The Way of the Cycling Disciple: Publication & e-Book Sampler
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/”/]
Liking this poster, is there one in development?
http://imchrisbrown.co.uk/132279/1055588/design/velominati-the-rules
@strathlubnaig
Can someone tell me why “The Rules” is in the Fiction section in the first place ???
@Barracuda
Fiction ? I think it is LAs book that’s in the wrong place.
@strathlubnaig
Your post was my desired result, well done and thanks for playing !
@meursault
Do they do it as a tea towel for when he’s drying the dishes?
@meursault This was a private student project and has no connection to the official book or site, even if they have decided to take some heavy influence from it….
@meursault
Glad you like the poster though!
Thanks
@Davidlhill It’s in Clerkenwell, in London Tahn.
@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.
@frank
My VMH is off to the big city tomorrow and since we have no LBS in this one horse town I am preparing detailed instructions for her on “The Rules”, what it looks like, where to (maybe) find it and hopefully I will have a copy sooner rather than later.
And finished in a lovely soft Matt laminate, which I myself applied :)
@frank
My copy is sitting on the bookshelf and waiting on me going offshore next week, where I will then read it, so dont get too comfortable just yet Frank. My conspiracy theory is that it was released now in the UK so that we could all do some free proof reading for youse, then when you release it in the USofA it will be that little bit more perfect. But of course, I could be wrong.
Just got another email from Amazon.uk. My book has been dispatched. ETA in my grubby little hands – June 21.
The free kindle extract is available in every version but kindle for mac! :(
@Garrrrh! A free ebook convertor like Calibre should be able to convert it.
After almost of year of hardcore lurking, I arrived home from my Saturday ride to a copy of ‘The Rules’ on my doorstep.
I felt this was obviously fate and I needed to finally register and tell you all about it.
Also my username was chosen purely to further confuse the ‘Chris/ChrisO’ situation. Enjoy.
@ChrisL
Too fucking right it’s confusing! My surname is Lawrence!
@Chris Erm. This will sound like a lie.
But MY surname is Lawrence.
@eenies
The VMH did well. I now have a copy of the good book and will spend Sunday in quiet contemplation.
@Deakus Love this one. Very much a discussion that happens in our household!
This t-shirt got over 12k views when we posted on our FB page…
A perfect Father’s day: long ride for the Prophet’s birthday, Enginettes and a copy of the Rules
Father’s day card from my older kid; I don’t think he understands Festum Prophetae yet but he will.
@the Engine
Nice one ! And no beer either.
@strathlubnaig
As you can see, I was on my 2nd glass of rose by the time he arrived, fed up waiting. But, its was all worth it to see his happy face. Rowan was obviously making the sign of Rule #5 and not taking the piss.
Just received my copy courtesy of Amazon today – and it is a mighty, weighty tome! Not only will I be using it to guide my cycling aspirations, but it looks like I can also use it to (brow) beat/encourage my oldest son into cycling with me and riding the tits off the old road bike we recently finished pimping for him.
What with this and Franks awesome display on Saturday the V is indeed strong!
One last thought, it would be great to find this guide to life placed in the top drawers of bedside cabinets in hotels and b&b’s alongside the good book placed by the Gideons… (no offence meant, to anyone)
@Mrs Engine
Why is the Engine family eating off bits of the roof?
@Chris
Love how the drinks are lined up to maximize sponsor visibility – especially the Ba-Bru! Love the card too – All the Other Dad’s are Weird. Pretty rich considering their dad is a velominatus!
Weirdness – it’s all a matter of perspective.
@Chris
Cause he was gonna have a night on the tiles…….
@the Engine Impressive how you pretty much managed to match the colour scheme of your jersey to that of the Sacred Tome. It’s all about details like that, I reckon…
What does it say on that jersey, anyway – apart from ‘fi’zi:k’)? It reminds me in a way of the garment(s) that @cyclops and his teammate were flying in the lead photo to the excellent ‘Cyclops VSP’ article (from 8 juli 2011) – practically the same colour scheme, but the wingy-thingies on the shoulder are larger on Cyclops’ outfit. (Either that, or you are twice the size of @cyclops, and the wing-things look comparatively smaller)
@ErikdR
That’s his club jersey, some second rate outfit called rock n road from bridge of allan I believe. It is actually red & black, but he sweated the red into an orangey shade, suits him though.
@the Engine
Either you’ve gotten really good at photoshop or you’ve lost some weight. Probably caused by the acquisition of the book – spontaneous dropping of one stone was part of the design concept.
@Nate
Is that a drawing of you or Cyclops? Are they acquainted?
@Mrs Engine
Boom Boom !!…. which Enginette is doing the live long and prosper ? (or is it Na-Nu-Na-Nu ??)
@wiscot I am told that is me. I don’t see how he could have met @Cyclops, but maybe he can chime in.
@wiscot
Well, Deacon #1 IS red and I usually do have flames shooting out of my ass so it could definitely be me.
@strathlubnaig
OK, cheers @strathlubnaig. Rock ‘n Road, hm? Good name.
Speaking of names: does the Gaelic-sounding moniker that you use in this community mean or symbolize anything? (Don’t want to come across as prying, and I’m fully aware that it’s none of my business – but I’ve always been fascinated by the Gaelic language for some reason…)
@ErikdR Well just along the road from us here in west Perthshire is Loch Lubnaig, which is a pleasant stretch of fresh water filling a narrowish glen, Lubnaig is Gaelic for Crooked, which describes it’s general shape as it bends around the hills to the NW. Strath of course is Gaelic for a wide or larger Glen (it is really Srath, but we wont get pedantic). My street is also named after the loch. And so, in the manner of our highland ancestors, I have taken the moniker Strathlubnaig to describe the area where I inhabit, for now. Thanks for your interest.
@the Engine
Great photo, but please tell me that’s not a Rule #51 violation on your arm!!