[Next project] Short Fiction, by Mary Shelley
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Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 5, 2025, 4:00:05 PMNov 5
to Standard Ebooks
For my next project I would like to work on an omnibus of short stories by Mary Shelley. According to the spreadsheet, there are 18 short stories and one novella just below 40k (I assume we don't want it to be in its own edition?). There are some stories with scans and without transcriptions, and others without both, they would be added at a later date. There are also two not PD yet.
The source of most of the stories at PG also has an introduction, should it be kept?
For the cover, I think this portrait of Shelley is a good potential cover, if this is considered a valid PD proof.
Can I produce it?
--Hendrik
Alex Cabal
Nov 5, 2025, 4:17:29 PMNov 5
to standar...@googlegroups.com
Sure, you could work on that.
You can cut the introduction. The novella would go in this collection.
The notes also say there is a fragment attached to the novella which I
suppose can also go in this collection, but we have to add it to the
spreadsheet as its own entry and not a footnote.
In theory the cover is OK but let's see if we can find something more
interesting than a portrait. In any case portraits of the writers are
best suited for memoirs, biographies, etc. If absolutely nothing else
good comes up then maybe we could use it.
Please send a link to your repo once you get started!
On 11/5/25 3:00 PM, Hendrik Kaiber wrote:
> For my next project I would like to work on an omnibus of short stories
> by Mary Shelley. According to the spreadsheet <https://docs.google.com/
> spreadsheets/d/1yZ55VxvQlKqpLBGpPCq-DY-5jBCfWuUADppdFr6xX18/edit?
> gid=0#gid=0>, there are 18 short stories and one novella just below 40k
> commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
> File:Mary_Wollstonecraft_Shelley_Rothwell.tif> is a good potential
> cover, if this <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=gri.ark:/13960/
> t8hf0d99g&seq=157&view=1up> is considered a valid PD proof.
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> standardebooks/191d7b84-6dda-4453-9beb-dd140bd69e21n%40googlegroups.com
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> standardebooks/191d7b84-6dda-4453-9beb-dd140bd69e21n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
You can cut the introduction. The novella would go in this collection.
The notes also say there is a fragment attached to the novella which I
suppose can also go in this collection, but we have to add it to the
spreadsheet as its own entry and not a footnote.
In theory the cover is OK but let's see if we can find something more
interesting than a portrait. In any case portraits of the writers are
best suited for memoirs, biographies, etc. If absolutely nothing else
good comes up then maybe we could use it.
Please send a link to your repo once you get started!
On 11/5/25 3:00 PM, Hendrik Kaiber wrote:
> For my next project I would like to work on an omnibus of short stories
> spreadsheets/d/1yZ55VxvQlKqpLBGpPCq-DY-5jBCfWuUADppdFr6xX18/edit?
> gid=0#gid=0>, there are 18 short stories and one novella just below 40k
> (I assume we don't want it to be in its own edition?). There are some
> stories with scans and without transcriptions, and others without both,
> they would be added at a later date. There are also two not PD yet.
>
> The source of most of the stories at PG also has an introduction, should
> it be kept?
>
> For the cover, I think this portrait of Shelley <https://
> stories with scans and without transcriptions, and others without both,
> they would be added at a later date. There are also two not PD yet.
>
> The source of most of the stories at PG also has an introduction, should
> it be kept?
>
> commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
> File:Mary_Wollstonecraft_Shelley_Rothwell.tif> is a good potential
> cover, if this <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=gri.ark:/13960/
> t8hf0d99g&seq=157&view=1up> is considered a valid PD proof.
>
> Can I produce it?
>
> --Hendrik
>
>
> --
> Can I produce it?
>
> --Hendrik
>
>
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 5, 2025, 5:53:45 PMNov 5
to Standard Ebooks
Here's the (empty right now) repo. I guess I wasn't clear in the spreadsheet, but the fragment is a draft of "Mathilda," which will already be added to the omnibus. I'm not saying it's not interesting, but it doesn't seem something we usually want, do you still think I should add it?
--Hendrik
Alex Cabal
Nov 5, 2025, 5:55:34 PMNov 5
to standar...@googlegroups.com
OK, no, a draft is not something we want. Emma will manage this with
David reviewing.
On 11/5/25 4:53 PM, Hendrik Kaiber wrote:
> Here's <https://github.com/HendrikBK/mary-shelley_short-fiction> the
> > standardebooks/191d7b84-6dda-4453-9beb-
> dd140bd69e21n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/>
> > standardebooks/191d7b84-6dda-4453-9beb-
> dd140bd69e21n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/f8916ec6-9dbb-4e95-
> a1e1-6a96af081962n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
David reviewing.
On 11/5/25 4:53 PM, Hendrik Kaiber wrote:
> Here's <https://github.com/HendrikBK/mary-shelley_short-fiction> the
> (empty right now) repo. I guess I wasn't clear in the spreadsheet, but
> the fragment is a draft of "Mathilda," which will already be added to
> the omnibus. I'm not saying it's not interesting, but it doesn't seem
> something we usually want, do you still think I should add it?
>
> --Hendrik
> On Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 6:17:29 PM UTC-3 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Sure, you could work on that.
>
> You can cut the introduction. The novella would go in this collection.
> The notes also say there is a fragment attached to the novella which I
> suppose can also go in this collection, but we have to add it to the
> spreadsheet as its own entry and not a footnote.
>
> In theory the cover is OK but let's see if we can find something more
> interesting than a portrait. In any case portraits of the writers are
> best suited for memoirs, biographies, etc. If absolutely nothing else
> good comes up then maybe we could use it.
>
> Please send a link to your repo once you get started!
>
> On 11/5/25 3:00 PM, Hendrik Kaiber wrote:
> > For my next project I would like to work on an omnibus of short
> stories
> > by Mary Shelley. According to the spreadsheet <https://
> docs.google.com/ <https://docs.google.com/>
> the fragment is a draft of "Mathilda," which will already be added to
> the omnibus. I'm not saying it's not interesting, but it doesn't seem
> something we usually want, do you still think I should add it?
>
> --Hendrik
> On Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 6:17:29 PM UTC-3 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Sure, you could work on that.
>
> You can cut the introduction. The novella would go in this collection.
> The notes also say there is a fragment attached to the novella which I
> suppose can also go in this collection, but we have to add it to the
> spreadsheet as its own entry and not a footnote.
>
> In theory the cover is OK but let's see if we can find something more
> interesting than a portrait. In any case portraits of the writers are
> best suited for memoirs, biographies, etc. If absolutely nothing else
> good comes up then maybe we could use it.
>
> Please send a link to your repo once you get started!
>
> On 11/5/25 3:00 PM, Hendrik Kaiber wrote:
> > For my next project I would like to work on an omnibus of short
> stories
> > by Mary Shelley. According to the spreadsheet <https://
> > spreadsheets/d/1yZ55VxvQlKqpLBGpPCq-DY-5jBCfWuUADppdFr6xX18/edit?
> > gid=0#gid=0>, there are 18 short stories and one novella just
> below 40k
> > (I assume we don't want it to be in its own edition?). There are
> some
> > stories with scans and without transcriptions, and others without
> both,
> > they would be added at a later date. There are also two not PD yet.
> >
> > The source of most of the stories at PG also has an introduction,
> should
> > it be kept?
> >
> > For the cover, I think this portrait of Shelley <https://
> > commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/>
> > gid=0#gid=0>, there are 18 short stories and one novella just
> below 40k
> > (I assume we don't want it to be in its own edition?). There are
> some
> > stories with scans and without transcriptions, and others without
> both,
> > they would be added at a later date. There are also two not PD yet.
> >
> > The source of most of the stories at PG also has an introduction,
> should
> > it be kept?
> >
> > For the cover, I think this portrait of Shelley <https://
> > File:Mary_Wollstonecraft_Shelley_Rothwell.tif> is a good potential
> > cover, if this <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?
> id=gri.ark:/13960/ <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?
> > cover, if this <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?
> id=gri.ark:/13960/>
> > t8hf0d99g&seq=157&view=1up> is considered a valid PD proof.
> >
> > Can I produce it?
> >
> > --Hendrik
> >
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > t8hf0d99g&seq=157&view=1up> is considered a valid PD proof.
> >
> > Can I produce it?
> >
> > --Hendrik
> >
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
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> send
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> dd140bd69e21n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
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> msgid/>
> > standardebooks/191d7b84-6dda-4453-9beb-
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> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
>
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Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 5, 2025, 5:59:09 PMNov 5
to Standard Ebooks
Sorry, another thing I forgot to ask: do we want the preface to "Mathilda"? I would guess not, but would like to confirm before cutting it.
--Hendrik
Alex Cabal
Nov 5, 2025, 9:24:24 PMNov 5
to standar...@googlegroups.com
I would say no. However the preface does say that it kept all the
misspellings and obvious errors. I would say we don't want those either;
you should go through it and spell words correctly and consistently, and
in cases where [sic] indicates a clear and obvious error, just make the
correction.
> > docs.google.com/ <http://docs.google.com/> <https://
> babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt>?
> > id=gri.ark:/13960/ <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt <http://
> babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt>?
> > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/
> d/msgid/> <https://groups.google.com/d/ <https://groups.google.com/d/>
> > standardebooks/f8916ec6-9dbb-4e95-
> a1e1-6a96af081962n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/
> f8916ec6-9dbb-4e95- <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/f8916ec6-9dbb-4e95->
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> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?
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> bd81-3d5428d618c3n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
misspellings and obvious errors. I would say we don't want those either;
you should go through it and spell words correctly and consistently, and
in cases where [sic] indicates a clear and obvious error, just make the
correction.
> docs.google.com/ <https://docs.google.com/>>
> > > spreadsheets/d/1yZ55VxvQlKqpLBGpPCq-DY-5jBCfWuUADppdFr6xX18/edit?
> > > gid=0#gid=0>, there are 18 short stories and one novella just
> > below 40k
> > > (I assume we don't want it to be in its own edition?). There are
> > some
> > > stories with scans and without transcriptions, and others without
> > both,
> > > they would be added at a later date. There are also two not PD
> yet.
> > >
> > > The source of most of the stories at PG also has an introduction,
> > should
> > > it be kept?
> > >
> > > For the cover, I think this portrait of Shelley <https://
> > > commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
> > <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ <http://
> > > spreadsheets/d/1yZ55VxvQlKqpLBGpPCq-DY-5jBCfWuUADppdFr6xX18/edit?
> > > gid=0#gid=0>, there are 18 short stories and one novella just
> > below 40k
> > > (I assume we don't want it to be in its own edition?). There are
> > some
> > > stories with scans and without transcriptions, and others without
> > both,
> > > they would be added at a later date. There are also two not PD
> yet.
> > >
> > > The source of most of the stories at PG also has an introduction,
> > should
> > > it be kept?
> > >
> > > For the cover, I think this portrait of Shelley <https://
> > > commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
> commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/>>
> > > File:Mary_Wollstonecraft_Shelley_Rothwell.tif> is a good potential
> > > cover, if this <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt <http://
> > > File:Mary_Wollstonecraft_Shelley_Rothwell.tif> is a good potential
> babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt>?
> > id=gri.ark:/13960/ <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt <http://
> babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt>?
> > id=gri.ark:/13960/>
> > > t8hf0d99g&seq=157&view=1up> is considered a valid PD proof.
> > >
> > > Can I produce it?
> > >
> > > --Hendrik
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> > send
> > > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > > t8hf0d99g&seq=157&view=1up> is considered a valid PD proof.
> > >
> > > Can I produce it?
> > >
> > > --Hendrik
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
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Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 6, 2025, 6:27:44 AMNov 6
to Standard Ebooks
Sure, I would fix these in the normal process anyway, so I'll start working on the book. This is an average-length production, so I'll take my time to do it right and come here with questions I get.
--Hendrik
Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 7, 2025, 4:44:19 PM (13 days ago) Nov 7
to Standard Ebooks
Which of the notes do you think we should keep? There are a couple in the stories in the collection, and much more (over 80 notes) in "Mathilda," added by the editor. I think they are interesting and give some context to the publication of the novella, but it often compares some manuscripts of the draft ("Fields of Fancy"), which might not be of interest. Should we keep some or all of them?
There are also some notes by Shelley in the novella, but they are all used to give the source of quoted verses, which I would move to a <cite> element (editorial of course) in the verse. What do you think?
--Hendrik
Emma Sweeney
Nov 8, 2025, 10:16:43 AM (12 days ago) Nov 8
to Standard Ebooks
Let's keep all of the notes. I agree, they are interesting.
Sure, you can make them verse citations. I think that would make more sense rather than as endnotes.
Emma
Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 10, 2025, 8:35:05 AM (11 days ago) Nov 10
to Standard Ebooks
I started proofreading, and have some questions:
SeMoS says that a three-em dash should be used for completely obscured words. In the beginning of chap. II of "Mathilda" (page 9), there are two lines of verse with a horizontal bar in the beginning of the first line. Searching for the full poem, you can see the dash represents three words ("A Maid whom [...]"). What do you think I should do here? Just keep the three-em dash or change it to something else, maybe an ellipsis?
Also in "Mathilda," in the endnotes, there are several occurrences of three abbreviations: F of F—A, F of F—B, and S-R fr. They refer to three distinct manuscripts of "Fields of Fancy," which is a draft that would eventually become "Mathilda." Before the endnotes the abbreviations are explained, but this part is not itself a note. How do you think I should deal with this? This is not something that is immediately obvious by reading or googling, so I think something should be done so that readers can understand the context. Maybe an extra note could be added after the first occurrence explaining it? I never dealt with this issue.
--Hendrik
SeMoS says that a three-em dash should be used for completely obscured words. In the beginning of chap. II of "Mathilda" (page 9), there are two lines of verse with a horizontal bar in the beginning of the first line. Searching for the full poem, you can see the dash represents three words ("A Maid whom [...]"). What do you think I should do here? Just keep the three-em dash or change it to something else, maybe an ellipsis?
Also in "Mathilda," in the endnotes, there are several occurrences of three abbreviations: F of F—A, F of F—B, and S-R fr. They refer to three distinct manuscripts of "Fields of Fancy," which is a draft that would eventually become "Mathilda." Before the endnotes the abbreviations are explained, but this part is not itself a note. How do you think I should deal with this? This is not something that is immediately obvious by reading or googling, so I think something should be done so that readers can understand the context. Maybe an extra note could be added after the first occurrence explaining it? I never dealt with this issue.
--Hendrik
Emma Sweeney
Nov 10, 2025, 8:58:13 AM (11 days ago) Nov 10
to Standard Ebooks
1. Use an em dash. This is more of an interruption rather than obscured text.
2. Can you send a link where this explanation is in the book?
Emma
Emma Sweeney
Nov 10, 2025, 10:36:39 AM (10 days ago) Nov 10
to Standard Ebooks
You can place that in an appendix.xhtml file. Take a look at an example in the corpus for formatting.
Emma
Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 12, 2025, 7:36:00 AM (9 days ago) Nov 12
to Standard Ebooks
How do you feel about this for a cover? Some of the stories are set in Italy, so I think this might be appropriate.
--Hendrik
Emma Sweeney
Nov 12, 2025, 8:14:50 AM (9 days ago) Nov 12
to Standard Ebooks
Can you make a mock-up?
Emma
Emma Sweeney
Nov 12, 2025, 11:59:13 AM (8 days ago) Nov 12
to Standard Ebooks
I like the portrait better. I think this is a little too bright for a collection of gothic/medieval stories.
Emma
Hendrik Kaiber
Nov 12, 2025, 12:24:06 PM (8 days ago) Nov 12
to Standard Ebooks
Ok, I'll keep looking, and if I can't find a better painting we can use the portrait.
--Hendrik
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