There is news on the Jim Leverett's photography front. My son, Justin, has agreed to help put together a book.

I have been sitting on a trove of his photographs and, since he died about eight years ago, procrastinated in doing something about it. I among his kids have the knowledge and skills to publish a book. So why not? Because, in short, he was ambivalent about the idea. He had never done photography for commercial purposes. It was always simply his passion.

What I have learned about self-publishing is this: although is by nature commercial, both you and the platform will make some change from every book sold and printed, it is not entirely a money-making operation. The money made is inconsequential unless it really goes big, and it probably won't. You don't go into it expecting it to go big. You go into it with the intention of putting into history something that will stay there and represent a life's passion.

Here is my favorite story about Jim Leverett. When he was 55 he retired and announced he would walk the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine. He got all ready, with the right tent, the right raincoat, the right shoes, etc. After he started he changed his needs so that he could keep the pounds down. He had taken about three cameras but soon two of them came back to us by mail. Then the third one was exchanged for one that was just as good but half a pound lighter, and it came back by mail as well. He engineered all his purchases so that he was carrying a slightly lighter load, because it was weighing on him heavily.

His nature photography is fabulous, but there's a lot more. I am hoping a book can be made.