I'm not really sure what to title this post, but it is, again, just an update on the book project that has been my focus for the last couple of years now.
A few weeks ago, I had a copy of my "all combined" file printed. This file was a combination of all my completed stories in one large Word document. I just really wanted to see what it looked like in "real life" and not just on a screen.
It ended up being 199 pages (including front and back) and about 95,000 words, and looked terrific!
It was pretty cool to see and hold, I must admit.
It's also cool to be able to hand it to other people to look at and give me feedback. It has been positive commentary so far.
We've also uncovered a few typos ("there" instead of "three" "city" instead of "century" and two stories in reverse alphabetical order by mistake) but I had not tried to proofread every word of every story yet. This is a work in progress, and I'm sure other such issues remain in it but having something so tangible and "real" is a good feeling. It's good to see and hold it and see the information I have assembled. I hope this isn’t a case of “pride goes before the fall,” but I am happy with what I have created thus far.
I did submit a brief questionnaire to one publisher. The only response I received so far was a question if the book was only about the profiles or about the home front of Campbell County during the war. I replied and have not heard back yet, but I presume my subject did not totally interest him at first, but that is fine. It still is fascinating me, both in what I am learning and how enjoyable it has been, even if my idea is rejected.
Also, I must admit that a look at the county's home front during the war is another idea that intrigues me. I put together a quick list of ideas that could apply to such a topic. That approach strikes me at first as much more complicated and requiring more detailed research, but it's also a topic that has not been explored in this region, and I do have some thoughts on how to approach it. Some of the stories I've uncovered in my current research could fit into that topic.
I'm still working on this first project as I had planned, but maybe the home front during the war is an idea for the future. I'll keep an eye out for appropriate material as I continue to research the individual soldiers and sailors.
And I have not necessarily given up hope on having my work published as a book. Other options are available and I am actually glad to have received that suggestion and comment in reply to my initial inquiry. This project is a big one and I will keep plugging away at it especially as I continue to find interesting stuff.
In the last week or so, I found a local man who was a victim of the Sultana disaster. That was a great surprise and certainly a story I must tell.
I also was looking up a soldier’s name and found a man who had been arrested for cutting down an American flag. It was almost certainly a civilian with the exact same name and does not fit the scope of my book, but I thought it was a neat find too. I’ll find a way to share that with others (besides the blog’s Facebook page.) it’s at least one possible story of the war’s home front in Campbell County.
I also found out that the last Civil War veteran living in Campbell County was Cornelius Green Cannon, an African-American who served as an under cook in the 23rd Missouri Infantry. He died in 1944 and I’ll certainly add his story to my project.
Hopefully the discoveries keep on coming. It’s really fun to uncover stuff like the man on the Sultana or names of other Campbell County men who served. Whatever sports in thffuture,mi have learned a lot snd had quite a bit of fun so far.
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