Dust Jacket – Front
I am here to tell you that there is absolutely nothing better than getting a surprise in the mail! And what a wonderful surprise was in the package that arrived for Nyel and me today! It’s not that we didn’t know it was coming… It’s just that we had no a idea how fabulous it would be!!
First, I have to say that Dennis Carter, the author, is the man who has stolen our good friend Linda away from us. Until several years ago, she lived in Seattle, often vacationed here in Oysterville, and we saw her every few months. AT LEAST. Then she met Dennis, traveled hither and thither with him (while we could still travel safely) and for the past two years has lived with him in San Diego.
We have met Dennis twice — once at Linda’s 70th birthday extravaganza at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park in 2018 and this past summer for a socially distanced visit in our South Garden. Neither time did I know that her handsome partner was writing a book — “A Memoir” — nor did I know he was the third child of eight, that he was a career navy man, that he grew up in Prosser WA, and is just three months younger than Nyel.
Dust Jacket – Back
As I flipped through the book, making its acquaintance, I was delighted to see many colored photos of his growing-up years, his children and grandchildren and, toward the end, apicture of Dennis and Linda taken during recent sheltering days. So many familiar names and places and concerns jumped out at me — the Limeliters, the Vietnam War, the trials of a single parent of teenagers. And all told with the frankness and humor of a long-time friend.
I “think” the book is self-published and, if so, it’s about the best of that genre that I’ve seen. I’m eager to find out more about the production aspect. But mostly, I hope that the book serves as an example to all of us — write it down! It’s not only your history, it’s our history and is best told through the eyes of those who lived it. Thanks, Dennis Carter!
Thanks so much for writing so favorably about the memoir Dennis has recently published. Yes, it is self-published, a labor of love. As the Preface states, he wrote this memoir for his kids, grandkids, and future great-grandkids. I wish it were available to the general public, but it was never intended to be offered for sale. This was Dennis’s Pandemic Project. If anyone thinks they’d like to self-publish, you can start by contacting the editor that Dennis used—his nephew—for information. https://www.thomasjudsoncarter.com/
Thanks so much for this information, Linda and Dennis! People have been asking how to obtain a copy and I know there will be some disappointed potential readers out there. In a perfect world, a big NY publisher would run across it and make Dennis a deal he couldn’t pass up. I’m holding that thought!!
Thank you for the plug, Linda! And Sydney, great review. Denny opted to work directly with a printer and distribute the copies himself. We collaborated on the copy editing process, and I had the honor of designing the cover and interior using Adobe InDesign, the industry-standard book design software. The printer we used was Book1One, based in New York.
There are lots of ways to self-publish, including working with ebook and print-on-demand platforms such as those offered by Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Glad you enjoyed the book! It was a pleasure to work on from start to finish.