Announcements

R.I.P., Lucy the alarm cat

2016/11/14 — 1 Comment

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Sadly, Lucy—a/k/a the alarm cat—died during the night.

The photo above (taken a few months ago) captures one of our rituals. She would demand attention, so I would pick her up and put her on my lap. She would then settle on my lap for the next 10 minutes or so. Like her sister (Trixie), when she got comfortable, she would extend one leg, as seen here. Lucy was always kind of a skittish cat, so moments like this, when she felt comfortable and safe, always made me happy.

(14 November 2016)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lennbob/16408956138/

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/lennbob/8747260213/in/

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/lennbob/8638029095/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lennbob/419571659/

 

‘Dear Wednesday…’ coming soon

2016/11/04 — Leave a comment

This time I decided not to procrastinate: ‘Dear Wednesday…’, the next volume in the Love Notes to the Days of the Week series, is under way. I have just finished uploading the PDFs to CreateSpace for review.

I sped things up this time by: (a) starting on it now, instead of next February or March; and (b) doing the ol’ copy-and-paste instead of re-typing the entries. The latter step allowed me to catch typos more quickly.

So! I anticipate being able to proof the thing before the weekend is out. Stay tuned…

(4 November 2016)

Donate to the cause

2016/09/02 — Leave a comment

I am entering This Is Fifty-three in the Pulitzer Prize competition! To defray some of the costs of printing the required submission copies, I am soliciting one-time donations. Every donation of $1 or more between now and 9/12/16 will get a link to screen-optimized PDFs of the book for downloading, plus a few extras. To donate via PayPal, click here, or on the Donate button at the bottom of any page on my website, kevinjoconner.com. Thanks!

(2 September 2016)

This Is Fifty-three: Wattpad preview now live

2016/09/01 — Leave a comment

I have put up a preview edition of This Is Fifty-three on Wattpad. It won’t have all the nifty graphics or meaningful photographs, but it will provide a decent preview of what to expect. Here is the link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/83349244-this-is-fifty-three-excerpts.

(1 September 2016)

This Is Fifty-three: Just the Words, Man—Published!

2016/08/21 — Leave a comment

The Just the Words, Man edition of This Is Fifty-three is now available!

For now, you can find it at CreateSpace; it should be listed on Amazon within the next few days.

I have also made a proper page for both editions of the book on my website:
https://www.kevinjoconner.com/this-is-fifty-three/.

The full-color edition is still in the proofing process; I am expecting the printed proof tomorrow, and hope to have everything wrapped up this week. More news when it becomes available. Stay tuned!

(21 August 2016)

 

ART 53, day 52

2016/08/16 — Leave a comment

This Is Fifty-three, day 52

After a delay while CreateSpace technical support reviewed my file for the color version of This Is Fifty-three, I have finally been able to order a printed proof of the book. The anticipated delivery date is Wednesday of next week.

(16 August 2016)

ART 53, day 5x

2016/08/12 — Leave a comment

This Is Fifty-Three, day 5x

Yesterday, I had to change a URL that unexpectedly changed. Until I can order printed proofs (still waiting on some $), that is about the extent of any adjustments I will be making at this point. So, technically, yesterday was day 50, and today (once the revised digital proofs are ready) will be 51—but I am just going to call it day 5x for now; when I order the printed proofs, or if I get the sudden, malicious urge to make some dramatic change, I will post an update with a real number. Until then, assume no significant developments.

(12 August 2016)

UPDATE: Oh, CreateSpace! You do amuse me so…

Following the latest review, CreateSpace notified me that three pages of my book have ‘illegible text’. Here are screenshots of the pages in question:

Screen Shot 2016-08-12 at 18.53.21

Page 103. I can only assume they were looking at the background image, which was made in part from text (I think it was either code, or an image file read with a text editor) as part of my 365 project about six years ago. As you can see, the text of the poem does not overlap any of the denser parts of the image, so it is actually very legible.

Screen Shot 2016-08-12 at 18.53.42

Page 106. I can make out the text. It’s pretty large for type (except for that one line, which is more the typical size for body text), so I am not sure how this is a problem.

Screen Shot 2016-08-12 at 18.54.22

Page 161. Okay, here they almost have a point. I say ‘almost’ because the text on page 161 (to the right) is treated as a graphic, not as type. The type that appears in the upper half of the page is partly legible; in the lower half of the page, it is an overlapping mess o’ type. However, the actual text, the poem that people are supposed to read, is on page 160.

And none of these came up as problems during previous reviews. So relax, dear CreateSpace. Sometimes you have to let art just…flow…over you… (Gratuitous Big Chill reference for the win!)

 

(12 August 2016)

UPDATE UPDATE: Oh! And they just notified me that the other edition has passed review and is ready for ordering proofs. The poem on page 106 (the middle screenshot shown above) is rendered EXACTLY the same, only without the background photo…

 

(12 August 2016)