A Kist of Emigrants

At long last ... David will know the feeling ... I have passed the last CD of material to Shetland Times today. I have seen the proofs and I think the book will look good. I think it could have looked better but ST do not have a designer. On the other hand, most readers are probably just interested in the people and the photographs. The cover design was difficult. I saw a friend's design in the archives (he made the piece that hangs above my bath also) called Diaspora (it's made of wood) and thought it ideal. It also gave me the inspiration for the title ... the boxes and chests at the bottom of the boat. I wanted a title that didn't suggest that the book contained all the emigrant stories but a collection, and I think that a 'Kist' (or chest) does just that.

Diaspora is actually quite funny and that has worried me a little in case the people who gave me their emigrant forbears' stories get upset ... some, naturally, take their stories very seriously!

The background (this is a mock-up) is supposed to be the grain of a box and the title a stencil stamp on it. It's going to be slightly larger than A4 and will cost 30 quid.

The book is to be launched on the evening of the 14th June ... first night of the Hamefarin ... and is supposed to be one of the 'highlights' of the Hamefarin! That kinda worries me as there is not a lot of excitement in launching a book. We'll probably show the illustrations on a large screen (it will be in the Museum lecture hall) and have some music, nibbles and wine. I have also persuaded my old friend, Jonathan Wills to be MC; he will be very entertaining! And Jamie, Elizabeth and Tim will be there too. Most of the time I will be signing and trying to remember who people are ... I have had over 100 contributors whom I have mainly corresponded with by email and they will expect me to know them or remember their story. Ah well, it will be fun ... I hope.

I have got tickets for all of us to the big Hamefarin concert, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham and Catriona MacDonald among others. It's Tim's birthday the day after so we'll go and have a meal at Burrastow. Should be quite a week.