The Way of the Cycling Disciple: Publication & e-Book Sampler

The Rules: The Way of the Cycling Disciple

Every once in a while, you stumble across a quote that changes your outlook on how you approach life. Of course, this requires that one does a good deal of “reading”, which is a problem for me, as reading anything that isn’t Cycling-related feels the same as doing “work”. I do the odd bit of it nevertheless, and in a recent such episode, I encountered a quote by Tommy Edison, inventer of several handy contraptions, including the lightbulb and motion picture:

Vision without execution is hallucination.

This brilliantly points out the fact that merely having an idea is nothing without the conversion of that idea into a tangible result. That, of course, is the elusive and difficult bit, but it is also the fun bit. Taking an idea from concept to reality is one of the most exciting and rewarding things a person can do.

It was about this time last year that James Spackman approached me via email and suggested we put a proposal together to do a book on The Rules. We loved the notion of this, and the Keepers set about putting a concept around this abstract notion, and a plan for how we might accomplish it. James provided feedback and guidance on how best to frame the concept, and led us through the proposal process. The proposal was approved, they made us an offer, we signed a contract, and turned around to stare down the business end of 70,000 unwritten words. Little by litte, we chipped away at it, and today, I am very happy to announce that the book has gone from concept to manuscript to editing to printing. What you see here are photographs of the actual book, printed and ready for sale on June 20, 2013. A free eBook Sampler with extracts from the book will be available free from June 6 to June 19. (Incidentally, the book will initially be published in the UK and Commonwealth countries; the US release of the book is expected in the Spring of 2014 through our US Publisher, WW Norton.)

The Rules stands apart from many blog-to-book concepts, where a book is little more than a re-publication of the blog’s archives. It was important to us that if people are paying for a book, that they are getting something they haven’t already read for free online. We also wanted to take advantage of the wonderful experience one has when reading a book; the sound and feel of a hard cover, the texture of quality paper, the creaking of the spine as you turn the pages, and the smell of the whole package.

The format of the book is very different from how The Rules are presented on Velominati. The book is organized into V sections, with each of The Rules aligned into one of them. The sections all have an introduction, and for every Rule, a passage has been written that either provides history or in some other way justifies the Rule, or provides an anecdote from our various lives as Velominati that might provide insight into why that particular Rule is in existence. The entire text is framed with a Prologue and Finale and topped off with an introduction by my personal Cycling Writer Hero, Will Fotheringham. With the exception of a paragraph here or there that was borrowed from our archives, the entire book is comprised of new material.

It gives us tremendous pleasure to see this project come to life as a real, tangible book. Special thanks to Sceptre Books for taking a chance on us. Words can’t describe our appreciation of our editor, Drummond Moir, who was the most incredibly patient man and guided us expertly through the process of write a great book. (Sorry for having accused you of being English, mate.) Thanks to Nikki Barrow, our publicist in the UK; keep your ears on the papers, radio and television waves as the fruits of her labors come to light. Finally, thanks to the Community for making this such a fun place that someone might want to do a book in the first place, and for tolerating our dull writing on account of all our creative powers having been drained into the book. I also suppose this means that the V Keepers should start considering themselves writers or, worse, authors. Strange to say the least, especially since I have always considered myself a software developer.

Keep your eye on the Sceptre Facebook and Twitter for the latest, and everyone rush to your nearest bookseller on June 20 to pick up your copy.

Amazon:

The Rules: The Way of the Cycling Disciple

Obey the Rules: A Free Extract (eBook)

[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Septre/”/]

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

eenies says:

Jun 13 2013 at 9:34 am

@frank

@Cyclops

FYI - I just got an email for Amazon.uk that the release date for The Rules has been bumped up. The original ETA for it to make it across the pond and across the fruited plains to me here in Idaho was sometime to in the first week of July but now I guess I will be getting it sooner. YAY!!!

It blows my tiny little inexperienced book brain that you'd have clearly articulated and coordinated book release dates, and that the various sellers just willy-nilly choose when to release it. Little buggers.

Drummond was saying this is one of the few books that was actually done on time (we never missed a single deadline) and arrived as scheduled. Normally the books are late and just barely make it to the stores by the release date, so book sellers don't really know to keep them off the shelves when they arrive.

That said, I'm stoked for all of you who are getting your hands on them, and no one has flogged us yet for filling the damn thing with complete crap.

My VMH is off to the big city tomorrow and since we have no LBS in this one horse town I am preparing detailed instructions for her on "The Rules", what it looks like, where to (maybe) find it and hopefully I will have a copy sooner rather than later.
Ice113 says:

Jun 14 2013 at 1:21 am

And finished in a lovely soft Matt laminate, which I myself applied :)
strathlubnaig says:

Jun 14 2013 at 1:46 am

@frank

@Cyclops

FYI - I just got an email for Amazon.uk that the release date for The Rules has been bumped up. The original ETA for it to make it across the pond and across the fruited plains to me here in Idaho was sometime to in the first week of July but now I guess I will be getting it sooner. YAY!!!

It blows my tiny little inexperienced book brain that you'd have clearly articulated and coordinated book release dates, and that the various sellers just willy-nilly choose when to release it. Little buggers.

Drummond was saying this is one of the few books that was actually done on time (we never missed a single deadline) and arrived as scheduled. Normally the books are late and just barely make it to the stores by the release date, so book sellers don't really know to keep them off the shelves when they arrive.

That said, I'm stoked for all of you who are getting your hands on them, and no one has flogged us yet for filling the damn thing with complete crap.

My copy is sitting on the bookshelf and waiting on me going offshore next week, where I will then read it, so dont get too comfortable just yet Frank. My conspiracy theory is that it was released now in the UK so that we could all do some free proof reading for youse, then when you release it in the USofA it will be that little bit more perfect. But of course, I could be wrong.
Cyclops says:

Jun 14 2013 at 9:27 am

Just got another email from Amazon.uk. My book has been dispatched. ETA in my grubby little hands - June 21.
Garrrrh! says:

Jun 14 2013 at 12:50 pm

The free kindle extract is available in every version but kindle for mac! :(
pistard says:

Jun 14 2013 at 1:06 pm

@Garrrrh! A free ebook convertor like Calibre should be able to convert it.
ChrisL says:

Jun 15 2013 at 6:59 am

After almost of year of hardcore lurking, I arrived home from my Saturday ride to a copy of 'The Rules' on my doorstep.

I felt this was obviously fate and I needed to finally register and tell you all about it.

Also my username was chosen purely to further confuse the 'Chris/ChrisO' situation. Enjoy.
Chris says:

Jun 15 2013 at 1:02 pm

@ChrisL

After almost of year of hardcore lurking, I arrived home from my Saturday ride to a copy of 'The Rules' on my doorstep.

I felt this was obviously fate and I needed to finally register and tell you all about it.

Also my username was chosen purely to further confuse the 'Chris/ChrisO' situation. Enjoy.

Too fucking right it's confusing! My surname is Lawrence!
ChrisL says:

Jun 15 2013 at 1:07 pm

@Chris Erm. This will sound like a lie.

But MY surname is Lawrence.
eenies says:

Jun 15 2013 at 1:53 pm

@eenies

@frank

@Cyclops

FYI - I just got an email for Amazon.uk that the release date for The Rules has been bumped up. The original ETA for it to make it across the pond and across the fruited plains to me here in Idaho was sometime to in the first week of July but now I guess I will be getting it sooner. YAY!!!

It blows my tiny little inexperienced book brain that you'd have clearly articulated and coordinated book release dates, and that the various sellers just willy-nilly choose when to release it. Little buggers.

Drummond was saying this is one of the few books that was actually done on time (we never missed a single deadline) and arrived as scheduled. Normally the books are late and just barely make it to the stores by the release date, so book sellers don't really know to keep them off the shelves when they arrive.

That said, I'm stoked for all of you who are getting your hands on them, and no one has flogged us yet for filling the damn thing with complete crap.

My VMH is off to the big city tomorrow and since we have no LBS in this one horse town I am preparing detailed instructions for her on "The Rules", what it looks like, where to (maybe) find it and hopefully I will have a copy sooner rather than later.

The VMH did well. I now have a copy of the good book and will spend Sunday in quiet contemplation.