28 May 2009

More about Da Book and da immediate future

by Dan Phillips

Thanks to everyone who made My Big Announcement fun for me. And thanks for your kind words. (I'm definitely noting down those book-title suggestions for future projects.)

The name of the brave man who contacted me is Brian Thomasson, Senior Developmental and Acquisitions Editor for David C. Cook. The particular post that struck Brian as maybe having some good ideas for a book is the one on sarkicophobia, though the book will be a good bit broader in scope than that.

Never having exactly done this before, I proposed a manuscript deadline for myself that is... well.... Let's put it like this: when I told Phil, there was a pause, then a disconcerting peal of hearty laughter, followed by "Good luck with that!"

Unnerving response. So I've been working like a madman, and already have the hardest six chapters drafted out. Praise God! Lots more to do, though.

So I have to trim my time. My dear wife and family are being very understanding and supportive and sacrificial. I stepped down from leading the Men's Fellowship, at least for the present. And I'm taking time off from work here and there.

What else to trim? Well, what I do at my blog I usually can wheedle in while I'm doing other things. But the posts at Pyro as a rule take up more of my otherwise-free time. So that is going to have to change, temporarily.

I have some more NEXT!s lined up to scatter here and there, and maybe a post on this and that. I have two three [oops] book reviews I should do at minimum (one here, one for my blog), and then my reading will all have to be related to the book.

What I need to do is make like Chicago and put out a few "Greatest Hits."

There's where you come in, Dear Reader.

Not for this thread, but in a future post, I'll ask for suggestions as to which from the last three years might make for good summer re-runs. You might be thinking now of which ones you might suggest. In fact, I hoping to make it a contest. There may be valuable gifts and prizes.

And now... you know that.

Dan Phillips's signature

34 comments:

FX Turk said...

I think I should take the summer off from work at full pay and blog for you. And for me.

I am sure your advance check would cover that for me ...

DJP said...

Wow.

Wow wow wow.

Kim said...

Summer is coming, and women will be choosing their garments... the posts on modesty always bear repeating.

olan strickland said...

Dan, the way I see it is you either need to let Frank blog for you (and you pay him from your advance check), do summer re-runs as you have proposed, or make each chapter of your book a blog post in the form of a question and then copy, paste, and edit the best answers into your draft :)

J♥Yce Burrows said...

We're rejoicing with you, Dan ~ and trust God it will all work out perfectly. When He gives the desires of the heart(that proposed manuscript deadline?) ~ He'll orchestrate the clear way.

The sarkiophobia post was great ~ believe that will result in a book that will bless not only God but others. Those that are behind you will do our best to not rabbit trail your focus. Or at least not too much. smiles

Nash Equilibrium said...

Dan
I could Google this, but it wouldn't be as much fun: What is sarkiophobia? Is it the Frenchman's fear of Sarkozy? Fear of sarcophagii? Or, do I have to buy the book to find out?

DJP said...

Tsk. Lazy.

Just click the link.

Nash Equilibrium said...

Ah, so it's the fear of making mistakes! Christian perfectionism.

Michael Spencer said...

Even though you clearly despise everything I am and stand for with a disgust and aversion that cannot be measured, and even though you consider me to be an apostate worthy of banishment if not burning at the stake, congratulations on the book deal.

Jugulum said...

Dan,

This one would make for a ourobor-iffic rerun.

DJP said...

Just re-run this post, again and again?

Hunh.

FX Turk said...

That may be the most bizzare "congratulations" I have ever read.

There's no way to comment on it, and yet I have.

VcdeChagn said...

Summer is coming, and women will be choosing their garments... the posts on modesty always bear repeating.My FIRST thought. Especially since our closest friends have a very worldly 21 year old sister staying with them (Sigh...). Of course, the problem is ME, not her...

But you said you wanted those on another thread..cough ;)

That being said, congrats on the book. I kind of wish it was about Proverbs..but this should be good, too!

DJP said...

I proposed Proverbs. Another publisher approached me around the same time, and I mentioned Proverbs. Two "no go's" for the present.

But pray for the whole. If this book justifies the publisher's risk in giving a new author a chance, Proverbs is all the likelier. You know it's in my heart to do!

Tom Austin said...

You can keep blogging, just make every post a chapter in the book - let the meta be your editor!

DJP said...

First thought: yeah, my publisher would love that.

Second thought: ...it'd definitely be lively!

Third thought: man, my list of "Thank you's" in the preface, or intro, of forward, or prologue or whatever, would be pretty massive.

I can see it now: "...and thanks, Russ, for telling us that you're a Reformed Charismatic, our humor is atrocious, and we're all probably pretty much going to Hell except for you...."

Anonymous said...

Congrats again, DJP. Any rerun is cool with me.

Penn Tomassetti said...

Definitely don't stop publishing your NEXT's. They are needed.

Penn Tomassetti said...

Oh, and your Proverbs commentary is needed. I'm gonna pray for permission.

NoLongerBlind said...

Sooooo, ummmmm, just to satisfy my morbid curiosity, what IS your self-imposed deadline?

It'll probably seem perfectly reasonable to those of us lacking any previous wordsmithing experience!

Interesting WV: lextesto - the act of submitting a draft for proof-texting?

Daniel said...

Even though you may or may not despise everything I am and stand for with some possible disgust and perhaps a sprinkling of aversion that cannot be measured in inches, and even though you may consider me to be an apostle worthy of tarnishment, if not yearning for a steak, congratulations on the book deal.

DJP said...

Oh dear. This could become a trend.

Angie said...

I know that brave man who contacted you! Unless there's another Christian editor running around with that same name, his brother is married to my sister. I will have to commend him on his good taste!

Nash Equilibrium said...

Dan:
Even though I am am bald, old, and oft-times greeted on the street by total strangers with "you, sir, are a fool and a moron", also have bad breath and seldom shower, am chased incessantly by large numbers of stray chihuahuas without good cause, I congratulate you on your book deal.
Book 'em, Dan-O.
Stratagem

Rachael Starke said...

So, is that scribe graphic a warning about what you're going to look like as you immerse yourself in this project?

NoLongerBlind said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Herding Grasshoppers said...

Are past posts from Pyro and Biblical Christianity fair game?

Ooooh, yah, I don't think David C. Cook would appreciate you pre-publishing via the blog... though it would be an interesting ride.

Because you know how effective it is to write (or accomplish much of anything) by committee.

Julie

DJP said...

Sure, Julie; that'd be great.

Jugulum said...

"Even though the insight of my comments threatens to outshine the collective worth of the blogosphere, and even though you clearly envy me for my youth, physical beauty, intelligence, clever Pratchett-esque username, and surpassing humility, and even though I--"

Cut off by a sudden flurry of rotten fruit, Jugulum was buried alive.

And there was much rejoicing.

Jugulum said...

Oooh, I left "annoying need to always chime in with an alleged witticism/joke" off the list.

Susan said...

Dan: "I hoping to make it a contest. There may be valuable gifts and prizes."

Will the prizes include the autographed first edition of your book-to-be, complete with your "life verse"?

candy said...

A hearty congratulations on the book deal Dan!

I think you should repost all things that have to do with the cessation of the gifts. Teehee.

candy said...

Well...not all gifts. You know what I mean. :)

DJP said...

Candy, you're a treasure.

(c;