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A promise.. to myself and you... (Read 8948 times)

Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #25 - Nov 16^th, 2011 at 7:03pm	Print Post
	I have just sent out what will be my last query to a literary agent. If this group takes a pass on Homecoming, I'll plunge ahead with publishing on amazon. I am currently considering publishing both electronically and Print on Demand. Some people just prefer a book in their hands, I know that I do and I don't want to miss sales because of that or because someone doesn't have access to a Kindle or a computer that they can download software into. I'll be looking into the Print on Demand side of things later this week or after Thanksgiving -- depends on how crazy things get around here!
	« Last Edit: Nov 29^th, 2011 at 5:36am by Penthesilea »

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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #26 - Nov 29^th, 2011 at 5:44am	Print Post
	I've been checking out various Print on Demand options and have discovered that they cost more $$$ than I'm prepared to part with in these somewhat uncertain times. So I've decided to publish electronically first and when/if I clear enough money, I'll revisit the idea of Print on Demand. Since I've not heard anything either way from the literary agency and I'm not getting any younger, I'm hunting for cover art to use as the "place holder" for the ebook. I'm hoping to find something royalty free that I can use "as is" with added text or something royalty free that I can run through GIMP to get something usable. A black cover with red text has a certain appeal but it's not what I want for my book and since these things take time, I gotta get cracking....


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #27 - Dec 2^nd, 2011 at 7:50pm	Print Post
	I've figured out what to do about my "cover art" problem. NOW all I have to do is get it done! It will be unique, connected to the book and "shouldn't" require the outlay of large amounts of $$$ or a crash course in digital art! Gonna require some design work though so I'll be working on it while my bum leg is keeping me from doing much else!!


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #28 - Dec 6^th, 2011 at 5:29pm	Print Post
	I'm making headway on the art problem so I've added electronic copyright research to my "plate." I got a copy of "Digital Copyright" by Jessica Litman, who is a Professor of Law at the University of Michigan whose area of expertise is copyright law. I got the paperback edition that includes an afterword that includes the 2005 Grokster case. Gotta love Amazon...


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #29 - Dec 12^th, 2011 at 10:22pm	Print Post
	I've consulted my calendar and this Wednesday will mark four weeks since I sent my last query. The agency's website says that they normally take 3 to 4 weeks to respond. Since "tis the season to lose your mind" right now, I'm going to give them until the end of the month, maybe the first week in January too depending on how chaotic things are here at the old HQ.� But, the second week of January will see me either announcing that a literary agent is at least considering taking me as a client OR I will be announcing when my first book will be available and how much of your hard earned money it will cost you -- something I haven't decided yet but I'm not gonna go over $2.99 and probably not that high! Book 2 will then be whipped into shape with the goal of publishing it in June -- maybe sooner -- with Book 3 likely coming out next December. Also maybe sooner. Of course, if there is a "thanks but no thanks" in the email tomorrow morning, the whole process will be sped up as much as the holiday season HERE will allow!


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #30 - Dec 15^th, 2011 at 4:20am	Print Post
	Still nothing from the literary agency. sigh I've gone though a single spaced copy of Book One that I'll print, probably tomorrow, to submit to the U.S. Copyright office as the required Deposit copy along with the fee and required paperwork. Now I'm going to dig into the copy that I'll use for submission to Amazon -- or anyone else that wants an electronic copy of the book -- and get THAT up to standard since when I copied it from Appleworks to Pages all the special "formatting" in it didn't carry over.� I expect THAT task to take a few days. And I still have the place holder art to work on. Altogether now....


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #31 - Dec 17^th, 2011 at 4:53pm	Print Post
	I've been reviewing "Manuscript Format" and attempting to sort out EXACTLY who wants what in the way of formatting. Double spaced, one inch margins, Courier or Times New Roman font and size 12 are pretty standard. With hard copy submission, the word processing program you use doesn't seem to matter, with electronic, it has gotta be a fairly recent incarnation of Microsoft Word. That last is causing me problems. I'm a MacAddict. Book 1 as well as 2 and 3 are in AppleWorks6. In the last couple of upgrades to OS X AppleWorks has been replaced with Pages about which you have read my heated .� The conversion from AppleWorks to Pages (which can then, apparently, be converted to Word) is making me insane and seriously compromising my upcoming deadline for epublishing. So now, I'm seriously considering submitting Book 1 to DAW which is an independent publisher affiliated with the Penguin Group if I understand correctly. As far as I know, they are the only traditional publisher who will read unsolicited manuscripts that are not represented by an agent. So as I continue to tear my hair and stress over epublishing, sending off a HUGE hard copy for DAW to consider while I tussle with software is sounding really appealing..... Thoughts?


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #32 - Dec 17^th, 2011 at 6:49pm	Print Post
	I've finally unearthed a line in DAW's submission guidelines where they state that they won't consider a manuscript that is being considered by someone else soo..... I'm thinking that a book that has been epublished wouldn't be considered either. Time to put up my feet and "consider."


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #33 - Dec 23^rd, 2011 at 9:35pm	Print Post
	Penthesilea wrote on Jun 28^th, 2011 at 4:59pm: I was a bit worried about "content" since Amazon reserves the right to remove material that it deems too "explicit." So I went and looked in the kindle store. They carry Laurel K. Hamilton's "Merry Gentry" series which Black Rose refers to as "Fairy Porn" so I think I'm safe! BR is right! I decided to be sure and I've bought two of the Merry Gentry books ["A Lick of Frost" and "Swallowing Darkness"] and they are more explicit in terms of violence and sexuality than my work is. The "F-bomb" is frequently dropped and it seems that it is the female lead's royal duty to have sex with just about everyone including goblins who apparently take "kink" to places that no human could go and survive. So I've reaffirmed that my work should be suitable for Amazon's epublishing arm. I'm STILL wrestling with software at every opportunity and I'm afraid that I'm not going to make my January deadline but I "should" -- depending on when a get a response to my last query -- know by the end of January if I'm going to be represented by an agent or not. If not, I'm pretty sure at this point that I'll be sending my manuscript to DAW for consideration. Hopefully, I'll hear from them promptly and what THEY say will determine where I go from there. While I'm waiting, I'll fight with software and get my ducks in a row for epublishing if that ends up being the route I take.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #34 - May 11^th, 2012 at 1:41am	Print Post
	I have yet to receive a response to my last query. Since they state on their web page that they respond in 3 to 4 weeks and it has been 6 months and a follow up email has failed to provoke a response, it is time to move on to "Plan B." Plan B consists of submitting the entire manuscript in hardcopy to DAW Books, one of the very few publishers that accept unagented manuscripts. Their response time is pretty long depending on how many submissions are in the pipeline so while they are making up their minds, I'll be working on 3 and creating an image to use as a "cover" if I need to go to epublishing, which I will if DAW takes a pass. I "should" know something by the end of the year.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #35 - Aug 31^st, 2012 at 2:59am	Print Post
	Okay, it took longer than I figured but the verdict is in. I'll be epublishing Book 1 as soon as the cats are herded and the ducks are in a row. VE is gonna help with the "cover" that I'll need for the listing in Amazon and I'm working on the art and getting the manuscript like I want it. Fingers crossed, I'm aiming for the end of September. VE already has a facebook "author's page" roughed out for me and we'll let you know when it goes "live." For anyone who doesn't have a kindle, we'll hunt up links to free software so anyone can read it and post them here.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #36 - Sep 11^th, 2012 at 1:46am	Print Post
	I've gone over Book 1 and proofed the hell out of it. I've printed out a hardcopy and I'm going to proof the hell out of THAT. Then, after the corrections are printed out, I'm going to copy the whole thing so I can send it -- along with the forms I'll have to download -- to the U.S. copyright office. Once I have confirmation that my copyright is registered, I will be diving headfirst and without a life jacket into epublishing. I'll make the final decision tomorrow but I think I've got the cover design set so all I need to do is get it ready to photograph then VE and I can play with putting the text on it. "Publication" is getting closer.....


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #37 - Sep 13^th, 2012 at 1:03am	Print Post
	I didn't get any proofing done on the trip yesterday. I was too sleepy going down (I even dozed off. Fortunately, I was NOT doing the driving!) and on the way back, my eyes flatly refused to focus. sigh So today, I finished getting the cover art designed and transferred to the piece of masonite that I'm going to paint it on. The design is taped up with painter's tape and is ready to go. I don't know if I'll get to work on it tomorrow or not. We're going to a museum in Bloomington and that usually isn't too tiring. Anyway, once I get started on the painting, I can proofread while it is drying and taking a few days off from it will make it easier for me to see the errors. I was thinking about adding the glossary in addition to an excerpt from Book 2 but decided against it. It will be more necessary by Book 2 and definitely by Book 3. A cast list will probably be included in Book 2. I'll have to trim it though, it is a COMPLETE list of who is in the books and all I want to include at the moment is the "major players." Some of these characters are no more than names and I have them on the list so I can keep track of who is who and what they do. The only way to avoid embarrassing mistakes is to keep records and refer to them often!!


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #38 - Sep 15^th, 2012 at 12:29am	Print Post
	I got the background color on the cover design last night and peeled the painters tape off this morning. I've done the necessary touching up and I intend to start painting the rest of it over the weekend. I'm hoping to have it done by this time next week.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #39 - Sep 15^th, 2012 at 10:39pm	Print Post
	I painted the larger of the two design elements today. I'll finish up tomorrow since, although I finished painting over two hours ago AND took a nap, I'm still a tad loopy from the paint fumes and I have to cook tonight. "Loopy" and open flame (gas/propane stove) don't mix well! Once that's done, there will be more rounds of "touching up" until it is as perfect as I can get it.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #40 - Sep 23^rd, 2012 at 3:30am	Print Post
	We stayed home today and I actually got some proofing done. We're staying in tomorrow as well so I should get another two or three chapters checked. I'm gonna get some painting done on the cover art too. This vacation has been non-stop "on the go" and I haven't had nearly as much time to work on this as I wanted which has been making me a little testy. Skywise got the message and there are more "at home/low activity" days scheduled into this last week.


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Sitalique Senior Member Offline Watching from the shadows Posts: 408 Location: Florida Joined: Mar 5^th, 2010	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #41 - Sep 24^th, 2012 at 5:01pm	Print Post
	Penthesilea wrote on Aug 31^st, 2012 at 2:59am: For anyone who doesn't have a kindle, we'll hunt up links to free software so anyone can read it and post them here. You can download the Kindle app for the computer (or other handheld device) if you don't have an actual Kindle Here's a link.

	Always wandering, only sometimes lost
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Veridian Etoile God Member Offline Posts: 14993 Location: Writing La La Land Joined: Apr 11^th, 2011 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #42 - Sep 24^th, 2012 at 5:12pm	Print Post
	Sita, you rock!! Thank you!!!

	We creative types have to create in order to feel ALIVE... That's why I write. Without my writing, I would not be living, only existing. ~Me~ Music is essential to life. ~Me~ I'm sunny natured with a side of EVIL...
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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #43 - Sep 24^th, 2012 at 10:07pm	Print Post
	Thanks, Sita! I got more proofing done today and I'm hoping to get more done tonight.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #44 - Sep 27^th, 2012 at 10:22pm	Print Post
	I haven't gotten any proofing done yet today -- too exhausted to read -- but I may get some done tonight. In any event with only 150 pages left to do I think I'm safe in saying that I'll be done by Monday evening, sooner I hope. Then all I'll have to do is make a copy, pack it up with the registration form and send it off to the copyright office. "The End" is in sight. I'm not exactly sure how close it is but it is definitely in view. Post # 26,100


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #45 - Sep 28^th, 2012 at 1:40am	Print Post
	The eyes are watering at the very thought of proofreading so I have a feeling that I'm not going to push it tonight. If I can get some actual sleep tonight, I should be able to get back to it tomorrow.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #46 - Oct 2^nd, 2012 at 3:31am	Print Post
	The proofing is done. Tomorrow (or maybe tonight) I'll pull out the pages that need to be reprinted, make sure that the corrections are made and either start printing them out (if the downstairs computer is free) or start running the rest of it through the copier. I don't know when we'll be going into town again but it will be some time this week so I'll get everything ready and put the box by the front door.


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #47 - Oct 2^nd, 2012 at 6:06am	Print Post
	Skywise is home and I have his schedule for the rest of the week. He'll be working the really late "OMG" shift Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so I'm aiming to mail the manuscript on Wednesday. That's the good news. The bad news is that is could and probably will take 6.5 months to process the registration. Fortunately, it says right there on the site that you don't have to wait until the registration is complete to publish. Guess what? As soon as this thing is in the mail, I'll be getting the art finished so I can get it to VE and we can get this baby ready to publish which is now gonna happen before the end of the month!


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #48 - Oct 12^th, 2012 at 4:29pm	Print Post
	Keyholder's Castle: Homecoming previously known as Book 1 was "officially" published yesterday, going 'Live' on Amazon at approximately 4:12 this morning when the email notification hit my inbox. Somewhat late but.... Promise kept. It's now available for the general reading public to read and pass judgement on. Hope that they like it and tell their friends....


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Penthesilea Forum Administrator Offline Warrior Queen, DarkLady, Phoenix, Ghostbuster Posts: 47422 Location: The Castle..... Joined: Jun 21^st, 2006 Gender:	Re: A promise.. to myself and you... Reply #49 - Oct 21^st, 2012 at 1:45am	Print Post
	Sales are going reasonably well. I'm pleased.


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