It is done. Almost four years since we started it. The rough draft of the book, all 307 pages of it, has gone to the volunteer copy editor, Capt Susan Magill, my PAO partner in creative mayhem and machinations. The door is closed on all but those few submissions we have already been apprised of.

Now, how to fit 307 pages in to the cap of 240 pages. Folks who have submitted more than one story, you will be reduced to your best of. Folks who have gone on and on and on and on – and you know who you are – you will be abbreviated. Submission instructions at the web site were pretty clear.

And for those of you who sent me teeny tiny photos without captions, you have no idea how much work you created. All too often, a photo just could not be included. Again, the instructions at the web site were pretty clear. Interesting to note that the most frequent offenders in this last sin were senior (as in brass) peeps. Ludites of the world seem to have gravitated to the CAF/DND.

There will be an e-version in the New Year in which we hope to include everything as well as a gallery of unassigned (no accompanying story) photos. For those of you who never got around to sharing your story, too bad, so sad, too late. Interesting to note that none of the folks I served with bothered to submit a story or a photo. Thanks.

In any event, it will be wonderful to finally enjoy retirement life a little (not really – still a lot to do). And to all who helped get us this far, you have been and no doubt will continue to be wonderful. Demigods and goddesses all.

I am up to 2008 in terms of removing material borrowed from Combat Camera and uploading new submissions. As you visit each year you can check out your own submission (that’s if you sent something in) and see where we are short material. Also gives you an opportunity to get a sense of what others are writing. Might inspire those of you who served but have been silent so far to send something in. If you DID send something in and it’s not there (remember I am only up to 2008) feel free to nag me consult@mywrdwrx.com or resend your material. And remember, images have to be high resolution.

Some of you sent in very long pieces and numerous photos. We have a new cap of 240 pages and don’t want to leave anyone out so some of the longer submissions will be edited to a shorter version for the hard copy of the book while the e-version will have the full version. Same goes for photos. The hard cover will have at least one of the photos you’ve sent in while the e-version will have them all (except out of focus, or unidentifiable photos)

The final cover is decided and formatting of much of the first and last section of the book is complete. Now comes the daunting task of editing, ordering and formatting all the submissions, the real content. A frustrating part of this is a requirement to resize many photos. Fortunately the publisher put me on to a good software program that does this surprisingly well.

The book has full funding thanks to the Power Workers Union and will be published November 2014. If you deployed, Military, RCMP, Corrections, Media, Civilian, it would be a shame to have the book come out and your friends and family ask why it doesn’t have your story. For those of you who are at a loss as to what you should write, have a look at what others have sent in. Content accumulation as of July 2013 can be found at /www.afghanistanacanadianstory.ca/content-accumulation/

Over 100 people have already contributed with the promise of many more. Very few Air Force and no RCMP yet. Discussion is under way to expand the number of pages in the book and there will be an e-version of the book.

Remember submission cut-off is May 1 2014. 200 to 600 words for articles (more for exceptional stories). Identify who you are and when you deployed. Photos have to be at least 300 dpi or 1 megabyte and need to include who took the photo, who’s in it, and when it was taken. Submissions can be emailed to consult@mywrdwrx.com

If you don’t get your story in before May 1st there will be no additional opportunities to sneak a submission in later. That will be it. When the book comes out and friends and family flip to the year or years you deployed, they won’t find you. Everything goes to the publisher by mid-May and before that Capt. Susan Magill has to copy edit the whole thing! And she has at least two day jobs with the CAF. So no exceptions for late submissions.