As a publisher there are many moments were you have a great sense of accomplishment, when sales are good, when great reviews come in, when awards are heaped upon a new release, but there is one moment which stands above all else. It only can happen once per book. It is that moment when the finish book arrives from the printer. You can only see it for the first time once. And I had that pleasure this morning. This time it was also compounded by the fact that I could watch Steve Azzato, photographer of Their Love of Music, see his work in finished form. The excitement on his face was beyond description. He has put in almost 5 years working on this project and this morning he was rewarded with his first look at his compellation of work in book form, for generations to be able to look over.
I’ve worked on this project for about a year, and having been talking to Steve about it for almost five years. So I too have in some small way grown up with this project as well. As publisher and designer on this book I have spent the better part of a year going over typefaces, images, quotes and every detail of this book. So for me it was also one of those moments, the time when even after you’ve seen all the images time and again and all the parts in proofs, now you see it as a finished book.
You put it on a table, walk around it, set it on a shelf, turn each page carefully and even though you’ve seen each one before in the proofs, now it is different. You can pick this up as one complete piece of work. It’s a book! Books, those tactile pieces we all love to hold, turn the page and see what is next whether in written form, or in portraits of musicians we may or may not know. To read the words, read the photographs and to understand the meaning of the body of work. Books have a place in all our homes and are sometimes handed down from one generation to the next. They are special pieces.
And it this case one man has documented 117 musicians from all genres of music and helps you understand what makes them take to the road night after night to bring you their special talents.
Yup, one perfect moment in publishing. And I am pleased to have been part of it this morning.
If you want to see a PDF of the book you can go to www.quietlightpublishing.com and click on the link there. Sorry you’ll have to wait until 10/10/10 for the release of this fine book which, by the way, makes a perfect holiday gift! And if you agree you have until September 30th to pre-order at a 30% discount – and have it signed by photographer Steve Azzato!
Yup, it was a fine day.
Peace,
Richard
