On Being An Editor

Well, this is most unexpected. I lived in St. John's, Newfoundland, in the early 1990s - I was a grad student at the Memorial University of Newfoundland (I did an MSc in whale research). During that time, I spent a month at sea on a fisheries research vessel. The lead scientist, then working for the federal government, was using a new method to assess what remained of the cod stocks. He's since gone on to become a professor at Memorial; at one point, I contemplated doing a PhD with him.

I've stayed in intermittent contact with him because he's an interesting guy and because I harbour pipe dream-like fantasies of someday moving back to St. John's again (it's a really tough place to find a job). We tried to meet up when I was in Newfoundland on holiday last summer, but it didn't work out because he was holed up in a cabin working on a book about the history and collapse of the northern cod stocks. He sent me a chapter of the manuscript to look over before he submitted it to his publisher.

Anyway, I've just gotten an email from his publisher - also, incidentally, the publisher of my father's novels - asking if I'd be interested in being the official editor of his book. George (the author) recommended me.

Eeeeeeee!!!!!!

All that betaing experience is going to come in handy. :-)

Yes, back from Cuba. It was lovely and I am even more freckled now than when I left. Pics to follow.

Eeeeeeee!!!!!!

The publisher is going to contact me soon to 'discuss terms'. Does anyone have the slightest idea what the going rate for editors is these days?