It says something about my approach to my work that I really wasn't sure whether to put this entry into my work or home blog. I've been in discussions with three different publishers about four different book-writing projects over the last year or so, but the time has come to make some decisions and get down to work. I did set up a team of editors to start work on an "Environmental Geography" textbook project, but the team didn't really gel properly so I've kind of disbanded that and was intending to drop the Environmental Geography project. However, further discussions with the publisher are starting to sway me towards re-establishing that project but as an individual effort rather than a team game. A second project that has been in the air for a while with another publisher is a book about Practical Techniques in Physical Geography. The commissioning editor has come up with an attractive deal to sway me towards that one. The deal could also lead towards an additional book that I have as my longer term goal: a new Glaciers textbook. The fourth project, a big Geomorphology idea, is still on the publisher's mind but is starting to look increasingly unlikely. Having said that, the Environmental Geography book and the Practical book both looked unlikely a couple of weeks ago. For the moment, though, my ideas are leaning towards writing two books simultaneously: Environmental Geography and Practical Techniques for Physical Geographers. That should keep me busy!
I took this photo of my esteemed colleague Dr Waller in my office taking a rare break from his busy schedule, and he suggested that it actually showed him in typical pose: with a cup of tea in my office.
