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Graham
Senior Nomad
Posts: 558
Registered: 6-16-2006
Location: San Diego and DeTour, MI
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Over the years my books have been published by Unwin Hyman in London, W.W. Norton in New York, and Sunbelt Publications in San Diego. And it has been
a wonderful, positive experience working with the various editors.
However, now I just prefer working on my own and producing the book that I want. You're right, there is a cost to that.
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bajalera
Super Nomad
Posts: 1875
Registered: 10-15-2003
Location: Santa Maria CA
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Good luck to you. It's great to be living at a time when computers allow us to make our own decisions on what we put into print.
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
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ELINVESTIG8R
Select Nomad
Posts: 15882
Registered: 11-20-2007
Location: Southern California
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I edited myself...
[Edited on 6-28-2008 by ELINVESTI8]
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3296
Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tranquilo
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Graham'
Being a long time fan of your books I've been eagerly waiting for the new book. Thank you for putting the first chapter of the book on your web site.
I must agree with previous posters that your political rant really should,nt have been included unless it had a message pertaining to the rest of the
book. I guess I'll assume that the rest of the book will include jabs at the current administration of my government (and apparently yours as well).
Guess I'll save my money.....dt
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bajalera
Super Nomad
Posts: 1875
Registered: 10-15-2003
Location: Santa Maria CA
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Pilot, the reason I mentioned the opening political stuff was to give notice that the rest of the book is NOT like that. If you enjoyed the other
books, I think you would like this one, too.
Harsh? My book review was positive, and it would have been courteous to have criticized it in a U2U. When my professional judgment was questioned on
this forum instead, that is where I put my replies.
What the subsequent exchange of viewpoints demonstrates is the traditional, same-old conflict between a writer and an editor.
Writer: "I have these really great ideas that I want to share in a book."
Editor: "Okay, let's fix it so people will want to read it."
Although the job of an editor is to be helpful, help is the last thing many writers feel they need. People with ideas they would like to share often
get attached to their efforts, in much the same defensive way parents get attached to their children. When a proud dad displays a picture of his
daughter, he doesn't expect anyone to say, "Yes, she's very pretty, although a bit cross-eyed--and those ears are really big." (After all, his friends
have been assuring him that she's perfectly lovely.)
So there you are.
And with this I'm signing off, having already wasted entirely too much time on this pointless thread.
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3296
Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tranquilo
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Editor: "Okay, let's fix it so people will want to read it."
I couldn't agree more......
When I pick up a book that I'm not farmiliar with I usually read the preface or a little bit of the first chapter to see if I might be interested in
it.
While I appreciate Graham's decission to do his own editing I will excersize my decission to put it back on the shelf.....
Too bad, I'll bet there are some great Baja stories in there......dt
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65300
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Online
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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dt, if you can get past the politics in the first chapter, I know you will enjoy the book.
I did have a nervous feeling when I read it (the first chapter) because although it is 'popular' and common to make fun of our president and protest
the military action overseas... most Americans and specially most Baja travelers probably did support the end of the Saddam dictatorship and the
success that we are now having in Iraq (Based on the nearly total lack of news reports lately... we must be doing well! lol).
Like watching a movie with Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn, (or most other actors...) try and enjoy their work without thinking about the politics they
promote...
Yes, Graham is my friend... and politics or religion need not change friendships. It is fine to respectively disagree without the need to boycott a
fine adventure book!
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standingwave
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 11-10-2007
Location: Lytton, Canada
Member Is Offline
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I read Graham's first book in 2001 - borrowed from Shari's collection - and was amazed at the perseverance of this relatively sedentary Englishman.
What a story! I've been meaning to follow up and acquire his other books but had been put off by not being able to do this online at his website
(instant gratification IS nice  Bajalera's review was the push I needed (thank
you). I contacted Graham, ordered all four of his Baja books and mailed him off a money order. I look forward to reading them and sharing them with my
son, also bitten by the Baja bug. As far as the political stuff, I daresay I've dug through worse in other books to get to the paydirt.
\"I could not help concluding this man had the most supreme pleasure while he was driven so fast and so smoothly by the sea.\"
James Cook |
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ELINVESTIG8R
Select Nomad
Posts: 15882
Registered: 11-20-2007
Location: Southern California
Member Is Offline
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I am a staunch you know what (No cat calls from the gallery please) and his comments did not offend me in the least. Graham is
entitled to his opinion as we all are. As one alleged famous person said "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." I figure if he could
forgive what they were doing to him, I figure I can forgive Graham for what he wrote. So he made a Faux Pas in his book, nobody's perfect.
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Eugenio
Nomad
Posts: 206
Registered: 4-23-2008
Location: Navojoa, Son.
Member Is Offline
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Well stated Elinvesti - what Gramaham stated did not offend me - but I have to agree with Lera (aka "the "troublemaker") that his comments seem a
weird way to try to hook readers on his book. I for one won't be reading/purchasing it - and yes I might have. I read about anything I can get my
hands on regarding Mexico.
If Graham was really intent on expressing his political views I guess he could have slipped them in some other place in the book - but personally I
think they should be dropped as irrelevent/unnecessarily alienating/who gives a hoot.
Theses are like a-holes.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65300
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Online
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Graham goes on adventures... mostly to Baja (as we all know).
This adventure was going to be a protest walk across America... or maybe just a walk (like Forrest Gump likes to run)... Graham changed his mind and
decided on Baja (thank goodness). THE book is about his adventure (HIS adventure) and that began in planning for a walk across the USA. It quickly
changes to a book all on Baja in the first chapter.
Graham's not a commie... relax you guys!
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3296
Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tranquilo
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Actually, I don't believe I could be more relaxed than I am here on the beach in Buena Vista.
I never considered that Graham was a commie. Graham is entitled to his opinions and because of the government of his adopted country, he not only has
a right but an expectation to express them. I wasn't offended by them, and, frankly, couldn't care less. My view, as I stated before was that I
wouldn't be interested in reading a book that used a political opinion as the "hook" in the first chapter....dt
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65300
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Online
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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That's fair... But, I didn't at all find it as a 'hook' to the book's contents because the first chapter mention of his original plan has nothing to
do with the rest of the book.
That is perhaps Lera's professional concern... that the first chapter of any adventure book is "supposed" to set the mood for the rest of the book...
and in 'Marooned With Very Little Beer', that tiny part in Chapter One does not have anything to do with the rest of the book... it was just Graham
letting the reader know his course of thinking that year, before deciding not to walk across America.
With as much mention of Baja Nomad as there is in it, including a chapter called 'Nomads', I would think all Nomads would want a copy!
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