Progress report on Gerard’s book
It’s coming along.
I finally seem to have gotten a handle on most – not all – of the formatting. I want to learn how to do it in case I decide to publish a book of my own someday. But first I have to finish this one. Even though I don’t have to actually write it, there’s been a ton to do, beginning with choosing the essays. At the moment, there are about forty-five of different lengths. Some are serious and some are funny, and I’ve tried to vary the order rather than having sections devoted to one type or the other. Another chore was getting rid of anything that might cause a copyright problem, and every single link. Because the essays were originally blog posts, that became a surprisingly formidable task.
Then of course there’s the usual copy editing, which is different for a book than a blog. Quite different, and much more nit-picky. I plan to issue a print book and also an ebook, and the print book is far more demanding for a host of technical reasons. Then of course there’s how to print it and with whom.
Last night I spent a lot of time on cover design. It’s possible to spend a lot of time on every single aspect of book publishing, I’ve discovered. I don’t want it to go on and on and on. I’d like to get the thing out in the next month, and have it be available for holiday gifts. But I know that Gerard, having had a background in book publishing and art, was very into how things look. But of course I’m on my own with all these decisions about fonts and colors and photos and all the rest.
The cover design templates are supposed to be intuitive but for me they’re really not. And although there are tutorials to supposedly teach you how to do it, there are so many and they’re so complicated that one could spend many hours spinning wheels watching the tutorials and still not understand how to do it. All the websites on the subject emphasize how important a book cover is for selling books, but I can’t imagine it would matter all that much for this one because the audience is almost certainly Gerard’s readers. I do plan to market it somewhat in order to try to expand its reach, but I doubt the book will be sitting on a table in a bookstore and needing a snazzy cover to attract passers-by.
Then again, who knows?
This photo is as far as I’ve gotten so far with some very very preliminary front cover ideas – haven’t tackled the back. This cover probably doesn’t contain any of the recommended elements, but I’m curious what you think. Of course, I could always hire someone to do the cover, and end up with something that looks like a science fiction novel and that wouldn’t necessarily help sell a single copy.
Anyway, here is one of my first efforts; I have more. Those of you who have read Gerard’s essay “The Name in the Stone” probably know what the photo represents, but I’m wondering whether those of you who haven’t read it and can tell or guess:
I haven’t read his essay. Looks like the Vietnam War Memorial in DC.
How about using the header from his blog?
https://americandigest.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/americandigest-mountainsTHIN.jpg
It is a beautiful photo and sentiment.
And if it does end up on a table in a bookstore, or elsewhere, I think it would appeal to people. I would pick it up.
Gringo:
It is a war memorial in NY’s Battery Park. Did you notice any of the names on it?
In the picture of the proposed cover, I see a memorial stone titled “Army” and a number of names, in alphabetical order, with “Van Der Leun, Gerard” clearly visible. A powerful image.
I’d buy that. But you know I’d buy it anyway: I really want to get to know him better.
Suggestion for title of book: “I had a Fortress Once in Paradise”
https://americandigest.org/?s=Paradise (blog 11/3/22)
Image on cover: Painting from “For my Father”, (or nature scene from Paradise)
https://americandigest.org/for-my-father/ (blog 6/19/22)
Something like this would “grab” me more than “the stone”, and I think is more comprehensive of his work overall. Just an idea.
Please just put a picture of you sneaking the ice cream out of his refrigerator. You need to be in the book
I agree wholeheartedly with Nancy Schreiber!
I recognized the cover photo, and having read “The Name in the Stone,” understood the reference, But the photo made me think of photos I have seen of Sumerian inscriptions in stone. That has something to do with my upbringing and will not occur to a single other person who sees it. But that’s my take on it. At the risk of offending, I would say that is not the best choice for his book’s cover.
Neo:
“I plan to issue a print book and also an ebook, and the print book is far more demanding for a host of technical reasons.”
I found the opposite for me. Then again, as I stated before I use a lot of footnoting which ebook HTML makes very cumbersome to do.
I like the cover layout.
I was today years old when I found out that there are people who haven’t read The Name in the Stone.
The image is fantastic and I’m familiar with the essay. I’m not fond of the white space in the upper left corner. You might consider cropping the photo differently. (If there is enough of the photo to the right and below I crop it that way such that there’s no white in the cover photo.)
I really like the soft focus of the photo. You can still read it, but it’s definitely the cover art, and it’s cover art that speaks to the title.
You might consider moving the main title down a bit — less “white space” between it and the subtitle. But you may have already tried that and not like the look. I’d right justify the “and other essays” so it lines up with the right edge of “THE NAME IN THE STONE.” And left justify the “And Other Essays” so it lines up with the left edge of the main title. It’s too trashed the way it is.
I’m not sure about the typography for the title. I do think a sans serif is a great choice (to juxtapose against the serif typeface of the photo.) It’s definitely in the right direction.
I followed Gerard since he lived in a house boat on Lake Union in Seattle and am looking forward to his book. Thank you Neo for doing this for us as I need the reminder of his wisdom.
Many thanks for your work on the book project. Count me in for the eBook and at least a couple of printed copies.
Speaking for myself, I consider “The Name in the Stone” the single best essay I have ever read on the Internet. Period. Full Stop. It’s a good title, compact and direct.
That said, I like VV’S title suggestion of “I Had a Fortress Once in Paradise” as it has an attractive bit of whimsy. What graphic would work for that might be more challenging.
Please do what you think best. You are no doubt the best person on the planet to be doing such a task.
neo:
Out of curiosity what software are you using for the book? I’m out of date.
I used OpenOffice (circa 2006) to design and create a book of my poetry. I was impressed by OpenOffice’s big ticket document processing features, which I recalled from FrameMaker, and went beyond what MS Word offered.
However, it was a real headache to get what I wanted. At times I couldn’t tell if I was up against my lack of understanding or real bugs in the app.
When you have it ready for purchase, send a promo to Sarah Hoyt.
Most of her readers would appreciate Gerard’s work, and some of them are also among the Salon here.
The “rules” can be found on any of her (usually) Sunday posts.
The white lettering is hard to read against the white background in the upper left corner.
I have read the essay and appreciate the sentiments expressed about it; having
the author’s name, as some will suppose, visible on the stone should intrigue browsing bibliophiles.
Neo,
You are a loyal friend.
And, to me at least, loyalty to friends is the highest of virtues.
They don’t always have to agree on … well … anything 😉 But they have to be there when things go bad and you need support.
It’s the main value I tried to instill in my children. Mostly by example of how I was, and am, with my best friends.
We may be living thousands of miles away but I know if I make a phone call I’ll always have a sympathetic ear and someone to give me the best advice they can. And, I hope, they feel the same way about me.
Thank you for helping out Gerard even though he isn’t physically here. It makes ME feel good. And it should make you feel wonderful.
huxley:
It’s called Atticus.
I hope to live long and well so someone will care so much about me. I would use swear words to describe how lucky he was in life and is in memory
I would only use certain words for emphasis
I’d suggest making the title larger, and spreading it over two or three lines, keeping the “and other essays” about the same size, and moving Gerard’s name down to the bottom – also making it a little larger in size.
I’m not certain about the background photo, though – I agree with Disguested, about using the header photo from the blog. My personal preference is for serif typeface for printed books.
I’ve been roughing out simple covers for various books with MS Publisher, and photo effects run through various Photoshop artistic filters.
Yes, and when the book is all ready to go, ask Sarah Hoyt for a link and promo.
I like Sgt. mom’s suggestions.
The Name
In the
Stone
Perhaps you don’t need the “by” before Gerard’s name.
Another idea is on the cover a have a blown up portion of the stone, and on the inside cover or one of the first pages the entire photo. Suggest also a larger font for The Name and Stone and bolder color for the title.
I’ll second AesopFan’s suggestion about sending to Sarah Hoyt, and you might get some tips on publishing from some of her older columns. She’s got lots of experience in the print and electronic mediums. (My apologies if this is a breach of protocol; her site is called AccordingtoHoyt.com, and I check the both of you daily.)
And, to me at least, loyalty to friends is the highest of virtues.
Tuvea:
OT… Loyalty to friends is a very high value for me too. However, I notice such loyalty has fallen straight off a cliff in the past few decades.
Yet this loss has largely passed unnoticed beyond occasional mentions of our “atomized” society.
Loyalty to family hasn’t done much better.
My reasons for suggesting “I had a Fortress Once in Paradise” are:
1. “The name in the stone” story, though unique and significant in later life to Gerard, is really about his cousin, not him. I envision the book as “getting to know Gerard”, and “that” story is only one of so many he told. Maybe it’s just my down state of mind right now, for various reasons, but in a bookstore (between the “stone” title and cover) the book would not even register with me. “Fortress” is intriguing: “what does that title mean? it seems to promise stories; I’m curious.”
It would also be a perfect entry into his life story, which is what his many followers wanted to know more and more about. The other chapters would not have to be in chronological order in his life, but would give the reader a basis for knowing who was speaking in the book.
2. As I said, I am “down” right now (and have been) and the “Fortress” title brings a lump to my throat. He started out as a free-range kid in wide open, free range America. (Like many of us, he may have been lucky to physically survive his unsupervised, possibly lone, roaming.) He had a good family, and “a fortress once in Paradise”. He had an enviable early career in Europe. He was “big time”, considering his roots in Paradise. Back in NYC, the dominoes of loss started to fall (not that he made no mistakes; who of us hasn’t?). Divorce, de facto separation from his child. 9/11 (huge). Moving west (loss of big bucks job). West coast major cities rapidly going insane. Living in CA (death by a thousand cuts). Paradise fire (huge loss). Death of his brother. Death of his mother. Financial problems. Health problems; loss of health. Finally, a death that enrages me because of the way it happened.
He “had a fortress once in Paradise”, and the same hopes and expectations we all had for a decent, happy life (if we put the effort in).
Most of us have not lost everything, as he did.
But we all love our country and grieve over all we have lost.
Márgarét, áre you gríeving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leáves like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! ás the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you wíll weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sórrow’s spríngs áre the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It ís the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.
–Gerard Manley Hopkins, 1844-1889
I have no “stake” in the final form of the book. Not on my list of “cares”.
Guess i just wanted to give my perspective.
Re: “I had a Fortress Once in Paradise”
Does anyone else hear this bell ring?
_________________________________________
I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills.
–Isak Dinesen, “Out of Africa”
_________________________________________
If nothing else, Gerard was well-read. And he knew from whence to steal.
neo,
I have far less experience on the topic than you and all who have commented here so I’ll just add that it is really wonderful what you are doing for Mr. Van der Leun and his memory. It is a lot of work, difficult work. Your consistent effort and dedication are impressive. I don’t know the Yiddish for the female equivalent, but you are a true mensch!
Thank you Ms Neo for giving so much of yourself to this project. Whatever cover you choose, the book will be greatly appreciated by many.
BTW, when I say “steal” with respect to Gerard, I mean:
________________________________________
Amateur poets borrow; mature poets steal.
T.S. Eliot.
________________________________________
Or more colloquially, “amateurs borrow, professionals steal.” I’m sure Gerard knew both. He was a poet and a professional.
huxley:
Yes, Gerard used to tease me by saying, “That’s what I love about you; you get my attributions.”
huxley:
And don’t forget this: