It's a boy!

This is it, we are finally here. Tomorrow comes the first delivery of the books.

(The title refers to the extraordinary similarity to that particular process. Since I moved into my parents house, end of last year, to care for them, I have not been in the studio... I have been working on the book. How long is that.... 9 months?)

So, you can imagine, great excitement. And they will be hot off the press to take to the Biennale tomorrow evening.

The video has been made, and the dvd is being wrapped up and will be ready for launch we estimate mid Sept.  There is a lot to getting a dvd made, I had no idea.  But the step by step process is really good and clear, with my poncy British voice over!

Once the 1 min You tube video is out I think people will be surprised. That has no voice over, just jolly tinky tonk music, very upbeat.

Now to get the products out into the world, and then to get back into the studio.  It will take getting used to, not sitting in front of a screen all day anymore.  But then I will be MAKING things and will have some NEW pictures for you, not the same old.

If you have been, as they say, thanks for reading.  And keep following, there is going to be all sorts of reaction I think, and maybe something interesting will happen, who knows.

To the Printers!

Now I have just, last night, got back from a delicious 3 weeks away, I am wondering where everybody is .... are they still on their holidays?

I will just have to soldier on till they decide to get back to their desks.

Meanwhile, things have been happening: I have the proofs back!  This is where they charge you lots to make any changes, so heaven help you if you are not ready before you press SEND.
I did check the book very well before I sent it, but there was a glitch on the back cover that really bothered me. To sleep by 3am finally, after journey, Olympics finale that never ended and considerable worrying about glitch.

After lots of negotiations and calls to Patrick in Spain (holidays), we came to a resolution and the problem is fixed with very little blood spilt.

So, where are we up to?

We have the Glass Biennale happening in Stourbridge. 

It is an International Festival of Glass, www.ifg.org.uk and it runs from 24-27 August.  I will be exhibiting these 2 pieces of work there.  

Flat Fantasy, 70 x 85cm

Japanese Triptych Screen, 180 x 138 cm wide

I think the book will be ready for then, I am certainly crossing everything. The organizers are giving me an opportunity to talk about it and to sell them at the show.

Then the next thing is the annual 2-day conference of reverse glass painting, 7. Tagung zur Hintrglaskunst, in the Maximilian Museum, Augsburg, Germany, 5/6 October. I will give a short talk there and hopefully sell some more books.

Following that is the Just Glass conference: 20 October, in Red Lion Square. www.just-glass.co.uk. I shall be one of 4 people giving a talk on the subject of surface decoration.

As all this happens I shall be invoicing, packing and sending out books like crazy. I have some reviewers lined up, mostly in the UK but once the bulk of the books have been sent I will look to the US to find more outlets for it.

And of course there is the rest: the dvd, the video and the e-book version.  These are being prepared and a date will be set to launch the lot on the internet. There may be a bit of a flurry after that.... lets hope so.

All best to my readers....  f

next update

This is quite a journey, the whole self publishing thing, and trying to keep a handle on it all.
I imagine if you are lucky enough to have a publisher for your book, all you have to do it write the thing, then hand it over.
They do the pricing, pay you your fee (never mind if it is a best seller), edit it, set it up, proof it, index it, get it printed, get it reviewed, throw a launch maybe AND get it distributed. Internationally, too. Then they take the money, market it, distribute it, get it reprinted if necessary and finally send it to the 'Remainder' shelves.
I am doing all of that.  So, you ask, where are we up to?
The book producer, Patrick, who I mentioned earlier,  set the whole thing up and sent me the entire manuscript to proofread. I printed it all out, marked up each page with funny little symbols that indicate, cut; add; move; indent etc. and stet, which means kindly ignore my scribbling - as you were.
Then he has it back, via post, and does all the corrections, (this is where we are up to, since you ask) sends it back, electronically, for me to approve.  I approve, hopefully electronically this time, and he does final corrections.
Then we move to next and final (?) stage before PRINTING. It goes out to two professionals, an Indexer for the very important indexing (really important this is good: who wants to look up 'eglomise' and find it not there?) and to the proof reader, who is outside the process and has a fresh eye.
Once this is done, the final bits are added, like a pic of me, my bio, Acknowledgments (thank you ALL) and short bios of the contributors.
THEN, chaps, we get it printed. No going back now.
Someone tells me how to establish the publication date, as I need to send out (free) copies to reviewers, one month previously.  I have to compile a list of likely reviewers, as near to the top of the tree as I can (not my friend down the road, I think). Museum people, scholars, etc.
If we can we will launch the videos and DVD at the same time, so it will hit the shelves all at once and the world will grind to a stop while the gobsmacked public gasp in amazement.

For further installments on this birthing process, keep checking back!

If you have been, thanks for reading. Have a good day.

the WEB

I have had a short tutorial today on how to do the website.
It seems massive, but if I take a bite at a time maybe it is doable. I am sure it is. It needs a complete overhaul. I also need to get familiar with all the interconnecting communications, like Facebook, Twitter etc, and get those links up.
And then there is the selling machine that has to be installed, PayPal etc.
This is all a gigantic learning curve. I wonder when I shall get back into the studio?  Good question, no?
But what is the point of making lovely stuff and writing lovely books if no-one knows?
Have a lovely day!

we have a cover, folks.

This is the cover. The book is being set up this week, then it will be proofed, indexed and then.... printed. Since I this is all new to me, it is step by baby step,  so far so good.  The cover is how I imagined it would be, I think it will jump off the shelves.
Plans: (this is great, I am tingly as I write)   In a few minutes a lady, Vicky, will come and we will discuss making a series of videos. I plan to have the Project, which is in the book, video- ed and available on Youtube. Easy steps, cleaning the glass, laying the gold, etc.  I am teaming up with Gold Leaf Supplies, www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk (already pushing them!)
Video lady here.... more soon.

Publication date

We have a date for publication, August. Just ready for the autumn rush.

(Producing this book is the closest thing I can think of to producing a baby. Maybe it, too, will support me in my old age.)

I am sending off to the book producer, Patrick Armstrong, www.bookproductionservices.co.uk, for him to start designing and typesetting the book; I have the ISBN number; indexer and proof reader are all in place, editing (thank you Jane), is all done. It looks good.

Next to do is the marketing and now I have to learn all about publishing it by e-books. I am told this is the way to go. Also, I am planning a series of videos. There is very little on You Tube as yet, on gilding on glass.  I am having some trouble downloading i movie hd, which would be a good tool.
I cant figure it out.   Never mind!

Gold: Power and Allure

I am delighted to have been asked to contribute to the free Summer exhibition at Goldsmiths' Hall, 1 June to 28th July 2012.  There will be 4500 years of gold treasures from across Britain, including  a mirror from me!
I made it using a variety of leaf, which will show its versatility on glass.
www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk

Do come.