Close Encounters with Great Blue Herons

All of the photographs in the new book are ones I took in my journey following the Great Blue Heron over 25 years of so.

Except one. It is a photo taken by a camera mounted on a tree adjacent to a Great Blue Heron nest, showing an adult bird keeping watch over unhatched eggs. I located the image on a website run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

To seek permission to republish this image, I wrote to a contact at Cornell. After doing some research, they informed me that the image came from one of their BIRD CAMS—an initiative in which cameras are mounted near many different kinds of bird nests.

So in order for me to use their image, I must secure their permission. And getting permission is not always easy or fast. We are patient and we are hopeful we can use this image in our book.
Stand by for more news.

This morning, I met via ZOOM with my publisher and our illustrator/designer.

I had the chance to see some ideas Gabriel had already mocked up featuring several of my photos. He agreed with me that the pictures would be the centerpiece of each page, with descriptive words or captions where necessary.

A shared folder allows me to post not only photos for the book, but also ideas.

One idea that we discussed was the idea of placing a QR code on a page which would take the reader to a video. Other ideas included the possibility of a crossword puzzle and an interactive photo activity.

To say I am excited about the prospect of this book would be an understatement!

I have decided to try and document the process of getting a book published. With this blog, I plan to discuss what I’ve learned as we move closer to a 2027 publication date.

I am very excited about an upcoming meeting with my publisher (Annette Flavel, Lucky Rabbit Publishing) and her graphic designer, Gabriel De La Torre.
The first meeting is introductory in nature and we will have an opportunity to “get to know one another” since I have not yet met him.

I have authored several books previously and working with an editor, the role that Annette will take on, is always rewarding. Her extensive background in education and publishing makes her the quintessential person to guide me through the process.

During my first meeting with her, I was presented with several different non-fiction books about various animals. The purpose was to get my reaction to how each was designed. I presented a draft of my book, laid out the order in which I thought the book should flow: following the Great Blue Heron through its life cycle. Each page was written in such a way as to not only educate the young reader but also get them interested in a bird they may not have ever seen previously.

I note with interest that very few books, primarily non-fiction with photographs, have been previously published. And since the GBH is common to all 50 states, I hope we can market it accordingly.

For me personally, I am looking forward to the time I can read the book at my grandchildren’s school as well as the library storytimes.

STAY TUNED.