I am officially working on my first dead-tree book. I know I technically spilled the beans on Twitter at the end of last week, but this is my official announcement. I was approached by Packt publishing a couple weeks ago to see if I would be interested in writing a book on building and pimping out (not their words) templates in TYPO3. I decided that I’ll never know how little sleep I can live on until I really push it and accepted the challenge. So, over the next six months, I will be writing, screaming, crying, and having at least a couple breakdowns just so I can officially say that I’m a published author. I can only imagine that as a published author I’ll be able to raise my hourly rates, fly first class, smoke a pipe with gusto, and generally live a life of leisure and self-imposed solitude. I haven’t decided who’s going to play me in the movie, yet, but I’m leaning towards Lyle Lovett or a very disgruntled Randy Newman.

How does this affect this blog that I’ve been trying to write in more consistently? Well, I’m forcing myself to write an extra hour a night, and at least every once in a while that has to mean something other than “the book”. In fact, in the interest of writing a clear instructional book, I will be channeling 90% of my snarkiness, obscure cultural references, and general temperament toward outlets like this and the occasional telemarketer. The remaining 10% will probably make it into the book in a much more palatable dosage. On the side of helpful effects, though, this will give me more experience writing genuinely instructive articles. I’m already planning on blogging my process a little for those who haven’t already read the thousands of blog articles covering the same topic (I promise, I’ll offer something different…  like what word processor and meth dealers I use for late night working).

Write when inspired; rest when tired.

Jeffrey Zeldman talks about what I’ve talked about here and tried to live in my own life: Write When Inspired

Larry Norman

4/8/1947 – 2/24/2008

From Larry Norman’s website:

“Our friend and my wonderful brother Larry passed away at 2:45 Sunday morning. My wife Kristin and I were with him, holding his hands and sitting in bed with him when his heart finally slowed toa stop. We spent this past week laughing, singing, and praying with him, and all the while he had us taking notes on new song ideas and instructions on how to continue his ministry and art.

Several of his friends got to come and visit with him in the last couple of weeks and were a great source of help and friendship to Larry. Ray Sievers, Derek Robertson, Mike Makinster, Jerry Albertini, Charles Thompson, Tim and Christine Gilman, Matt and Becki Simmons, Kerry Hopkins, and a few more. Thank you, guys. Larry appreciated your visits very much. And he greatly appreciated the thoughts, wishes, support and prayers that came from all of you Solid Rock friends on a daily basis. Thank you for being part of his small circle of friends over the years. Saturday afternoon he knew he was going to go home to God very soon and he dictated the following message to you while his friend Allen Fleming typed these words into Larry’s computer:”

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God’s hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I won’t be here much longer. I can’t do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I’d like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we’ll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry

http://www.larrynorman.com/

note: I found out from my Uncle’s site and Phil Cooke has also started a thread here.