Book on SW USA Zoos

[Arizona Docent]

As a couple of you know, I have been working on a book on Zoos of the Southwest (United States). It is finally finished and I just mailed a disc with the files to the printer.

It covers the desert southwest, which I am defining as southeast California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas. The main body has a chapter on each of the major 17 zoological parks in the region. An 18th zoo that I had written up had to be cutout today at the last minute. The reason is they are run by a state government agency and they would not give me permission to publish photos unless I paid a ridiculous commercial photography fee and filed a filming application.

In addition to these 17 chapters, there is an opening chapter with a brief history of zoos and a closing chapter focusing on summer night openings. The many smaller zoos as well as aquariums that were not featured in the main text are listed in the appendix.

I will use this thread to answer general questions about zoos in the region as well as keep you updated on the book. I expect to have the final printed copies in about three weeks.

 

[Arizona Docent]

Here are the featured facilities in the order they appear in the book. The reason they are in this order is I reviewed them geographically, going from west to east.

The Living Desert
Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium
Phoenix Zoo
Out Of Africa
Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Reid Park Zoo
Rio Grande Zoo
Wildlife West
El Paso Zoo
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
Fort Worth Zoo
Dallas Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
Caldwell Zoo
Gladys Porter Zoo
Houston Zoo

 

[Zooplantman]

Well done, AD!
Good luck with the book!

 

[Norwegian moose]

What zoo is this highly secretive zoo that did not allow you to publish your photos because they are run by a state government agency?

 

[zooman]

Congrats mate,

Look forward to buying! And reading a copy

 

[snowleopard]

I've been waiting a long time for your book to be published and I'd like a signed copy please!

 

[Arizona Docent]

I have been waiting a long time too! Thanks for the interest.

 

[snowleopard]

I like your choices as you haven't included every crappy little zoological attraction in Texas and that is a good thing as you've concentrated on mainly very good zoos. However, no Living Desert Zoo or Alameda Park Zoo in New Mexico? Do you have a price yet or is it free to ZooChatters? Number of pages?

 

[Arizona Docent]

I like your choices as you haven't included every crappy little zoological attraction in Texas and that is a good thing as you've concentrated on mainly very good zoos. However, no Living Desert Zoo or Alameda Park Zoo in New Mexico? Do you have a price yet or is it free to ZooChatters? Number of pages?

Alameda Park Zoo (which I have not been to) is too small. As for the other zoo you mentioned, refer to the second paragraph of my opening statement.

 

[BeardsleyZooFan]

Congratulations AD!
What's the format for each chapter? Does it present a history of the zoo, its exhibits, prices, and whatnot? Or will I have to wait for three weeks to find out the answer to that?

 

[Arizona Docent]

I am happy to share and am humbled by the enthusiastic response so far. The chapters all have text on left side and photo spreads on right side. The opening page to each chapter has bullet points with the essentials, such as opening hours, admission fee, time required, café quality, etc. Then the bulk of the text is basically a walk through describing the exhibits, with personal anectodes scattered here and there. I forget the exact page count and am too lazy to look it up (which would probably have not taken any longer than the time to type this explanation of why I am not looking it up), but it is somewhere around 250 pages.

 

[BeardsleyZooFan]

I am happy to share and am humbled by the enthusiastic response so far. The chapters all have text on left side and photo spreads on right side. The opening page to each chapter has bullet points with the essentials, such as opening hours, admission fee, time required, café quality, etc. Then the bulk of the text is basically a walk through describing the exhibits, with personal anectodes scattered here and there. I forget the exact page count and am too lazy to look it up (which would probably have not taken any longer than the time to type this explanation of why I am not looking it up), but it is somewhere around 250 pages.

Thanks for the response. Sounds like a good read!

 

[sooty mangabey]

Crucial question: how will it be possible to get hold of a copy of the book? Particularly for those of us in Europe? Will you be selling it directly?

 

[Arizona Docent]

I will be selling it directly on my website, but probably for shipping within the USA. For overseas, I think I would have to send a direct Paypal invoice to your email with the appropriate shipping. Once the books come back from the printer we can discuss it.

I did get an ISBN and bar code so that it could be sold through traditional channels. I have not yet looked into how to get Amazon to carry it, but hopefully they will in which case you may be able to buy it from them also.

 

[zooboy28]

Sounds great AD, I think I would be keen to read it!

 

[Arizona Docent]

I have a rare Saturday off work today and will be chained to my computer reformatting the book. I laid it out in Photoshop Elements, but the printer says the text is too fuzzy if you use photo software like that. So I am figuring out how to redo the entire layout in publishing software.

If any of you ever get the bright idea to do an entire book project by yourself with photos and text and no previous experience with publishing software, do yourself a favor and hit yourself in the head with a hammer.

(I think I have worked out all the kinks and it is not as bad as I make it sound, just very time consuming).

 

[azcheetah2]

Your book sounds great and I'll definitely have to get a copy.

 

[sooty mangabey]

Like, I am sure, many others, I am really looking forward to your book, AD, so I am glad that you are persevering! we know it will have brilliant photographs, and an informed text - what more could we ask for?

 

[Arizona Docent]

Sent the PDF to the printer today. I think (I hope) this is the end of the line and they will just mail me a proof and then go to print.

Thanks for all the kind words. The photo pages will be a combination of full page single photos and photo collages (with either 2 or 3 or 4 photos on the page). Here is one of the full page photos - does anyone want to guess where? I was surprised to find that several southwest zoos have white alligators.

 

[Arizona Docent]

On Saturday, I got the proof in the mail from the printer. The proof is one copy of the book with the pages unbound and the cover unlaminated. Everything looks fine, so this morning (Monday), I emailed them the approval form and they responded that they will start production. I should have the printed books within two weeks!

Attached are some snapshots of the cover and one of the interior spreads. All the interior spreads follow this format - text on left page and photos on right page.