In a moment of extreme weakness (apparently), I agreed to write a book about the cranberry industry in Washington state.  Sometimes, my heart simply takes over.  That’s the only way I can explain it.

From a logical standpoint, it was the correct decision to make.  Absolutely.  After all, I’ve written a book about our Long Beach cranberries.  Long ago (1998), C is for Cranberries was my first venture into self-publishing; it was the beginning of “Mrs. Stevens’ ABCs” – eventually nine books that were what I describe as quick “down and dirty” overviews of subjects near and dear to my heart.

Following the cranberry book were O is for Oysters, I is for Indians, O is for Oysterville, D is for Discovery, P is for Papa Train, P is for Peninsula, Q is for Quicksand, and K is for Kidnapping the County Seat. Each one holds special memories for me, maybe especially the cranberry book since it was the first.

My friend and soulmate, Gordon Schoewe, illustrated it for me in his own inimitable style.  A careful look will reveal his signature bunny rabbit, Ambrose, tucked in on the “X is for Xmas” page.  Kim Patten (previously known to me-the-schoolteacher only as” Eli’s dad” and also as a member of the School Board) spent lots of time educating me into the world of cranberry statistics – varieties and pests and yields and laws.  And, my colleague Patty Brewe’s husband Kyle read my final copy and had a gentle suggestion or two.  Precious memories all these years later!

This time, the cranberry book will be a collaborative effort.  I am so grateful that saying “yes” to the Pacific Coast Cranberry Research Foundation was not the end of my association with them until publication!  They are right beside me, all the way!  Not only my head but my emails are full of cranberries!  Melinda Crowley and Ardell McPhail and I are bound together in cranberry vines for the duration.

Arcadia Publishing is doing all the nitty-gritty-get-the-book-printed work.  Their demands are stringent and creative wiggle-room is limited, but they relieve us from worry about the publishing details.  We only have to be concerned with 8,000 to 18,000 words of text and 180 to 240 images, deliverable on specific dates.  No pressure!

A month from day before yesterday, the book will be done.  (Read “vill be done” with a heavy accent.)  But I’m sure I’ll continue to have a headful and heartful of cranberry memories for a long, long time afterwards!