“Oysterville” – An Arcadia Publication

      Arcadia Publishing Company is nothing short of amazing.  Just when it seems that they can’t top themselves, they come up with another brilliant idea for a series.  Already they have ten series on local history topics:  “Images of America,” “Postcards of America,” “Then and Now,” “Postcard History,”  “Images of Rail,” “Images of Sports,” “Campus History,” “Images of Baseball,” “Corporate History,” and “Arcadia Kids.”  And, coming soon:  “Legendary Locals of (you fill in the town).”  The fabulous part, of course, is that each book is based upon historic photographs – images that might otherwise be lost and most certainly would not be widely shared.
     As publishers, Arcadia’s parameters are easy.  They set up strict, almost by-the-numbers, guidelines so that anyone with access to old, original photographs and the ability to write clear sentences can become an author.  Arcadia does the marketing and distribution and pays a reasonable royalty.  The books sell.  After all, how many people can resist picking up a moderately priced, attractive book about their high school or college or hometown or favorite baseball team?
     I have written two books for Arcadia.  The Long Beach Peninsula’s IRN (about our little narrow gauge railroad) came out in their “Images of Rail” series in 2009. Oysterville, published last summer, is part of their “Images of America” series.  And just yesterday I received an email asking if I had interest in proposing a book for their newest (not yet out) series, “Legendary Locals.”
     I am, of course, very interested.  But as I looked over the material they sent, I realized that it probably isn’t going to happen. This part sounded fine… we would like each book to be a combination of historical characters, quirky or interesting personalities, and stories of real community giving, outreach, and philanthropy – stories that really tug at your heartstrings. But it was the each book should contain around 130 to 230 different people and groups that gave me pause.
     The final stumbling block was the sample cover on their mock-up of “Legendary Locals of Truth or Consequences” (New Mexico).  Was that Albert Einstein on the cover?  And on one of the sample pages for “Legendary Locals of Gary” (Indiana), there was Karl Malden!  Legendary for sure!
     I don’t think Oysterville’s limited population — historic and otherwise — can qualify.  But I’m thinking of proposing a variation on their theme.  How about “Funky and Folksy” rather than “Legendary?  Maybe I could even get Bud’s cows in there…