Two days to the big day

This last week I've been doing a count down on my author page on Facebook. Every day, I've posted a photo of our harbour to show potential readers something of the setting for my book, Harbour Ways, which will be released this coming Tuesday.

Quite apart from the excitement and jitters I'm feeling about releasing another 'baby' into the world, I've really enjoyed the exercise of looking back through my photos and finding new and interesting images of the harbour. It's been lovely to come across photos I'd forgotten I had of this wonderful place. My collection begins in 2003 when Koos first had a digital camera. He started off with one bought at the Aldi, but soon moved on to a lovely Nikon. In those days 5mp's was considered a lot. I had a little Kodak, and I'm still surprised at how clear the images are. I've needed to brighten some of them up a bit - modern software can do wonders for old pictures - but the basics have all been there.

It's been quite a trip down memory lane on a visual front too, so I've been enjoying myself finding and posting these old photos.

I've included old photos in the book as well although I've apologised in my disclaimer for the quality. I had no thought of writing a book when I first took them and didn't really bother too much about quality then. Most of the images in Harbour Ways were taken before I had a digital camera, so they are black and white scans of photos I've dug out of a drawer to give a rough idea of what the Vereeniging was like in the early days. It really is amazing how it eventually evolved now I look at it.

Anyhow, in case you haven't seen the Facebook photos (wonderfully supplemented by Christina James's own pictures of the Oude Haven), here are the ones I've put on Facebook this week.

The Vereeniging leaving the harbour for its first trip out
with me as skipper,  31 May 2004

A customary view in the Oude Haven. The weekly wash gets hung
out to dry

Koos and I in my 'spuddle' boat towing a mast into the
neighbouring harbour for my daughter

The view from the slipway of 'helling' as we usually call it

Another image of the Vereeniging leaving the harbour

A lovely view of the Oude Haven from its northern end

By the time I write this blog again, the launch will be over and I'll be looking forward to writing the next book, so before I forget, Harbour Ways will be available on Kindle and Lulu.com this week (I'll post links in my sidebar here), and then as soon as the global distribution kicks in, it will be on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the Book Depository, Bol.com and all the other online stores. I'm hoping to get a few copies into the bookshops here too, and maybe one day I'll get over to the UK to visit a few of my lovely blog, Twitter and FB friends there as well. Further would also be lovely, but being realistic, less likely. You never know, though…Australia and Canada are big on my wish list!

Have a good Sunday everyone, and for those in the UK who are struggling with floods and storms, I am with you in spirit. Somerset and Dorset were my home counties once too.