Scribe

Ploughing down through the sedimentary piles of paper on my desk in my regular Thursday clean up I came across an article I'd ripped out of the paper about Scribe that I'd put aside for later reading. I love Henry's passion for books and publishing and found him very quotable so here goes

About the start of Scribe in 1976: "I really wanted to publish books about important developments in politics and society and culture, that weren't flippant or trivial or sensational. At that stage, the idea of a genre called serious non-fiction didn't exist [in Australia. It's an old story about the nature of Australian publishing being essentially a distribution market for foreign based publishers. The overseas-based publishers actively inhibited the local subsidiaries from a publishing program, and there wasn't a lot of interest anyway."

And:
"You will get a bestseller every now and again. Most of the time you publish books that are middling successes or middling failures. They might be books that live for decades, but commercially they don't go a huge way to paying the overheads."

Our list is very different from Scribes but I always find what Henry says fascinating, and much of it resonates with me.

What Les Murray thinks of a blurb:

"… are nonsense — they're all hypebole and hype"

This was in the context of the dustup he had with the poetry publisher Puncher and Wattman (poets seem to do infighting particularly well). If you happened not to have caught up with this.

It's great publicity for Puncher and Wattman and here's a little bit more.

Congrats to Blue Boat

The Dragon Companion has been shortlisted in the APA Design Awards - even more accurately in the 56th Book Design Awards in the section The Best Designed Children’s Fiction Book sponsored by Bloomin' Books. It's a lovely book and it was a challenging brief and the book is now a small gorgeous volume that sits perfectly in the hand,

And here's the complete list:

The Best Designed Cover of the Year sponsored by McPherson's Printing
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Gravity Sucks Daniel New Daniel New Penguin Group
Maggie's Harvest Daniel New Daniel New Lantern, a division of Penguin
Stop Bitching Start Pitching Reuben Crossman Reuben Crossman Murdoch Books
The Complete Stories Christina Moffit Christina Moffit Random House Australia

The Best Designed Children's Cover of the Year sponsored by Hardie Grant Egmont
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Bronco, Fi, Maddie & Me Stella Danalis Stella Danalis University of Queensland Press
Daredevils John & Stella Danalis John & Stella Danalis University of Queensland Press
Ock Von Fiend Luke Edwards Luke Edwards Omnibus Books
Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!) Elissa Christian Elissa Christian Puffin, a division of Penguin Group
The Shadow Thief Jenny Grigg Jenny Grigg HarperCollins Publishers
To the Boy in Berlin Ruth Gruner Ruth Gruner Allen & Unwin

The Best Designed Children’s Fiction Book sponsored by Bloomin' Books
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Bronco, Fi, Maddie & Me Stella Danalis Stella Danalis University of Queensland Press
Fairy School Drop-out: Undercover Sonia Dixon Sonia Dixon Hardie Grant Egmont
Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!) Elissa Christian Elissa Christian Puffin, a division of Penguin Group
The Dragon Companion Blue Boat Blue Boat Black Dog Books
The Shadow Thief Jenny Grigg Jenny Grigg HarperCollins Publishers
World of Monsters Tammy Shafer Tammy Shafer Scholastic Australia

The Best Designed Children’s Non-fiction Book sponsored by Tien Wah Press
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Girl Secrets Astrid Hicks, Wide Open Media Astrid Hicks, Wide Open Media Random House Australia
Girl Stuff Adam Laszczuk Adam Laszczuk Viking, a division of Penguin Group
Philosophy for Beginners Stella Danalis Stella Danalis University of Queensland Press

The Scholastic Australia Best Designed Children’s Picture Book sponsored by Scholastic Australia
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Maisie Moo and Invisible Lucy Chris McKimmie Chris McKimmie Allen & Unwin
No Room for a Mouse Stewart Yule Stewart Yule Scholastic Press
Ock Von Fiend Luke Edwards Luke Edwards Omnibus Books
Ruby Roars Lisa White Lisa White Allen & Unwin
The Story of Growl Deb Brash Deb Brash Viking, a division of Penguin Group
Whacko the Chook MAPG MAPG Hachette Livre Australia

The Best Designed Children’s Series sponsored by Random House Australia
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

A Mystery of Wolves: The Legend of Little Fur Marina Messiha Marina Messiha Viking, a division of Penguin Group
Master of the Books Jenny Grigg Jenny Grigg & Louise McGeachie HarperCollins Publishers
Moo: Talk to the Farm Animals Sandra Nobes Sandra Nobes Random House Australia
The Undy': Let the Games Begin Adam Laszczuk Adam Laszczuk Puffin, a division of Penguin Group

The Best Designed Young Adult Book sponsored by Griffin Press
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Daredevils John & Stella Danalis John & Stella Danalis University of Queensland Press
Getting Air Louise Davis (Mathematics) Midland Typesetters Random House Australia
Teeth Marks Mathematics (Louise Davis) Mathematics (Louise Davis) Allen & Unwin
The Ghost's Child Marina Messiha Marina Messiha Viking, a division of Penguin Group
To the Boy in Berlin Ruth Gruner Ruth Gruner Allen & Unwin

The Best Designed General Fiction Book sponsored by Penguin Books Australia
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Alice in La La land Christa Moffit Christa Moffit Random House Australia
Rohypnol Louise Davis Louise Davis Random House Australia
The Raw Shark Texts Chong Weng Ho Chong Weng Ho The Text Publishing Company

The Best Designed Cookbook sponsored by Kinokuniya
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Maggie's Harvest Daniel New Daniel New Lantern, a division of Penguin Group
Margaret Fulton's Kitchen Katie Mitchell Katie Mitchell Hardie Grant Books
MoVida: Spanish Culinary Adventures Reuben Crossman Reuben Crossman Murdoch Books
Secrets of the Red Lantern Sarah Odgers Sarah Odgers Murdoch Books
Turquoise Trisha Garner Trisha Garner Hardie Grant Books

The Best Designed Specialist Illustrated Book sponsored by Lamb Print
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

BKH Fabio Ongarato Design Fabio Ongarato Design Thames & Hudson
Nick Cave Stories Mary Callahan/Tom Hingston Mary Callahan The Arts Centre Melbourne
Shoot Marylouise Brammer Reuben Crossman Murdoch Books

The Best Designed General Illustrated Book sponsored by Murdoch Books
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

A Good Nose and Great Legs: The art of wine from the vine to the table Heather Menzies Heather Menzies Murdoch Books
Maggie's Harvest Daniel New Daniel New Lantern, a division of Penguin Group
Rosehips & Crabapples John Canty John Canty Lantern, a division of Penguin Group
Soffritto: A delicious Ligurian Memoir Klarissa Pfisterer & Hamish Freeman Klarissa Pfisterer & Hamish Freeman Allen & Unwin
Uncommissioned Art Chong Weng-Ho Chong Weng-Ho Melbourne University Publishing

The Best Designed Literary Fiction Book sponsored by Xou
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Old/New World Sandy Cull Sandy Cull University of Queensland Press
The Complete Stories Christina Moffit Christina Moffit Random House Australia
Typewriter Music Sandy Cull Sandy Cull University of Queensland Press

The Best Designed Non-fiction Book sponsored by Better Read Than Dead Bookshop
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Anoraks to Zitting Cisticola Matt Clare, Mono Design Pauline Haas Allen & Unwin
Gravity Sucks Daniel New Daniel New Penguin Group
Sex Lives of Australian Teenagers Nanette Backhouse Nanette Backhouse Random House Australia
Stop Bitching Start Pitching Reuben Crossman Reuben Crossman Murdoch Books
Sugar Babe Christina Moffit Christina Moffit Random House Australia

The Best Designed Reference & Scholarly Book sponsored by HarperCollins Publishers Australia
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Australian Protocol and Procedures 3rd edition Josephine Pajor-Markus Di Quick UNSW Press
General Practice Jen Pace Walter Jan Smoeger, Design Point McGraw-Hill Education
Gunyah, Goondie & Wurley: The Aboriginal Architecture of Australia Robert Klinkhamer Robert Klinkhamer University of Queensland Press
Koala Lisa White Lisa White Allen & Unwin
Printed Images by Australian Artists 1885 - 1955 Kirsty Morrison Kirsty Morrison National Gallery of Australia

The Best Designed Primary Education Book sponsored by Cengage Learning
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Finding a Place: Italian Migration Stella Vassiliou, James Lowe, Vonda Pestana Stella Vassiliou, James Lowe, Vonda Pestana Cengage Learning
Gold Rushes - Riots, Robberies and Rebellions Christina Neri Christina Neri Macmillan Education Australia
Jacaranda Primary Atlas Nicole Arnett Nicole Arnett John Wiley & Sons Australia
Macmillan Dictionary for Children Gaye Allen Gaye Allen Weldon Owen Publishing

The Best Designed Secondary Education Book sponsored by Pearson Education Australia
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Esplora! 1 Student Book, Esplora! 1 Work Book /DVD, Audio CD, Teacher Resource CD Sue Dani Sue Dani Cengage Learning
Heinemann Poetry 1 Ruth Comey Ruth Comey Michael Pryor
New Q Science Essentials 8 Sue Dani Sue Dani Cengage Learning
Shakespeare Unplugged: Romeo & Juliet Vonda Pestana, Sharon Hall, Our Design Company Rose Keevins, Sardine Design, Sharon Hall Cengage Learning

The Best Designed Tertiary and Further Education Book sponsored by BPA Print Group
Title Cover Designer Internal Designer Publisher

Chemistry Tim Sedgwick Tim Sedgwick John Wiley & Sons
Communicating as Professionals Olga Lavecchia Olga Lavecchia Cengage Learning
Marketing Research Olga Lavecchia Olga Lavecchia Cengage Learning
Media & Politics An Introduction Mary Mason, Mason Design Mary Mason, Mason Design Oxford University Press

The Young Designer of the Year
Designer Titles submitted Publisher

Christa Moffit Dress Like a Star Random House Australia
The Complete Stories
Searching for Schindler
The Shoe Queen
Alice in La La Land
Reuben Crossman Beppi: A Life in Three Courses Murdoch Books
Shoot
MoVida: Spanish Culinary Adventures
Jum's War: Finding My Father
Stop Bitching Start Pitching
Sarah Odgers Secrets of the Red Lantern Murdoch Books
Pier
Fish
Incomplete History of… World War 1
Kitchen Classics: Picnic Hamper & Italian Kitchen (series)

animating Penguins

The Annie awards are scheduled for 8pm Friday 8 February (3pm Saturday EST Australia): "Animations Highest Honor".

I'm interested because of penguins. Mark Norman's The Penguin Book is an excellent guide to all the 17 sorts of penguins, and they are wacky and wonderful and ideal for animation.

Both Happy Feet and Surf's Up use the different looks of the different species was used as a basis for the animated penguin' characters.

Surf's Up is up for an Annie and Variety has an interesting article on the challenges of animating penguins. The movie, Mark's award winning book and the animator's comments make a nice combo-teaching tool.

And here are the Annie nominations by category.

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature

Bee Movie – DreamWorks Animation
Persepolis – Sony Pictures Classics
Ratatouille – Pixar Animation Studios
Surf’s Up – Sony Pictures Animation
The Simpsons Movie – Twentieth Century Fox
Best Home Entertainment Production

Doctor Strange – MLG Productions
Futurama “Bender’s Big Score” – The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Best Animated Short Subject

Everything Will Be OK – Bitter Films
How to Hook Up Your Home Theater – Walt Disney Feature Animation
Shorty McShorts’ Shorts “Mascot Prep” – Walt Disney Television Animation
The Chestnut Tree – Picnic Pictures
Your Friend the Rat – Pixar Animation Studios
Best Animated Television Commercial

CVS Watering Can – Acme Filmworks
Esurance “Homeowners” – Wild Brain
Idaho Lottery: Twister – Acme Filmworks
Oregon Lottery “Alaska” – Laika/house
Power Shares Escape Average – Acme Filmworks
Best Animated Television Production

Jane and the Dragon – Weta Productions Limited & Nelvana Limited
Creature Comforts America – Aardman Animations

Moral Orel – ShadowMachine
Robot Chicken Star Wars- ShadowMachine
Kim Possible – Walt Disney Television Animation
Best Animated Television Production for Children

Chowder – Cartoon Network Studios

El Tigre – Nickelodeon

Little Einsteins – Disney Channel

Peep and the Big Wide World – Discovery Kids

The Backyardigans – Nickelodeon

Best Animated Video Game

Avatar: The Last Airbender “The Burning Earth” – THQ, Inc.

Bee Movie Game – Activision

Ratatouille – THQ, Inc.

Transformers: The Game – Blur Studios

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Animated Effects

Gary Bruins – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Deborah Carlson – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Ryan Laney – “Spider-Man 3” – Sony Pictures Imageworks

James Mansfield – “How to Hook Up Your Home Theater” – Walt Disney Feature Animation

Jon Reisch – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Animation Production Artist

John Clark – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Michael Isaak – “Bee Movie” – DreamWorks Animation

Hyun-Min Lee – “The Chestnut Tree” – Picnic Pictures

Natasha Liberman – “Growing Up Creepie “Creepie & The Candy Factory” – Taffy Entertainment LLC, Telegrael Teoranta, Discovery Communications Inc., SunWoo Entertainment, Peach Blossom Media

Jim Worthy – My Gym Partner’s A Monkey “Meet the Spidermonkeys” – Cartoon Network Studios

Character Animation in a Feature Production

Dave Hardin – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Alan Hawkins – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Michal Makarewicz – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Character Animation in a Television Production

Elizabeth Harvatine - Moral Orel “Nature 2” – ShadowMachine

Monica Kennedy – El Tigre – Nickelodeon

Eric Towner – Robot Chicken – ShadowMachine

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

Sylvain Deboissy – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Carter Goodrich – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Character Design in an Animated Television Production

Jorge R. Gutierrez – El Tigre “Fistful of Collars” - Nickelodeon

Directing in an Animated Feature Production

Brad Bird “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Ash Brannon & Chris Buck “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Chris Miller & Raman Hui – “Shrek The Third” – DreamWorks Animation

Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi – “Persepolis” – Sony Pictures Classics

David Silverman – “The Simpsons Movie” – Twentieth Century Fox

Directing in an Animated Television Production

Seth Green “Robot Chicken Star Wars” – ShadowMachine

David Hartman - Tigger & Pooh “Turtles Need for Speed” – Walt Disney Television Animation

Raymie Muzquiz - Squirrel Boy “Gumfight at the S’Okay Corral” – Cartoon Network Studios

Howy Parkins – The Emperor’s New School “Emperor’s New Musical” - Walt Disney Television Animation

Gary Trousdale “Shrek The Halls” – DreamWorks Animation

Music in an Animated Feature Production

Olivier Bernet – “Persepolis” – Sony Pictures Classics

Danny Elfman, Rufus Wainwright & Rob Thomas – “Meet The Robinsons” – Walt Disney Feature Animation

Michael Giacchino – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Rupert Gregson-Williams – “Bee Movie” – DreamWorks Animation

Amy Powers, Russ DeSalvo & Jeff Danna – “Disney Princess Enchanted Tales” – DisneyToon Studios/Walt Disney Video/Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Music in an Animated Television Production

Alf Clausen & Michael Price – The Simpsons “Yokel Chords” – Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox

Evan Lurie, Robert Scull & Steven Bernstein – The Backyardigans “International Super Spy” – Nickelodeon

Drew Neumann & Gregory Hinde – Billy & Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure – Cartoon Network Studios

Shawn Patterson – El Tigre “Yellow Pantera” – Nickelodeon

James L. Venable & Jennifer Kes Remington – Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends “The Bloo Superdude and the Magic Potato Power” – Cartoon Network Studios

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production

Doug Chiang – “Beowulf” – Paramount Pictures

Harley Jessup – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Marcelo Vignali – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production

Don Hall – ‘Meet The Robinsons’ – Walt Disney Feature Animation

Denise Koyama – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Ted Mathot – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Sean Song – “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” – IMAGI Animation Studios

Nassos Vakalis – “Bee Movie” – DreamWorks Animation

Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production

Ben Balistreri – Danny Phantom “Torrent of Terror” – Nickelodeon

Aldin Baroza – The Replacements “London Calling” – Walt Disney Television Animation

Dave Bennett – Tom and Jerry Tales – Warner Bros. Animation

Steve Fonti – Family Guy “No Chris Left Behind” – Fox TV Animation/Fuzzy Door Productions

Roy Meurin – My Friends Tigger and Pooh “Good Night to Pooh” – Walt Disney Television Animation

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

Janeane Garofalo – Voice of Collette – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Ian Holm – Voice of Skinner – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Julie Kavner – Voice of Marge Simpson – “The Simpsons Movie” – Twentieth Century Fox

Patton Oswalt – Voice of Remy – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

Patrick Warburton – Voice of Ken – “Bee Movie” – DreamWorks Animation

Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production

Scott Adsit – Voice of Clay Puppington – “Moral Orel” – ShadowMachine

Madison Davenport – Voice of Sophianna – “Christmas is Here Again!” – Easy To Dream Entertainment

Tom Kenny – Voice of SpongeBob – SpongeBob SquarePants “Spy Buddies” – Nickelodeon

Eartha Kitt – Voice of Yzma – The Emperor’s New School “Emperor’s New Musical” – Walt Disney Television Animation

Eddie Murphy – Voice of Donkey – “Shrek The Halls” - DreamWorks Animation

Writing in an Animated Feature Production

Brad Bird – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios

James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, George Meyer, David, Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Mike Scully, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder & Jon Vitti – “The Simpsons Movie” – Twentieth Century Fox

Don Rhymer and Ash Brannon & Chris Buck & Christopher Jenkins – “Surf’s Up” – Sony Pictures Animation

Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud – “Persepolis” – Sony Pictures Classics

Writing in an Animated Television Production

C.H. Greenblatt & William Reiss – Chowder “Burple Nurples” – Cartoon Network Studios

Gene Grillo – Back at the Barnyard “Cowman and Ratboy” – Nickelodeon

Ian Maxtone-Graham & Billy Kimball – The Simpsons “24 Minutes” – Gracie Films

Christopher Painter – Squirrel Boy “I Only Have Eye For You” – Cartoon Network Studios

Tom Sheppard – My Gym Partner’s A Monkey “The Butt of the Jake” – Cartoon Network Studios


WINSOR McCAY AWARD WINNERS (career contributions to the art of animation)

John Canemaker

Glen Keane

John Kricfalusi

Leonie Tyle

That's a nice photo of Random House's new start recruit in the Bookseller and Publisher.

interesting

Variety - what it takes to be creative

Adelaide Festival awards shortlist

"Adelaide Festival Awards shortlist
The shortlist of nominees for the 2008 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature has been announced.

The biennial awards, with total prize money of $130,000, have attracted 667 entries across nine categories. Ten awards are made including six national awards: children's literature ($15,000), fiction ($15,000), innovation ($10,000), nonfiction ($15,000), the John Bray poetry award ($15,000) and the Premier's award ($10,000).

The awards are judged by 25 leading representatives of the South Australian literary community including academics, writers, publishers, booksellers and reviewers.

The 2008 Festival Awards for Literature will be announced at Adelaide Writers' Week in the East Tent on Sunday 2 March 2006 at 4.30pm.

Among the shortlisted titles are:

$15,000 award for children's literature (212 entries)

Home (Narelle Oliver, Omnibus)
Foundling: Monster Blood Tattoo Book 1 (D M Cornish, Omnibus)
Don't Call Me Ishmael (Michael Gerard Bauer, Omnibus)
Macbeth and Son (Jackie French, Angus & Robertson)
Danny Allen Was Here (Phil Cummings, Pan Macmillan)
The Worry Tree (Marianne Musgrove, Random House)

$15,000 award for fiction (147 entries)
Sorry (Gail Jones, Vintage)
Diary of a Bad Year (J M Coetzee, Text)
El Dorado (Dorothy Porter, Picador)
Carpentaria (Alexis Wright, Giramondo)
The Ballad of Desmond Kale (Roger McDonald, Vintage)
Orpheus Lost (Janette Turner Hospital, Fourth Estate)

$10,000 award for innovation (38 entries)
Diary of a Bad Year (J M Coetzee, Text)
Montale, a Biographical Anthology (John Watson, Puncher and Wattmann)
Cube Root of Book (Paul Magee, John Leonard Press)
Someone Else: Fictional Essays (John Hughes, Giramondo)

$15,000 award for nonfiction (125 entries)
The Lamb Enters the Dreaming (Robert Kenny, Scribe)
Sunrise West (Jacob G Rosenberg, Brandl & Schlesinger)
Packer's Lunch (Neil Chenoweth, Allen & Unwin)
The Content Makers (Margaret Simons, Penguin)
The Vietnam Years: From the Jungle to the Australian Suburbs (Michael Caulfield, Hachette)
Not Part of the Public: Non-Indigenous Policies and Practices and the Health of Indigenous South Australians, 1836-1973 (Judith Raftery, Wakefield Press)

$15,000 John Bray poetry award (90 entries)
At the Flash and at the Baci (Ken Bolton, Wakefield Press)
Esperance: New and Selected Poems (Caroline Caddy, Fremantle Press)
Urban Myths: 210 Poems (News and Selected) (John Tranter, UQP)
A Bud (Claire Gaskin, John Leonard Press)
Not Finding Wittgenstein (J S Harry, Giramondo)
Seriatim (Geoff Page, Salt)"

Oscar nominations

BEST PICTURE
Atonement, There Will Be Blood, Juno, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men
DIRECTOR
Julian Schnabel, Jason Reitman, Joel and Ethan Coen, Tony Gilroy, Paul Thomas Anderson
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody, Brad Bird, Nancy Oliver, Tamara Jenkins, Tony Gilroy
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson, Joel and Ethan Coen, Sarah Polley, Ronald Harwood, Christopher Hampton
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Katyn, Mongol, 12, Beaufort, The Counterfeiters
DOCUMENTARY
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, No End in Sight, Sicko, War/Dance, Taxi to the Dark Side
ANIMATION
Persepolis, Ratatouille, Surf's Up

coded words

I was reading a newspaper article by an author who praised her editor for saying, when asked about whether the author should make a change to keep her American publisher happy, "This is your decision, what you change or don't change. I always say, it's your name on the book not mine." And the author went on to say that's why she loved her editor.

Now my understanding is that the editor has just used an old editorial saw meaning: don't be an idiot make the change, but if you want to be an idiot, it's your name on the book not mine, and that's the name that people will remember." Its a comment often used as a an editorial rejection of further responsibility and therefore a warning.