This is where the edits slow down. We have a doc that’s formatted mostly correctly, and most of the automatic edits have been done; so now I have to read it. Actually, now I get to read it! It’s wonderful. It’s going to be a fantastic book. And I’m proud to be part of it! But while I read, here are some things I have to do besides just fixing typos and tenses.

1. Add pictures – I format them all to the same size, centered, filling the page. I know, that’s not how they’ll be in the print book, but it gives me a way to get started with the e-book.
2. Some pictures are clip-art – a definite no-no. We can’t afford the fees. (Thank you Joe for confirming this!) So now I send an email out requesting more pictures to fit various themes.
3. Of course, I may end up with something too big to upload to kindle. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
4. Meanwhile, there are permissions to be found – can’t re-use someone else’s picture without permission; can’t feature anybody’s face without permission; can’t feature art-work without permission (so none of my pictures from Chatsworth House made the cut); can’t …
5. And there’s the vexing question of whether the pictures will work in black and white, as the print book will have to be black and white. Have you ever tried viewing a rainbow with no colors?(Thank you Amelia for some wonderful conversions.)

There’s another small process taking place as I read as well. Hopefully it will continue as the other editors work on their sections:

What order should the entries take? Which section comes first? Which story/poem comes first? Which one comes last? The priorities, I’m told by other “anthologists” are:

1. Start strong and typical – the first entry should set the tone.
2. End strong and memorable – the final entry should leave readers thinking and wanting more.
3. Let each section end in a way that introduces the next, so
   1. A children’s under-the-bed story might introduce “Under the Bed” or
   2. “Kids’ Corner” might start with a children’s under-the-bed story, and follow on from “Under the Bed.”
4. Spread images as evenly as possible throughout.

There’s still so much to do and so little time to do it! Wish me luck!

More news coming soon.