re paying, and it is unlikely that you’ll buy as many copies of Echoes as I have!)

One of the things that really made me decide, “This is it!” was reading a book from one of my favorite authors and finding not one but several typos. And it proved to me that no matter how many times we edit Echoes, no matter how many sets of eyes look at it, something will be missed.  Perhaps I’ll reissue a second edition somewhere down the road if it really comes to that, but for now, I am happy (and relieved) to say that Echoes should finally be sent for release sometime in March 2012.

Phew!

On to the next one. . .