The Way of the Cycling Disciple: Publication & e-Book Sampler
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/[email protected]/Septre/”/]
@strathlubnaig I was so impressed at the mention I posted without reading all of the posts. I’m an idiot…
@Gianni – +1 – yes I guess Buscemi is more you now?
@frank sounds like a bunch of us can’t wait and will skew English sales to make the US publishers hot to get it to market!
@xyxax All true! It’s going to be a strange trip but I am looking forward to being fit in January. Come up for some elevation before we leave?
Howdy from Big D!
I, for one, will drive UK book sales from my little corner of the intertubes and have copies shipped to me from across the pond. I feel pretty good about my ability to translate tyre to tire. However, I’m still struggling to replace Campy with Campag.
@Chris E Dub Where was the WH Smiths. I work in London so a lunch time trip on a Boris Bike may be the order of the day.
@Chris It’s the Holborn Circus branch… there was another copy on the shelf – good hunting! If you pass near Grays Inn Road and the Blue Lion, give us a shout!
Crappy photo doesn’t do the production quality justice…
@Chris E Dub
I occasionally pass by there on the way to Kings Cross if I’ve been to Condor Cycles. We should catch up and organise a London Boris Bike Cogal over a few beers.
I’ve located a copy of the rules slightly closer by. I’m going to pick it up at lunchtime.
@Chris E Dub
If that is your bookshelf, you are a true disciple indeed.
Either that or you need to get out on your bike a bit more.
@Chris
Yes, beer/catch-up/BB cogal sounds like the kindling of a plan – is there an opposite to a weight weenie?!
My bookshelf? Would a true disciple willingly have that carpet..? :D
@Chris E Dub
A fat bastard?
A true disciple would either have not noticed the carpet or agreed with whatever his other half desired as part of a you get a new carpet, I get n+1.
mmmmm….. a London BB cogal – I like the sound of that. Of course, there has to be the obligatory bike change every 28 minutes to keep the rental cost down to, precisely, zero pence.
Which allows for more to be spent on malted recovery beverages.
I’m not too far from Grays Inn Road, but since the Amazon order has been placed I guess I have to wait…….
David
@Davidlhill, @Chris E Dub I was thinking that we could probably map out the locations of a number of purveyors of Belgian malted recovery beverages, “feed stations”, at no more than 28 minute intervals and close to docking stations.
It may be prudent to limit the number of “stages” before succumbing to a black cab, “sag wagon”, for the remainder of the day/evening.
Obviously, this would need to done in full v-kit (including shoes – bring your pedal spanner and cafe covers) so be prepared for some odd looks on the train home.
@Chris @Davidhill In all seriousness, anyone ever given this place a shot – check that menu! http://dovepubs.com/beer-menu-dovetail/
I’ve not been there but it looks good. Fancy a pint sometime?
Just read the Introduction. Will Fotheringham has excelled himself. Awesome.
I’m not going to read any more until I’ve a Rochefort 10 to hand and I’ve just finished a proper ride.
There are two copies at the Oxford Street branch of Smiths. You’ll have to ask for them.
How about making the book on kindle available to USA – on a your link to amazon it won’t allow US purchase.
I’m sure someone has already mentioned it here, or in The Rules…but woah, Robert Millar is now talking about the Velominati?!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/tales-from-the-underground-the-honeymoon-is-over-for-sky-and-wiggins
From a story put up yesterday, or even Monday.
STRONG work!!
@Ron
Seen it, had trouser accident, moved on.
Good though isn’t it?
@Chris
Sounds good – sent a FB request…
@Chris E Dub
You’re not supposed to have that yet!
@frank Walk into bookstore. Mention tall Dutch dude. Jump the queue. Joking aside, I hadn’t even realised it wasn’t due for release for a while until yesterday. It’s a great book man, congrats.
@Chris E Dub Accepted.
@Chris E Dub
The Dovetail on Jerusalem Passage is my favorite pub in London but haven’t been in years seeing as I live over the pond. When last there, it was a bunch of Kiwis behind the bar serving a massive selection of Belgian Beer and some good food. It was Belgian Independence day – they had a thing going where they had randomly selected 10 different bottled beers – during the day, the first person to order one received it and anything else in the order free. I clued into ordering the bottles that had the most dust on them. Won 4 times. Also won the hat in the middle. http://www.velominati.com/folklore/look-pro-part-ix-proper-cycling-caps/#comment-41825
Good times.
Wow, good lord…imagine telling the Prophet that you’re into “trying” new sports? That wouldn’t be an easy conversation, especially after he just returned from the 80th anniversary of Campagnolo.
I had to nod snob a whole bunch of try folks on my Saturday loop. They were out in force. I was concerned if they removed a hand from their aerobars they might crash. I would have said hello but they all had earbuds in. What a sad way to ruin a good ride. Instead I spent my time saving three different turtles from the middle of the road, including a snapping one that tried to bite me.
Talk about good comedy – a fella in Lycra running in cycling shoes with a snapping turtle in his hands. Thankfully the tifosi were thin at that part of the stage.
In for a London Cogal, but prolly not Boris bike ugh.
@frank
They have to change the part where Frank is “all in his starkers” and where he puts Gianni “in the bonnet.”
@Rob
Absolutely.
@Jeff in Big D
Speaking of rain, did you GFNY ?
On Christmas List!
Just ordered from Amazon UK. Under 9 British Pounds and free delivery to UK. Decent value for a hardback book with over 200 pages.
Pleased you have gone for hardcover. They always exude quality and maintaining standards is what the Velominati is all about.
Kindle version is 7 BP. Not sure about download restrictions to non UK customers but if you don’t have a Kindle you can download from Amazon a free bit of software that makes your Pad/Tablet or Laptop PC behave like one.
Well done Keepers. You’ve all done very well !
@Davidlhill
This, my friends, is the best idea in ages. Someone with a go-pro of helmet camera or something to record the fun. The 28minute intervals, lots of pints, yes. If I joined I would be dead after an hour as I breezed out of the pub looking left instead of right. pow, out go the lights.
@meursault And maybe not in London itself.
It’s about time we got a London Cogal organised. If anyone is interested use the link my Facebook on my profile page to get in touch.
@Gianni It would be a hoot and should be done but I reckon we’d be struggling with the current cogal guidelines:
The massed ranks of the Velominati riding in formation down the Mall would be quite a site though. Maybe to coincide with the launch of the movie.
@Gianni
One afternoon in London was all it took for me to realize that drinking and walking was a born way to get plowed over by a double decker bus. At least it would be quick and I’d die with a happy nitro buzz.
@Chris
Hey, your link is busted. Take off the “http://facebook.com/” bit off there on your profile page. I will need to fix that bug to be less ignorant about the link, but that will sadly have to do for now.
@Ron
Bravo….turtles feel the V too!
@frank
Cheers mate. Fixed. I think.
I don’t have arsebook unfort my mail is [email protected] or I will use one of kids ‘book.
@Chris
I see no problem with Cogal guidelines. No one said 160km, it says a day on the bike(s). Malted beverage recovery fluid would just be folded into the ride. It would be good to do it on June 20th, to go with the book launch. A large rolling paceline around London at 20 kph, full kit, shaved up. I already am stamping it for approval. The arrests would be good publicity. Roadslave will provide bail money.
@Gianni Surely for something like the book launch, the keepers should all fly over to lead the charge (we’ll even get some Boris Bikes done up with white bar tap for the occasion).
@meursault Got it, thanks.
@frank
Well, then, two copies it is. One UK volume and then for a complete collection another purchased next year at my local book store.
UK copy ordered today.
And thank you.
Is now on sale in Stirling – already being described as the most exciting thing to happen in town since 1314
@the Engine
where ? In the WH Smith cum Post Office place ?
@Chris
wtf is a boris bike anyway ? ‘scuse my ignorance.
@strathlubnaig
Yeah Mrs Engine was in town this afternoon
@strathlubnaig
Something to do with fancy southern ways I’ll be bound
@the Engine
Sorry – that should read “the only thing to happen in town since 1314″
@strathlubnaig
A share/hire bike scheme introduced by the Mayor London, Boris Johnson.
@Chris ah, okay then thanks. Dont pay much attention to things Londonish. They dont look fully rule compliant.