I started in March re-photographing all of the images taken from the first two books and adding more as the year progressed to fill in needed data. At the same time I began to read some of the best current literature on agate formation from Terry Moxon, Roger Pabian, and Johann Zenz. I decided to discuss the structure of agate rather than the precise growth mechanisms as there is yet to be a fully accepted theory of growth. Whereas most of the previous books address mainly fortification agates I also describe plume, moss, tube and sagenitic varieties.

I found there to be far less current literature on jaspers. Outside of some scientific work on deep sea jaspers there is not the same wealth of information as on agates. I therefore proceeded with a more general discussion on jasper formation, and why they are often confused with rhyolites and other igneous rocks. I ended up with a short section on rhyolites and an even shorter section on silica fossil replacements.

Unlike other scientific cataloging and organization systems, agates and jaspers both have been overlooked with regard to a systematic naming structure. Both the plant and animal worlds have well ordered tree type structures where new materials can easily find a home in the previously created structure. Agates are at best categorized by a loose description of their "look." One man's plume agate may well be another man's moss agate. The jasper world is even less well defined, with some people defining any opaque material, comprised mainly of chalcedony, as a jasper. This has lead to all kinds of materials being field classified as jaspers.

I took a bit more of a historic viewpoint as to the nature of a jasper. Although not the sole current definition, I think it a better starting point than the generic one mentioned above. I think it goes further in establishing what might be the criteria of determining what defines a jasper, based on its "structure" rather than its "look." After writing the two chapters describing agate and jasper characteristics and micro structure, I finished the supporting photo work.

I eventually found a printer that helped with the creation of self published photobooks using conventional printing presses rather than "on demand printing." I actually found two, but one, once again, had limited design choices, while the other provided for publishing from InDesign files set up and created by the author.

To reduce the final cost of a color book it must be printed in quantity and using real presses rather than ink-jet printers. I discovered that printing 500 copies costs just about as much as 1000 copies, and that the price only decreases as more are printed. For those interested in the exercise consider about $8,000- $10,000 as the minimum starting point for full color book printing between 500 and 1000 copies.

I ended up selecting Signature Book Printing Company and worked with Phil Nanzetta. The process was not without some pain but mostly due to the necessity of learning color correction in the CMK world. It is very different than the RGB color space used in most books with on-demand publishing.

I finished the final layout and placed the book with some local editors for typing, grammar and spelling correction. Upon its return I made the final corrections, and sent the files off to SBP Books. I got back some proofs and found problems with the color Black. I had selected Black as the basic page color, and learned far more about CMYK black(s) than I ever wanted to know. (If you want your life much easier choose white as the page color!) Two months and some 1000 color corrected photos later the book was ready for print. (But the two extra months cost me the self-imposed deadline of having the book ready for sale at Quartzsite in 2009.)

When I realized that I would miss my 2009 Quartzsite and Tucson deadline for publication, I used Blurb to publish one more copy of the final layout, but at slightly larger size 10"x13". The final book ended up 9"x12" to keep the cost down, and ended up as a softcover for the same reason. I wanted to bring the book in at $40 retail.

I took the Blurb version of the book to Quartzsite and Tucson in early 2009 and showed it to the previous and new potential dealers and customers. It was well received. The final Blurb copy is depicted in the images to the left. The pictures were full sized but there was an extra 1" margin at the top and bottom of most pages.

This book is well worn from being carried and viewed by a large number of people over three weeks. It was carried at the bottom or side of a bag used to transport slabs to and from the car.

I expect the printed copies to arrive on my doorstep in mid-April assuming no problems with the ship, the ocean, or customs.

It's funny how a few slices of Black Australian Jade began the two-year journey to publishing a book. I think it was Bilbo Baggin's who said, "... You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to. "