As my writers’ support group is discovering, writing a book is only the start. Then comes editing, formatting, printing…and marketing.
So far I’ve given two book readings:
Planned readings include:
After publishing my book (and doing the formatting & uploading for my 92 year old friend’s book), I can say with confidence that corporate mergers & acquisitions are the same everywhere in one respect: databases are the last element to be integrated fully.
If you load your manuscript into CreateSpace and Kindle (both subsidiaries of Amazon), you will get separate listings on the Amazon site (not a good thing if you want all your reviews displayed together)—even though you use an Amazon logon to create the Kindle account. On the other hand, if you tell CreateSpace you want to publish on Kindle, it will transfer the file and associated descriptions to Kindle.
The point is, CreateSpace and Kindle have friendly relations, but don’t share joint databases.
As Virgilia wrote from China, “Of course, these are not original discoveries, but they are very surprising when encountered personally.”
I’ve been told that the proof-reading and editing stage often takes longer than writing a manuscript. I sure hope not. But it’s already brought several surprises.
The biggest to date is the photo from her Broadway Mansions apartment on The Bund. For years I have labeled it “View of The Bund.” But during this proof-reading phase, I let my nagging worries rip. The Bund faces the Whangpoo River (1946 spelling) which is so wide, Virgilia said it was like a harbor. A little research, and voilà, I found a photo probably taken from the rooftop of the same hotel of Soochow Creek (more 1946 spelling). Virgilia devoted hours to watching the “singing stevedores” loading and unloading cargo from the sampans that crammed the creek, and the photo is still marvelous.
I just hope there are no other big surprises lurking- publication is really, really close!
Watching “Call the Midwives” and “Bletchley Circle” brings back memories of walking the Putney High Street.
It’s taken years, but at long, long last, She Also Served, Letters from a Navy Wife will be published soon. It will be available on CreateSpace, Kindle (both subsidiaries of Amazon) and, of course, Amazon itself….How to purchase? Watch for the links! Chris