Cover Reveal

 

Yesterday I was asked for a copy of the cover for a book review.  I didn't have one, which was a huge oversight on my part!

So this morning I managed to get one that I could share on social media because while things are not yet set in cement, it is close enough that any changes that need to be done can still be done before we hit the official 'publish' button.

I have a proof copy in the printing queue and once I've got that in my hands the final decision will be made as to paper quality.

Imposter Syndrome meant that at the final hour I folded and went with the lower quality paper, thinking that this book will not be a book for the 'ages'.  That most people will likely read it once and never open it again.  So why spend the money on the better quality paper?

So in the dark hours of Sunday night, I hit the button and requested the lower quality paper.

Now I wonder if I made the 'right' decision.  :(

Using the lower quality paper will mean a lower printing price, which I will pass on to the people who have notified me wanting the pre-pub offer.  People don't usually get too bothered if something they expect to pay a higher price for turns out to be less than anticipated.  But they will be upset if the price suddenly goes higher.  So my initial pre-pub offer was based on the good quality paper.

And why I didn't ask for payment, just contact info.  I just needed an indication of how many copies I should be ordering.

Ultimately this is a one-time offer.  I have no intention of having inventory of a book that may - or may not - ever sell.  (Speaking of which, I still have LOTS of copies of Kerstin Fröberg's book Weave a V - just saying.)

Writing such a book requires a certain level of hubris.  A push me, pull you experience where part of you says people want to hear what you have to say while the other says 'no they don't'.

Yesterday I spent a good part of the day sending out the review pdfs.  I think I have a few more to send out - have to sift through my inbox to see if I can find those emails.  Of course I did all of this knowing that I was going to be out of town for a week, and as anticipated, my inbox is rather unmanageable at the minute.

But hopefully the optimist in me is right - people DO want to hear what I have to say.  Worst case scenario?  I hope I can sell enough to pay for the costs of creating the thing.  I never really factor in the cost of my time - but there are always expenses - paper, ink cartridges, editor.  

It has been 6+ months (I think I actually began in December) of focussed, concentrated effort.  Four months of writing the essays, then editing, formatting, polishing, over and over again.  I think we got up to 13 editing versions *after* I hired an editor.  That doesn't count the multiple edits I did before it got to that stage.

And in the writing/book industry?  That's some fast.  My other two books each took closer to 5 years from germination to publish.

Now?  It's a waiting game.  Blurb says to anticipate delivery of the proof copy on July 12.  A final decision will be made then as to quality of paper.  If we change to the better quality, my editor will have to make the change to the file on the Blurb website before we hit 'publish'.  Typically when I request copies of my book(s), it takes them about 12-14 days to get them to me.  So, by the end of July I will be mailing out the pre-pub copies.

And as soon as the decision about paper quality is made, sales on the Blurb website will go 'live'.  People can purchase a soft cover book or a pdf (or both, if they like!)  

Now it's tenterhooks while I wait (not so patiently!).  While I wait, I still have towels to weave, so that is what I will be doing - weaving off my 'flawed' tea towels, hoping the next warp is 'perfect'.

Hope springs eternal.  And 'perfection' is only ever a goal, hardly ever a destination...

(interested in the pre-pub offer?  good until midnight tonight.  Email me laura at laurafry dot com with the subject line 'lagniappe')