I'm excited and must share

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Congratulations! What a great experience you are going to have.

[Nephythys]

Congrats- I would love to write but have not made time in my life yet...good luck with it all!

[MouseWife]

How very exciting!!!

Congrats on your progress!!!!

[€uroMeinke]

Awsome! Congratulations!

[Snowflake]

Well, I am making progress, my proposal is currently sitting at 8 pages (not including the nifty cover page and table of contents). This is much more difficult than you'd think. Having to really sell why there is a need for this book, and to sell me along with it.

Another piece of happy news is that Emily Leider (author of the most recent, and thus far, most extensive biography on Valentino) has volunteered to write the introduction. So that is another big plus in my column.

Authors who have consented to do a blurb for the book are Eve Golden, Kevin Brownlow and I've approached Jeanine Basinger (her book Silent Stars and Women's View are must reads for film study I think). And I just smacked myself up side the head, I need to approach Michael Morris (he did an awesome bio of Valentino's 2nd wife Natacha Rambova).

Many little ducks in a row this week.

And my sincere thanks to my friends here on the LoT for the supportive good wishes!

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Having to really sell why there is a need for this book,

Uh.... because fans will buy it !

Bit silly having to sell the concept like that... don't they think Valentino had a lot of fans, or do they think they've all died ?

I'm going to buy a copy as soon as it's released !!!

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by lashbear

Uh.... because fans will buy it !

Bit silly having to sell the concept like that... don't they think Valentino had a lot of fans, or do they think they've all died ?

I'm going to buy a copy as soon as it's released !!!

From your mouth to a publisher's ear LB!

Publishers are little automatons who have no real concept. When I was checking out catalogues of possible publishers to pitch, I figured, if Rizzoli can put out a cofee table book of Diana Ross, hell, they can do Valentino!

If this gets published, I'll send you a copy for free, just for that! SMOOCH!



Oh, and the proposal is currently at 15 pages and with my copy editor. I need to flesh out my commentary on the competing books in print (it's a slam dunk, none of the books in print are remotely anything like what I am doing. In fact, two of them don't even deal in a Valentino biography) Slam dunk to me vs. what a publisher thinks, a whole different sex! Now, I'm working on the proposed list of illustrations, picking out sample images and writing the sample chapter.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

...I've approached Jeanine Basinger (her book Silent Stars and Women's View are must reads for film study I think).

Indeed, those ARE excellent books. Jeanine is a friend and former professor of Tom's, Donna, so if you need us to put a good word for you, we can.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Indeed, those ARE excellent books. Jeanine is a friend and former professor of Tom's, Donna, so if you need us to put a good word for you, we can.

Well, that would be totally wonderful! Just goes to show, another case of not always what you know, but who you know! Networking!

I've not heard back from her yet since she is on sabatical. Her assistant emailed me that she would pick up her email sometime mid-November.

I've put her name in the possible author cover blurbs section of the proposal.

Many thanks!

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Great news!! Much LoT luck to you!