February 2011
The manuscript text was finished on time and submitted by email to the publisher on the 27th February 2011. The submitted version was 95,725 words long and 191 pages without the images. I took another two weeks to finalise the images with a group of 32 colour images and 80 black & white images throughout the text. It will be up to the Amberley Books Project Editor to check the images for suitability and quality.
It was difficult to eventually submit the manuscript as I thought of the stories that I had not told and the facts that I had not included. I had to eventually reach the conclusion that it was possible that the book would never be completed if I continued to "polish" and add/change the text. I decided that it was not an academic work and left out the Glossary, the Appendix and Acronyms. I think that everything is explained without these items and that non military, non aviation readers can enjoy the book as written. Any further interest in a topic can be found at the local library or the Internet.
One major change occurred prior to submission. I now see the logic but at the time it was a difficult decision. The old book title was not "Search friendly" on the World Wide Web. It will now be called
I am in the process of setting up a new website www.NORADandtheSovietNuclearThreat.com which should be available by May upon final confirmation of the book title from the publisher. Check back at this website in case of another change.
It has been a great journey of personal discovery. The last three months were very demanding but I am looking forward to the fun part now. I have completed my first speech on the book and it was very well received. I am on schedule for a September publication release and look forward to the marketing and sales aspect of being an author. I leave you with the NORAD motto for the future security of our children and grand children in North America: