the book has a team

I love gathering teams to make things happen.

My current major project is editing a book of columns by Martha Morgan, an octogenarian woman whose quirky, witty reflections on growing older appear every week on page 2 of our newspaper, the Last Mountain Times. You can read her some of her columns here:

http://www.canstarnews.com/page/story/1/194

http://www.canstarnews.com/page/story/1/81

http://www.canstarnews.com/page/story/1/752

When I first started working at the newspaper, I was quite taken with Martha's column and wondered aloud if anyone had published a collection of her articles. Eventually I contacted her myself and learned that she had self-published in 2003, that the 1000 books she had printed sold well, that she has run out of those books, and that requests for more coming in every so often. Even so, she was not interested in doing that again. So I asked if we could do it. She was interested, so I wrote a proposal* and pitched it to the newspaper publishers, Lance and Vicki Cornwell. We decided to move ahead with it, so Martha and I started talking about practical details.

Last week I had an epiphany: the book has a team!

• Martha the author, of course.
• Me,the project editor.
• Lance and Vicki, the publishers.
• Travis Williams, the graphic designer, who is contributing two fonts. (I'll write about this later.)
• Copy editors: Carla Hoffman (Caronport), Roberta Orban (Last Mountain Times staff), and possibly one other.
• Proofreader: Heather Nickel (Your Nickel's Worth publishing).
• Printer: Friesens of Altona, MB.
• Printer rep: Donovan Bergman (he has been most patient and diligent in following up on my possibilities over the past months)
• Dr. Lynda Haverstock has agreed to write the foreword! I just received word yesterday; she considers it as heritage-related. Dr. Haverstock spent six years as Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan and currently serves as President/CEO of Tourism Saskatchewan.

Last fall I thought it would be lovely to have this graceful and influential woman do the foreword, but immediately doubted that she would pay attention to "my" project. So I let it go, until an LMVBA meeting in December where I learned that Dr. Haverstock would be coming to make a presentation in Strasbourg and I could have supper with her! Well, I could at least try to pitch it to her! So I prepared a request package and gave it to her after her presentation. Martha Morgan's friend Shirley is personally acquainted with Dr. Haverstock, so last week Shirley phoned to follow-up for us and Lynda said she would be "delighted" to do it.

Other people on the team will include ...

• All the people who will pray.
• Everyone who tests the font and other design features.
• Aunt Linda if she organizes a spin-off bus tour for seniors!
• All the newspapers who publish Martha's column and will promote the book.
• All the people who will BUY the book and read it and/or give it as a gift.
  

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*Last May I bought How to Write a Book Proposal at Write!Saskatoon. This was some of the best money I have ever spent, guiding me in two successful book proposals and instructing me in planning for other book and CD projects.

teaching songwriting in May

On May 8^th, I’ll be teaching a songwriting workshop at Write! Saskatoon. Please come!

 

Last summer I taught some writing workshops for teens at Arlington Beach Camp, including a couple of sessions on songwriting. So much fun.

 

During the Minus 40 Tour, Dara Hallett and I taught a worship and songwriting workshop in Weyburn. We loved the experience.

 

In the past 6 months I feel like my songwriting creativity has been awakened again after a few years of significant dormancy. Everywhere I go I listen for lyrical phrases and musical ideas and think, “That could be a song. Oh, that could be a song. Mmmm, that could be a song.” Where other people write prose, I see poetry and lyrics. There is absolutely not enough time to write down and/or record all the verse, melody, and harmony that I see and hear!

 

I’ve especially been happy to discover the joy and richness of collaboration. It’s a privilege to be able to share some of what I’ve learned with other songwriters.

creating moments

I’ve been reading Tom Jackson’s blog on giving concerts, and have been impressed by his advice that more than the songs, what a concert should do is create moments.

Yesterday I sang at a 65^th Anniversary sing-along at William Albert Home in White City (just south of Regina). Approximately 30 residents plus a handful of friends and family gathered in a meeting room (which felt like a ballroom!) for the party. I sang oldies and often they would sing along. We had many “moments” together and I loved it.