All the print that's fit for news

Hello!

Welcome to the latest edition of the Saturday update, hot off the presses of my only somewhat-credible brain.

After what must have seemed like two years of torpor, things are moving and moving fast. In actuality, I've been working fairly diligently all along. It's just that some phases were interesting and engaging (both to work on and to share) and some were pretty comparable to re-runs of "Empty Nest"; you'd watch it, but only if there were absolutely nothing else on. And even then you'd only be half-watching while you looked around the room for something better, like a Highlights magazine word search.

For instance, the search for agents and publishers has been about as interesting as a brochure on congressional bylaws. After a sending out a whole heap of cordial letters in an attempt to find one or both and getting rejected or ignored, I've pretty much thrown in the towel on the traditional route. It turns out that Saturday isn't a traditional book and is, as such, unattractive to traditional publishers.

Which brings us to Item No. 1:  I've signed a contract with a company to print Saturday on my own. It's official. They're a company with reputation for creating high-quality, beautiful books and I'm excited to have them working on Saturday.

Item no. 2: What's that other part of the process that has about as much sex appeal as a hair-clogged drain? Editing. Trust me, I know how boring it probably is to read that I'm still editing. It's important, of course, but sometimes "Empty Nest" reruns sound engaging in comparison. Well, good news: I have to have all the editing done by August 1st. Yeah, the one coming up in the not-too-distant-future. Meaning that's the point where edits, talking about edits and thinking about edits stops.

Item No. 3: I gave that printing company with the good reputation all the moneys I had up front. It was a fairly painful process considering that I buy off-brand ketchup. But it turns out they still need more of the moneys. So I'll be running a new Kickstarter campaign to pay for the other half. I'll probably be kicking off the campaign in early July. It will be for quite a bit less than the first one. If it doesn't work, I have a backup plan that involves selling one of my lesser-used organs.

The new Kickstarter campaign will actually let you get your hands on the book. It will also let me actually get my hands on the book. Which is pretty exciting. After feeling like the process has been out of my hands for some time (what with the cordial letter campaign and all), it's nice to have some agency back.

 This whole process has been a pretty interesting one. And not "interesting" like detached scientist looking at cells under a microscope interesting. "Interesting" like you've just gotten back to your car after being chased down by a herd of angry, rabid vampire llamas and the car won't turn over interesting.

So, just to recap: In between now and you having a copy of Saturday in your hands for your very own are:

1.) Me, feverishly working to finish the edits before August 1st.
2.) A Kickstarter campaign to pay for the second half of the printing so they don't take my thumbs.
3.) 2-3 months for printing and shipping after I have the edits done.

Not too bad, really. But I'll need your help to make it happen. And if we can make it happen, I hereby solemnly swear never to talk to you about editing again.

That having been said, here are some edits:

And, regardless of what happens, thanks for sticking with me for so long.

Cheers.