Every once in a while, you stumble across a quote that changes your outlook on how you approach life. Of course, this requires that one does a good deal of “reading”, which is a problem for me, as reading anything that isn’t Cycling-related feels the same as doing “work”. I do the odd bit of it nevertheless, and in a recent such episode, I encountered a quote by Tommy Edison, inventer of several handy contraptions, including the lightbulb and motion picture:
Vision without execution is hallucination.
This brilliantly points out the fact that merely having an idea is nothing without the conversion of that idea into a tangible result. That, of course, is the elusive and difficult bit, but it is also the fun bit. Taking an idea from concept to reality is one of the most exciting and rewarding things a person can do.
It was about this time last year that James Spackman approached me via email and suggested we put a proposal together to do a book on The Rules. We loved the notion of this, and the Keepers set about putting a concept around this abstract notion, and a plan for how we might accomplish it. James provided feedback and guidance on how best to frame the concept, and led us through the proposal process. The proposal was approved, they made us an offer, we signed a contract, and turned around to stare down the business end of 70,000 unwritten words. Little by litte, we chipped away at it, and today, I am very happy to announce that the book has gone from concept to manuscript to editing to printing. What you see here are photographs of the actual book, printed and ready for sale on June 20, 2013. A free eBook Sampler with extracts from the book will be available free from June 6 to June 19. (Incidentally, the book will initially be published in the UK and Commonwealth countries; the US release of the book is expected in the Spring of 2014 through our US Publisher, WW Norton.)
The Rules stands apart from many blog-to-book concepts, where a book is little more than a re-publication of the blog’s archives. It was important to us that if people are paying for a book, that they are getting something they haven’t already read for free online. We also wanted to take advantage of the wonderful experience one has when reading a book; the sound and feel of a hard cover, the texture of quality paper, the creaking of the spine as you turn the pages, and the smell of the whole package.
The format of the book is very different from how The Rules are presented on Velominati. The book is organized into V sections, with each of The Rules aligned into one of them. The sections all have an introduction, and for every Rule, a passage has been written that either provides history or in some other way justifies the Rule, or provides an anecdote from our various lives as Velominati that might provide insight into why that particular Rule is in existence. The entire text is framed with a Prologue and Finale and topped off with an introduction by my personal Cycling Writer Hero, Will Fotheringham. With the exception of a paragraph here or there that was borrowed from our archives, the entire book is comprised of new material.
It gives us tremendous pleasure to see this project come to life as a real, tangible book. Special thanks to Sceptre Books for taking a chance on us. Words can’t describe our appreciation of our editor, Drummond Moir, who was the most incredibly patient man and guided us expertly through the process of write a great book. (Sorry for having accused you of being English, mate.) Thanks to Nikki Barrow, our publicist in the UK; keep your ears on the papers, radio and television waves as the fruits of her labors come to light. Finally, thanks to the Community for making this such a fun place that someone might want to do a book in the first place, and for tolerating our dull writing on account of all our creative powers having been drained into the book. I also suppose this means that the V Keepers should start considering themselves writers or, worse, authors. Strange to say the least, especially since I have always considered myself a software developer.
Keep your eye on the Sceptre Facebook and Twitter for the latest, and everyone rush to your nearest bookseller on June 20 to pick up your copy.
Amazon:
The Rules: The Way of the Cycling Disciple
Obey the Rules: A Free Extract (eBook)
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Septre/”/]
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View Comments
@Chris
Let me make sure I understand this correctly. You use our IP, our graphics, our site design, and our corporate identity to do a project (without first seeking permission from us) but it is somehow US who is influenced by YOU?
I think you might have gotten the order confused there, mate.
You did, however, do an lovely job at it and it does look fantastic.
@frank looks to me like a grammar issue; I'm betting the "they" in his sentence references "student," not the Keepers. Also an agreement problem if the work was done by only one student. Your larger point, subtly implied, is well taken. For what it's worth, I would buy one for the office, if the Keepers were to reach some sort of licensing/marketing agreement with the aforementioned student(s).
@frank
OK now I am either a dumb fuck with brains that work about as well as Delta Brakes....or.....last night there was another @Chris posting who was level 4. I am already struggling with the concept of @ChrisO and @Chris who is ranked as a V contributor....but am I imagining another @Chris who is a level 4 and a graphic designer or in a fit of pique did @Frank demote him and re-promote? I was embibing Hop Related recovery drinks last night so I cannot be sure...
If so then Congratuations @Chris!
@Deakus Just to be clear, I'm @Chris, currently +1 Conttibutor but also KT12 Attendee (@frank hasn't recoded his little orange Flandrian lions to KT13 status).
@ChrisO, V-Contributor, might be my alter ego. I suspect he's the product of my schizophrenic, bi-polar personality, the part of me that does actually go out and ride in the rain and spell checks posts.
I take no responsibility for the actions of @Chris, Level 4 Velominatus, the graphic designer and major rip off merchant (a complete range of Rules influenced merchandise?). I'm pretty sure he isn't anything to do with me.
@Chris
Good! Still leaves the tricky little conundrum of two @Chris personalities then....maybe we should all become @Chris to level the playing field.....I might climb better then!
@Deakus why complicate things? @chris posters can be categorised as either me (small boy in a velodrome gravatar) or not me.
@Chris aha I see where you are going now.
FYI - I just got an email for Amazon.uk that the release date for The Rules has been bumped up. The original ETA for it to make it across the pond and across the fruited plains to me here in Idaho was sometime to in the first week of July but now I guess I will be getting it sooner. YAY!!!
@Chris and @ChrisBrown
Just to confuse everyone I'm now replying both to the Chris who is my curry-eating beer-drinking alter ego and the Chris who created the poster (which I've only just seen).
As Chris noted I spellcheck posts and I am happy to tell you ChrisBrown that I am available for a cut of the sales to do the same for your lovely poster.
Even without being able to read the whole thing I can see one transposed apostrophe (leaders jersey's), one mistaken use of "your" instead of "you're" and one use of "break cables" instead of "brake cables".
I would be unable to look at it on a regular basis without grinding my teeth down to a paste. Really - it would stop me buying it.
Out of interest (serious question), do they mark you down for things like that ? Or is it all about the graphics and the form.
@Cyclops
It blows my tiny little inexperienced book brain that you'd have clearly articulated and coordinated book release dates, and that the various sellers just willy-nilly choose when to release it. Little buggers.
Drummond was saying this is one of the few books that was actually done on time (we never missed a single deadline) and arrived as scheduled. Normally the books are late and just barely make it to the stores by the release date, so book sellers don't really know to keep them off the shelves when they arrive.
That said, I'm stoked for all of you who are getting your hands on them, and no one has flogged us yet for filling the damn thing with complete crap.