You may have wondered how we got a top notched writer to make a 20 month commitment to write two editions of this book. Believe it or not, it started on craigslist, then a friend telling a friend about something they saw there, and soon Linda and I were meeting to hash out plans for the book. Its very much like what happens on Pilot Butte all the time and so we know this thing is going to be great. Come to think of it, the story about how this book came into being probably should be in the book. Let me give you a teaser just in case it does--it all started with another writer named Dusti Arab! (real name btw)
So there we were, two professionals who had never done anything quite like this and we needed to figure out how. It may be a bit easier for Linda because even though this will be her first published book, she has been a professional writer for more than a decade. Me, on the other hand, I have written books that were published, but I've never been a book publisher. So there is this learning curve for everyone involved. Beyond that, this arrangement isn't easy to formalize into a contract. Part of the problem is PBSS has no money for this. But a bigger part of the problem is that there are no boiler plate contracts we can find for this type of arrangement. We need to have a special contract drawn up for us and, again, with no money for that, there are obstacles.
All of that is going better-than-smooth because of a concept we came up with: "Its All About The Book." You see, one of the greatest tragedies than can befall any work of art is that it one day finds itself in a place where no one can enjoy it. No writer ever wants that to happen and, sadly, many publishers are only concerned about the financial bottom line. This concept has organized our thinking and made it possible for us to come up with what we are now calling "The Public Handshake."
Let me be clear, the initial handshake between Linda and I took place over a month ago. I'm fond of saying that a good lawyer can always find a loophole in a contract, but their are no loopholes when it comes to integrity. Under that mandate, Linda and I shook hands and agreed to do everything possible to make this book happen and be the success we know it will be. Then we set forth to make plans for the book, the needed legal agreement, and everything else. Like I say, all of that is going well.
This blog serves a lot of purposes. The main purpose is to keep everyone informed about what is happening and to create a buzz about the book long before it is published. That's important because the book lives and breathes by the quality of the Butte Stories we find. But this is also the place where our handshake is made public. As you read about the book's progress, it is almost as if Linda and PBSS are shaking hands over and over again telling everyone that, one way or another, we will be getting this book done so that everyone who loves Pilot Butte can enjoy it. In the end, it is all about the book and the people who will read it. As long as we keep that in mind, everything will turn out great.
One benefit for me is I get to read the stories before you do. All I can say is this thing is better than I ever imagined. The story called "Commando Rambo" is worth the price of the book all by itself.
