So I told my artist friend tonight that if he’s not feeling inspired–or if the timing is just wrong for him given his incredible workload–to let me know by tomorrow evening. I can and will adjust if need be. I just need to know.

He’s a dear dear friend, and I am confident he’s the right person for this project. But he has a design business of his own and a wife/kids and a home and it’s just all a lot of creative pressure. The absolute last thing I want is for him to feel burdened by this request for his talents. I’m not a traditional client for him. He’s not in the book jacket designing business, you know? And I know he’s extremely sensitive to my vision, and to the book and to producing something with which I’ll be pleased. I think all these things together have put him somewhere between the rock and a hard place. And I’m telling you, that song is a primary reason why I hate The Rolling Stones. But I digress.

So, he’s going to work tomorrow again on ideation (which I take as a fancy word for being a smart artist visionary) and we’ll talk throughout the day. I’ll be writing the assorted copy for the synopsis and whatnot. I feel the clock ticking, but I am trying to not panic over a timeline that’s really only in my head to begin with. Still, I’m so close it’s like clinging to a wooden raft, just hoping it doesn’t slip away, leaving me only splinters under my fingernails.