Stay tuned for a link to a new opinion column of mine on the Chiles legacy--appearing this Sunday in the Tampa Bay Times.
The late Vaclav Havel--Czech president, playwright, and human rights champion--was an important inspiration for Chiles.
It's not a story many people know but it's fascinating. More details to come.
I just finished A. Scott Berg's biography of Maxwell Perkins, the beloved jack-of-all-trades editor at Scribner's and Sons in New York City.
What a treasure trove for a writer!
Perkins was influential in so many nervous scenarios where an author was stumped on a chapter title or a book title or a chapter ending or a plot twist.
It's been a busy day with the red pen.
But it's been instructive.
I have a better sense of what sections to highlight during my next long session on the computer, working with the manuscript document. I will peruse the script, chapter by chapter, correcting the mistakes I've marked with a pen.
Also, I feel inclined to change at least one chapter title. It's nail-biting because it's so important and symbolic, but one of them just feels out of place--even this late in the game.
The editing should finish Friday, resulting in a new final draft for printing in hard copy. Then more changes with a red pen.
Also, a new op-ed is in development--hopefully to see publication in early January.
Stay tuned!
I am moving along, making final touches to the manuscript and compiling the strongest photo album possible.
There is much work to do to make sure the photos are high-resolution and high-quality. And permissions must be sought for certain copyrighted photos.
In a few days I will print out a spiral bound hard copy of the manuscript and conduct one last proofreading session before a "final" version goes to the publisher.
Sometime soon, I will begin work again on publicity. There are more op-eds to write!
The schedule is set now:
Walkin' Lawton will be released as a book in fall 2012. Barnes and Noble and Amazon will surely carry it.
Editing will occur in the spring.
Next year will busy with aggressive marketing on the internet and in print media. More op-eds, blog posts, and more.
Stay tuned!
My upcoming book is mentioned in the latest bulletin from my graduate school, University of Maryland School of Public Policy:
http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/sppupdate/Lawton_Chiles
