So Many Thanks ….
Blog No. 44
So Many Thanks…
No authors write alone. Our thoughts, ideas, and words are drawn from the shared memories, experiences, and conversations with our friends over the course of many years. As we write, we reflect upon the suggestions given by our family and friends, from our fellow workers, soldiers, and acquaintances, and from those teachers and professors who have tried to drill knowledge, if not intelligence, into our souls.
The organizing, finishing, polishing, and publishing of a book in modern America require different, even more focused, efforts. It is a frighteningly tedious process which can be accomplished only with the help, guidance, and steadfast encouragement of an even more narrow group of professionals – book shepherds, editors, cover designers, brief writers and marketing experts, page layout designers, indexers, website designers, publishers, and distributors.
In the last year I have published two books, The Relevance of Reason – Business and Economics (June, 2013)and – Society and Culture (October, 2013). With humility and at time overwhelming self-doubt, these books were placed into the massive American market of Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and nearly a hundred other domestic and international, Internet-based marketers and amidst the thousands of independent bookstores and academic and public libraries.
Few authors are “welcomed.” To the contrary, publishing is a complicated, cold, and at times, almost hostile market. Books are absorbed or rejected amidst a mish-mash sea of competing forces, and each of one’s books has to fight for air, attention, and with luck, sunlight, review, and acceptance.
As of this anniversary I am pleased that my books are slowly receiving some acceptance and multiple national awards — with the last award announced two weeks ago at the American Library Association Convention in Las Vegas – in which my second book received the 3rd place Bronze Award amidst more than 1,500 entries and in competition with university presses. Thus, even without the benefit of a formal marketing team and campaign, even without the guidance, resources and connections of a major publishing house, even without the use of talented, but costly, publicists, even without the benefits of branding, advertising, and distribution experts, these first two books may be (finally) striking a cord.
I believe I could have done better. And in my future books I will try hard to do so. But, first, I wanted to again thank those many wonderful persons who helped me with these first two books. I could not have done it without you.
This brief open letter and posted blog is inadequate to fully express my appreciation, but I want to try.
For your time, guidance, shared wisdom, useful criticism, and unflinching encouragement my again repeated thanks to each of you:
Board of Editors:
Brigadier General (Ret) Dulaney O’Roark, Louisville, Kentucky;
Dr. Donna Ronzone, Santa Barbara, California;
Dr. Roger Acheatel, Escondido, California;
Mr. Keith Dawson, Corona del Mar, California;
Mr. Mark Adams, Irvine, California;
Ms. Martha Lange, Santa Barbara, California;
Mr. Michael Christian, Lake Forest, California, and Applegate Valley, Oregon;
Mr. Nick Honchariw, Tiburon, California;
Mr. Scott King, Medford, Oregon;
Mr. Scott Somers, Glendale, California; and
Mr. Wayne Bell, Sacramento, California.
Book Shepherd – Ms. Ellen Reid, Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara, California – I could not have done it without you.
Book Publishing – Summerland Publishing and Ms. Jolinda Pizzirani, Summerland, California – Quiet patience, thoughtful guidance, and always appreciated
Branding, Title Development, and Book Marketing Summaries – Mr. Laren Bright, Los Angeles, California – Wise and brilliant writing.
Cover Design – Mr. George Foster, Fairfield, Iowa – Artistic brilliance.
Book Structuring and Design and Page Layout – Mr. Ghislain Viau – Creative Publishing Book Designs – Sunland, California – Steady, extraordinarily talented, and indefatigable.
Editing – Ms. Gabriella West, San Francisco, California (Book 2), and Ms. Pamela Guerrieri, Durham, North Carolina (Book 1) – My deepest appreciation.
Indexing – Ms. Jen Burton, Columbia Indexing Group, Reno, Nevada – Uniquely skilled and talented.
Book Distribution And Order Fulfillment, Mr. Jerry Newton and Summerland Publishing, Santa Barbara, California – Kind, diligent and assuring.
Printing – Sheridan Publishers – Mary Heim and Paul Marcoux – Ann Arbor, Michigan – Experienced and so helpful.
Website Design and Maintenance – Mr. Jason Donaldson, Epic House, Oak View,California – Creative, skillful, attentive, and professional.
I also wish to specially thank:
The bookstore owners who have allowed me to hold book signings;
The civic organization officers who invited me to address their organizations;
Those readers who were so kind to write book reviews and the professional reviewers who included my books in their Reocmmended Reading Lists; and
All of those persons who bought my books and especially those readers who bought my books in sets of 5, 10, and even 20 books for distribution to their friends and associates or for presentation to their book clubs.
Lastly, thanks to my wonderful wife, Shawna, and my son, Brody, who each in their own way encouraged me to continue, who put up with my frustrations, and who allowed me the many months in my writing cave.
