So crazy to think that it was 3 years ago Saturday that I first set out on this journey; there’s no way I would’ve dared to imagine how fulfilling this last would be.
First, as you can see above we have a cover for the book. A longtime print designer, my wife, Pamela, has honed in on the magic and vitality of the show, I think, allowing this powerful image from the pilot to speak for itself. And I know she’ll make the inside look as beautiful as the exterior. (No pressure, hon ;-)) She also created the new So Beautiful it Hurts website, which you should definitely check out. (Note: If you've visited earlier incarnations of this site, you may need to reset your browser cache to see the new site. Otherwise, you can click here.)
Now, a Bit of News
I’m happy to report that this book will be released by a small but determined independent publisher called Fayetteville Mafia Press (the name a nod to another landmark show, The Wire). From the sidelines I’ve watched this company grow from an idea into something I like to think of as a “culture vault” – telling the stories behind the shows that have made our culture what it is today, most recently with the release of Moonlighting: An Oral History by Scott Ryan. These fellows know their stuff and, quite frankly, won’t rest until you know it, too.
Initially my wife and I were going to publish So Beautiful it Hurts ourselves but gradually realized we simply hadn’t the resources to put out a product worthy of the subject matter. So our thanks to Scott and David at FMP for stepping in to be the Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz of this project. (I leave it up to them to work out who is who.)
Click here to see interviews to date...
Finally, being able to chat with Claire Danes after years of hearing other people’s memories of her was a wonderful and enlightening experience for which I’m immensely grateful. (I will be forever in her debt for making time for me while she's in England filming The Essex Serpent.)
My discussion with Executive Producer Zwick was equally insightful. In just a few words he casually revealed to me aspects of this project that I had never known before nor considered. (He was also far more humble and gracious than someone with his impressive track record has any reason to be.)
At present I have about 8 chapters of this book written. The year ahead is going to be a difficult one for a number of reasons that I won’t go into here. Just know that your encouragement has meant a lot to me over these last 3 years; I will do my very best to bring you a book worthy of this show that we all love so much.
Go now, go.
-Aaron
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