IT'S HERE! Kind of...

Four years of work has comes to this - holding the book in my hands for the first time today.

Around noon I went to WSU Press and thumbed through the full proof copy of "The Orbit Magazine Anthology". This is the copy the designers at the Press used to grade the colors, look, and other factors before they told the printer to make the first run of the book.

"That New Book Smell!"

A few observations: 

1.) It's bigger than I thought it would be - 12 inches by 10 inches. So, consider, almost the size of an LP record sleeve, shave a few inches off the side.

2.) It's heavier than I thought it would be - roughly 3 pounds of goodness.

Feel Free - Judge this Book by it's Cover!

It's been here, there, and a few places - but, I didn't realize I hadn't officially released the cover of the book to you, dear reader.

Well, here you go! Click the image to make it bigger!

It's a beauty from the great Glenn Barr. He is answering his original cover, "Blast Off" (you see it on the lefthand side).

Remember, the book comes out September 1st. Haven't had a chance to pre-order it, yet? Don't worry - click here and get it done!

More events and crazy fun coming soon!

This is the End of the Beginning!

Cover Page

When you work on something long enough it starts to feel like a part of you – like a limb or a growth (don’t worry, it’s benign). It’s been 4 years since I started to the ORBIT book project and, now, it’s “done.” I put "done" in quotes because it doesn’t quite feel like I’m finished. Not that I’m not happy with it, or there’s something missing, but, like I said when you live with a project this long it feels like more than just words and images on a page.

On Friday I sent back the files with the final notes to my editor and designer at Wayne State University Press. Barring any problems, I don’t expect any that will be it for me – the final corrections before it goes to press and delivered to the warehouse later this summer for the September 1^st release date.

But, before I put it to bed, I thought I’d share a few images with you from the book. These are just a few photos I took of the black and white proof pages. The actual book will be in full color and larger. I figured you might find them interesting to look at, giving you a sense of the various sections, ideas, on a small scale. 

First Day for “First Kiss”

As I talked about before, it’s been a great honor and just amazing to see a painting that used to hang on my wall is now the cover of Kid Rock’s new album. “First Kiss” was released today and Bob has been making the rounds. He was on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night and The Today Show this morning. Check out the performances & interview.

The reason why the cover features Niagara’s iconic “Hot Box #1” is because Bob was kind enough to help put the book fundraiser over the top with his generous gift. I sent him the painting, with a mix of tears and smiles. Then, he asked Niagara about licensing the image. Not only is it on the cover, but it’s on the CD as well. So, I guess he likes it!  

Dirty Show, Pre-Order and Final Review!

I know I’ve said it before, but it’s getting exciting now.

First, the 16^th annual edition of The Dirty Show is on as I write this. Last night kicked off with legendary indie filmmaker, artist, and raconteur John Waters. Jerry Vile was very excited to land John for the show because he’s been a big fan and influenced by John’s work. Here’s a cool picture of the two at the show on Thursday night.

John Waters & Jerry Vile at the Dirty Show (February 12th, 2015) - Photo by Gretchen Gonzales Davidson

If you haven’t gotten your tickets for the Dirty Show, yet… do so! It’s always the best time in Detroit in the cold, dark of February.

Here IT is - the cover art for “Re-Entry”!

After we reached the goal in the fundraiser, I showed the sketch Glenn Barr had created for the cover. Well, here's the real deal - the cover! That's what WSU Press has planned for the book.

Looks great, doesn't it?!?

What a Year! THANK YOU!

As I type this I’m making the final corrections to my manuscript – it’s been almost 4 years since this crazy project started. But, 2014 has been an amazing year for putting the final pieces of the puzzle into action, receiving humbling support from backers, and digging into the details of what the final book will look, feel, and smell like. By this time next year you will have “Re-Entry” in your hands! I can’t wait for you to experience it, enjoy it, and bask in the stories!