It must seem like forever since I began this article, but the truth is that I have had little to add, other than the frustrations of an impatient man, and I am impatient. Despite the feeling – and this is probably only my lack of patience – that the whole process has become mired in treacle. I have some progress to report.Just over five weeks ago I received, through the post, a fully typeset manuscript. This I checked and sent off by email, agreeing that the corrected manuscript would come back to me in the form of a PDF file.
A few days later the file arrived and I opened it to find that in correcting two of the words, someone had hit the change all button – an easy mistake to make – and I admit to an attack of the panics. However one phone call, and a few days later, I received another manuscript to check. After few more corrections, I sent this one off and received – you’ve guessed it – another corrected file to check. This file, I sent back with final corrections and finally I received a plain bound copy of Finding Rosy.
It looked great, but – there is always one, isn’t there? –I had asked for short synopsis to be included inside the book and it needed removing. I also found four more words to correct. Now I knew why they sent everything to be checked again and again.
I now finally had the book and the cover, and was hoping to go to print, but it was then suggested that they could come up with a better cover. A week and a half later and I am still waiting.
Continuation 20 - 11 - 2006
The first batch of books arrived today and (I have already posted out several copies to buyers) I must say it was worth waiting for, the new cover it looks excellent, in fact I'm highly delighted with the whole book. Now comes the hard part, I have to sell them, but at least I've broken my duck, and sold a few copies
in advance.
Continuation 25 - 3 - 2007
Sorry for the delay folks, But since I was last on this page, I haven't had time to turn around. In addition to sending a lot copies to book sellers, ( to date, only one has replied.) I have been calling into the children's sections in the libraries and leaving them copies to check out (one sent back their copy without even opening the cover), another has promissed to order 25 copies when they receive their new buget in April, and a nameless library has bought one copy through a wholesaler. A local museum has taken 5 copies S.O.R. to try in the childrens section of their bookshop and I hope to get some into the bookshop of a children's book museum. Add to this my sales of 40 copies and you will see that I'm a long, long way from covering my costs. Still it is early days yet, and I will continue to battle on. I'll be back again when I have more news
Continuation 23 - 5 - 2007
Another 4 copies sold since last time, not a lot I know, but the good news is that the book is now in the Seven Stories childrens book shop and the childrens section of the Discovery bookshop, both are in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Hopefully they will help increase sale. At the moment I am busy creating an E-book of Finding Rosy and should have it available shortly.
