Publishing an eBook

During my travels around cyberspace, I came across a three-part series on publishing your own eBook. The info and advice comes from a journalist, Robert Niles.

In Part one, A journalist's guide to eBook publishing - part one, he talks about choosing the subject of your book and gathering information.

In Part two, A journalist's guide to eBook publishing - part two, he gets into formatting, providing what he calls “the cheapstake's method to eBook publishing.” Here he covers buying an ISBN and creating or paying for a cover design. Then he gets down to the nitty-gritty of things like using HTML and XML, naming your files, coding problems, and the copyright page. He ends with advice and notes on editing your HTML code.

In Part three, A journalist's guide to eBook publishing - part three, Niles focuses on compiling all your information into eBook format. He offers tips on what you need to know to be accepted by Amazon and Barnes and Noble. He links to the Big Three’s direct publishing programs, lists the steps in Mobipocket Creator, and talks about uploading to iTunes Producer.

Then he leaves the promotion of your book up to you, but he’ll get you to that point. It seems like things are constantly changing, but for now, this is a pretty good explanation of what you have to do to self-publish your own eBook.

Changing Times

I was reading an article in The Wall Street Journal called “Borders Succumbs to Digital Era in Books,” when I came across two lines that said so much about the state of print publishing. The article focuses primarily about how the demise of Borders bookstores is changing more than just the lives of readers for whom the local Borders was the only bookstore nearby, although that aspect was addressed with this line:

The closures will make Barnes & Noble the only national bookstore chain in the U.S., leaving some Americans to drive long distances to find the largest collections of new bestsellers or wile away the hours among the stacks.

But to me, the real telling line that affects writers was this one:

Publishers, already grappling with seismic shifts in their business, including the demand for e-books, now are trying to gauge how many fewer books they should print, both in terms of physical copies and the number of new titles.

A writer’s advance is most often associated with how many books the publisher thinks you can sell. Fewer print stores mean fewer print sales. If there’s no store near you, you’re more likely to buy via an online store or not at all. And fewer convenient bookstores will most likely lead to higher sale of eReaders, which lowers print sales.

What do you think? Will remaining bookstores focus on high-selling celebrity books? Who will get hurt the most -- midlist authors, newbie authors, small press authors, or …? Will this lead to more eBooks and eReaders or possibly more online bookstores?

Book Review: City of Bones

 City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, the first in The Mortal Instruments series, came out in 2007. So here I am, four years later, reading it. The book, and I’m assuming the entire series, is aimed at young teen girls who enjoy paranormal worlds and adventures, and fans of the Twilight series. Here’s the back cover blurb:

When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons -- and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It’s also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interesting in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know….

City of Bones has a lot of twists and turns. Clare creates a fully realized alternate world that exists in New York, right alongside the everyday world. This world of vampires, werewolves, demons, Shadowhunters, and more is complex and well thought out. There is so much going on that at times it’s a bit hard to keep up but that’s probably a comment on my aging mind rather than the writing.

The story starts with Clary and her friend Simon at a nightclub. Clary realizes she can see things that Simon can’t. Being the kind of person who steps in to help, she does just that, only to find herself involved in things she shouldn’t be able to see. Once she steps into this world, taking Simon with her, the story revs up the action and revelations.

Despite the fact that I’m a few years past my teens (y’all quit laughing), I enjoyed reading City of Bones.

I give City of Bones by Cassandra Clare a rating of Hel-of-a-Story for teenage girls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FTC Disclaimer: I did not buy City of Bones, nor did I check it out of a library, nor did I steal it. None of that influenced my review. My son walked out of his room one morning and set four big books on the table. They sat there for days. Finally, I asked him about them and he told me a girl had lent them to him and he was going to return them. They sat there for days until, finally, I picked up the top one and started reading and kept reading, all 485 pages. I’ve told him he can take the books back to his friend since it will probably take me forever to read them all. Apparently his friend is not in a rush to retrieve them. I suspect there will be movies made from the books. I’ll probably go see them. I think it will help if I see characters on-screen calling her Clary. In my head, I kept calling her Clay. Wouldn’t you? I mean, you’re reading fast and you glide across “Clary.” Wouldn’t you think it said Clay? Wouldn’t you? Okay, that’s probably just me.

An Amazing Prize

Earlier this week, I received an amazing prize in the mail…all the way from South Africa. Just seeing the To: label that included “United States of America” in my address was fun. Woo-woo. The package was from the wonderful writer, Judy Croome.

When I opened the package, I discovered so many amazing things. First of all, there were five books inside, books that I don’t believe I would have had access to in my local bookstore.

Heart of the Hunter by Deon Meyer
Thobela ‘Tiny’ Mpayiphli has a past littered with violence and death. An assassin’s past that he never wants to face again. All he desires is a quiet life with the woman he loves, and her child. But then his best friend is kidnapped, and suddenly he finds himself riding a stolen motorbike across the harsh plains of the South African Karoo.
His destination: Lusaka, thousands of miles away in Zambia.
His mission: To deliver a computer disk that contains -- what? He has exactly 72 hours to do it, or his friend will die.

Home Away, edited by Louis Greenberg
Twenty-four writers, born, raised or resident in South Africa write about a foreign city and reflect on the nature of home. Each of them covers one hour in a global day, from midnight to 11 p.m. The stories veer from Peruvian ruins and medieval European abbeys to American highways and Asian metropolises, from teh suburbs of Sydney to the streets of Lagos. There are tales about holidaying, honeymooning and working abroad, about emigrants in their new homes and immigrants visiting their old ones.

In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut
A young man makes three journeys that take him through Greece, India, and Africa. He travels lightly, simply. To those who travel with him and those whom he meets on the way -- including a handsome, enigmatic stranger, a group of careless backpackers and a woman on the edge -- he is the Follower, the Lover and the Guardian. Yet, despite the man’s best intentions, each journey ends in disaster. Together those three journeys will change his whole life.

Kitchen Boy by Jenny Hobbs
Luck matters. Life is chancy. An oval ball can bounce any way. Springbok legend, celebrated war hero, thriving businessman – that was JJ Kitching, known to all as Kitchen Boy. His was a life as large as a sports stadium, as thrilling as baling out of a burning war plane. Now he lies dead in his coffin in a Durban cathedral and his life is relived as funeral goers remember a glowing Natal childhood, the thunder of the rugby field, the joys and sorrows of family. But at the core of the man remained, to the end, the memory of WWII and how it could reduce even the bravest of men.

Recipes from the African Kitchen by Josie Stow and Jan Baldwin
The African Kitchen is a culinary and visual feast, a food lover’s tour of this fascinating continent. The guide is leading safari chef Josie Stow, who takes us through a day in the life of her bush kitchen. Today’s most popular ingredients are used in exciting combinations with recipes for all occasions.

Besides all these amazing books, Judy also sent:
A “wine naturally” shopping bag that will definitely be put to use
Refrigerator magnets (four of them with pictures from South Africa)
A CD of the Soweto String Quartet (which I must listen to before my son discovers it and secrets it off to his room)
And three things Judy listed as “trinkets” but are anything but! All of them were hand-beaded by the migrant Zimbabwean ladies: An absolutely gorgeous set of salad servers with black and white beading on the intricate handles, the cutest hand-beaded giraffe key ring which will go on my keys, for sure, and something I had never seen before - a milk jug net with colorful beading. That last one I feel like I should frame and put on the wall, it’s so amazing.

If you haven’t been to Judy Croome’s blog, do go over and say hi to her. She is a wonderful writer and has such an interesting blog and life.

Author Karen Walker

 Author Karen Walker is well known for her memoir, Following the Whispers. (Back in May of this year, I reviewed her book.) She agreed to stop by today to talk about her newest writing adventure - a book of fiction. Now that she’s stepped across the abyss between the two genres, she’s here to tell us her experience and to answer the question:

Writing Memoir Versus Writing Fiction - Is There a Difference?

If I had been asked this question before I began writing a novel, the answer would have been a resounding, “Yes,” because I didn’t think I was a fiction writer. I’d been writing non-fiction for 30+ years as a public relations professional. And it took 10 years for me to bring my memoir into the world.

With memoir, I didn’t need to dream up characters--they were the people in my life. There was no plot invention--it consisted of actual events. No creating scenes with dialogue. I simply had to remember.

Good memoirs read like novels. You care about the characters. The story moves forward with the main character facing obstacles. There is a beginning, middle and end. The difference, then, is that the memoir is true. I won’t get into the controversial issue of truth in memoir--that’s a whole other blog post. So, for the reader of memoir versus fiction, the fact that it’s a true story may be the only difference.

For me, the writer, however, the difference has been huge. With memoir, I had my entire life to draw upon. Yes, I had to choose which events to include, whom to leave in and out, what snippets of dialogue would convey what I wanted. With a novel, one only has their imagination and some research.

You might wonder why I chose fiction now, rather than stick with a genre I’m familiar and comfortable with. I didn’t. It chose me. I was vacationing in Ireland when a voice asked me to tell its story. I’ve been discovering who and what the voice is ever since. I’m not ready to talk about the story yet, but I can say it isn’t easy opening up, allowing it to emerge.

Memoir isn’t easy either. I opened in a different way, willing to speak my truth about bad choices and tough decisions. Being a fiction writer is a different kind of tough. Whichever genre you work in, the craft similarities are there. It’s the emotional journey, I think, that makes writing them so different.

Helen, thank you so much for allowing me to guest here today. You are such a gift to writers of all genres.

Blessings,
Karen

Thank you so much, Karen!

I don’t write memoir, so I find it fascinating to hear from those who do - and who also write fiction. Karen, not only has written her memoir, Following the Whispers, she’s published essays in newspapers and magazines, as well as an anthology series. She’s also spent more than 30 years in marketing and public relations. One, among many, things I found interesting about Karen is that after those 30 years, she went back to college to complete a Bachelor's degree and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2005 from the University of New Mexico's University Studies program with a major emphasis in Creative Writing. One thing she might not tell you, but I will … she does international folk dancing and has a beautiful singing voice.

What about all of you? Do you write both fiction and memoir? Would you like to? What questions or comments do you have for Karen?

Third Step to Networking

Before we get to the third step in Successful Networking for writers, let’s review steps one and two. The first step was to Listen. I was reminded of this recently while I doing some volunteer work. A writer came up, introduced himself and talked about his book. During the “conversation,” he mentioned what a great listener he was, then proceeded to talk and talk over anyone who tried to get a word in edgewise.

By the time my shift was over and I gathered my stuff to leave, I knew quite a bit about him, his job over the last twenty years, etc. He knew nothing about me. He didn’t ask what I did. I doubt he even remembered my first name. He hadn’t “met” me. He’d failed in that second step of getting to know the other person.

If he’d “met” me and gotten to know me, he might have not only gained a reader, he might have learned something about me that he would need in the future. Maybe I’m knowledgeable in some area he’s researching for another book. Gaining a reader entails not just talking about yourself and your book, but getting to know that other person a little, whether you have two minutes with them or twenty.

But let’s say, you’re not like that guy I met. You listened, you connected. You enticed me to go look at your book. Maybe you even discovered something about me that you found interesting. This brings us to Step Three in Successful Networking:
Keep Track of Your Encounters

The guy in my example didn’t even bother to give me his card or ask for mine. When you’re networking, if possible, get the other person’s card. Make a note on the back of when and where you met and the things you want to remember about that person. If you can’t get a card, then note on a piece of paper or in a notebook his/her name and contact information along with what was said? Clearly, you won’t have time to do this for every person you meet or who stands in line to get your autograph, but you can do it for those you especially want to remember. If your “meet up” is online, and you think this person might help you or you might be able to help them in the future, make a note of that person’s name, URL, email, whatever you want to remember in the future.

Networking is more than just meeting people and listening to them. It's keeping track of all those encounters. All right, I admit, it can be a pain and time-consuming, but it could also pay off big in the future. You meet not only experts, but authors who might provide cover blurbs, other writers looking for critique partners, business people who might give you personal attention when it comes to printing your business cards because they know you, people who can give you the inside scoop on upcoming workshops or up-and-coming agents, and more. All these people are out there. You just have to meet them.

And that's the basic three steps to Successful Networking – Listen, Meet, Keep a Database. In other words, get away from your desk and computer, meet people, listen to them, maintain contact, and keep up with your database list.

Now, get out there and Network. It’s actually fun.

Second Step to Networking

In the last post, I said the number one step in Successful Networking is to Listen.

Networking isn't just trying to sell yourself or your book. A major part of networking is paying attention to others. But to pay attention to others, you have to meet them.

Step Two in Successful Networking:
Get up from your computer and put yourself out there. You have to meet and talk with other people.

In the case of book signings, sure, you want readers to buy your book. What you don't want them to do is take your book just to escape from you, then drop it on a table somewhere else in the store. You want them to feel like they have a rapport with you through this personal meeting. They not only buy this book, but look for future books.

When you go to conferences and workshops, you never know who you're going to meet. That nondescript woman sitting next to you at lunch could be the fabulous editor you've been searching for to go over your manuscript before you send it in to an agent. But you'll never know that if you spend the whole meal talking about yourself and don't even bother to exchange business cards or find out about her.

That guy you bump into in the hall at work or sit next to on the plane could be more than just clumsy. He might be an expert in forensics or quilting or beekeeping or that topic in your book that you really need expert advice on. How will you know that if you don’t take the initiative to meet and talk with him?

If you’re ePublishing, put yourself out on the Internet. Join groups where you can meet people and promote (see my post on July 9th).

So, another big part of Successful Networking for the author is talking with other people. That’s different from talking to people. Meet them. Get to know something about them.

First Step to Networking

Networking means getting out of your writer's box and meeting and learning about other people. While most of us might prefer to sit at our computers all day, limiting our public exposure to the clerk behind the post office counter, we need to allow time to network.

Why? Well, it can get lonely talking to yourself and your imaginary characters all day. Plus, every time you meet a new person or put yourself in a different situation, you learn something, about that person, about the world, about yourself. You can exchange both ideas and business cards. And probably most importantly, you meet people who might someday advance your career.

There are three steps or areas to Successful Networking for the writer. Today, we cover the first step.

Step One:

Don't just join organizations then read their newsletters in the safety of your home. Go to meetings, talk to people, find out about them, and -- this is important -- listen. Go to conventions and workshops, introduce yourself to fellow writers, as well as editors and agents, share ideas, and -- this is important -- listen. When you're at a book signing, don't just grab passersby and launch into the spiel about your book. Ask a question, put the book into their hands so they get the feel for it and can peruse it, and -- this is important -- listen.

Okay, this is a test ... what's the first and probably most important part of networking? I know you know the answer, because you were … listening.
Step One to Successful Networking -- Listen

What Do You Do?

I, and probably you as well, am often asked what I do. For me, there are multiple answers. I’m a mother, a homemaker, a freelance editor, a book consultant, Partner and Marketing Director for Legends In Our Own Minds®, blogger, volunteer and, of course, a writer. The first seven replies don’t elicit much of a response or even interest. But if I say “writer” then the other person perks up. They invariably ask a follow-up question like, “Really? What do you write? Would I have read your books?”

If any of you have said you were a writer, you’ve probably gotten this question. It doesn’t matter whether you’re unpublished or published in magazines, anthologies, newspapers or online. If you say, “I write feature articles,” you’ll get a disappointed look. If you say, “I write technical articles,” their eyes glaze over. If you say, “I’m unpublished,” you’ll get a look of “What the hell? You’re not a writer.” First of all, they want to know that you’re a book writer. Second, they want to know they can go to their local Barnes & Noble or nearby store and find your book. Having your book available on your website and Amazon doesn’t cut it with those without an eReader. Your book has to have an established bookstore’s seal of approval. Although with more and more people getting eReaders, being e-published is becoming more acceptable. On the other hand, more quickie books and spam books being uploaded, which isn’t driving people to try unknown authors.

A lot of times, someone who isn’t published in book form but is asked that question won’t even answer with “I’m a writer.” They’ll give some other answer. Just to avoid that follow-up question. That look.

But what I’ve decided is that writers don’t need affirmation from others to call themselves writers. The title of “writer” isn’t something another person bestows on you. And it’s not something they can take away with a disapproving look. If you decide you’re a writer, then you give the title to yourself, whether you write books, screenplays, articles, essays, poetry, short stories, or greeting cards, published or not.

Good chance you’ll still have to endure the responses you get when others find out you’re not published in book form – or possibly worse, you are but your books are now out of print. But no matter what looks you get, those looks can’t take away what you are. Only you can decide you’re a writer. Only you can decide you’re not. It’s true that writers write. Writers also believe … in themselves.

No. 1 on Amazon

John Green’s latest book, The Fault in Our Stars, is number 1 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. You’re going to have to wait a while to read it though. It’s not due for release until spring of next year.

Huh? you say. According to the Wall Street Journal, he has amassed so many fans that his book has climbed the charts.

He, folks, has mastered the art of promoting via social media. Green “posted the title of his new book on Twitter, Tumblr and the community forum YourPants.org. An hour later, he upped the stakes by promising to sign all pre-orders and the entire first-print run, while also launching a YouTube live show.”

His fans responded by posting “hundreds of potential dust jackets for the book, which doesn't have one yet. They also turned to Twitter and Tumblr to discuss pre-ordering the books.” And thus began the climb of the book to the top of the charts.

You’re probably wondering, how many followers does this guy have?

Check out this chart from the article:
Weaving an Intricate Web: John Green's Digital Toolbox
Name of Web site  Purpose                                           Followers
1.Twitter                   Posts daily, often in response to         1.1 million
                                   readers
2.YouTube                Has made nearly 900 videos with      526,000
                                   his brother
3.Facebook              Author updates but prefers other       62,000
                                    social media
4.Nerdfighters.com   Hosts conversations about a variety   60,000
                                   of topics
5.YourPants.org        A forum to discuss the videos            27,000
6.Tumblr                   A fluid conversation in images or       26,000
                                    videos

Yep, yep. I’m probably second in all those places. Or I will be, as soon as I figure out why the NerdFighters are in YourPants. I’d better Tumblr a Twitter on Facebook and see if someone can tell me.

Book Review: Dead Light District

Dead Light District is author Jill Edmondson’s second book in her Sasha Jackson Mystery series. The first was called Blood and Groom (I reviewed that one earlier this year, if you’d like to read my comments). I liked Blood and Groom. I like Dead Light District even more.

Sasha is a bit more experienced now. The book opens with the case:

“So these women get paid to have sex with men?” I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation.”
“Sasha, I know it sounds bad, but it’s not what you think,” said Candace, the expertly coiffed, perfectly groomed madam of the first bordello I’ve even been inside.”

And with that, Sasha is off on the case of the beautiful, but missing, Mary Carmen. She visits the underside of a hooker’s life as well as the much better life in Candace’s bordello. But it’s not easy finding a hooker who does not want to be found. It’s also dangerous, as she realizes when a very disturbing pimp turns up dead. The book moves fast, from clue to clue, hooker to hooker, danger to more danger.

There are light moments - Sasha’s just that kind of girl. Even if you’ve never had to pretend to be a hooker, you can relate to Sasha and her aching feet after wearing way too high heels and her despair at seeing how street hookers have to live. Like most of us, Sasha is often broke or near to it, yet investigation requires money, both over and under the table.

You can find Dead Light District at:
Amazon

You can also check Jill Edmonson’s website to find a list of stores in Canada where the book is available.

Each book in this series develops Sasha as a person and each makes her more relatable to readers. She’s not familiar with this life that she’s investigating, but she’s not judgmental and recognizes that a life is a life, no matter what that person is doing with their life. I give Dead Light District a rating of Hel-Yeah.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FTC Disclaimer: This book was signed and sent to me by the author, Jill Edmondson. That did not influence my review. I was influenced by Sasha. She’s relatable to all ages, even though she has a lot more energy and spunk than me. By reading her tale, I could live vicariously - I could drink copious amounts, be brave enough to talk my way into just about anything, wear high heels for longer than two steps, go without sleep, and fit in whether it’s at a fancy restaurant or a two-bit flea bag hotel. Okay, that last part is not quite the truth. I could fit in at a two-bit flea bag hotel. I’m just too chicken to go there.

One Book, 26 Authors

 Here’s an idea for you. Twenty-six authors, whose combined books have sold tens of millions of books, joined forces to write one book, a thriller called No Rest for the Dead. Andrew Gulli, who runs Strand Magazine, came up with the idea and the plot and wrote the prologue. Then each writer took over to write a chapter.

The list includes novelist Jeffery Deaver, best known for his Lincoln Rhyme series and now the latest authorized James Bond sequel, Alexander McCall Smith and Kathy Reichs.

You can read the article on Reuters Canada if you’d like to know more about the plot.

You may be thinking, that’s a great idea. I’ll gather my writer friends to write a book. If so, you should know that the project took Gulli four years to complete. The good news is that all proceeds from the book go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

No Rest for the Dead should be available today.

Mermaid Tales: Cold and Hot

I realized it’s been almost a year since I told a Mermaid Tale. (Plus, a few people have started asking when I would do another one.) So, today, I’m telling you about the Cold and the Hot of being a mermaid.

Mermaids at Aquarena Springs swam 364 days of the year. The resort park was closed only on Christmas Day. That means we swam on the blazing hot Texas days and on the days when the catwalk to the volcano was iced over. The water, however, stayed the same. The show area was spring fed so it stayed a constant balmy 74 degrees. (That’s what the visitors were told, anyway. We measured it a few degrees lower.) We didn’t mind swimming in the winter, though, because the water was warmer than the outside temps.

Inside the volcano were two hot rooms, one for the males and one for the females. As soon as the mermaids finished their ballets, they swam up and hurried into the warming room, which was kept at about 130 degrees. Trust me, you dry and warm up fast in that heat. Then we’d go back in the show area to do our picnics…then back into the warming room.

In the summers, we’d change into bikinis and go lay out on the training platform in the sun (I don’t recommend sunbathing now that we know the damage that can do, but back then we didn’t know about it.) Not long after I left, they apparently stopped sunbathing on the platform since there were complaints from folks gliding overhead in the gondolas about our lack of dress (as in, bikini tops untied so we didn’t get strap marks across out backs). In the winter, we’d hurry across the catwalk, steam rising from our bodies since we were hotter than the outside air.

Once a girl entered an area where she could be seen by the public, she had to be in costume. That meant in a one-piece bathing suit with a sarong, lei, plastic flower in her hair, and a smaller lei on one ankle. Once again, warmer in summer than in the cold of winter.

While we jumped in really cold water every day, multiple times, I rarely came down with a cold. Looking back, I’m not sure I ever had one cold during my years as a mermaid. I credit that to the warming room.