Happy Mother’s Day: Publishing My Mom’s Haiku Book

I sometimes joke that to earn enough to retire, I’ll have to work till I’m 84. It may be possible… at 84, my own mother teaches “Write Your Life” at her community college, sits on the board for an adult day care center, and participates in at least four reading or writing groups.

She also shares her Haiku at poetry readings, and for years her friends have begged her to publish a collection. So about a year and a half ago, my sister and I helped her create a book.

My mom chose 160 of her favorite Haiku poems. Mary and I searched our computer files for pictures to complement them, pictures that would look good in black and white – no delicate fall colors or bright reds on greens. Our brother Tom and Mary’s son also contributed photos.

Ten days before Christmas, as soon as her grades were in, Mary started playing with layouts. She emailed me each new draft, and in between creating exams and grading papers, I proofed poems and suggested formatting changes. Within a week, we had a book.

If this were a traditional story, we might have sent the manuscript to a publisher, waited months for a response, and given up after a few rejections. But as my mother said, “I don’t have time to wait.” We chose to self-publish instead.

Poets have a long history of self-publishing. In this case, we took it a step further, with photographs and a professional binding – not to mention an ISBN number. Within days, we had the first copy in hand.

Writers have a disadvantage when it comes to recognition. Artists sell directly to their customers – a painting sold can feel like instant success. Writers can’t sell stories in the same way. To sell our work in a local bookstore, we first need to please a publisher in New York.

In this case, self-publishing was the way to go. We’re happy with the way the book turned out, and so is my mother.

Readers have commented on how well our photos fit the poems. I found it surprisingly easy to find the right ones. A Haiku poem, like a photograph, captures a moment in time, and at its best, it reflects on that moment. Often, we’re “seeing” in the same ways.

Once the book was out, my brother created a website for it. You can see sample pages or buy the book ($14.95) from Tom’s site or through Lulu.com.

My Spirit Sings – Haiku by Betty McCauley
http://www.bettymccauley.com/

I’m glad we’ve been able to create this “legacy” while my mom is still around to enjoy it. And I hope I’m still as active at 84 as she is. Happy Mother’s Day!