also Writer's Log for Face of the Waters
Creative Publishers, St. John's: 1991
To Order Book (Go to site)
Robert Parsons - Newfoundland Author
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Lost At Sea ;
also Writer's Log for Face of the Waters
Creative Publishers, St. John's: 1991
To Order Book (Go to site)
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Originally one long piece of work (over three hundred pages), it was trimmed and split into two volumes.
The schooner voyages and sea-faring activity spawned the tales of the sea in every fishing town -- stories of heroism and tragedy. One of the first stories I found via a folksong was that of schooner Sailor's Home wrecked on the northern tip of Miquelon Island, St. Pierre. I wrote the story with the help of the song and years later found the names of the two men lost. A story of hardship if there ever was one!
Schooner Nordica has to be Newfoundland's version of the Mary Celeste, abandoned at sea, but intact with no sign of the crew. Eventually, she was salvaged and brought back to her home port; then the next years Nordica was shipwrecked on the island of Corcica. Her south coast crew was rescued with the aid of a horse.
While writing and researching I also searched archives and asked friends to loan me photographs of the vessels or wrecks. Gratefully they did; thus my early books are graced with pictures, sketches and images of many schooners.
In 1991, I presented these stories, along with many others, to a publisher -- Creative Publishers, St. John's. By then I had covered a hundred years of wrecks and scores of vessels. Wisely, my publisher and mentor, Don Morgan of Creative Publishers, chose to make the bulky m/s into two separate books.
I decided to place the "Log" here since I didn't want to create another page on the website. As well Lost at Sea Vol 1 represents my first book and Face of the Waters, should it be published, will represent my latest book.
Summer, 2000 - For over a year now, I had been collecting material and writing stories of ships, people and sea disasters.
By the summer of 2000, I felt I had sufficient material written for a book and that to produce more would be counter-productive i.e. the manuscript would become too large.
Since it is always wise to ask a publishing company if it wishes to read a manuscript or potential book before actually sending it, I would write my publisher, Creative Publishers of St. John’s to determine how they felt.
August 5, 2000 - On this date I sent the following letter of enquiry to Creative Publishers:
“I have a 200-page manuscript of sea stories, written with a stronger slant on families and names than my previous books. It is tentatively entitled Face of the Waters . How receptive would Creative Publishers be for another book from me? Say for the fall of 2001?
Personally, I'm very excited and positive about the content and general readability for all who love stories of the sea and for Newfoundlanders in general. The geographical scope of the material encompasses nearly every coastline of the province.”
August 10 - The quick response from the publisher was very positive and encouraging. Within the next two months, they (the publishing/editorial team) would be deciding on their list of publications for 2001.
Thus, I have about a month to shape up Face of the Waters and put it into the best possible presentation possible -- good clean hard (paper) copy, well-bound, numbered, as relatively well- edited as possible at this point. Also, a final look at all stories for inclusion or exclusion in Waters, hereafter shortened to this title.
August 11 I review and edit Waters daily. As reports or news of publication become available, I will post it on this site.
September 4 Replaced the "Eric" story (too long and was adequately covered in another publication) with "Chance Encounter with S.S. Sharon." To make for a better arrangement of selections I juggled three or four stories within the whole. As well many story introductions were re-written or edited.
Received a phone call from the publisher/manager of Creative Publishers asking me about the length, scope and general topic of Face of the Waters. He asked me to deliver it in two weeks. Also at this point I began the index "Vessels and Towns."September 8 Added a chapter "Victim of War." Completed much of the Index of Vessels and Towns.
As of now Face of the Waters covers nearly every coast of Newfoundland, including the Labrador. The chronological range is 1840 to 1959.
September 11-15 In the last two or three days, I finished formatting and improving the chapter headings, index and general layout; then rolled off a "hard copy" for Creative Publishers. This was hand delivered on Sept 15.
Face of the Waters at this point has 135 pages, 45 images or graphics (photos and clippings) and 46,000 words. There is still some additional information pending and more editing/revising, but basically the manuscript is done.
I will await word in a month or so from the publisher on acceptance or the other (alternative!)
September 26 Creative Publishers called. There is a "window of opportunity" opening which allows for the publication of my manuscript before Christmas. I am to meet on Friday, September 29 to discuss the work and tentative dates of revisions/corrrections.
September 29 We note some corrections. Revisions are to be made to "first persons" paragraphs. I suggest an index for people's names. We both decide the title Face of the Waters is not suitable.
However the urgent work now is to write a blurb to describe what this book entails and to find a suitable image so as Creative Publishers' cover artist can design an attractive cover. Design and printing of a cover usually takes more time than the printing of text.October 2-6 With a deadline of October 11-12 looming, I made corrections to text, revised paragraphs and composed a "blurb" which was e-mailed October 5. I edit text daily, but sub-consiously look for a ship photo or picture which may be suitable for a cover. As well personnel at Creative will also look for an image.
From material and information gathered since September, I have also added two-three pages to three stories -- Chapter five on the schooner Ornate; Chapter 14 on the men of Burgeo and their encounter with a German raider; and on Chapter 24, J.D. Blackmore's story.
Stay tuned for a new title and the justification and story behind it!
October 12-17 Three photos have been added to text: two of Ornate and a photo of Port Elizabeth c. 1960s. In addition the editing process continues. An index of people's names and business has been completed; the page numbers for these will be inserted when the final galley pages are completed.
Still no definite decision on a new title although the publisher has suggested an appropriate one.Chapter 2 "Chance Encounter with the S.S. Sharon", because of the nature of the story, was switched with Chapter 15 "Solo of the Cape Shore"
October 27 I carried the final version of manuscript to Creative Publishers. The title has now been officially changed to Raging Winds...Roaring Sea to reflect a quote from a mariner's prayer.
The new title has been updated on the opening page of the website. An artist employed with the publisher has begun to design the cover and publication date is set for the end of November
November 1 My main work now is to collect photos, illustrations, clippings and art work for the content -- generally called images. Many of the images (with the exception of two or three) I have already gathered. Each day now until early next week personal decisions have to made to eliminate, caption or look for more suitable images. Raging Winds...Roaring Sea will have approximately 52 images, a full index, 26 chapters and about 180-190 pages.
Most importantly the images and final captions have to be in by November 6 or 7.
November 6-7 I drove to St. John's on Sunday November 5 and on the 6th, the publisher and I went over the photos/images to be "sized" or placed on the pages. This makes the pagination or page numbers correct.By the next day, sizing had been completed and I picked up the galley pages to take home. There I put the index page numbers in correctly.
November 14 Complete manuscript -- photos placed correctly, last few errors or typos corrected, pagination and index -- passed back to publisher. It's the last time I'll see the text until the completed Raging Winds...Roaring Sea is in hand.
I saw the final version of the cover and placement of title at top. Titles are generally placed at the top to ensure it displays prominently on book shelves. My name is placed directly below the title which makes it different in this book.
Covers will be sent to the mainland to be printed and laminated soon; this process takes about two weeks. The Robinson-Blackmore St. John's plant will print the text perhaps next week making the potential publication date about December 10-13.
November 24 Nothing further except the publisher called to say the photo of war victim Geraldine Mary was missing. Since I haven't heard from him in the last 2 days I can only assume it was located and scanned in.
November 29Creative Publishers e-mailed today. A signing and reading have been planned for Coles Bookstores in St. John's on Saturday, December 16. Although it late for Christmas shoppers, it looks as if the publisher is confident Raging Winds...Roaring Sea will be ready by then.
If any of my readers are in or plan to be in St. John's around that time e-mail me for the schedule.
December 6 Word comes from Creative Publishers that Raging Winds...Roaring Sea is rolling off the press today. I expect my copies by Friday, December 8. E-mail for price and shipping costs.
December 7 Trusting that the books will arrive before Saturday, I have arranged a signing at the Peninsula mall in Marystown for all day Saturday, December 9. At 10:30 that morning CHCM radio Marystown has agreed to an interview as part of their advertising.
December 8 Today at 1 pm I received in hand Raging Winds...Roaring Sea. Thus the publication log reaches the end except: the cover and description will be posted on this site by Sunday; an analysis of errors or typos(if any), getting the photos returned from publisher, Creative Publishers and a few other items.
January 23, 2001 Received the photos and images for Raging Winds... last week. Although I find very few typos or mistakes in information, this book has a first for me: page 169 has been duplicated while the information that should be on the page is missing.
The publisher or I will provide anyone with the missing information upon request.I would like to point out I will be having a history/people/ship/community column posted on the internet soon and will be making details available on my main (opening) page of the website "Newfoundland Shipwrecks on the Web."
That’s it for now. Let me know via e-mail if you enjoy (or don’t enjoy) following the publication progress of a Newfoundland book.
E-mail robert.parsons2@nf.sympatico.ca