One Step Closer to Being a Published Author

By: Lowell
Published On: 12/10/2007 7:56:33 PM

It looks like I'm one step closer to being a published (co-)author.  Frightening thought, I know, but check this out on Amazon.  By the way, the long subtitle to "Netroots Rising" was not my choice, but Praeger said that most normal people out there don't necessarily know what "bloggers" are.  And what the heck is an "online activist," anyway?  Good question, I wish I knew! :)

In all seriousness, it's pretty cool to have a book available for pre-order on Amazon. On the other hand, it's still more than 6 months away from actually being available in hard copy.  On yet one more hand,  there's a blurb from Larry Sabato:  

Blogs have changed the dynamics of campaigns forever in just a few short years, and they've opened up politics to a whole new wave of grassroots activists. Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox take us behind the scenes of this new phenomenon, revealing the virtues and, yes, the vices of the blogosphere in some of the hottest contests in recent elections. One thing's for sure: politics will never be the same, and people who don't have a handle on blogs won't understand the campaigns of the future. - Larry J. Sabato, Director, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

How often do you get a book that has both Larry Sabato and "Not Larry Sabato" in there?  Ha.

Thanks to everyone who contributed; that's a lot of people from the Clark and Webb campaigns, from Raising Kaine, plus many others.  And thanks most of all to Jim Webb, without whom this book never would have happened.

P.S. My co-author Nate Wilcox and I told Praeger that no self-respecting blogger would ever be wearing a suit while blogging.  They didn't listen.  Ha.

Comments



Congratulations, Lowell! (Ingrid - 12/10/2007 8:49:21 PM)
I'm proud to know you!


Thanks, Ingrid. (Lowell - 12/10/2007 9:13:19 PM)
Hey, maybe we can write a book about Arlington politics...I'm sure that would be a page turner with a large potential audience! :)


Congratulations!! (Jen Little - 12/10/2007 8:57:28 PM)
I am so excited!!  Great job!!!


Table of Contents (Lowell - 12/10/2007 9:12:03 PM)
Foreword (by Markos "Kos" Moulitsas Zuniga)
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Doing Everything Wrong
2. Howard Dean and the Killer Ds
3. Activists Build a Movement, Insiders Kill It
4. Taking On DeLay, Inc.
5. What a Difference a Year Makes
6. Drafting an American Hero
7. Win One, Lose One
8. Combat Boots vs. Cowboy Boots
9. What's Next for the Netroots?
Endnotes
Personal Communications
Bibliography
Blogroll

By the way, chapters 1-9 correspond roughly to the following years:

1. 2002 (Texas/Tony Sanchez, Dean Nation, 2002 mid-terms)
2. 2003 (Howard Dean, Tom DeLay/Texas redistricting fight/Richard Morrison)
3. 2003 (Wes Clark)
4. 2004 (Dean, DeLay, John Kerry, Rathergate)
5. 2005 (State-level blogging -- Kaine, Hackett, Texas/fall of Tom DeLay)
6. 2006 (Webb draft and primary)
7. 2006 (Tester, Lamont)
8. 2006 (Webb vs. Allen)



Congratulations (PM - 12/10/2007 9:47:53 PM)
And I would note for the record that Praeger is a serious, prestigious publisher.


Thanks, and here's a blurb on Praeger. (Lowell - 12/10/2007 9:58:44 PM)
Praeger Publishers has a distinguished history since 1949 of producing scholarly and professional books in the social sciences and humanities, with special strengths in modern history, military studies, psychology, business, current events and social issues, international affairs, politics, visual and performing arts, and literature. These books serve the needs of scholars and general readers alike by providing the best of contemporary scholarship to the widest possible audience.

Add "blogging" to that list, apparently!  :)

Source



Congratulations (JSG - 12/10/2007 9:56:16 PM)
Lowell.  I'll look forward to the book's release.  It's quite a feather in your cap.


Thanks, it was a fun book to research (Lowell - 12/10/2007 10:00:14 PM)
and write.  Basically, there were some great stories that needed/deserved to be told...I just hope I did them justice.


Just a few people I want to thank (Lowell - 12/10/2007 10:09:54 PM)
Chris Ambrose
James Boyce
Pete Brodnitz
Matt Browner-Hamlin
Trei Brundrett
Debby Burroughs
Eric Byler
Josh Chernila
Adrienne Christian
Yosem Companys
Tim Craig
Steve D'Amico
Stan Davis
Mary Detweiler
Lee Diamond
Abbi Easter
Donnie Fowler Jr.
Marc Greidinger
Conaway Haskins
Jon Henke
Corey Hernandez
John Hlinko
Andy Hurst
Larry Huynh
Aldon Hynes
Waldo Jaquith
Steve Jarding
Bob Kerrey
Barbara Kreykenbaum
Susan Mariner
Karl-Thomas Musselman
Ellen Nagler
Annabel Park
Betty Parrott
Ralph Parrott
Andrew Resnick
John Rohrbach
Antonia Scatton
Matt Singer
Lisa Sockett
Joe Stanley
Matt Stoller
Tim Tagaris
Ben Tribbett
Jessica Vanden Berg
Jim Webb

Also, our absolutely superb editor Bill Kloman.

Markos Moulitsas, who wrote the foreword.

Last but not least, my wife Kelly...thanks!

P.S.  This is just a short list.  I could add dozens more, and very well may... :)



so who will do the online reviews (teacherken - 12/10/2007 10:15:41 PM)
for blogs like dailykos, and/or at E Pluribus Media and the like?


Volunteers certainly are welcome! (Lowell - 12/10/2007 10:28:39 PM)
Hint hint. :)


Congrats Lowell! (Kindler - 12/10/2007 10:23:48 PM)
You're a damn good writer and publishers are taking you seriously for the right reasons.

I hope to join you on the bookshelves someday... ;-)



Thanks. (Lowell - 12/10/2007 10:30:55 PM)
Writing a book is interesting and can be fun, but it's freakin' hard!  Blogging's MUCH easier.  Ha.


Homer, Shakespeare, Hemingway (Chris Guy - 12/10/2007 11:26:31 PM)
now, Feld.  


Like Homer Simpson maybe? (Lowell - 12/10/2007 11:39:42 PM)
:)


mmmmmm, Pulitzer Prize..... (Chris Guy - 12/10/2007 11:49:25 PM)
**drools all over keyboard**


Good To See Fredericksburg on the Cover (Shawn - 12/11/2007 10:05:22 AM)
Great trivia question ... from one published author to another I know how hard it is to "get-er-done" ...Congrats Lowell!  


I love that photo. (Lowell - 12/11/2007 11:02:44 AM)
Credits to Tuy Le and Brian Vo.  


Let us know when you sched. the book signing party. Beers on me. (Tom Counts - 12/11/2007 11:48:35 AM)
Before all your many other RK fans get too excited, I'm only buying beer for you, Lowell. Retired Dem. volunteers like me don't have much money.

I'm predicting that by next fall your book will be on the best-seller list - just in time for the 2008 campaigns. If you think that's a bit early, consider how many thousands of bloggers and other people who want to learn a lot more about blogging and it's effects on a wide spectrum of political campaigns and many non-partisan issues.

Please let us know as soon as your book is available in bookstores and/or Amazon. And especially when/where you will have your first book-signing party. I want to be there early enough to be close the head of the line.

Congratulations Lowell. I was particulary pleased that Jim Webb was among those who inspired you. No big surprise of course. He inspired thousands of us when he accepted your draft.

                     T.C.



One other thing. Jim will want to quote your book in his book. (Tom Counts - 12/11/2007 11:58:47 AM)
I'm sure Jim Webb will want to use your book as a reference in the book he is writing about his campaign last year. Maybe he could convince you to write the introduction since you were his Netroots Director ? He might have to buy you a beer or two, but it would be worth it to him.

I am very proud and honored be able to count you among my closest friends.

                      T.C.                        



Thanks Tom. (Lowell - 12/11/2007 11:15:14 PM)
I'd be honored to buy Jim Webb a beer or two! :)