"A formatting we shall go, a formatting we shall go, hiegh-ho, the dairy-o, a formatting we shall go..."

The one bane of my self-publishing existence thus far has been the annoyance of not being able to line up the indented material in my text.  Since my book is legally based, I reference a lot of case law.  Any quote that is longer than three typed lines requires special attention.  It is called block quotation or long quotation.  As you recall from English class, you make a small paragraph with smaller font, indent it, and then return to your regular text.  It looked great in Word, but when I posted the book onto Kindle or CreateSpace, it looked all out of whack.  

Here is what I have been dealing with ever since I first posted my text on these sites (see where it says "Marriage is one...":

As you can see, I have set the Microsoft Word options to show me the formatting.  The arrows are tabs and the backwards P means paragraph (to figure out how to do this on your own computer, simply use your Help options when in Word or search online).  Clearly, there are tabs where tabs should not be.  What would make these tabs move all over the place?  I mean, I did not put the tab there in the first place!  What would make it do that?  Hmmm...

  A-Ha!  I needed to end each line with an "enter".  I needed to create little paragraph to set the boundary on the line for the CreatSpace software to comprehend where to end.  Can you see the difference?  Tab - > Text PARAGRAPH.  

On and on, I feverishly ran through the text.  Once I was done, I cleaned it all up a bit:

 

The finished product looks soooo much better.  Huge improvement.  I really think it will improve the readers' perception on the quality of the work.  I am sure if I picked up a book and saw lots of inconsistencies with formatting, I would question the reliability of its contents.  

It took me a couple of hours to really get the formatting problems down.  For anyone using the CreateSpace service, you should just keep plugging away with these minor details.  Personally, this was a MAJOR accomplishment in my own book.  I feel so much better knowing I took the time to get it right rather than just letting it look a mess.  

I have just reloaded this file into the Kindle edition.  I hope to see that this improved the formatting issues there as well.  This is so much fun!  

CC  

  

Judging a Book by Its Cover

After refreshing the interior of my book, I believe it is time to look at its jacket.  Does my cover really work for my book?  Here is the original cover:

I liked it because the peachy colors made it very feminine and the type was the same as the interior.  I designed the ring using stock imagery and the circle tool in Microsoft Publisher.  Very inexpensive and, I think, it conveys the interior's content.  But does it work?

Short of returning to college to study cover art, I did a simply Google search.  Here are some of the useful tips I discovered:

Inspiration

The following link shows very artsy, fartsy covers.  Clearly, these people have Adobe Photoshop.  Although I will never be able to create letters out of water, I do find these images to be refreshing and inspiring.  Also exceptionally well thought out...

"50 Best Book Covers Of 2012: Design Observer Announces Winners"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/27/best-book-covers-2012-_n_3509364.html

To Serif or Not to Serif 

Serifs are the little flairs on fonts, such as this Times New Roman Font.  Non Serif fonts are like this Ariel font.  Serif'd fonts are the easiest to read and the most commonly used font in books.  Either way, the font chosen can really make an impression on the reader, especially on the cover.  This begs the question, should I use a serif font or not?  Here is an article that I believe has some great ideas on this point...

"5 Great Fonts for Book Covers"
http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/08/5-great-fonts-for-book-covers/

I like that article, but it doesn't really help me with my topic, legal - So, I just typed in the Google search engine: legal book cover art.  What appeared in the Web search field is the issue of copyright laws.  This is not what I had in mind.  So instead of changing my search terms, I decide to click the Images tab.  What I find there was most interesting:

I am not sure if you can see that, but a majority of the book's titles are in ALL CAPS.  Hmmm.  That is an option I am going to try now...

I LIKE IT!  I think it really conveys a new look.  Much more dignified.  Reserved.  Trustworthy.  I even did the whole INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE BIG WORDS.

Finally, the colors.  As much as I like the peachy-ness of the other cover.  I kind of want it to go to another place.  However, when I change the color of the font, the title seems weak against the white cover.  Now, I am thinking a black cover with a colored font on top, but I like the image of the ring (blue diamond, gold band).   Thus, I have filled the text box black.  Should I do blue letters?  No.  Should I do gold?  Well, what does the color wheel say?

According to HDTV's color instruction, blue is a primary color and orange is its secondary color:
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/color-wheel-primer/index.html

For my needs, I am thinking I should go with a more reddish-orange than gold.

Are you ready for the before and after?  I am!  Let me see...

 And now...

Wow!  I think I really like it!  The difference is amazing.  The ring really pops and the font looks...sexy.  Yeah, I said it.  I think it is a great change!  I will have to order a copy to see...I think the background is a little dark, but I think it works...

Exciting changes before the weekend.  Have a good one!

CC

Table of Contents?! We don't need no stinking Table of Contents?! Um, yeah we do...

I had no idea that at one point I would ask myself about my own work, "What chapter is that in?"

Table of Contents.  They are actually quite necessary.  And kinda hard to write.  I decided to just go to the last chapter and work forward.  I have read the beginning of the book so much, it was refreshing to start from the back.  I simply skimmed the chapter and then wrote a sentence.  Come to find out, I had two chapters that essentially covered the same topic.  The best part of discovering that was discovering...well, that!  The worse part of discovering that was the insecurity of the work as a whole that set in emotionally :(  I hope it isn't crap.  How embarrassing...

Oh, well - Here are my TofCs...

Table of Contents

1.
Our Constitutional right to marry as established by
Loving v. Virginia

2.
Brief introduction to legal procedure
(Why Louisiana has a civil code, how marriage laws and contract laws intertwine, etc.)

3.
You may not have realized this, but contractual obligations were initiated at the proposal

4.
Get excited!!!
Let’s talk about PRE-NUPS!

5.
Lots covered in this chapter, such as:

Covenant Marriages: Double-Duty Marriage Locks

Common-Law Marriages: Not!

The Big Three:
Absence of a Legal Impediment
Marriage Ceremony
Mutual Free Consent

(Fascinating reading, really.)

6.
The shortest chapter in any book ever.

I can sum it up here actually:
Marriage does not automatically change your last name.

Now you don’t even have to read it.

7.
Congratulations – Welcome to the laws imposed on your marriage automatically by our state legislature!

Did you know there are mutual duties imposed on your marriage by law?

And answering a married person’s favorite question:
“How do we own stuff together?”

8.
Management -  Acting prudently and in the
best interest of the “community”

9.
Louisiana Succession Laws
~
What happens when a loved one passes away with or without a will?

10.
Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s Hotline
1.888.411.1333

11.
Finding the right attorney

Epilogue

Recommended items to file away for a rainy day

References
(Includes a Quick Introduction to Legal Citation)

Fini

CC

"Ya' gotta look to your inner network"

For someone who wrote this book under an alias, getting the news out to friends and loved ones has been challenging.  One conversation at a time has been great, and initially, it felt great!  But as the days have turned to weeks and months, the conversations have turned to, "I feel like I don't even know you!  You wrote a book and didn't tell anyone?!"

So, I finally took the plunge and outed myself to my friends via Facebook.  I feel a little exposed, but very empowered.  It is always great to have such supportive and generous friends who take the time to even read the event notice.  If any of you have clicked over to this blog, "Hi!"  I hope you are having a great day and I can't wait to see you soon :)

CC


Hello!

XXX here. Very random event notice from me, but this seems to be the best way to message everyone. I have a couple of big announcements, so this may be the first of two event/messages...

I wrote a book this year entitled "From the Proposal to Ever After: A Louisiana Woman's Guide to Marriage and Community Property Laws" and I published it online under the alias Camille Carter. The concept of this work was to provide women in Louisiana the opportunity to read a quick text on marriage law and feel like they "got" it. It is essentially a conversation about pre-nups, post-nups, marriage laws, community property laws, and more.

When I completed the book I forwarded it to Pelican Publishing, but they passed. Thus, I have been moving forward as a self-publisher. It has been an interesting venture and I have been blogging about the process as well. Over 2000 hits on my site so far! You can visit it here: http://fromtheproposaltoeverafter.blogspot.com/

Now, I know the name of the book is a little long and maybe the cover page could use some work, but if you would take take a minute to visit the Amazon page, I would really appreciate it. Heck, if I can send you a free copy, just let me know! I would definitely appreciate your feedback or perhaps your recommendation to a friend.

If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to contact me any time. My cell number is below. You are also welcome to email me here.

Sincerely,
Camille Carter ;)
318-268-7086

http://www.amazon.com/From-Proposal-Ever-After-ebook/dp/B008A0UVPG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363294681&sr=8-2&keywords=from+the+proposal+to+ever+after

If you are interested in receiving updates from my blog, please "like" my Facebook page too: https://www.facebook.com/FromTheProposalToEverAfter

Ok, I don't think Facebook is a good marketing tool. Here is my experience...

I can honestly say I have been an addict of Facebook since I first started it in 2005.  But that has been because it revolves around my personal life.  My friends, my connections, my likes.  In regards to a professional use, I am not sure it is working for me.  Here is why.

The Facebook page was my original focus.  I figured it would be the brain of my marketing.  Type in the search engine: boom, you have all the Louisiana bridal shops in the area.  Need contact information: boom, check the About section.  Want to create an ad: boom, click here, input Visa card number and: boom, you have an ad.  Yeah, not quite.

Now, before I rip it, let me give it some props.  I did discover a Louisiana Bride blogger who reviewed my book.  We both communicated with great ease over their messaging service.  It was nice to reach out and touch someone who is just as obsessed with their Facebook accounts as I am.  That worked out awesomely and I am indebted to her for her completely unbiased review.

But...I wasn't looking for a Louisiana Bride blog, I was seeking Louisiana Bridal shops, magazines, retail locations.  The search engine on Facebook pulled up little.  Facebook search is no Google search.  Facebook only pulls what we put into it.  If you don't know it is New Orleans Louisiana Bride, then it doesn't pull it up.

When you do know the retail store's name you are looking for, it can be great.  There is the store, there are their hours.  But what about reaching out and touching them?  If I send them a message, will they read it?  Well, as obsessed Facebook fans know, you can tell when someone has viewed a message.  Not one of the messages I sent over Facebook to a retail location was read.  That tells me something too: are these companies really using their Facebook accounts or is their Facebook page like their abandoned 2007 website.  Who knows?

My other issue with Facebook was developing an online ad.  I really thought it would be an ideal ad location because you can narrow your field to exactly who you are looking for: women, Louisiana, over 18, family, etc. - Whatever terms you seek, you can get it pretty close because of the algorithms they developed.  But then, you get to the actual order time and it gets really complicated.  Do I want to pay per click?  Or do I want to pay indefinitely?  WTF?!  Indefinitely?  No.  Per click - how many clicks?   What am I signing up for?  The ambiguity of it all was frightening.  I never did it.  Plus, I heard this:

"GM Says Facebook Ads Don't Work, Pulls $10 Million Account" 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/05/15/gm-says-facebook-ads-dont-work-pulls-10-million-account/

If GM isn't seeing it as a successful avenue, why should I?

And what about my Twitter account?  Oh, please.  That is my own personal abandoned site.  That is the most collasol waste of internet space.  Granted, I think it occasionally grabs a follower, which is great, but I am pretty sure the follower is following me because they want me to follow their page.  I probably should check it more and be more interactive on it, but Twitter bores me.  I do not get it.

So, for today, I have visited the retail locations actual websites and emailed them a communication.  I am curious if I will receive any replies.  All of these shots in the dark will be helpful though when I decide to finally invest in actually SNAIL MAILING these individuals.  It may be the only way I can get through though.  We shall see...

CC


http://www.amazon.com/Proposal-Ever-After-Louisiana-ebook/dp/B008A0UVPG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370471596&sr=8-1&keywords=from+the+proposal+to+ever+after

"How to Sell"

I just typed, "How to sell" in the search engine of the Community Section on kdp.amazon.com.  I thought there may be a tid-bit of knowledge there; perhaps another user may have some insight.  What do I see in the comment section?  This:

Truly, that is the million dollar question.  I think my favorite comment was, "Put a ten dollar bill in each copy..."  Ha!

CC

A BOOK REVIEW!!! Someone actually read my book and then wrote about it...

Oh, the joy!  An actual person READ my book.  Not only did they read it, they took the time to REVIEW it.  Here is how it all went down...

I had been feeling uninspired about the marketing aspect of self-publishing life.  It is just, like, work.  So, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and look into Louisiana bride Facebook pages.  I was going this direction because I know there are bridal shows in New Orleans, but I could not figure out how to get to additional information on the event.  

As I was typing key words into Facebook's search engine, I came across an adorable, pastel-ly, chevron lined blog called Louisiana Bride.  The blog is adorable (I recommend you visit it: www.louisianabrideblog.com) and she is a very regular poster all things like love, life, food, etc.  After poking around her posts, I thought I would go out on a limb and see if she would be interested in knowing more about my book and perhaps even reviewing it for her blog.  

Shockingly, she accepted!  I quickly zipped her a copy from CreateSpace and only had to wait.  A couple of weeks later, boom!  I had a review.  Here is what she had to say:

MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2013

FROM THE PROPOSAL TO EVER AFTER :: BOOK REVIEW

I was recently sent a copy of Camille Carter's book From the Proposal to Ever After A Louisiana Woman's Guide to Marriage and Community Property Laws to review and share. All opinions are my own, I was not paid, but I was given a copy for the book for free. 

Have you ever thought about marriage law? Who's legally in charge of the money in the event of your husband's death, or even yours? What happens to property you owned before you were married? Does your spouse have rights to your inheritance?

Those questions and many more were answered by Camille in her new book From the Proposal to Ever After. As a woman we happily marry without ever thinking twice about marriage law. No one ever gets married with plans to divorce, but in the event it ever were to happen you would need to know a little about the state laws.

Not only were divorce laws covered, but Camille also hit on a topic we've discussed on many occasions...death. I've thought for some time about getting a living will together and now more than ever I think we definitely need to. In case you didn't know, Louisiana works under community property laws, I was actually surprised at what all was included in community property law. Something I found very interesting was that in the event your husband were to die that 50/50 law of Louisiana's doesn't immediately deem you the now 100% owner of everything the two of you owned. Nope. his half doesn't go to you but your children, if you have no kids then it goes to his parents. Next it trickles down to his siblings, their kids...and eventually landing at cousins. I think that was the most eye opening thing I learned, while it was very good to know the marriage law, the way things pan out in death was most interesting to me.

I could turn that into a big soap box though.

I really loved this book, it was well written, & Camille did a great job at putting legal terms into words we can all understand better. I learned so much about Louisiana marriage law from this book, and plan to take what I've learned and implement it into our plans for each other, if that makes sense. While divorce isn't in our planned future, many other things that fall into Louisiana marriage law will come upon us at one time or another.

I highly recommend this book to any woman or even man who live in Louisiana or were married here. If you are about to marry you should definitely read, it never hurts to know what the law has to say and how it will affect you in different circumstances.

To learn more about From the Proposal to Ever After check out the following links ::

You can purchase Camille Carter's book From the Proposal to Ever After on Amazon for $9.99 in paperback or for Kindle. If you have a Nook you can order here.

You can also find Camille on Twitter, Facebook,  or at her blog.

Click here to view the actual post!

I do believe this is a small step for From the Proposal to Ever After and a giant leap for Camille.  I could not be happier :)  

CC  

A Fork in the Road

There is something to be said about getting off your ass and ending procrastination.  It certainly does lead to activity.  Activity is great, but this ultimately leads to shit actually happening versus nothing happening.

Can you hear that?  I think I just heard the world's tiniest violin...

Prior to the holidays, I forwarded a few chapters to the leading regional publisher of trade books.  I sort of thought they might be interested, but expected a flat rejection considering the economy and that they currently have a listing on family law.  What I did not expect is a letter requesting I detail how this text differs from their current offering.

Obviously, I am going to argue my book greatly differs from their current book.  That book is BORING.  I can barely read the introduction.  It is also dated.  It was published in 2004.  Hard to believe, but that is almost a decade ago.  Plus, that text goes for $20.  Mine is only $10.  BIG DIFFERENCE.

I know.  That sounds like a stretch...

To send a proper reply, I believe I should find that book at our local law library and really glance it over.  Do a little more than just "Click for an Inside Look" off Amazon.  I believe a few paragraphs in reply are in order.

The other fork in the road is that I have joined a local Meet Up self-publishing group.  We met a little over a week ago and I feel very inspired.  It feels great to learn tips, hear others self-publishing whoa's, and find camaraderie.  It sort of makes me feel like maybe going it alone really is the best option.

Right now, I feel like a cartoon character whose car has come to a fork in the road.  Rather than choosing a left or a right lane, I am simply picking my car up around me and two wheels are going one way while the others go the opposite direction.  Let's see how long this activity lasts...

More to come,
CC

Forget Guerrilla Marketing. I Need a Publisher.

I need a publisher.  As much as I enjoyed the publication process of the publishing process, I am not loving the marketing part.  How do I write a press release?  Who do I send the press release to?  Where do I find contact information?  How much will postage cost me?

Forget it!  I finally caved and sent the first few paragraphs into a publishing house.  I am familiar with the house since Louisiana is a small place.  There are not many publishers here anyway.  Plus, the only competition I have is from one of their publications.  It is from 2004, so I am sure they may be seeking a new book.

Who knows though?  The only thing I can do is hope their slush pile isn't too deep.  I will keep you posted!!

Camille

http://amzn.com/147813884X

http://www.amazon.com/From-Proposal-Ever-After-Louisiana/dp/147813884X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355521736&sr=8-1&keywords=from+the+proposal+to+ever+after

Eck! You mean my friends might actually read it!!

Any time you write something and you put it out there for the world to see, it is a little scary.  At least for me it has been pretty scary.  But, one of the main requirements of self-publishing is forwarding the notice to your friends and family.  "Hi!  I wrote something.  Please read it and forward your thoughts.  Especially if you see a typo or two!"  

Thus, when I received the following email from a close friend (who has critiqued my work in the past), I was elated.  It was so thoughtful of him to send a little hip-hip-hooray my way :)  

--------------

I started reading it last night and I'm in Chapter 5.  I love the writing style! Everything just flows so naturally, so conversationally.  And the humor is a great touch too! I never thought a book about marriage could be fun to read. Honestly, I'm learning a lot about marriage law that I had never really thought of.  And...I haven't seen a single typo yet. I have to say, I'm impressed.  Not bc I didn't think you were a good writer, but bc writing a full book is so damn hard.  I know I wouldn't try to do it.  

You are good.  Keep writing.  

--------------

I feel all warm and fuzzy now.  Plus, I needed the confidence boost to start the next book.  Happy days!!

Camille 

Author Central Profile Developed

Phew.  That took some mindjuice...

When I originally posted my book on Kindle, I waited to work out the kinks before developing the hardcopy version on CreateSpace, another Amazon publisher.  Once I had completed that, it asked me if I wanted to develop a Kindle page.  Well, no, I already have one.  I simply declined that option.

Once CreateSpace approved my book (i.e. not porn), they started posting the hardcopy version of my book in a separate doo-dad from the Kindle version.  Considering it is difficult to explain, here is a screenshot of what it looks like:

I have to get these two listings together.  So, in the Community section of kdp, I found people mentioned the need for an author page on Author Central.  When you create an Author Central page, the commentor indicated it would essentially meld the two together.

First off, go to authorcentral.amazon.com.  Once there, you need to set up a new account.  Everything should be fairly easy from there.  The only reason I write this post is that I had difficulty bringing in my twitter account and my blog accounts.  I believe the main difficulty with the twitter account was the kinks in the author central site itself.  I mean, what is so difficult about "@FromTheProposal".  It should have simply accepted it, but no.  I had to do it a couple of times.  So, if you have this issue, I am just sayin': don't give up.  Simply keep inputting it until it accepts it.

If you also have a blog, you need to figure out the RSS url, not the blog's URL.  For this, simply visit your blog's help section.  I use Blogger and it was very simple.  The trick was simply visiting "Blogger Help" and then inputting my inquiry, "RSS URL".  From years of trying to figure out Excel, I have learned to simply give up and search the help section.  It always works out that way.

Anywho, here's to hoping that the two listings will meld within the next 24 hours!

Camille

P.S. - Make sure you double-check your author central.  I just did and they had the second listing!

UPDATE: Here is my profile: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B008QXS2EY  They still haven't melded the two texts together.  Shit.

"Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed"

As I ponder over the issue of rewriting my book's description, I decided it was time to review my links.  See what kind of action the text has been having.  First off, the free 5 day KDP Select advertising as definitely come to a close.  How can I tell?  The views of the text came to a complete halt.  At the very end, the number was 62.  The problem is that Amazon doesn't tell me if this is 62 different downloads or 62 times one or two people accessed the file.  Maybe it was just someone reading a chapter at a time.  We don't know.  Obviously, there were no sales during this time period.

Next up, I decided to go back to the actual page for Amazon.  It is still free for Prime members, but Kindle members must pay $9.99 (they can also simply order the book for $9.99).  I am tempted to drop the Kindle price, but this is legal information.  If it were a simple short story, I would totally offer it for $.99, but this is something different.  I think.  Am I wrong?

Finally, as I scrolled the page, I noticed the "Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed" list.  I found this to be very informative.  Here is the screen image:

I don't know if you can see this, but it appears we are 1) definitely dealing with a woman and 2) a woman who is short on funds and 3) a woman who is seeking order in her life.  We have Feng Shui, managing money, and exercise/diet books.

My marketing sense tells me I should communicate the "order" this text will provide the reader.  Maybe something like, "Coupling with the one you love is a special time in both of your lives, but finding yourself and order in this matrimony is especially important for your overall well-being..."  I am not sure what I will ultimately prepare, but at least this feature provides a window into who my audience is and what they are looking for.

They are definitely looking for something in the price range of $2.99...Hmmmm....

On another note, my parents sold one book at their store!!!  Woohoo!  It is the little things in life.

Have a great day,
Camille

...and they said KDP Select wasn't worth it!

When I first posted the book on Kindle, I had a lot of questions on the process and visited the Community Pages for answers.  What I learned was that people thought KDP Select was a complete sham.  Posts said it wasn't worth it, it was waste of time, etc.  It made me quite skeptical of the program.  But, I never let others dictate what my overall goals are...

I signed up.  For 90 days, it will be completely free to Kindle Owners (I originally thought it was just prime...) and I will receive 5 days of promotion on the site.  Now, I am not sure where that promotion is or how it is being pushed to Kindle people, but 47 people have taken advantage of the text in the past three days.  That is a lot of people checking this thing out!  AND, CreateSpace has the option up for purchasing a hard copy...But why is it not on the same link.  Need to check that out...

I find this information helpful because before the KDP Select do-hickey I had no idea if anyone was even coming across the text.  Amazon will show you the purchases (obviously), but not the views.  Although I am not making money, the positive part is simply knowing people are taking a look at what I have put out there.  This has really motivated me to keep outreaching.

I definitely think a new book description is in order.  I am going to rewrite that portion and see if that drives sales.  Although Prime is not making me a profit right now, it has given me a great boost in my confidence.

KDP Select - Why not...

So, CreateSpace has encouraged me to enroll my book on KDP Select.  This is Amazon's doodad.  I suspect the goal is to encourage Kindle purchasing?  I am not sure what the end result will be.  What I am hoping for is that readers will post comments so I can get a sense of how people react to the text.  See if they highlight any issues, concerns, or (better yet) praises.  

KDP Select also permits 5 free days of advertising.  I went ahead and took advantage of that.  I am sure I wouldn't forget to do it later, but why not start it ASAP.  Again, simply hoping for a little buzz.  

Video of Proof from CreateSpace

I thought it might help others to see what I received in the mail.  This is the actual book and the way it will look when ordered.  You receive an ISBN number that is through Amazon.  I believe this was free, but there is another option of letting them purchase a universal one for you for a fee.  I went with the Amazon one since I really want it at their location and I can always purchase a universal ISBN number at a later time and have those printed on a sticker and slapped on the back, if necessary - I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

As for the copyright, I decided against wasting space at the Library of Congress.  Yes, To Kill a Mockingbird should be filed at the Library of Congress, but this?  Again, I will cross that road if I get to it.

Here is a little video of the book I received:

Time to Light a Real Fire

I must say, writing this book came so easily compared to the process of actually selling it.  When you are writing, you are in your own cocoon.  You struggle with returning to mundane writing tasks, but it is an overall pleasurable experience.  You read and reread.  You edit and reedit.  By the time it comes to print, you are ready to shelve it.

Here comes the hard part (and I now see why many don't go this route), marketing.  I have to write a press release and then find bookstores or other retail locations to sell the book.  Unlike email, stamps cost money.  Even a list of stores who may be interested in carrying it is going to cost me money.  I could develop something and simply go door-to-door, but, honestly, do the owners of stores really work there?  Isn't that what employees are for?

I am SERIOUSLY considering printing several copies and just paying to participate at local markets.  Simply sell the product directly to the customers.  My other thought is to get one of those cigarette girl contraptions and just walk the markets.  Is that legal?

So, here is where the numbers come in and the publishing houses.  They have the moolah and the staff to make these things happens.  Writers who are fortunate to be chosen into their castles really do just sit back and watch the small (or large) checks roll in.

I never even shopped this text around to area publishers.  I figured I would prefer to receive the majority of the royalties.  That said, I am starting to see how receiving 6% on profits can be WAY easier.

Seriously, I need to light a fire under my toosh and get the word out about the texts availability.  If I don't, it will languish out there like a toad on a log.  Means nothing, just exists.