Book Proposal
After three years of jotting down ideas, rough sketches on envelopes, hours staring out of the Whale Bone Studio window, several epiphanies and changes in direction….I’m delighted to announce that my second Book Proposal has been submitted!
Bound: 15 Beautiful Bookbinding Projects, published by Kyle, came out eight years ago. The response to it has exceeded all my expectations. I’m hugely grateful for Susan Bell’s atmospheric photography, Miranda Harvey’s elegant design, Esther Coombes’ clear diagrams and all the people behind-the-scenes whose expertise made the book a success. Bound has sold more than twenty-one thousand copies, which translates to a lot of people folding paper and stitching pages together.
I want MORE people to experience the delights of binding and using books that they’ve made by hand. A ‘why-to’ make books, as much as a ‘how-to’ make books, this new work looks at the emotional, physical, mental and social benefits of creating, using the book form as your medium. Straddling the genres of craft and well-being means spreading the love further and wider.
Now comes the tantalising process of waiting to hear how the book proposal is received, whether it fits with the publisher’s other submissions, all the inevitable tweaks and amendments, the to-ing and fro-ing of drafts etc.
I just can’t wait to write this book! Anticipating designing each project, researching more scientific evidence and describing personal stories makes my heart sing.
Please keep those optimistic fingers crossed.
Here’s where I’ll be:
- Thanks to Kyle (part of Octopus), Susan Bell, Miranda Harvey and Esther Coombes for beautiful Bound.
- Thanks to Beth Kempton and Sheryl Garratt for getting to this moment.
- The good people at Plankbridge built my dear Whale Bone Studio.
P.S. I’m looking for a literary agent who straddles craft and well being books….do you know anybody?!
I attended Lotta’s Aland retreat a few years ago and it was magical. Hoping to attend one of yours soon!
In the meantime, check out Schiffer Publishing in the US. https://schifferbooks.com
DEAR Carol, Oooh I’m glad to hear that you’ve experienced the full Lotta retreat treat too! Thank you so much for the publisher’s link – very useful. Yes please to meeting and making YOU sometime soon, Rachel
The news of a new book is so exciting! I loved Bound and can’t wait for your next creative offering!
Ah! Dear Jean, That is the absolute nicest message. Thank you X
Morning Rachel,
I don’t mean to be flippant, but go ahead and write the book anyway. I for one would very much look forward to its release.
My copy of Bound is amongst one of my most precious books. It is the book that was by my side every step of the way through Covid pandemic.
I had turned one of the books I made, which I felt wasn’t quite as I would want into a covid book. The markings on the front look to all the world like an unnamed virus of sorts. I filled the book with random words relating to covid, words like furlough, lockdown, an hour recreation and bird song. Years later I wrapped it in tissue paper and tied it with a black ribbon. I unwrapped it recently and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I had captured so much of how I had experienced that period in history. Knowing full well that others like my near neighbour, had lost her husband and father to covid in the space of a fortnight.
That funny little book that I made is a powerful reminder of why we are driven to record where we’re at….
DEAR Angela, Good advice, which I shall follow – many thanks! Thank you too for writing about Bound, and about your covid binding, and all that is wrapped up in that tissue tied with ribbon. There is a lot to remember about the particularity of that time. Thank you for reminding me why we are driven to record X
Your book proposal is such exciting news! Bound has been a favorite, and I can’t wait for more inspiration….literally: I’ll be 80 in January and I promise to do everything I can to hang on till you publish!
DEAR Jeanette, That is a very motivating message – i’ll do my best to hurry it along! X