After an intense week of last-minute, late-night poring over proofs and page-numbering and haggling over index entries and going goggle-eyed looking for apostrophes in the right place, Diary of a Man finally went to print on Friday! It’s all a bit much, to be honest.
There was an issue about the best way to start the book, with a divergence of opinion on style and approach, that mid-week seemed all a bit insoluble. I realised, not for the first time, that I am split down the middle – having spent half my adult life in London, Mark Simpson’s preface makes complete sense of the way I am experienced in the city, and it’s funny, clever and to the point. But it doesn’t necessarily make sense to a reader in Ireland, who’s never heard of me or Mark. As a wonderful response to the challenge, Niall Stokes, the editor/publisher of the book/column, decided to add an introduction himself, that does exactly that, and more. I found it very moving, and humbling.
Now, there’s nothing to do but wait!
There was an issue about the best way to start the book, with a divergence of opinion on style and approach, that mid-week seemed all a bit insoluble. I realised, not for the first time, that I am split down the middle – having spent half my adult life in London, Mark Simpson’s preface makes complete sense of the way I am experienced in the city, and it’s funny, clever and to the point. But it doesn’t necessarily make sense to a reader in Ireland, who’s never heard of me or Mark. As a wonderful response to the challenge, Niall Stokes, the editor/publisher of the book/column, decided to add an introduction himself, that does exactly that, and more. I found it very moving, and humbling.
Now, there’s nothing to do but wait!