Well, dear readers, first things first – the galley and the dust jacket covers and the paperback cover all arrived yesterday morning, the fastest turnaround EVER – less than one day. Happily, Grant Geissman, the book’s designer, was here and we approved the galley immediately, and asked for one tiny change on the front flap copy – just enlarging the font size, actually. Everything looked great, and the fellow in production is always the most helpful and a joy to work with. He got the change made, sent it again, I approved everything, and the book is on its way to the printers as of today. I should have both soft and hardcover in about ten days – once I do, I place the book order for copies sold at Kritzerland, and I’ll book the signing at Mystery and Imagination Books. We’ve just put it up for preorder at Kritzerland. There are two options – a signed hardcover (signed by me) and a special limited edition of 50 copies that will have a tipped in sheet with the limitation number (each book numbered separately, of course), which will be signed by me, Grant, and the cover artist, James C. Mulligan. It’s something Grant suggested we do, just as kind of a fun thing for those who want to spend a little extra and I liked the idea. We’re all getting together next week to sign, so there will be no delay once the books arrive. Here is the direct link to the book on the Kritzerland site: http://kritzerland.com/red_gold_book.htm
That was a rather fun way to begin the day. Grant was here to figure out where to hang the original cover painting for the book, which is quite large. He found the perfect wall, just down from where the three Harvey Schmidt Kritzer cover paintings hang, so that’s fun to have all of that together. We moved two other paintings around, and he’ll be back on Friday to hang my two recent award things and to spackle a hole. Spackling a Hole – that’s the title of my next novel, whose content is too racy for a family site such as this. Once Grant was through, I moseyed on over to Foto-Kem, the lab where the Nudie Musical Blu and Ray was done. I visited with my pal Robert A. Harris. I am sworn to secrecy but all I can tell you is what I viewed was jaw-dropping. I shall say no more until I’m given the green light to say more. I was there about an hour and met some other nice folks.
After that, I moseyed on over to the mail place and picked up a few packages, then went and had lunch, which consisted of a cup of chicken corn chowder and a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich. Then I came home, and soon thereafter young Sami Staitman and mom Karen came by for a visit. I’d not heard hide nor hair from them since the Kritzerland show, so it was nice to visit and chat, and I gave Sami her Li’l Abner script and confirmed what she’d be doing in the April Kritzerland show. They left, and I immediately sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished the final three episodes of House of Cards season two. The first of them, episode eleven, went exactly where anyone with a brain knew it would go – it was a brief moment, not the shocker I think the producers thought it would be, and it was never brought up again in the final two episodes. Otherwise, I’m afraid the final episodes were diminishing returns – no surprises, with events that bordered on the preposterous (yes, I know that actual government IS preposterous, but this pushed it way too much and entered the territory of non-belief completely), and the season final ended just the way you knew it would. So, wrapping it up, season one had many more fun episodes and lots more variety. The season two opener was GREAT and the rest of the season came nowhere near that breathtaking fifty minutes.
After I finished, I then began watching the first fifteen minutes of the original UK version starring Ian Richardson. From frame one you can see the difference – the Brit show is much more droll (at least the first fifteen minutes) and it’s in now way in the dark, shadowy “style” of the US, which owes much to David Fincher. But it’s enjoyable and I’ll continue watching it at my leisure, in between catching up on other motion pictures piled up on my couch like so much fish.
Then we put the book up for preorder – our very own Doug Haverty got all that prepped very fast.
Today, I have a noon o’clock lunch meeting with Kay Cole, who’ll be choreographing Li’l Abner. I’ll give her a script and a copy of the DVD, which she wanted to see. We’ll discuss a few things about the production. Then Sandy and Lanny come over and we’ll play through some stuff and Lanny has had some arrangement ideas – I’m going to remain open-minded, but I also know that since this will be the only recording for most of the unrecorded stuff we’re doing, that I don’t want them too far afield from the way I conceived them. After that I’ll hopefully pick up some packages and then I’ll relax.
Friday, I have a bunch of stuff to do, and then I’m seeing a youth production of Bye Bye Birdie, which I’m looking forward to. I do get a kick out of seeing youngsters giving it their all – I find that energy so heartening and beautiful. Not sure what’s happening on Saturday or Saturday evening, but Sunday I’m going to see pal Lissa Levin’s play at the Colony Theater.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a lunch meeting, have a work session, hopefully pick up packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What comic books did you read when you were growing up? What was the first comic book you ever bought or read? And are there any comic books you still read? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I shall begin my new novel, Spackling a Hole.