It was in March of 2004 when I got my first email from Adam at
Feral House. That April, after returning to the States from my stint in London, I flew out to meet him in LA. We signed a contract in August, at which point I began writing in earnest. Since then, the book has been an abstraction to all of us -- a distant pressure, a subtle feeling, but nothing tangible. But the more I worked, the more the pressure coalesced and the more urgent it became. Now, with the manuscript finished and the publishing process moving forward, the pressure has become a pounding; my book is getting ready to burst forth. There's only, oh, another seven months to wait, as Feral House pushes and manipulates the mass into a form appropriate for release.
But as they go about their business, little bits will squeeze out. And today I received a real juicy nugget indeed. The leading edge of the book has burst forth; and while the floodgates have pinched shut behind it, I'm pleased to share with you the product thus far: the cover of the book. Behold:
Veteran PoopReporters know by now that I'm incapable of doing anything half-ass -- once I set a goal, I pour my heart and soul into it. This book is 76,000 words. It took me a year and a half to write. I truly believe that it contains theories about the role of poop in society that many people -- not just PoopReporters -- will find compelling. And now, seeing the cover, I get that little nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. I can't wait to hold the completed product in my hands. I know publishing is a long process, and yet I urge Feral House: push harder!
