* * Finishing the new book, Harmonic Highways

Legions of my fans (okay, actually just one fan) asked me recently about the progress of my upcoming book, Harmonic Highways: Motorcycling Virginia’s Crooked Road.  Here’s an update.
The book is essentially complete.  It is written and typeset.  I did the design work myself, learning to use InDesign, which is the industry standard graphic design tool.  I got lots of help from my friends, principally Josh Wimmer who used to work for me at Christiansburg Printing.  It looks pretty good, if I say so myself.
Several careful readers, including Mary Ann Johnson, Charlie Brown, Sally Shupe, and my wife Jane have edited the text.  I can’t claim it is 100% error free, but I hope it’s pretty darned close.
I have a real graphic designer working on a cover for it.  That will hopefully be completed within a week or two.
Once the book is fully ready, I face a dilemma.  When my first book, The Spine of the Virginias, was nearing completion over a year ago, I was interested in having it taken on by an established publisher. Being a first-time writer, I felt there was some implied legitimacy in having a publisher take it on.  Mary Holliman at Pocahontas Press took it last November and, working with a student intern from VT, had it completed by June.  In July Mary got sick and she died in August.  So the book fell back into my hands for sales, marketing, and distribution. 
Meanwhile, since Mary didn’t publish fiction, I self-published my novel, Union, WV. With her death, both books are now in my hands.
I love public speaking and have been successful at selling books when I’ve been able to find receptive audiences.  But I haven’t been successful at getting the media to do interviews or book reviews.  Those are things a good publisher can do. On the negative side of having publishers, distributors, and retail stores, there are more hands in the till.
I’m in active conversation with a publisher now. We’ll see where this goes.
Thank you for your interest and support.  Stay tuned!