The first copy of Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge arrived yesterday, and what a thrill it was to hold a book full of one's own words. Courtesy of the publisher (Rhett Hoffmeister of Rhemalda Publishing) some novel packaging surrounded my proof copy.
This is not my book.
It's a box.
There's my book ...
... surrounded by real flowers.
From inception ...
... to eighteen months later.
Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge will be officially launched November 1, 2010. If you pre-order the book from Rhemalda Publishing by 10/31/10, you will receive a complimentary ceramic coaster featuring the cover art. Here's the link:
Rhemalda Publishing Bookstore
Rhett Hoffmeister
Sometime, somewhere, somehow, in the back of my mind, I certainly must have associated the name ‘Rhett’ with the protagonist from Gone With the Wind. However, the literary connection was recently brought to my attention by my friend, Kathy. I hope she doesn’t mind my quoting her here, but I did warn her I might. In an email expressing excitement about my book, Kathy said, “You have: a completed novel, written as an act of pleasure, not pain, about to be published, a publisher named Rhett - how ‘Romance-Literaturally’ perfect is that? ... P.S. ‘Literaturally’ is not a real word. Maybe it should be.”
I must confess to never having read Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel. I did watch the movie once, many years ago. There is a very famous quote from Gone With the Wind, spoken by Rhett Butler; and the film version differs slightly from the novel’s quotation. It is: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” in the movie and “My dear, I don’t give a damn” in the book. I have never heard those words, or any remotely similar sentiment, from Rhett Hoffmeister, Rhemalda’s President and Publisher.
I can’t imagine being more satisfied and comfortable with one’s publisher than I have been with mine. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Rhett has gone above and beyond the call of duty time and again. He is enthusiastic, extremely helpful, approachable, and accessible (except for a few days out in the wilderness with no cell phone reception. Even then he returned to civilization earlier than expected.) It’s my understanding that Rhett was raised on a farm and is an early riser; and I know he has a very strong work ethic. I am especially grateful my publisher also has a great sense of humour, although he doesn’t always immediately catch my puns and wordplay.
A publication contract is a business transaction, yet I feel that I am part of a family in company with authors Emma Hox, J. S. Chancellor, and Walter Rhein. I probably repeated myself from a previous post, but the opinion deserves repetition. Rhemalda is a small, new, traditional publishing company. I like that and appreciate the opportunity to help them grow.
I don’t take myself too seriously; and my book is, after all, a romantic-comedy. If Rhett Hoffmeister wasn’t such a great guy, I wouldn’t feel free to tease and inflict my corny sense of humour on him.
While working through the terms of an Author Agreement and through the novel experience of the publication of my book, it's been wonderful to find Rhett and I are most often on the same page.
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