TRAVEL ROUTE 66 AND BEYOND
Last evening my dearest friend and I spent the evening looking through the galley proof for Travel Route 66, a guide book to America’s most famous highway scheduled for release next spring. As always with these projects there are a few glaring issues (such as a photo being labeled as Painted Desert Trading Post, New Mexico) but the challenge is in finding the hidden ones resultant of my error or a glitch in the editorial process.
That will entail reading the entire manuscript five or six times in the next few days. This is also the last opportunity to switch or add a few photos.
As always, there is a surreal feel about seeing a book with my name on it and our name for photo credits. There is also that now familiar sense of concern about how it will be received, if it will enhance an adventure or encourage one, or how it will benefit the Route 66 community.
One of the first things to be noted in the preface of this book is that it is not meant to compete with the EZ Guide penned by Jerry McClanahan. In fact I make it quite clear that this and the dining guide published by the National Historic Route 66 Federation are essentials that we travel with.
So, I have my work cut out for me in the next few days as this final edit needs to be complete by Monday. Of course, as time allows I also need to keep the atlas project moving forward since the deadline of December 1 is fast approaching.
I am not exactly sure how it was pulled off but completion of the atlas will be the third book written in 18 months. It appears that the childhood goal of being a writer when I grow up may be obtainable after all.
That takes me to another important item. If your a Route 66 author, artist, photographer, or collector, your participation in the 2014 International Festival would enhance the event. Likewise if your a vendor, Native American or western artist.
We are also looking for folks with vintage cars, or real antiques with an emphasis on steam or electric vehicles. Experimental cars as well as displays pertaining to alternative energy for home or auto are other items we have to have on display.
So, drop me a note if you can participate and I will provide details. The event is set for the weekend of August 16 in Kingman.
Before you give me a hard time about the heat I should tell you that we were in Joplin in August. I should also tell you that we have had very few 100 degree days in Kingman this August. In fact we have had a few days with high temperatures in the mid 80s.