Bud, Suave Editing Cat
BudCat and I are about to embark on the largest editing spree we’ve ever tackled. It seems I’ve written far too much for one cat and nature book. I (We) have to boil it down into two books. Bud already knows where he’ll recommend cuts – anything about OTHER cats. He’s deep into editing mode.
Spring posts will just have to wait, except for a few pictures here.
March Forest Just After a Rain
There’s actually a cinder block in this photo that I didn’t see until after I shot the pictures, because moss has crept over it, too.
The book is the story of our own cats, with research into the natural and feline science that relates to my own observations. I really hate to pull it apart by the seams. But the size is just too much to print. So, I’ll make two books. I used to cut up some of my drawings and collage them into new drawings; maybe that works with books, too. Roughly speaking, in the first book I’ll leave our stories, of black cats, tabby cats, feral cats, cats of all descriptions, with a few research highlights. The second book will be the bulk of the cat and animal research, the issues encountered with animal keeping and animal advocacy, and a few ongoing pet stories. Hopefully it will be published not too long after the first book, because it’s really a companion volume.
My co-editor is sleeping on the job:
Bud in Dreamland
I’ll take this opportunity to put up a few more spring pictures:
The creek in March, high enough to have turbulence
The sky’s along for the ride
Ground level violet action
Whoops, he’s up again, looking really alert. He’s fixin’ to smack the stew out of some Othercat sentences with those strong paws. (Rawr!) We’ll we back …
Bud is actually purring in this picture
Meanwhile, I have a distraction, due to a little refraction. Every afternoon I shoot special effects photos. Refraction – distraction – abstraction. Needs further editing work, which I just can’t do right now. A long-term project!
The nature of light
With this much distraction, Bud likes his chances for pulling off an editorial coup:
Bud is primed to edit
This two-volume split feels like a set-back, since I thought I was entering the final phase towards publishing. I’m going through a rough patch with the illness and at times I’m not really sure I’ll be able to do the book(s). I still have high hopes though.
These two links are further descriptions of the book:
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I live near a creek in a forest, in close observation and awe of the wildlife outside, as well as the domestic cat and dog of the household. I'm writer Leah Alford. For more information, click the "About" button above.
Sorry but had to come back and reread the comments and comment on the comments!
Fun Photographs. I wish you luck with your editing and hope you are well now. Hugs and peace, Barbara
Thank you so much for your good wishes, Barbara. Glad you enjoyed the pictures! Feeling a bit better, and getting more done. Returning hugs and peace, Leah
At least you have a capable editor. Anything that puts Bud to sleep will be cut. You should be down to three chapters in no time. 🙂
Bwahahahaha, cats9984!
Hi, Leah! Just checking in — many thanks for stopping by my blog. 🙂
Hope you’re coming along well with your book. How exciting to be working on a big project like that!
Hot here in the Midwest. Ready for autumn to roll in. Recently read a great biography of Gene Stratton-Porter, the naturalist and novelist. Inspired me to want to do more with nature.
Wishing you and yours a happy August!
Deb
Hi Deb, happy to ‘talk’ with you! I really liked your post today! So much the way we view little animals, too, we safe-trap mice and they get safe passage to more remote forest spaces down the road.
We are scorchin’ hot too, but won’t see fall for some time. Cooler next week, so they say.
Bookwork stopped briefly due to hand pain but I’m slowly getting past it, using a wrist brace now. Took way too many tree pictures while resting hands LOL. Getting closer …
I had never heard of Gene Stratton-Porter; looked her up, fascinating! I will look further when time opens up, thanks so much for mentioning her!
Returning your good wishes for August! It’s a month I actually like, except for heat.
Leah
Thanks about the post, Leah. 🙂
Yes, hand pain–I hear you there. I’ve had it in the left thumb/wrist for quite a while. Went to the chiropractor who said it’s tendenitis, not carpal tunnel, which is what I’d thought it was. The brace helps–typing doesn’t, darn it! 🙂 But I keep plugging away.
And Gene Stratton-Porter: I’d gone to her home, near me, and bought the biography and just loved reading it. She was quite a woman for her time, and she did so much field work to chronicle nature. I’d highly recommend checking her out!
Have a great week and here’s to a cooler one, too! LOL
Deb
Thanks for the like on my, Heads up on Finches.
My pleasure!
You can never have too many cat books or cat-related things! Hope everything goes well!
Just wondering, being a publishing student, do you have a publisher in mind?
Thank you, Elemental Quill! I know at this point that I will be going through a small independent publisher. Because nothing is completely settled yet, I’d rather not say exactly which one(s) at this time. However, soon, I hope, I’ll be able to answer your question.
I’ll be starting off in the US but will certainly want to publish and/or be available in UK, too. So much great cat writing and natural history writing comes from the UK; along with so much other fine writing, too, of course.
Well, if there’s one thing the UK is still good at, without having sold it all abroad, it’s writing and publishing (even if most publishers are in London which can be a pain for us students wanting work :p).
Writing and editing images is such hard work understand your pain so much! Good luck!
Thank you Marje, for the well-wishes and understanding! It can be arduous, but so enjoyable when you finally get everything the way you want it! Having to slow down right now due to some hand pain, aaarrrgh.
Well here you’ve written 2 books and we can’t even get da time to write one. MOL Pat yourselves on da back and be purroud.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
Thanks, Dezi and Raena! Two books just sort of happened coz I just kept writing and I’m not so good at math, LOL.
My first time here. I enjoyed your post immensely. Bud is a character kitty.
Thanks for the laugh.
Jean
Thank you for your kind words, Jean, and thank you for visiting! I enjoyed viewing your blog today and I look forward to checking into it further!
Hey Leah, I just wanted to check in and see how you are. I have no doubt that it is hot and steamy with you as well as me. Have a great holiday weekend. Hugs K x
Kerry, thank you so much for asking! I’m doing fair. Oh yeah, we’ve had some broiling days, but some surprising cool nights also. I’ve really been enjoying your posts, I know I don’t say that often enough! Hugs and wishes for a great holiday going out to you also!
Thank you so much, Leah!
With Bud’s sublime cool setting the tone, you’ll undoubtedly find editing less onerous and more productive than you expect. Just take his fine feline example and give yourself a catnap or ten, purr until your pain lessens, and know that two books will merely double your readers’ pleasure, not diminish it. Hugs and warmest best wishes from here to the Catwoods and beyond!
Kathryn
Kathryn, thank you so much for your kind note and encouraging words! Looking to Bud’s examples for chillaxing and coming back refreshed is indeed purrrrfect advice! Hugs and all good things going back atcha from here deep in the Catwoods!
As a retired editor and active cat lover, I’d like to say that however wonderful they are in other ways, cats are not much good at spelling.
LOL, Ellen! Bud and I are indeed learning to work as a team and delegate tasks. He does excel at choosing pictures, so long as they are all photos of Bud.
Ah, yes. Is there anything as gorgeous and self-involved as a cat?
Perfect description of my Bud, for sure, Ellen!
Some editor I am. I just noticed that what was supposed to be “ways,” above, reads “way.” Good thing I retired.
I’ve done similar things so many times myself! WordPress lets you edit others’ comments; I never do that though unless someone points out an error, so I was able to go back and fix it today. Proofreading’s very difficult because the brain sees things in patterns and you see it the way you’re accustomed to thinking it. It’s a constant battle with one’s own brain. I edited my fil’s journal 4 times. I overlooked “Civilian Conversation Corp” three times and caught it the 4th time.
One thing I know about proofreading is that the more times you read something, the less likely you are to catch any errors. And if you wrote it? Odds are that you’ll see what you expect to see. Unless, of course, you hit Post Comment, at which point all the errors will show up in red neon.
Yeah I can see that ‘other cat’ thing!! Very catty or cat-like!! 🙂 Too true. Sounds like all is going pretty well. I have always had that problem….the having trouble cutting down all the words one!! Each word is so treasured, right?
Judy, that’s exactly right! I had every word in place, complete control of rhythm and flow, now I need to compress. Some progress, but slow-going! Bud’s done well so far.
This explains why my cats love to sit in front of my monitor when I’m trying to write. I’m a science fiction author that so far has only had one cat appear in passing in one of my books. Clearly they don’t approve of my subject matter.
LOL, Marcha! They are entirely feline-centered beings! However, they are adaptable, or they wouldn’t put up with living with humans. Once they really get into your subject, they may yet become fine, if overbearing, editors.
Sounds like a true labor of love.
Bud is such a handsome editor! 😉
Thank you so very much, Eliza! Bud very much likes your comment!
These are going to be great books! Fun to write, hard but fun to edit. Keep us up to date!
Claudia, many thanks for your kind words and your encouragement! It’s slow-going, but I will report once progress occurs!
Cute post! Wishing you the best with your book. It all seems so daunting at the moment, I’m sure, but it will be worth it. Hoping you’re feeling better…
Bud and I thank you, Chandra Lynn, for your kind and encouraging words and well wishes! All good wishes in return, Leah
great picture
Thank you Alex!
Best of luck with your book! If my Dachshund could write about himself, it would be a giant tome with no editing to be found.
Thank you for wishing me luck, I’m going to need it. LOL about your Dachshund as author!
Ha! My kind of dog!
Yes, and we love him too 🙂
Good Luck! This is great work. Thanks and Love, nia
Thank you Nia, I am happy that you like my project! All good things, happiness and love, going out to you!
Best of luck, I know it’s a lot of work.
Thank you Candace, I appreciate wishes for luck, I’m gonna need it!
Way to go! Publishing is a long process, but once the research and writing is done, the rest is gravy. It’ll happen!
Thanks, greenpete58! I appreciate your encouraging words!
Agreed!
My cats’ editing looks like kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkmmmmmm or //////////////;;;;;;;;;;;… I’m sure it means something in cat but so far I’ve found no reasonable translations on the internet… I hope your editor is more helpful.
LOL, Bud would use that style so long as it replaced the Othercat stories!
Ha! My kind of cat!
Bud thanks you!
Hug to Bud!
Great post! It looks like your co-editor has something in common with my studio technician, Mr. Bowie: sleeping on the job…
LOL, felines makes the best assistants! Thank you, glad you liked the post!
Sparta Puss says thank goodness you have Bud to do all this for you 😉
LOL!
Have you tried another editor? One if my friends was rejected several times. Finally she was published and it was a pretty popular book. Don’t give up. Keep going!!
That’s very good and encouraging advice, Joyful2bee, and we are keeping options open. I will bring in another editor when I need help with the references. This glitch came about because I wasn’t keeping track of how the length of the ms. translates to printed book size. It’s too much to print in one volume. Decisions about how to re-do the sequencing really need to be made by me. And uh, Budcat, who has a remarkable sense of narration.
Good luck with the book. Editing is hard, creative work.
Thank you for the good luck wish arlingwoman, I can certainly use it! This will be a long slog but doable, once I get my mind right!
Health and good cheer attend your bold cooperative endeavor!
I think Bud rocks, even if he gets a little righteously jealous sometimes.
Thank you for your good wishes, Lauren! Bud approves of your comment and thanks you too!
Well now, my four cats are absolutely sleeping on the job, I can definitely see that now! 🙂 They never want to help me edit! And Charlie/Chuck, he just wants to play ball (although he’s really quite the intellectual). Seriously though, Leah, I am so happy to read that you’re rounding the corner on your — not one, but TWO books! Good for you! Please keep working, give catnip to Bud or whatever it takes, but please get your books out so that I can buy them! Meanwhile, hope you’re have a wonderful spring-into-summer; it’s already pretty hot here in the Midwest, almos summer-type temps. Love the photos too, by the way! 🙂
LOL, there are times I would prefer that our little animal kingdom was more like yours, more paws off the book. (Bud, I didn’t say that.) I thank you so much for your encouragement, I think of you often (although I am so bad about corresponding and commenting). I am hoping your writing is going well and that one day you will have a book or books out for me to me to buy and send for, so I can settle in for a good long read! We have some heat now, but surprising times of cooler temps, considering the region. Everyone’s at the Gulf or out doing summery things. I may not post for a while although I will continue to send out the cat signal (in the form of gravatar pic) as greetings!
Great update, lovely pictures too. Bud looks intelligent, regal and ready to work!
Thank you Samantha, I’m glad you enjoyed the post! Bud thanks you too, he is very impressed with your comment!
All best with your book! Sounds like it will be very cool. Hang in there, health-wise. It will all work out. One day at a time on it all.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words, Sharony! I am slowly learning to pace myself, and to relax.