Remastering a master

I had traveled from Tulsa to Nashville by my preferred method: my own car. Now it was time for the trip home. I went through my pre-takeoff checklist. Gas? Check--I had just filled up. Snacks? Check. A Gala apple to go along with my favorite storebought cookies: Orange-Pineapple sandwich cookies available only at Wal-Mart. (You say they sound terrible? Great! Leave them for those of us who know better.) Only one more stop before I could hit the highway: Starbucks.

While I was waiting for my grande Sumatra (no room for cream--fill it to the top with hot, black coffee) I saw one copy of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the counter. I knew that the digitally-remastered copies of many of the Beatles' albums had been released the week before, but hadn't heard any of them yet. I am more of a Beatles admirer than a Beatles worshipper, but after all, they are the Beatles. And this was, after all, Sgt. Pepper's. So I added it to my coffee, paid, and was on my way.

After I finished listening to a book on CD (The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova--a great, fun read) I popped my new CD into the player. I was totally unprepared for what I heard. Yes, it was the same Sgt. Pepper's I had listened to countless times. It was the same order of songs as when the album was first released in 1967. There was Ringo asking me what I would do if he sang out of key. (Would I stand up and walk out on him? Well, no, because I was driving at the time.)

What was totally new and mindsmashing was the sound quality. I could hear lyrics, background remarks, even instruments I had never before heard in these songs. It was like hearing the album for the very first time. I listened straight through three complete times. Finally I was convinced: You can improve on perfection.

All that to say Welcome. Welcome to publishing for the 21st century. It is time to realize that what Gutenberg invented in 1455 is not the only way to experience the written word. What we have thought for so long to be the perfect way to communicate has been improved. And these improvements will change the way we write and read, the way we related to the written word.

Welcome to Electric Moon Publishing.

No, we did not invent the eBook. We are just making it more visible, more readily available. Starbucks did not invent the CD, nor did they do the digital remastering of a classic album. But they brought it to my attention, made it easy for me to get and enjoy. (Aren't you glad you don't have to travel with me? Imagine listening to the same songs three times--loudly! That's why I usually travel alone...) eMoon is going to do the same. We want to make it easy for, the author, to get your books published and in front of excited readers. And we want to make it easy for readers to find material that they want, writings that traditional publishers, for a variety of reasons, can't or won't make available.

Check in regularly for ideas, news, encouragement for the 21st century writer. We have only just begun (I wonder if the Carpenters' catalog of albums will be next for remastering?), and many new avenues of communicating your heart to readers are opening up. Ask questions, share ideas. We want this to be a group excercise where everyone benefits. See you again soon. Right now, I have some Beatles to listen to. Where is my coffee?