Hi, I’m Angel Clough, author of Hello Myrmidon. Here on the website you've probably already learned about the content of the book, so now I’d like to tell you a little about how i published the physical book itself. I started by sending the manuscript to several reviewers to see what they thought. Those who replied assured me that the content was very special, and that it helped them understand better the effects of their own life choices. I knew then that it deserved to be cherished by readers, and shared with their families, both current and future. Because of this I just couldn’t in good conscience throw it into today’s ocean of cheap books, that are often quickly read and then just deleted or discarded like yesterday's newspaper.

Because Hello Myrmidon is set in 1966, I felt it needed to be published in a way that would help take readers back to that era. So i was delighted when i found Family Heritage Publishers that specializes in doing just that. They assured me that the book would endure lots of handling, and still stand proudly in a family’s bookcase for many years, poised and ready to help escort each succeeding generation of teenagers into adulthood.

This heritage format has features that make it stand out from most other books today. The durable paper jacket has '60's'-style graphics and authentic photos from my own life. These also appear on the title pages inside the book, so that they will stay with the book even after the jacket is lost or worn out. The book itself is covered in luxurious navy blue leather with the title and author embossed in silver on the front and spine, mimicking books from the 40's and 50's that are still in my own bookcase today. Many of those fine old books also have designs or drawings inside the covers, but this was not available from my publisher. Instead, there's a colorful and unique bookplate on the page just inside the front cover, which actually had to be be hand-inserted into each copy before binding.

The rest of the book has many more small touches that help the reader stay in that era with the girls. For instance, each chapter heading has its own page announcing the time frame and subject of the chapter, and is decorated with vintage-style butterflies and flowers. Each girl also has her own cursive for her greeting and signature, and for the first line of each letter. That way the reader can easily keep track of which girl is writing. In addition, the pages are printed on archival paper, in case a reader chooses to slip a photo from their own past between the pages before archiving the book in their bookcase. Years later when someone else reads the book and discovers the photo, it should still be in the same condition, since there are no acids in the paper to degrade it.

All these special features come at a cost, but unfortunately we seem to have a double standard regarding books these days. We don’t think twice about spending $50 on a unique treasure from some vintage store, that we will take home and put on a shelf or windowsill to admire. And we think nothing of dropping $50 for an anniversary dinner for 2 in a fancy restaurant, which is gone the next day but will hopefully not be noticed on our waistlines. So why then do we automatically dismiss the idea of buying a special book for the same $50 that would not only give us enjoyment now, but also possibly enrich the lives of generations of teens far into the future?

I can’t answer that question, but I can tell you that I really appreciate your allowing me this time to talk about my wonderful book, and for considering whether or not to buy it. Right now all copies are shipped gift-wrapped and signed, but if you have a special request to personalize your copy then use the comment box on this page to tell me about it after you place your order. I cant promise anything, but if I'm not too overwhelmed I'll do my best to fulfill your request.

Thanks again for listening, and have a great day.
Angel Clough