I Have Been Remiss. :-(

 I have been remiss.  :-(

My book is out and I thank those of you who have asked for it in their local libraries.  I don't know who you are but the librarian in Duncan said that she had never seen anything like it.

It is in several local shops and should be in Chapters when they do their next inventory.  Fran is doing an amazing job of marketing.

Apart from dealing with the book, our suite and our Ladysmith house are both available and coming available and new tenants are already  knocking down the doors so we've been up to our elbows - well, wrists.

AND, I must confess that any writing time that is beckoning to me is going into a novel which I am working on.  I truly have the bug.

Only The Very Dedicated

This, I believe, will only be for the VERY dedicated (perhaps 2 of you) or those that I have bribed (none, so far) but I am told that the following will allow you to leave messages on my blog:

1. create a Google account (this is the part that requires dedication) :-)

2. go to the comment blank

3. type in your message and then click on the green button

I await the messages of the very dedicated...

It Was Not a Hoax

MY BOOK IS OUT!

$ Bottom Line $

Now, the bottom line: self- publishing is not for the faint of heart or for the very poor.  However, if one were to wait until a commercial publisher, perhaps, picked up your work, it could well be a posthumous publication.

I’ve written for journals and magazines and these go through fairly quickly, but fiction, maybe not so much.

SO:  Firstly, the Printorium in Victoria came in at the best price for printing the books and according to Brad at Turning Points they are both pleasant and efficient.  To date, that has, also, been my experience.  Their price for 100 copies is $6.27/copy. The price for 250 copies is $5.20/copy. In addition, there is a one-time setup fee of $39.95 which includes one proof copy of the book. Mailing of proofs and shipping books is extra. 5% GST applies. That is based on 142 pages.  My book rather slim and, of course, the price will vary with the number of pages – but this should give you a starting point.

I set the cost of my book @ $12.95 and Brad responded: $12.95 sounds like a reasonable price point. Generally, the price is based on number of pages, type of content (e.g. photos and colour add to the price) and market status. My fee will be $540 for the book work plus $75 for the logo, plus GST.  I’m going to plug $12.95 into the barcode for now and it can be changed

later.

ABSOLUTELY, this is not a $ making proposition but I have had a REALLY good time and been inspired to take on the writing of a novel.

I am hoping that the books will be available next week.

Stay tuned J

If You Have Questions Use The Email Bar

While I wait to see the first copy of All These Long Years Later, I will continue hoping to lay balm on any frayed nerves re publishing a piece of your work.

As you will realize, I’ve deleted some bits and pieces eg. The attached file mentioned in the last paragraph.   When you get that far, you will receive your own file containing your own details.  Yeah!  It’s an adventure.

FROM BRAD:

Here is the second draft of the text.

WHAT WAS DONE?

1.       ISBN assigned. It is on the copyright page.

2.       Robyn’s corrections were applied, with notes and exceptions listed below.

3.       Other corrections were made (a full spell-check), mostly spaces, some dashes and US-to-British spelling changes. See notes below.

4.       The new Mill Gaudy 12 pt font was applied.

NOTE: This changes all the page numbers!

WHAT’S NEXT?

1.       Robyn to answer questions in the notes below, and verify that all other changes as requested were made correctly. Send any further updates to Brad.

2.       Brad to apply design changes to the first page of each chapter.

3.       Brad to finalize the table of contents.

4.       Brad to do final check of text for widows/orphans and other typographical problems. This can only be done once the text is absolutely finalized.

5.       Brad to design cover and send first draft to Robyn.

ALSO:

The CIP application has been submitted.

The details are in the attached text file. I have requested the catalog record for January 31 since Ottawa requires 10 business days to generate one. We can always go to print without it, but I think it makes the book more finished if the catalog record is printed right on the copyright page.

The Cover - YEAH!

Gaining momentum.... here's the cover of All These Long Years Later. Very vintage.  And by the way, if you can't tell, I'm holding a1953 Halloween pumpkin.  Not much has changed over the years for pumpkins.

I Still Have My Comma Key

Yesterday, I mentioned the absolute necessity of working with good people and by that I mean capable as well as invested and available, when publishing a book.  You write, you read, you change: delete and add.  And then you find an editor.  I know that the person, Jean Ballard @ My Life With Critters, the editor of my book, All These Long Years Later,  has no plans of continuing in the field of ruthless red pens  but oh! what a loss.
Authors: dig diligently for your editor. You need to be comfortable asking why and how - to debate and to accept or to reject.  Jean made what could have been an uncomfortable business into fun - even when she threatened to yank the comma key off my keyboard.