Ep. 307: Short. Why?

Bookbinding

Two things happened last week. First, a family member fell sick. Second, I fell under the spell of norovirus, the stomach bug. Third, the family member physically fell and needed to be taken to the hospital; in the middle of the night. All of us are resting well.

Needless to say, making a book was not my top priority. 

But, having said that, to relax, I made a small B7 not-blank notebook with five signatures of four folios each. Not-blank because the paper was leftover school handouts with writing on one side. It was coptic-bound with a paper mailer that is used to send documents through the Japan Postal System: thick enough. More about this book in the Video section.

Other than being ill (no fever but also no appetite), I was in no mood to get out of bed or deal with the joys and intricacies of bookbinding. I am now, though. Feeling much better.

Fiction

One thing a writer can do when they’re not feeling up to par is think. So I thought. About The Posthumous Autobiography of the Widow Agnes Grout, Death Weaver. I thought of ways to make it better. Ways to make it clearer to the reader what is going on. Ways to make it snappier not in a bon mot Frasier-Nyles repartee way, but snappier in a plot-and-dialog way.

Having thought of all those things, now I have to start writing, re-writing, and rearranging the novel. One person who read the first 50-some pages encouraged me to continue as they want to learn more about Agnes, her family, and what happens to them.

This is quite the encouragement; getting a reader to be so involved in an unfinished, unfamiliar story is a talent I’d like to have for all my books.

Video

I uploaded a two-minute (ish) video of me putting mull on a book. On, of all places, YouTube. Amazing, eh? With charming (?) music. 

It’s called TDGB 43: Mulling the Signatures. All for your viewing pleasure. 

Coming in soon! to a Youtube channel near you! is a video of the B7 not-so-blank notebook. It’s called Snowbank Book because after I made it (five signatures, coptic binding, cardboard cover — all caught on video), I put it in a snowbank to, uh, I guess, season it? Dampen its spirit? It’ll be in the snowbank for two days. When it comes out, I’ll figure out what the next step will be. Any suggestions?