About the Small Press

        So I've had a week to recover from the publishing of Shades, and before I move on to the next project I thought it might be the right time to address a question I've been asked a couple of times. Having had stories and one novel published by small  presses, and also having just put out my first anthology independently...do I think that small presses serve a useful purpose?

        The answer to that is an unequivocal "Yes."

        I would never have been published if it hadn't been for small presses. And it was going through the  process of being published by a small press that gave me the experience, and the exposure to the process, that allowed me to move on to becoming an independent writer. The reason I'm an "indie" now is simply because I know how to do it...but I would have never learned if it wasn't for small presses. And after working with them, I have nothing but good things to say about Pill Hill Press and LL Dreamspell. Both are highly reputable small presses and they were the very personification of professionalism when I was dealing with them. They definitely will continue to have a place in the greater scheme of things.

        The true attraction to being an indie is the concept of being in control. Down deep, I think that's what most authors want. After all, we just finished writing a book where we were the final authority on what happened, who lived, who died, and who got the girl/boy. So the desire to control things is sort of part of our mental makeup. And now technology and the internet have evolved to the point where that is possible...BUT...the writer has to be willing to make sacrifices.

        Because to be an indie means to no longer just be a writer. It means now you are the writer, editor, formatter, publisher, and marketer. You have to go hustle up your own book covers or learn to make them yourself. You have to learn about different fonts and what looks good on a cover, or in the headers and footers. Heck, you have to learn what headers and footers are. And a lot of writers are simply not prepared, equipped, or just willing to do that. These people will always prefer a publisher to take care of this portion of the process so they can focus on writing. An indie has to be a bit of a jack of all trades, and not all people are wired that way.

        Or to put it another way.... after finally getting this book out the door, I can authoritatively say this ain't for everybody.

        So the small press is here to stay. They will adapt to the new realities of the market, and may end up actually thriving while the large publishers start to founder. It will be interesting to see where things go from here.

        But for now, I'm about ready to move on and get back to writing. It's been too long and I need to get back into the groove.

Looky What I Did!

The softcover version of Shades: Eight Tales of Terror is now available at Amazon.com. The ebook version should become available over the course of the next 24 to 48 hours.

The softcover version is priced at $6.99, and the ebook version will start out at .99 cents. Once the ebook version is available I will update this post with a link to it as well.

UPDATE: The kindle version is available here. It even comes with that nifty feature that lets you read the first part of the book.

This is a book for people who love ghost stories. Scary ghost stories. I hope everybody likes it.

This project has been an education, and it has given me a lot to think about in regards to the fields of both writing and self publishing. One thing is for sure, I have definitely acquired an increased respect for what the publishers of small presses do. There is actually more going into bringing a book to market than writing the thing, that's for sure.

But more about that later. For now, it's time to wrap this project up and plot the proper treat to celebrate getting this thing done. Hmmmm.... a large plate of fries, or a chocolate sundae?

Decisions, decisions...

Published

I have pressed the "Approve" button at Createspace.

The soft cover version of Shades should be available at Amazon.com in five to seven business days. I'll be sure and announce it with a link when it is. Until then, I'll be getting the ebook version into shape.

I would do a cartwheel, but that would probably end badly...with injuries and property damage and stuff.

So for now, I'll settle for a hot mug of coffee and a heartfelt "Hooray!"

Holding Pattern.

The edits have all been incorporated into the manuscript and the new version has been uploaded to Createspace. I have ordered the proof, and now await it's arrival. It should get here on Weds.

I will go over it Weds night, and if it meets my satisfaction I will hit that "approve" button. So I'm crossing my fingers here.

Hopefully, the third time is the charm. Then I'll spend a day or two getting the ebook version ready. That shouldn't take long.

Soon.

Putting It All Together

I'm almost there. It's really starting to come together now. The largest part of the anthology has been edited, and I'm just waiting on a couple of things so I can go ahead an wrap things up in the next day or so. At that point  (knocks on wood) this stage of the project will be complete.

Then I'll be uploading for what  hopefully be that final proof.

One thing this exercise had definitely taught me is that, no matter how hard you try, you can't do all the editing on your own manuscripts. You HAVE to let other eyes go over you work, or it's not going to be ready.

Lesson learned.

Approaching "Enough is Enough!"

I'm now over halfway through incorporating the latest edits into the Shades manuscript. I'm almost there. With any luck I will be finished by this weekend, or Monday or Tuesday at the latest. 

And that's a good thing, because...

By Crom, if I'm still editing this damn manuscript by the middle of next week, I'm going to drag it, and all the materials it's saved or printed on, out into the back yard and set the whole friggen mess ON FIRE!

There, I feel better now...