Rolling with Sticks progress

Never having published a book before, I had no idea what to expect, neither in terms of the feedback I would receive, nor in terms of the sales I should expect. Both have been a pleasant surprise.

If you check out the customer page on the book’s website you will see some of the great feedback I have received since the book’s launch. A couple of people have provided me some really great constructive feedback. I have incorporated the feedback into the Second Edition, which is just getting ready to come off the printing presses this month. The first edition’s drawings used a very basic kayak-like shape, the opacity of many of the drawing elements was inconsistent and the kayaker’s arms were not always clear, owing to being drawn as a single line. So in the second edition the kayak has been redrawn to more closely represent a west-Greenland kayak shape. The paddle, the kayak, and the paddler’s head are all now opaque, and finally the kayaker has been given elbows. These changes required every single one of the 200 drawings to be reworked. I can assure you that it was not an inconsiderable task, but I hope you agree the effort was worth the results.

1st Edition
2nd Edition

These two diagrams show the subtle yet important changes coming. In the view from the front (bow) you can see the foredeck now rises up and curves along a line much more constant with real Greenland kayaks. The Cockpit has been moved back to a more traditional location. Two parallel lines have been added to the foredeck, representing the deck beams that are common in Greenland kayaks. The paddle now being opaque makes it very clear when the paddle is above or below the kayak and paddler. The addition of elbows makes it much clearer how the paddle is being held and most importantly it shows where the paddler’s elbows should be in relation to the torso.

I think this view of the kayak from the side shows clearly the improvement in the kayak’s profile. The second edition contains no changes to the text descriptions of the rolls. I have not had any feedback that suggests this need work (yet). The second edition is an incremental step forward in the quality of the book. I don’t think the new diagrams substantially change the value of the book, but I am proud of the improvements and hope that customers like them too.
I look forward to the second edition being available before the holiday season. A great gift for any kayaker! (IMHO)

Previous Post

Next Post