A Book Is Born

With some word magic (and I always maintain that besides magic, birthing words and getting them to grown into a breathing body takes hard work), we morphed the experience into text. To make the text look booky, we constructed a primitive mock-up by easing the words and photos onto paper with scissors and tape. That done, we talked about what to do next. In fact, we talked and talked and talked. We jumped ahead of ourselves-what to do about arwork, printing and publishing-and behind ourselves by making lots of panicky phone calls to each other second guessing little decisions we'd already made.

Suddenly it was time for the hand of an expert. No question about it, we'd go to my sister-in-law, a successful grapic artist with an at-home business. We felt comfortable and safe having her help us. She contacted the artist, someone SHE felt good about. We let go of our little mock-up

which was difficult and began to allow the book to come to life in the hands of visual experts.

I formed my own business, a publishing business naming it with our mother's maiden name. AND I started sinking some money into the venture. Gulp. No looking back; this adventure was now compelled to seek its own level and I had to be willing to pay for it.

The big day arrived. Sister and I along with my husband Pat went to his sister Sue's house to view the prototype. Jean Germano, the artist, and Sue had finished the artistic part and it was time for us to see the result. The trip in the car seemed very much like the time I was headed to the hospital to give birth to my first child. I am not kidding. The same tight cramps in my gut were there. The same attempt to lose myself in conversation or radio music was there. The same focus on Lamaze breathing was there. What if we didn't like the presentation? How then to avoid an awkward family situation? I could just hear my mother, "Never do business with family members." I really wanted her to be wrong this time.

Sue was casual about our arrival. Why wasn't she dressed up? Where were the party platters of fancy food? No exciting music in the background? Had the rest of her family actually gone off to work and school? We tripped over Kirby the dog as we always did and Sue courteously escorted us into the living area. Then she and Pat began to talk about her PLANTS. I couldn't believe it. I kept sneaking side glances at my sister to measure if her excitement level equalled mine and I noticed that she was watching Sue's hands just the way I was. We were both waiting, waiting and watching for those hands to pick up whatever it was that we'd given birth to.

Finally her hands picked up a folder which began to glide in front of her in slow motion and open in what seemed like many exaggerated minutes. And there was our book. It almost had a halo around it. The cover was done in the best nature sort of green I could imagine and the photo of the baby owl shone as if in 3-D. The text inside was presented in background paper of another subtle and perfect green with the words glimmering quietly and professionally. The photos were appropriately placed and Jean Germano's art work gave just the right sort of visual excitement to the storm and to Sister's early morning wake-up to see the owls. The last words and the back cover ended the book in a satisfying

and tasteful manner.

We had more work ahead with proofing and maybe some changing but at this point we were content with the outcome. We even got to take the prototype home for a time in order to give it our full attention. What a pleasure.

The book will roll off the press next Monday!