A Case for Landscape Dreams
Book-with-retablo-blog
"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives."Author Unknown
I make another case for Landscape Dreams, A New Mexico Portrait, or rather our printer Oceanic Graphic International made a physical one that was delivered to the University of New Mexico Press a few days ago. A case for a book is comprised of binders board (very thick acid-free cardboard like material) spine and cloth cover material and usually contains some kind of stamping of the title, author and publisher’s names along the spine. It’s the hard cover part of a book (in a hard bound book) where the pages are held. The case we received is a kind of prototype complete with the beautiful dove gray fabric and dark gray stamping we chose several months ago. After careful scrutiny by Maya Allen-Gallegos—the Press’s incredibly capable Production Manager who is known for her unerring eye—she decided that it was good and gave the go ahead for the printer to begin making all of the cases for our entire print run of books.
I finally had a chance to get down to the Press's offices in Albuquerque today to see the case for myself. There was something about having that assembly of cloth and binder’s board in my hands that all of a sudden made this book begin to feel real for me. Up until now Landscape Dreams has lived as the dreams of her authors, editors and designers along with a set of Microsoft Word, InDesign and Photoshop computer files; in a sense existing in a kind of virtual reality. Today the book begins taking on a physical form.
In case you’re wondering—I understand that Landscape Dreams will be in the warehouse around the end of September ready to fill pending orders from bookstores around the country, around the world and online. And I have heard that several online stores have already begun taking orders in advance of delivery.
The next step in the production process of this book will be the arrival of what are called the F&G’s—the “folded and gathered” press sheets that are being sent from Hong Kong for Maya to approve. I am delighted that not only does she allow me to look over her shoulder as she gives them her careful scrutiny, but that I am able to avail myself of her many years of book design and production experience. Maya knows what to look for when it comes to quality. Landscape Dreams, A New Mexico Portrait promises to be a beautiful book. I can’t wait for our many friends to see the finished volume.