Book Published!

That took longer than I would have preferred. But I did finally push the publish button on the large print edition of the 10th (10th!) Hike with Me book. There are still a few more tasks to be completed on this. Three more editions to produce and publish, but no more proofreading to be done. 

In years past, I would be very careful not to make too many changes when I proofread. Once the pictures are placed, it can be a pain to add or remove even a single word, because every full page picture after that change will have to be shifted. I was being lazy, frankly, by not allowing myself to look at the final read through with a more critical eye. 

This time, I read my work and thought about clarity and meaning. I cut quite a few words that felt extraneous. I rephrased a few things when I read them again and realized that while I knew what I was saying, it really wasn't clearly spelled out for anyone else to know exactly what I was saying. Some of those spots, Ambrose pointed out, but not all of them. 

I tried to approach this read through with a bit of detachment. Detachment, but also affection. As if I were reading something that a friend had written, and I was helping them prepare it for publication. Because I would be much nicer to a friend than I would be to myself. Isn't that silly? But it worked. I feel very good about this book. 

It was a short trip, and so it's a short book. But not my shortest. I hope you check it out: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XNVDG8P/