The poems are great, and I really don't want to see them lost.  Sukie
mentioned the idea of combining the poem posts into a book.  Well, I'll
do it.
 
PROPOSAL:
I'll collect poems, songs, & stories from the FML (and archives) and
receive permission from each author to add the work to a compilation.  I
will arrange the works by categories into a publishable type layout and
create an Adobe PDF file that anyone can read and print.
 
I will include the book as a part of my webpage and to any other ferret
related web site that desires to host it.  The book would be what I call
SHELTERWARE.  Which would mean that the reader may download the file to
their computer and read it to their hearts content, but if they wish to
print it, then they are honor bound to send a three to five dollar
donation to a ferret shelter for each copy printed.  I'll include shelter
information and links to some of the ferret related web sites
(non-commercial only).  In addition, the book will be freely available to
shelters for fund raising.  I can guarantee quarterly updates for a minimum
of one year and hopefully longer (I'm thinking long term effort).
 
CATEGORIES: These are some of the pieces that I'd like to see included
Haiku Limericks Free Form Poems Songs Fairy Tales (Ferret Tails) - Think
along the lines of Grimm Brothers, or the stories at the back of Modern
Ferret.  I only remember a few appearing on the FML.
 
STAGE ONE: Collect the easy poems
I'll ask people who still have copies of their posted poems, songs, and
stories to e-mail directly to me.  This will save a lot of time and effort
hunting down permissions.  My next post (hopefully following this one) will
contain details for how to submit.  I will establish a protocol for
anonymous (CA outlaw) contributions.
 
STAGE TWO: Hunt the archives and contact authors
I'll slowly work back through the archives looking for poems, songs, and
stories.  As I find them, I will e-mail each author asking permission to
use their work.  Some of the more prolific authors may prefer to provide a
blanket authorization e-mail along the lines of "I <state your name> grant
permission to include in the Ferret Poem Book any poems, songs, & stories
that I have posted to the FML."
 
STAGE THREE: Publish
Actually, this I expect to be the easy part.  I'll generate the book, then
load it as part of my web site.  At the same time I'll provide a copy to
anyone who wishes and has the capability to post the book to their own
web-site.
 
STAGE FOUR: Advertise
We'll deal with this later.
 
 -------------------------------------------------------
             Bryan P. Coffey - Boston, MA
                  [log in to unmask]
             http://www.gis.net/~bpcoffey
 -------------------------------------------------------
       Weasel Warriors - Albi, Esef, Merri, and Mint
         http://www.gis.net/~bpcoffey/furball.html
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[Posted in FML issue 2644]