I'd really like to see a Mudcat book happen, although I see it happening in a fairly long time frame, so it can be done thoughtfully and well. I think it's only feasible if the early phases are a cooperative effort, with the people who are excited by this idea supplying the infrastructure and the energy.

I'm trying to start a kind of outlining or notetaking technique, to be refined as we go along, using specific threads where major aspects of the book can be discussed. Gradually, we should see the character of the book start to take shape.

Unless someone suggests a better alternative, I'm going to start threads from time to time which start with the words "Mudcat Book: ..." for example, "Mudcat Book: Ideas for Funding the Writing". Anyone who has ideas they'd like to contribute, or aspects of the book thing they'd like to explore, can do the same.

I see these threads as being a sort of notebook or card file to keep the project organized over time. People who are working on it can trace them, or recall them via a forum search on "Mudcat Book".

(If the very word "organized" gives you twinges, just think of it as a way to keep this lovely project from collapsing under its own weight.)

[In the interests of efficiency, I may ask Joe Offer if he'll help keep the threads on subject by editing out all of the condom jokes ... :-)]

I'll be seeing Dick soon and try to find out what reservations he, Max and Susan have about the whole thing.

I plan to go back to katlaughing's thread about the book, extract the suggested threads, and copy them to this thread.

Now for a suggested thread. Take a look at the following beautiful posts in the "Who's Your Favorite Folksinger" thread:

Shula's lyrical story of her singing grandfather, and

Art Thieme's stories of union organizer/folksinger Paul Durst.