 Every once in a while, special circumstances bring a group together for an unusual creative project. ADDISON MIZNER, Visionary Architect came about in just this way. The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach wanted an authoritative text to use in their Heritage Education Program as well as when talking about the history of the town to visitors and school groups. They could have made a brochure, but they realized that they needed more than this. Despite it being a much bigger undertaking, they decided to create a book that would be historically accurate but also engaging for readers of all ages. Robert Forbes was a natural choice for the text because he was already a published author who lives in Palm Beach, not to mention that he’s a member of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. He suggested Barbara McClintock for the elegance and whimsy that her illustrations could bring to the book. The result is remarkable. Filled with photographs alongside Barbara McClintock’s art, the book offers both a captivating story and a plethora of facts that invite the reader to take a deep dive into the man who created the look of Palm Beach. Below are some questions and responses that each of them gave about the book and the process of creating it.  Barbara McClintock: Q: What made you interested in the project in the first place? A: I’m fascinated by stories about creative people. Both my parents were artistic - my mother was a textile and design major in college; she was skilled in sewing intricately tailored clothing, and created her own patterns from which she made most of her own clothing ( and most of the dresses for my sister and me ). My father was a professional portrait photographer; later in his career he switched to architectural photography. He loved talking about the special lenses he used to mitigated the extreme perspective lines that are problematic when photographing tall buildings. His interest in texture, lighting, pattern, detail, and historical constructs of buildings led me to a deep interest in drawing buildings in my illustration career. My partner is an editorial illustrator. Many of my friends are artists, graphic designers, writers, musicians and people involved in movement through dance, qigong and martial arts. Nothing gives me joy as much as being part of a creative community, and celebrating the gifts that beauty brings to us all. Q: What is your favorite fact about Addison Mizner? A: That he had a life-long love of spider monkeys. Q: What was your biggest challenge in creating the book? A: There’s so much to say and show about Addison’s life! I wish I could make a book just about the scrapbooks of drawings and photos of the buildings, materials and influences he loved! He had such a far-ranging imagination and an ever-curious eye. And he was quite a character! He deserves a book the size of the Gutenberg Bible, but I must say Bob Forbes did a splendid job of reducing Addison’s amazing life into a handy-sized book! Q: What was the most joyful part of creating the book? A: Being part of Team Mizner - our crew who made this book possible. I miss our regular emails and meetings brainstorming about creating our marvelous book. Q: What do you hope readers will take away from the book? A: As Frank Lloyd Write said about Addison; “Many architects had imagination but only Addison Mizner had the courage to let it out of the cage.” I hope our book inspires readers to do just that. Q: Is there anything else you want to add or comment on? A: I hope anyone holding this book in their hands knows all the love, inspiration, imagination and hard work that went into it’s creation. I’ve been privileged to work with the author Bob Forbes, designer Bob Kosturko, my every generous agent Jennie Dunham, Marie Penny and all the folks at the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. It’s been a blast!  Bob Forbes: Q: What made you interested in the project in the first place? A; A friend of mine, Pauline Pitt, knew I was a children’s author and asked me if I would be interested in writing a biography of Addison Mizner. She was the former Board Chair of The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, and the book would be used for their popular 4th Grade Heritage Education Program with its emphasis on architecture. I was intrigued by the idea of writing a non-fiction book and I knew there was plenty of material on Mizner available, especially in Palm Beach, his hometown. I said yes, but it wasn’t until I started reading books on this multi-faceted man, visiting collections, and making copious notes, that I realized he was a big subject in more ways than one. From my earlier writing I felt I had the right voice for the intended readers, but I soon found I was including too much material. After a few drafts and with help from an editor I’ve worked with in the past, the project began to come together nicely. I learned I had to make tough choices on what to include and what just wouldn’t fit. Q: What is your favorite fact about Addison Mizner? A: That for all the disappointments and hurdles life kept throwing at him, his growing passion for architecture never diminished. The vision of how he wanted to incorporate building styles he had seen in his travels burst forth when he met Paris Singer and moved to Palm Beach to build what became the Everglades Club, one of his greatest masterpieces. What he created was very much his own brand of architecture, and it took the world by storm. Q: What was your biggest challenge in creating the book? A: I came to realize that writing non-fiction was for me a whole lot harder than writing fiction. But the challenge was made easier by the extraordinary character I was writing about. Q: What was the most joyful part of creating the book? A: By far the most joyful part was when Barbara McClintock said yes to doing the illustrations! I knew then the book would be a lovely adventure for its readers. Q: What do you hope readers will take away from the book? A: I hope they come away understanding that, like it was for Addison, life isn’t a straight path, but that by believing in yourself and working hard, you may just find your way; and like Addison, you need to keep going forward! Also, that readers come away aware of how Addison’s famous Mediterranean Revival style evolved and how he applied it so effectively for each client. In all his wanderings, he had accumulated vast hands-on knowledge that allowed him to make almost everything he needed to do every job, from roof tiles and ironwork details to furnishings to laying out the landscaping and gardens and always situating houses perfectly on the client’s property. I hope too that readers find the book a lively welcome into the world of a truly visionary architect. Q: Is there anything else you want to add or comment on? A: There is a fun story of Addison from his early travels where he ends up in Australia and finds himself in a boxing ring face-to-face with “The Pride of Australia.” It was a big match he was very much expected to lose. I won’t say any more; you’ll simply have to read the book to find out what happens!  Amanda Skier, President & CEO and Marie Penny, Director of Archives - The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Q: What made you interested in the project in the first place? A: The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach introduced its Heritage Education Program in 1987 to teach about the history of the region through the medium of local architecture. When I was in the role of Director of Education several years ago, I dreamed of creating a children’s book about Addison Mizner. There has been so much written about him, but nothing targeted towards young readers. Our new publication Addison Mizner, Visionary Architect allows for students from all over Palm Beach County to learn about the development of the Mediterranean Revival style. -AS Q: What is your favorite fact about Addison Mizner? A: That he was an artisan in addition to being an architect. He didn’t just design his buildings, but he fabricated many of the materials and created spaces with strong historical precedents. -MP Q: What was your biggest challenge in creating the book? A; Addison seemed to have lived many lives. Fitting it all in to the book, while focusing on his trajectory as an architect was a challenge. However, we believe including all of Addison’s trials adds to the richness of the story. -MP Q: What was the most joyful part of creating the book? A:Robert Forbes creative vision steered this project, he introduced illustrator Barbara McClintock and graphic designer Robert Kosturko who brought his narrative to life. Watching this all unfold from my original concept was incredibly rewarding! -AS Q: What do you hope readers will take away from the book? A: Students will relate to the story of Addison, who has his own hero’s journey throughout his many travels and adventures. His story of overcoming hurdles such as his leg injury and finding a way to pursue his dreams is timeless. In addition, readers will learn about architecture as seen through the eyes of Addison, especially his early exposure to Mayan and Spanish Colonial architecture in Guatemala. -MP  The book is not currently available in bookstores. Here’s a link below to purchase the book online from The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach: https://www.shoppalmbeachpreservation.org/products/addison-mizner-visionary-architect
Illustrations copyright © 2023 by Barbara McClintock Even when you’ve accepted the oft-repeated truth that publishing is a slow process, it can be excruciating to wait for all the pieces to come together. Writing a manuscript can take significant time, but because that is active, you may find the stages between writing and publication surprisingly challenging.
Obviously, a good deal of patience is required in this career, but there are things you can do while you wait. Use the list below as a springboard for coming up with ways to be active in the in-between times. What to Do While You’re Waiting to Be Published: 1. Start a new project. When the revisions for your contracted manuscript are in, and you’ve handed your story off to the industry professionals who will run the next leg of the race for you, it’s time to get started on something new. Think both strategically and creatively! Is there a follow-up project that would be perfect for capturing the audience you are targeting with your current book? Or maybe your brain will turn to mush if you keep thinking about that topic and you need to do something completely different to reset your inspiration? Time writing is never wasted time. So keep up that writing habit while you wait for publication! 2. Research/find your target audience. Even though you will likely have some marketing support when you publish traditionally, you will always be the best person to talk about (and sell) your book. Do you know how to find the readers who will listen? Where are they hanging out? And what else are they reading? Get to know your target audience so that you can interact with them. It will make you a better writer to engage with the reading community and pay attention to how reader expectations change in your genre over time. 3. Grow your relationships. This one piggy-backs on the last suggestion. Part of your purpose in finding your audience is sales-related market research. But another big part is growing genuine relationships. The writing and reading community is wonderful to participate in actively – book people are good people! Do you have writer friends inside and outside of your genre that are cheering you on? Are you encouraging others? Participating in book clubs, writing groups, and social media can all be positive ways to grow relationships while you wait. 4. Create an Author Site Many authors think that they should wait to create an author website because they don’t think it’s important to have one pre-publication or don't know what to put on it. While that's understandable, there's a lot you can do to start thinking about your brand and create a home base online for yourself. Think of it as a calling card. It's a great tool for helping agents, editors, and eventually readers to get a sense of who you are and for you to show us that you are ready to be professionally engaged online. 5. Study Your Craft While you are waiting to find the perfect agent, or waiting for your agent to find the perfect editor, or waiting for the editor to bring your book into the world... keep learning! Pick up a book on worldbuilding, dialogue, non-fiction research, or even marketing. Think of this "down time" as "in between time" and use it wisely to become an even better writer! We have a long list of suggested books and resources right here on our website! 6. Take Deep Breaths The tough reality is that it can take two years from receiving an offer from a publisher to holding your book in your hands. There are teams of people invested in your work, and they all have jobs that take a certain amount of time. They are also coordinating with each other to make sure everything is in place to maximize the chances of your book reaching its audience and selling well. Authors are busy team members for certain parts of this process and will feel sidelined for others. Take some deep breaths and remember that you will be busy again soon. You know what they say about good things and waiting. by Anjanette Barr |
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