Saved By A Son

 I’m too excited and restless to write much of a post tonight. The day has disappeared, and I didn’t get my walk, or my exercise or Tai Chi Chih accomplished as planned. My body feels a bit slouchy, but my mind can’t stop thinking.

It’s been one week since I sent my manuscript off for proofreading and I haven’t heard a word though the managing editor did say it would take two weeks.  I don’t know why I am fussing about this but I am. The cover designer sent thirteen intriguing cover designs a few of which I liked very much. The first two options made me laugh out loud because they were of a man’s head with his skull cracked open. That may be how my head feels right now but it is not related to the memoir. I’ll leave the image to your imagination but the last cover design made me ask: “Why is that person falling down?”  

I must confess that I stumbled a bit when I was instructed to write the paratext. What?  Thankfully, they told me what paratext meant in plain language: the back cover blurb.  

Honestly, this task has proven to be almost more difficult than writing the entire memoir. It has brought all my insecurities front and center and I slipped into my old pattern of thinking, I can’t do this. I am to write, in no more than two hundred words, what happens in the whole book.  The cover design of the head cracked open comes to mind.

 All I can say is that I am so grateful to be working with one of my brilliant sons, Mason to create this piece of paratext. Being a translator and editor, he knows words. Words that will hook the reader in, describe what happens in the termination year, and give the big picture outside-the-book perspective.

Stay tuned!

The Guardian on my back deck is enjoying the last days of summer. I hope you know how much I appreciate you reading this weekly post and letting me know when something touches you. You can reply to this email or comment at nicolamendenhall.com