It's done.  

I just got the sample copies in the mail last night. You'd think I would have gone out partying to celebrate, but instead I just had a nap, and sat around watching Prison Break episodes I've been downloading.  

But I thought I'd write a short journal to share the good news, and to talk about some of the highlights of writing this latest textbook in the series I've been working on for the last 6 or 7 years in Japan. This one took just over 2 years of writing, editing, piloting, rethinking and rewriting. As with the previous two books, it's aimed at university students in Japan, although with a focus on English for use abroad. Anyway, here it is.
  

I wrote the first manuscript in the summer of 2004. I spent 10 days on Koh Samet doing the first 3 units, then I did the final 7 units down in Ao Nang in Krabi.  

Samet allowed me to do one of those things I had always fantasized of doing: writing a book on a tropical island. For the record, it's not as great as it's cracked up to be. You sit there in beautiful surroundings…with a computer. Meanwhile, there are lovey-dovey couples all over the place giving each other gimme-kissy-poo-poo eyes. Nevertheless, it's a good place to get some concentrated work done, since there's not much else to do when you're there.  

I spent the first few days working mostly out of a crap bungalow on Samet. It wasn't exactly beach front, but I could see and hear the waves, which was a nice touch:
 

I'd get up, swim, then do a writing session for a few hours on my mini-balcony, or at one of the beach restaurants. Swim break and afternoon nap, then an afternoon session, at which point I'd usually start in with a few beers. They still sold Carlseburg in Thailand then. Then dinner and a night session starting at a restaurant, and working until late at a beach bar. I'd work until I was either too drunk or too tired to write any more. No wonder this one required so much editing.  

Grabi was also cool. One of the most scenic places I've seen to date in Thailand. As with Samet, it was non-stop work. If my memory serves, it took me 17 days to write the remaining 7 units, usually working about 10 hours a day. Once I got it done, I spent a few days snorkeling, and kayaking in the mangroves. A nice way to finish a summer of hard work.

Then there was a period of a little more than a year, between October 2004 and January 2006, when I was just piloting and reworking the content in Japan -- after which I spent 2 months living in Manila this year finishing off the final rewrite. I worked about 8 to 16 hours a day, usually starting in Starbucks until it closed, then finishing up working for a few hours at an outdoor rooftop restaurant bar at a hotel in Ermita. I didn't know anybody, so I got more work done that trip than I've ever accomplished in such a short time. Still, I got away to the beach a few times and I fell in love with the Philippines (my first love will always be Thailand, however
 

And that's it – the life and times of a guy writing a textbook. No further textbooks on the drawing board at the moment, but maybe in the future. Now it's time to relax a bit and just enjoy being done. I'll see you all in Thailand in December!

see you soon...

hey... u took my pix off of photobucket

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes ! Good job !

I hope it can be a big success for you!

With more to come in your future!

See you again ja Mod "Mike". ))

Wallace: Unfortunately I did drink too much on the beach. Not conducive to good writing, at all. See you in December!

Khanitta and Ni -- See you then, too.

Ron- Nope, all pics are originals. But some of the porn pics I have uploaded before ARE from your site. Thanks for those, eh

Rob -- Thanks, bro.

Vacanti. Thanks loads.

Rob - Thanks. Yeah, I've also had a few of those moments where I get up the next day looking forward to seeing the brilliant stuff I'd written the night before, only to find that it was written but some drunk idiot! As for proofreading -- the first book had 5 authors, and after proofing about 7 runs of galleys, we got the book back to find an error on the very first page. Just part of the process, I guess.

You should write a book about the experience!!!

Good job, Mike!

My earliest days of writing, which was a hobby, meant having nothing more than a typewriter. Personal computers were still a distant vision. So if you can imagine writing on paper, then retyping everything to edit (after many handwritten inserts), then you'll have an idea of how much computers have eased the burden on writers.

My first computer was an IBM PC with two floppy drives and MS Word Version 1.0 ran off three floppy disks. Still, the ability to revise, and to move text around was a marvel...and still is!

Congratulations! Maybe I'll be teaching it one of these days.

Congratulations Mike.....that is a huge achievement......hope it will be a great success.

Well done Mike, excellent result as one would expect from you.

Good job!!!!!!!! 2 thumbs up

Very good job Kha Khun Mike. Yin dee Duay Kha!!!

Well Done...I've always wanted to do something like that, but the beers get to me then the other distractions etc...etc...

I have to give it to you man...FANTASTIC!!

I wrote a small book, but when I read it, I got my money back

Thanks for all the comments, guys. Kai, the P stands for Paul. I got in the habit of using it back when I was publishing to journals. It was all the pompous rage then, and it still sticks.As for the pickup line, I'm not sure what he's saying -- but it does look a bit suspicious. That photo was taken during the original photo shoot in Canada. The guy in the photo, Corey, is a friend of mine, and he ended up marrying one of the girls in the group that day. So I guess his lines actually work! lol

And yes, Bobby, if I have to buy a copy of my book, I'll ask for my money back as well!

Congrats bro! Great choice of writing venues too. =)

Hi..Congratulations...........

Now you wil have time to take rest and enjoy.i hope to see that book in thailand too....