Self Portrait with Pub Date
When I begin to fret about my deadline, I remember that the date of publication is far off in the sunset. May 7, 2013. Gads, that’s almost a year from now. Getting a manuscript ready for print involves so much red pen, so many people — editors, photographers, sales folk, printers, interns.
A book is like a cheese, I suppose. Once you’ve got the curds pressed into a form, you still have to flip and turn it, then wait. Instead of editors, there are master salters and affineurs (people who study ripeness). Affineurs, like editors, know when a product is ready for market. They can tell by sound — by thumping a cheese (quite amazing) — and by taste; they literally take a core sample.
I wish I could give you a core sample of this book. At this point, it would still taste…lactic. When I need to be reminded of patience, I watch the video of Giorgio Cravero, a 5th generation affineur who matures Parmigiano in Bra, Italy. This is the Parm of dreams. The care he puts into his work is inspiring. I can’t get over how he listens to his wheels. Here’s the video.
Note: This is part of a daily series I am writing until July 1, the day of my book deadline.
