Tales... Preface

PREFACE

This preface comes before the main section of the book with its chapters, paragraphs, lines and words ahead of it and not after it. It precedes what comes after it, including any appendices and index. It is just ahead of the contents, by only a couple of pages though. I think it performs its task well. Perfunctory yes, but with a certain style I find missing in other prefaces. They tend to wind and meander, taking the reader on a journey of hitherto unknown preliminary ramblings when all you really want to do is start the book. You can't though, because the preface is right there, bang in front of the start of the book! Still, although this book has one, I'm hoping it doesn't fall into the same trap as that of other prefaces, delaying you, the reader from starting the book. I mean, let's face it, you picked up this book to read the story, not the preface. Now, at this point, I have to stop and acknowledge a certain number of people out there who are fans of the preface. I absolutely, in no way want to offend 'prefacers' (and I hopefully have the politically correct terminology here) or ostracise them in any way. I welcome you into the fold, extending the papyrus of friendship and by including this preface, have hopefully assuaged your prefacical yearnings. Welcome.

So, in conclusion, now this is not the conclusion to the story, not a "Conclusion" with a capital C as such. See, this is just one of the problems we can fall into. We start the preface in all good faith but get carried away and before you know it, we're concluding and we haven't even started reading the story yet! I think there is a form of conspiracy, with collusion at the highest level, subverting the honest, law-abiding 'Johnny-public' into accepting sub-standard prefaces. We have to make a stand somewhere and I propose the line is drawn here! No more acceptance of misleading P's (I can't even bring myself to say the word). The Campaign for Real Prefaces - CamRePr



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