About 33 days ago, I posted on Twitter and Facebook that I intended to write a brand new book in 30 days. My last book project took three years... count 'em... that's 365 days times 3, and we are still awaiting a press date. So I suppose that my insane objective of putting a book together from outline to cover within 30 days was beyond ambitious, and perhaps my way of shaking off the doldrums of a previously drawn out process. By posting my intentions through social media, I had ALL the motivation and accountability one could ask for. And so it began, with the formulation of an outline. After three tries, I had an outline I could work with. Chapters one and two flowed fairly effortlessly out of me, and I had them completed within the first two days (the introduction as well). Chapters three and four followed along at about the same pace, and I marvelled at how easily the ideas were pouring out in a way that was coherent and ordered. Somewhere between chapters five and seven, I realized that I had some notes lurking around from 1998 when I first thought of writing on this topic, but alas when I found them, three or four pages were missing of the 8 page document. So I went on a hunt for my floppy disks and then realized that we no longer have a computer with a floppy disk drive - what to do? My next step was heading off to the computer supply store and purchasing an external floppy drive for my laptop. Armed with this new piece of hardware, I went on a search for my lost files, and found them - on the VERY LAST disk I had to check! Sadly, much of what I thought was missing, I had already written into the new manuscript, but I was glad to find the lost notes all the same. In the middle of this, I got an order for a product that hadn't been created yet, which meant I had to create a brand new workbook and an accompanying manual for Anger Solutions facilitators to use with youth - I worked three days straight on that project, and spent another designing a cover and proofreading/editing, and off that one went to the printers. So having lost four days on my book writing project, I had to get my butt in gear. Also, during this time, I arranged to have a cover designed with my three time designer, Mark Beaudry of Couch Studio (http://www.couchstudio.com/). The clock was ticking, and I had to keep myself in line. I worked on the project whenever I had a spare moment, in between grading students, prepping to teach my new in-class courses, and seeing patients. Soon it was taking shape with only two chapters left to write. This brought me to Day 22. The last two chapters digressed from my outline which had served me well up until that point. While I tried to pull my thoughts together for the closure of the book, I went back to the beginning and did a once through, proofreading, editing, and making changes or expanding on some ideas that seemed a little thin. The final sentence of the last chapter was completed around 1:30 p.m. on February 20th, Day 28. I sent the completed manuscript to a colleague to do one final proofread for me, and sent out letters requesting celebrity endorsements for the book. So here we are at 33 days, and I have just received the final cut of my book cover design, and now it's time for the big reveal.Yes - I said I would write a book in 30 days, and I did it. I actually can't believe it - but there it is. In all truth, I left off from writing this book for 14 years because I was afraid that I would not be able to do it, and when it came down to it, this was the easiest bit of work I have ever done! I am very proud of it, and will post little excerpts from it in the coming weeks so you can have a taste of the content. The book will be officially unveiled at Faith Tabernacle in Ottawa on the weekend of March 30th, but for now, here's a look at the cover.
Anger Solutions By the Book: Biblical Principles for Resolving Anger will soon be available through my website, www.angersolution.com, as well as through Facebook (once I figure out how to do that!) :).
To everyone who cheered me on and gave me your support, thanks very much!
