Blog No. 257
The crazy weekend that was BookFest 2017 is over and along with it went the layout for All These Crooked Streets and the final episode of Flags and High Fives Season One. Time is still quickly running out for the book launch, but it’s nice to feel like I can take a breath. The flurry of activities are still ongoing (and will be through November with the day job ramping up along with it) but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And really, most of the work is done (or the stuff that was the most work is done) and when the book launch is finished, it will feel a lot more like just a regular busy month. Still, I’m so super tired and can’t wait for December which I have told myself will be filled with writing and little else (even though I know that’s not going to happen).
BookFest was an interesting thing to be part of this year. I remember being in University when it was new and being excited for the possibility. I also remember being underwhelmed at the event when I did go. A lot of that was probably due to being a pretentious youth (and a bit was because one of the authors I saw on a panel happens to be one I’m not very fond of). Over the years, it largely left my awareness and even when I got into writing, I found I wasn’t paying enough attention to follow what was going on. To be fair, I am not the target audience for the event. I found some of the authors I didn’t know about interesting, but they wouldn’t be people to get me there. Then I joined the committee.
I feel like in a small way I was able to help, but realistically, I did very little and contributed less. I’m happy that it seems my suggestion of having Dan MacDonald as a moderator may be something that sticks, but I think that’s going to be about it. I’m not going to be on the committee again this year. I don’t have the time and I don’t think I’ll be of any more use that I have been. My ideas don’t mesh with the group, and I’m not willing to fight about anything. I’ll be happy to volunteer if they ever need a hand, but the organization and planning is not for me.
On a positive note, everything for All These Crooked Streets is done. The book has been ordered and I’ll have to wait until they come in to see what mistake we missed (and how big it is). I’m anticipating something to be wrong with the book, I just hope it’s minimal and it takes people a long time to find it. It’s just the nature of making a book that with all the variables, all the steps, something will slip through. It even happens with the big publishers. The difference is that when people notice a typo or design flaw in a book by them, they smugly smile to themselves. (At least that’s what I do). When they find it in a small book, they feel the need to point it out to everyone. So, here’s to a small error that no one notices.
There is still a bunch of work to do on the launch (even if the book is done). Most things are finished, but the scale had to be pulled back (partly due to the proximity of BookFest and the fact that two of the people putting on the launch were on the committee). The venue is nice, but it’s not as conducive to all the stuff we had in mind. We just don’t have the budget to rent a place all to ourselves and do it up to the nines for a book launch. Having it at a restaurant alleviates a lot of the burden, but it means no crazy decorations, no actors dressed up and interacting with the guests, and no costume contest. Maybe we’ll get a chance to do that for a future release. We still have free appetizers, a great musician (in Crissi Cochrane), readings, and a cool new book for you to buy (and enjoy!). Hopefully that will be enough. Next week’s post will likely be all about it since it’ll come out a couple days before the launch (on November 4th at River’s Edge Tap & Table). For now the Facebook event is up, and it’s on my event page too.
Ben Van Dongen 