Well, dear readers, the new book has been put to bed, so to speak, and will be e-mailed to the publisher tomorrow in all its various and sundried components. It will probably take them a week to get it all into their system, but once it’s there I should see a galley within a couple of days, along with the cover proofs. Once that’s all approved, then they send me a soft and hardcover test book and once that’s approved, to the printer we go. So, I probably will start taking preorders for the book in about a month, maybe even a bit sooner depending on the progress report at the end of next week. We did the final two minor fixes (both problems of the program Grant works in – neither of us could figure out why it moved a line of text for no reason, but it was easy to fix in the two places it happened), then he worked on the back of the dust jacket, which after going back and forth, we decided to keep as simple as possible so the blurbs will be easy to read. I had to then write the flap copy, which Grant always edits for me and adds his own little touches. But, no more proofing other than making sure the galley didn’t introduce anything funky although that really isn’t possible, since we give them a pdf that cannot be altered in any way, save for them putting in the copyright information on the blank copyright page we leave. So, now I just wait until I’m sent something to approve, which will hopefully be sooner than later.
Prior to the book stuff, I’d had a pretty non-stop day of going and doing. I got eight hours of sleep with some really peculiar, wacky dreams. Once up, I played through my new song, finessed a bit, and then headed out for some breakfast of bacon and eggs and half a waffle. Just right. Then I began all my errands and whatnot, got my envelopes in the mail, picked up no packages and no mail, and then came home and did more work on the Gardenia show.
I needed a little break before going to Grant’s, so I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Pleasantville. I’d seen it when it came out and really didn’t like it. Thirteen years later, I liked it maybe a tiny bit better because the acting is certainly good, as are the effects, but there is something that I find really off-putting about the entire premise of the film – it has a kind of negative air about it and then it gets overly serious while still trying to have it all ways with low humor. The idea is certainly interesting, but it just doesn’t work, at least for me. The transfer was terrific, as was the sound. The score by Randy Newman is kind of what he was doing back then and it gets a little tiresome.
When I got home from the book work, then I began making CDRs and organizing the music for people to pick up today. I also did a mile and a half jog, since it was quite a warm evening. Alet actually came by after her show so that’s one down. We still remain one person short in our cast and if I can’t find a guy I’ll go with a fourth girl for this show – I don’t want to, but none of the suggestions thus far are really right for Strouse’s music. It’s a very particular kind of music and the Les Miz school of singing isn’t a good fit for it. There are times when I really wish I had my New York rep company available – these shows would be so easy to cast there – I’d just pick up the phone and five minutes later we’d have five of the best people in town. Here, it’s much more difficult, even though we’ve lucked out with some incredibly talented people.
I also watched about thirty minutes of a documentary about Harry Nilsson, but I could barely keep my eyes open, so I’ll finish it today at some point, more likely this evening.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must attend to my beauty sleep, which is sorely needed, as I currently look like I’m 108 years old.
Today, I’ll finish organizing music and then await singers to pick their material up. Then at two or shortly thereafter, I have a work session with the twelve-year-old – that will probably last about ninety minute to two hours, and then she, her family, and I will toddle off somewhere fun to dine. Then I have to start writing liner notes for two releases. I really need a day to do nothing, but I think I won’t get that day for some time to come.
Tomorrow, I have a lunch meeting, and finishing liner notes and whatever else needs to be done for the packaging of the two releases. And I’m sure the masters for both will arrive this week and need approving. I have several other meetings, I’m going to a Passover dinner on Tuesday night and an Easter dinner next Sunday. So, a very busy week.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, finish organizing music, give singers their material, have a work session, dine, write liner notes and try to finish the documentary I’m watching. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland for now that we’ve put the book to bed I must put me to bed.