The Fire Ant Gazette - A Midland, Texas Blog | "Midland, Texas: Tropical Paradise"

Midland, Texas: Tropical Paradise
Category: Kitchen Sink...
Posted Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 02:29 PM [GMT-6]

The following email hit my inbox a few days ago:

Dear Mr Siegmund

I am currently working on a new textbook, Biology for the Caribbean, to be published by Nelson Thornes, England.

The authors would very much like to use an image that appears on your site:

www.ericsiegmund.com/images/fireant/nature/hibiscus3.jpg

I apologise if you've been asked before to give permission, but some of our records have been lost and I would rather we asked you twice, than not at all.

Would you please let me know if it is possible for us to use the image, and let me know of any charge and your preferred acknowledgement line?

I was more than happy to grant permission to use the image, which is a collage of three photos of hibiscus I took in our backyard last summer. I'm flattered that someone would consider my amateurish photo for publication, and impressed that they actually asked for permission to use it.

I can't help wondering, however, why the best photo for a book about the Caribbean ecosystem would come from a land-locked deserty locale like Midland, Texas.

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Comments

sounds like you can now claim that you are a published author: "yeah, i was asked to help with a biology textbook. no big deal."

Posted by: kyle at January 26, 2008 03:45 PM

How cool is that????

Maybe next they'll contzct me...and Gwynne...and Jim...and Wallace...

No, if memory serves, Wallace did a little photoshopping on his - and it wasn't even a hibiscus!! ;)

Posted by: Janie at January 26, 2008 06:34 PM

How cool is that????

Maybe next they'll contact me...and Gwynne...and Jim...and Wallace...

No, if memory serves, Wallace did a little photoshopping on his - and it wasn't even a hibiscus!! ;)

Posted by: Janie at January 26, 2008 06:34 PM

The Caribbean of West Texas.

Irony rocks.

Posted by: Foo at January 27, 2008 08:38 AM

I hope you said Yes :)

Posted by: Deborah at January 27, 2008 02:28 PM

I paused and gave it serious thought for three or four seconds before replying in the affirmative.

Posted by: Eric at January 27, 2008 02:39 PM

That is very cool!

Posted by: Rachel at January 31, 2008 02:09 PM

Post a comment [Take your time...we're in no hurry.]

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