I don't feel as if I have accomplished much at all since my last post, but I am getting back into the swing of the book. It took a while to re-read everything we had written so far - and then re-write huge chunks. Actually, if you have the time to do this, having a break from a book and then going back to it is a very good idea. When you are so close to something you can't see the wood from the trees very often, and see it in a new light after doing something else for a while.
We then set about creating a timeline and task list - it can be so encouraging to be able to tick stuff off a list! There is still a huge amount of work to do, but if it is all written down and listed you can at least establish some sort of ordered process.
As well as working full time in my "real" job, I have also been involved in some of the publicity surrounding the P&O Cruises 175 book. It was also extremely gratifying to see it reviewed in the Nautilus International Telegraph - a highly regarded publication in the maritime world.
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1vfpw/TelegraphFebruary201/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=
Thursday 26 January 2012
As well as working full time in my "real" job, I have also been involved in some of the publicity surrounding the P&O Cruises 175 book. It was also extremely gratifying to see it reviewed in the Nautilus International Telegraph - a highly regarded publication in the maritime world.
Friday 20 January 2012
A plan of action
Another week at work finished, and time to re-read the text for the book Andrew and I are writing on Oriana and Aurora. Because we have had a long break from it to complete the P&O Cruises 175 book, it is very useful to see the text afresh. OK, we are only halfway through. but already I have re-written great swathes of it, with the benefit of what we learned with the P&O book. The images too, I am seeing with fresh eyes, and obviously a few will now have to go as we have used them in the 175 book.
Next is to produce a plan of action and fill in the gaps of what we have down so far. I like this stage. It is almost a stream of consciousness moment - get everything down, ideas, thoughts, facts, the lot. Then refine it and refine it to get the word count to where it should be and make it readable and engaging. So...instead of writing about what I going to do, I had better knuckle down and do some of it, with some inspiration from the happy memory of Aurora leaving Boston below!
Next is to produce a plan of action and fill in the gaps of what we have down so far. I like this stage. It is almost a stream of consciousness moment - get everything down, ideas, thoughts, facts, the lot. Then refine it and refine it to get the word count to where it should be and make it readable and engaging. So...instead of writing about what I going to do, I had better knuckle down and do some of it, with some inspiration from the happy memory of Aurora leaving Boston below!
Saturday 14 January 2012
Back to writing again
A week at work over and time to give thought to resuming work on the next maritime book Andrew and I are writing. We were actually half-way through it when we got the P&O contract so not too much left to do, except refine the photo selection, do a few more interviews and complete the text. ...OK - quite a lot to do on reflection. This weekend I will re-read the text so far and work out a plan of action to split between us so we can get going again. In many ways it is harder to resume writing a book, that if you are able to go straight through. I have lost the momentum and the thread, but hopefully it will soon come back
It was terrible to read of the foundering of the Costa Concordia last evening. Something to remember when next you are in muster drill and hear the inevitable complainers! I see many Costa ships on my travels. Not a line for me I think, not least as the ships are very large which is something that doesn't appeal to me as a passenger, but they are very popular with many and your cruise ship sinking under you is not a pleasant thought. Below is the Costa Pacifica in Barcelona in 2010. As I said - large ships!
The publicity for the 175 Book is going well. Amazon sales are good and this week I did an interview for and sent photos to my local newspaper. Word is getting out and P&O Cruises ran a competition on their Facebook page to win copies of the book.
It was terrible to read of the foundering of the Costa Concordia last evening. Something to remember when next you are in muster drill and hear the inevitable complainers! I see many Costa ships on my travels. Not a line for me I think, not least as the ships are very large which is something that doesn't appeal to me as a passenger, but they are very popular with many and your cruise ship sinking under you is not a pleasant thought. Below is the Costa Pacifica in Barcelona in 2010. As I said - large ships!
The publicity for the 175 Book is going well. Amazon sales are good and this week I did an interview for and sent photos to my local newspaper. Word is getting out and P&O Cruises ran a competition on their Facebook page to win copies of the book.
Sunday 8 January 2012
Oceana book signing
As I said on Friday, we were invited, at short notice, to do an on-board book signing of the P&O 175 book on board Oceana today. It was a lovely day, and although not that many were sold as it was the first time passengers had seen it, we left the ship with several boxes of signed copies and had very encouraging feedback! Not only did we find out that it was being given to new senior officers, but that it had also been distributed to press etc at a special lunch on the refitted Oriana last week.
Add to that a very pleasant lunch in the officer's mess and an opportunity for Andrew and I to look at the finished book together for the first time, and it was a productive and entertaining day. We were even able to get a few photos for a potential future project.
Back to the grindstone tomorrow though!
Add to that a very pleasant lunch in the officer's mess and an opportunity for Andrew and I to look at the finished book together for the first time, and it was a productive and entertaining day. We were even able to get a few photos for a potential future project.
Back to the grindstone tomorrow though!
Friday 6 January 2012
An even brighter side?
Today we were able to rearrange to hold the launch of the book and a signing on board Oceana on Sunday so I don't have to wait for a ship fix now and those lucky people boarding Oceana to sail to the Caribbean will be the first to have books signed by both authors.
On the downside - and as with any publication - a few people have started to look for flaws where they can. The final text was checked by a variety of specialists in their fields to ensure it is as good and accurate as we can possibly make it. We wanted to produce, not only a background to the current brand of P&O Cruises, but a snapshot if you like of the crew, shoreside staff and passengers, who make it what it is today. This is the reason we trawled for anecdotes, memories and ephemera to make the book fun and interesting and inclusive, not just a dry chronological history.
Oh well - hopefully the book will "speak for itself" in due course.
On the downside - and as with any publication - a few people have started to look for flaws where they can. The final text was checked by a variety of specialists in their fields to ensure it is as good and accurate as we can possibly make it. We wanted to produce, not only a background to the current brand of P&O Cruises, but a snapshot if you like of the crew, shoreside staff and passengers, who make it what it is today. This is the reason we trawled for anecdotes, memories and ephemera to make the book fun and interesting and inclusive, not just a dry chronological history.
Oh well - hopefully the book will "speak for itself" in due course.
Wednesday 4 January 2012
Bright side
At least I didn't have to take time off work today to attend the book launch, and the weather would have been pretty horrible for the drive to Southampton. Hopefully something will be rearranged for April when the ships return from their world travels.
Having taken some 2000 photos on my last cruise, I am still sorting them out and cataloguing them, but in these long cold winter months, it is lovely to be able to look at memories of warm sunny days on deck watching shuffleboard. It is some five months now before my next cruise so I will need plenty of these fixes in the meantime.
Having taken some 2000 photos on my last cruise, I am still sorting them out and cataloguing them, but in these long cold winter months, it is lovely to be able to look at memories of warm sunny days on deck watching shuffleboard. It is some five months now before my next cruise so I will need plenty of these fixes in the meantime.
Tuesday 3 January 2012
Not a good day!
Tomorrow we were going to have to official launch of the P&O 175 book on board Aurora in Southampton, before she departed on her world cruise. Sadly fate has stepped in with a case of illness that has meant no visitors will be allowed on board so the event is now cancelled. This means it will be March before a) the books gets officially launched, and b) I get to step on board a ship again. So - not a happy bunny tonight.
I guess these things happen for a reason (well usually) so I will have to wait and find out what that reason is. In the meantime the feedback continues to be positive with great reviews on Amazon (and no - the reviewers were not bribed either!).
I guess these things happen for a reason (well usually) so I will have to wait and find out what that reason is. In the meantime the feedback continues to be positive with great reviews on Amazon (and no - the reviewers were not bribed either!).
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