Tuesday, 31 May 2011
There but for the...
Two weeks ago today we were docked in Gibraltar on the Independence of the Seas at the beginning of a 2 week Mediterranean Cruise. I was going to post some observations about our holiday, and will do so soon, but the news from Gib today re the explosion alongside the Independence has made me decide to leave a decent interval. I really hope that this turns out to be just a tragic accident and not something more sinister and I sincerely hope that those injured make a full recovery.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Slim Pickings
This is the continuing story of how Steady Past Your Granny's found its way into print, and eventually an e-book format - Steady Past Your Granny's - Kindle Edition (UK) or Steady Past Your Granny's - Kindle Edition (USA) - that commenced in Booked Up!
Before I could get my 'expanded booklets' printed there was one further river to cross - the ISBN number needed to be converted into a bar code format. This proved tricky unless I was willing to part with a considerable amount of money. As my foray into self-publishing had already cost quite a bit more than I anticipated and showed no signs of generating any income in the foreseeable future, I was not inclined to sink any more funds into what was rapidly becoming something of a money pit.
However, diligent searching of the internet finally threw up an altruistic computer buff who offered conversion of ISBNs into bar codes for a limited period under licence for a modest sum. Regrettably, because I am a dyed in the wool idiot, I only converted the one ISBN number I needed there and then into a bar code in the paid-for period, instead of taking the opportunity to convert the whole set of ten for future use. It's at times like that, that I wonder how I manage to breathe without the aid of instructions.
So, with the cover sorted and the bar code obtained, my friend set to with a will and supplied me with my initial (and probably hopelessly optimistic) order of 50 copies. In conjunction with the local Ottaker's a book-signing event was arranged and a friend of mine who was then the Deputy Editor of a local newspaper kindly ran a story plugging this. Looking at the picture they ran with the article (see below) you may be amazed that anyone dared to turn up! I always think it looks like someone who is attempting to breed chins for a living.
Before I could get my 'expanded booklets' printed there was one further river to cross - the ISBN number needed to be converted into a bar code format. This proved tricky unless I was willing to part with a considerable amount of money. As my foray into self-publishing had already cost quite a bit more than I anticipated and showed no signs of generating any income in the foreseeable future, I was not inclined to sink any more funds into what was rapidly becoming something of a money pit.
However, diligent searching of the internet finally threw up an altruistic computer buff who offered conversion of ISBNs into bar codes for a limited period under licence for a modest sum. Regrettably, because I am a dyed in the wool idiot, I only converted the one ISBN number I needed there and then into a bar code in the paid-for period, instead of taking the opportunity to convert the whole set of ten for future use. It's at times like that, that I wonder how I manage to breathe without the aid of instructions.
So, with the cover sorted and the bar code obtained, my friend set to with a will and supplied me with my initial (and probably hopelessly optimistic) order of 50 copies. In conjunction with the local Ottaker's a book-signing event was arranged and a friend of mine who was then the Deputy Editor of a local newspaper kindly ran a story plugging this. Looking at the picture they ran with the article (see below) you may be amazed that anyone dared to turn up! I always think it looks like someone who is attempting to breed chins for a living.
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