Check it out! My new book is a real thing! I will submit the manuscript on Monday, in just a few days, but the cover is out now. The design company at Palmetto Publishing did a bang-up good job. I didn't ask for anything specific, trying to keep it as simple and as creative for them as possible. I am the writer, they are the cover masters, so I don't want to invade into their space even if it is my book; I feel that they are professionals, otherwise I would not have hired them to publish my baby - - my first blog book. I've written five books now; no, that's not true, I've written so many more than five, but I've published five books now, and this one is not about Faith, my dog, but she is mentioned in it of course. This one is a collection of stories literally pulled from this very site. I didn't ask the design crew to come up with a color scheme either, but I am bowled over that they went with blue and gold lettering! I LOVE it.
I have about 700 blogs on the site, and I pulled about 100 out to make Vol. 1. I added 15 poems, and I stationed them in the middle of the book, separating Part 1 and Part 2. I didn't specify or make any fuss over what went into Part 1 or Part 2. I could have put the blogs in chronological order but decided against it. I want the book to be something anyone can pick up, read a bit, maybe three or four blogs, and then set the book down and come back for more. I did (and/or will) add a Table of Contents, and the publishing company will paginate the book for me adding the correct numbered page for each blog -- good thing I paid for that; what a headache!
What I did not pay for is an additional editing master. I am using Grammarly to go through the book myself, but you and I both know I'll miss something and that OK. As a human, as a creative human, I don't mind making mistakes and I certainly don't mind anyone pointing out my mistakes if they are in fact mine. I own them. I think it's OK to be less than stellar and still make your point. As a professor of English, former professor of English, I would not have allowed many mistakes to be presented in a graded essay or prose, but in a book - sure; it is what it is. The best of us use a ghost to clean up our little messes grammatically; I just chose to use Grammarly than to pay an additional $$$ for their premiere editing program, which I'm sure is either Grammarly or something very similar. (Did I mention I was Scottish? I don't spend money unless I have to.)
So today is February 24th; the cover is out. I'll submit the manuscript on March 1, after I attend my first 405 Contouring session. If the light contouring works I'll blog about that, and if it doesn't work I'll be sure to blog about that fact. I wanted to add the story to the book- - as it is part of my transformation into a new creature. The butterflies on the cover of the book are a GREAT way to illustrate my life changes right now. I'm going through a wonderful transformation from being old to being young again; using prayer and everything available to me to feel, look, act, and be much younger than the calendar says. I have lost over 35 pounds so far, slimmed up, trimmed up, changed my style, changed my hair, changed my outlook -- and I'm really feeling great about it. Life is just too short to feel too old. I was not cut out for geriatrics. I so much prefer being Jude instead. I hope you like the book - - I loved writing it.
No comments:
Post a Comment