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| Sunrise over Detroit Harbor following night of heavy rain. |
No excuses for no blogs. Just been away awhile.
Lots of activities to wrap up our Washington Island summer after our two-week trip to England (which I may report on in an upcoming blog). There was the Death's Door BBQ, several days of very heavy rain (several reports of 7 inches falling one day), the Labor Day holiday weekend, and for me, days working on the Karfi and driving the Cherry Train. With temperatures in the lower 50s Labor Day Monday morning, it feels good to catch up on a backlog of items at home.
An important milestone was reached in the progress of my book, Thordarson and Rock Island. I'm now expecting a delivery date of Friday, September 13.
Two days before boarding a plane to begin our trip to England, I passed the last of the edits to Amy Jorgenson. Amy then made final changes and sent the files to Worzalla, the printer in Stevens Point.
We had been through many edits in the previous four months, with the help of five volunteer readers. By the time I boarded the plane Sunday, August 4, I held that any remaining mistakes would have to be overlooked by myself and readers. Then, from England I continued to email both Amy and the printer, and the 4-color cover was approved. However, final text and photo page approval awaited when I came home. Those I elected to thumb through, more for formality and as a requirement by the printer in order to keep the project moving, knowing that any changes at that point would only cost more and add to the delay in printing.
So, September 13 is now the date I'm counting on to receive my books, and with some confidence this is a done deal, I'm happily taking orders now on my new website: www.RichardPurinton.com You may wish to visit that site if for no other reason than to read more about the process of finishing and publishing this book.
With editing finally in the past, sales and promotion have taken priority.
First time event: Washington Island Literary Festival October 5 & 6
As it happens, my new book and a new Island event will coincide. The Washington Island Literary Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 5 & 6. This event will center at the Trueblood Performing Arts Center on Washington Island, with additional activities at the Historic Island Dairy Saturday evening, and a trip to the Thordarson Boat House on Rock Island Sunday morning, weather permitting.
An Island Literary Festival was the idea of Helene Meyer's, honoring her late husband, Gene Meyer. Helene enlisted the help of Betsy Wallman, who in turn named a committee of six other persons. I believe that our first meeting was in mid-July. Tremendous progress was made since then in planning the program and obtaining presenters, given the comparatively late start date.
This Literary Festival emphasizes Wisconsin writers and their literature, and it's designed to give readers - the audience - the opportunity to meet and hear a range of authors with strong Wisconsin roots, and who may also write about Wisconsin. Below is a poster developed by committee member Mari Anderson for this occasion. I'm proud to be among those writers asked to be a presenter. Timing of the publication of my new book is such that I anticipate receiving it in the next two weeks, in time for an event in the Thordarson Boat House Sunday morning, October 6th. There, in the great hall of the structure most often associated with Thordarson and Rock Island, I'll read and talk about Thordarson.
The Washington Island Literary Festival Registration is being taken now, and you can sign up via the Trueblood Performing Arts Center website. Cost is $75 per person. You'll meet writers who include well-known former Wisconsin Public Radio host Jean Feraca, who is also an author. Jean will also chair a panel discussion. Listeners of WPR's Chapter-a-day will also recognize the voice of Norman Gilliland who will speak Sunday afternoon. Norman will have a new novel out this October. Former Wisconsin Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen will read Saturday evening after dinner, and he'll also lead an open-mic, joined by other poets - including Ralph Murre and Sharon Auberle of Baileys Harbor who recently co-published a new book of poetry. Ralph and Sharon will also read in the Thordarson Boat House Sunday morning.
Besides admission to the presentations by writers, your registration will include dinner at the Island Dairy Saturday evening, early morning coffee and pastry, break refreshments, and the Sunday morning ferry ride to Rock Island State Park aboard the Karfi. For anyone who enjoys literature, especially authors and books with a Wisconsin flavor, you will want to send in your registration soon. (The registration fee jumps to $90 after 9/15/13.)
This blog doesn't begin to catch up on old news, but it's a start. I hope to see many of you at the Island Literary Festival. It should be a fun and rewarding experience.
- Dick Purinton
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