The Stand Up Desk...

     Well, almost a week ahead of schedule, my Stand Up Desk came (it's from the Stand Up Desk Store through Amazon.com online) in two boxes UPS. Five feet long, two surfaces, one 16" wide the other 12" wide. I spent most of the afternoon putting it together in the garage. Florida garages, in the summer, even open to allow any breeze that comes along, are what might be described as humid and warm. (Okay, they're sweltering and hot.)

     I must admit that the process went well although as usual when 'some assembly is required' the  tools they include for you to use are less than ideal. I substituted the little wrench about halfway through but the allen wrench was fine. The plans had no words, but were pretty easy to understand. I left out one very minor piece (it was hard to see on the plans), but the mechanism seems fine without it.

     I tried the crank assembly to raise and lower it several times and it works smoothly and quickly. The crank even comes off easily so that it's not visible unless you want to raise or lower the desk. The two level surfaces will work quite well and I am looking forward to using it. I will wait however, because we are getting flooring installed on the upstairs floor and the stairway. No sense carrying it up and then down and then back up again.

     It looks quite sleek and the large castors with locks on them enable me to move it around whenever I want. It's very stable and holds a couple of hundred pounds. So, to this point, I am very pleased. The proof will come when I start writing. It will be nice to be able to switch back and forth between sitting and standing while I work at the desk. Standing is much better for you, considering the calories expended when you stand and the easing of your back muscles and straightening out your spine that occurs when standing. But I'm sure I will want to sit at times as well. So this is the best of both worlds. So, we shall see. The great experiment continues.

     May the dragons watch over you (whether you are sitting or standing)...

Volume Two...and the Stand Up Desk...

     Well, The Falls: Summer Nightmare, volume II in The Falls small town mystery series, is entered into CreateSpace, and the first proof has been ordered. I finished up the cover, decided on marketing rights and pricing yesterday and sent for the proof after basic site approval this morning. The price of the book will be around $16, $4 dollars less than the first. That figures. It's about a hundred and thirty-five pages smaller with the same distribution/marketing pattern. I wish I could sell them for less, but that's the lowest I'm allowed to sell it for, due to the costs that CreateSpace incurs in publishing them.

     I'm also in the process of packaging up, addressing and then mailing the copies of my first book, The Falls: In the Dead of Winter, to family and a friend or two. That gives me no end of pleasure, although it is a bit scary as well. I think a writer always worries that people aren't going to like their work. Occupational hazard, I believe. It's one thing to have a complete stranger not like what you write, quite another to have a family member or good friend feel the same way.

     I made a purchase. It's in transit. It's a sit/stand desk. I can sit at it like a regular desk, and when I want to, I can crank it up another foot or so and use it as a stand up desk, typing at my iMac while I stand. The more I read about the benefits of standing while writing, the more I wonder why this hasn't been the ''next big thing' a long time ago. Well now, there are all sorts of websites selling them. There are all sizes and kinds of stand up desks out there. Some are fixed at a certain height, others go up and down electrically by the push of a button, mine utilizes a small crank that then tucks out of the way. Any writers out there might want to check it out. Most of them are fairly expensive ($600-2000) but mine I bought on Amazon.com for about $400 and shipping (another $42). It has two levels, is five feet long and the shelves are 16" and 12* in depth (28"deep in total). It's on it's way UPS. I'll let you know how the experiment turns out. (But remember, I'm a stubborn Scotsman and will make it work no matter what problems arise!)

     So, now it's on to the second volume. I'll let you know how it goes. Until then, may your days be filled with small pleasures, may the writing Gods smile down upon you and may the dragons watch over you all...

The Falls: In the Dead of Winter, on Amazon...

     Well, my first paperback is now on Amazon. The Falls: In the Dead of Winter, first volume of The Falls small town mystery series, is now on Amazon.com as a paperback. In a few weeks it will be available through bookstores, including Barnes & Noble, and lots of other venues.

     I have to admit that it has me a bit speechless. The first time I saw it I just stared at it for a little while, all sorts of thoughts running through my head. There is a great deal of satisfaction the first time you accomplish something you have been working hard to achieve. A bit of pride and confirmation as well. It rather humbles one.

     Of course, I wish the price (hovering around $20) was a lot less, but the CreateSpace support staff assured me that between the length of the book (602 pages) and the fact that I chose to have it available on all the platforms they offered for sales, that price was the lowest they could produce the book for and offer it for sale in so many markets. I can get the book for around $8, so I will be sending some copies out to family and friends, along with a heartfelt letter explaining how I had reached that place in my writing.

     I should get my iMac back today from Best Buy and from a trip to the Apple repair center (which I seem to like calling the Apple Farm for want of a better name). Then I can get back to writing (the 16th Falls mystery is one-third through) and getting book two, The Falls: Summer Nightmare, ready for publishing on CreateSpace. I also need to justify the covers of the Kindle version and the paperback version of The Falls: In the Dead of Winter. I'll go with the paperback cover.

     You know, at times I really wish I had an agent, a publisher, a publicist, a team of people to create covers, edit and keep me appraised of what I should be doing to best publish and market my books. Then, at other times, I feel proud that I'm accomplishing what I am on my own, as a true independent author/publisher. I'm sure all writers go through that, don't they? 

     I leave with you only a few words of advice. Do what's right for you. Write what you want to write. Be true to yourself. Work hard and persevere. May the dragons watch over us all...


http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Dead-Winter-small-mystery/dp/1497365384/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402406896&sr=1-3&keywords=the+falls+in+the+dead+of+winter

Summer Sale!

     Summer Sale! The 6th and 7th books in The Falls small town mystery series, The Falls: Fourth of July and The Falls: Cupid's Arrow, are each on sale at the Kindle store for $.99 this weekend, Saturday, June 7th and Sunday, June 8th! Sale ends 9:00 AM Monday morning!

     Come back to The Falls and join with Sheriff Cash Green, Deputies Ericka Yamato and Horace Scofield, along with Doc Stone and Meg Monroe searching for clues and finding out 'who dunit'! It's my humble and grateful way of saying thank you to my loyal readers and friends! 67% reduction on the price for this weekend only! Have a great start to summer!
 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Falls-Cupids-Arrow-mystery-ebook/dp/B009252DAE/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GJBW494CTEV1TYMJVKE 

http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Fourth-July-small-mystery-ebook/dp/B008TRXVMK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402148655&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Falls%3A+Fourth+of+July


I pushed the button...

     Well, I've gone and done it. I'm standing on the grass, looking down at the hole I've just climbed out of at this moment and filled in with fresh earth. Yesterday, I took a deep breath, and clicked on the "publish" icon at CreateSpace. I was immeciately greeted with a "Congratulations!" message and then asked if I wanted to purchase any copies. Surprisingly, the author's copies are the same price as the proofs, $8.07. So I promptly ordered three.

     I have ten proofs I ordered earlier to send to family members and friends. I thought the author copies would be slightly more, but it doesn't matter. There's little difference between a proof and an author's copy. I sat down day before yesterday and wrote a long one page letter to the family members and friends that I will be sending with the copy I'll be giving them. I found it to be rather difficult. I really haven't said much to my children or grandchildren about my books or my writing career. I guess, honestly, that I never said much to them about being a teacher and principal either. I think that comes from being a rather private person and not wanting to inflict my feelings, thoughts or ideas into or intrude into other people's lives. I always talked about their lives, or joked around or just gave them hugs and played with them.

     Hmmm, it sounds rather funny (unusual not ha-ha) when I put that thought down on paper. Anyway, I wanted them to know how much writing meant to me and that I truly appreciated how much them being in my life had meant to the fulfillment of my writing dreams. I tried to tell them about reinventing myself: becoming more knowledgeable in writing technology, computers, software, joining Twitter, having my own blog, LinkedIn, a Facebook author's page, and advertising on over 40 different FB sites. I gave them the addresses to all of the sites I maintain and told them I'd love to have each of them check the sites out.

     Tomorrow or the next day, I'll package the proofs in the US mails convenient paperback boxes, my wife ordered for me, sign the proofs, add a letter and ship them all out. You know, as parents we just try to deal with our kids and life and do what we feel is best, attempting to keep them safe and happy and try and let them know how much we love them. As you get older, and your kids are the ones who are busy with their families and business lives, it seems like a real role reversal. For the first time, I'm looking for some support, some approval from my kids and grandkids for something I'm doing rather than the other way around. Kinda' scary and a bit exciting at the same time.

     So, my computer is still not back from the Apple Farm and I'm going crazy because I don't want to write oin my old HP and then have to take that and adapt PC older Word to iMac newer Word. That seems to creat formatting issues and after the experience I had fitting my first manuscript into the template for CreateSpace, I'm not taking the chance. Converting to Kindle would be no problem. Our new AC unit will be installed tomorrow. Another process to go through, although our AC guys are first rate.

     I have to admit, I'm excited to see the new paperback The Falls: In the Dead of Winter advertised on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. and I'll be watching. But as soon as the iMac comes back, I'll be entering the second book in the series, The Falls: Summer Nightmare, which I already had placed in the template for CreateSpace on my desktop, into CS and then working on the cover. I've already drawn that as well.

     Until the next time, I leave you one piece of advice: no matter where you are on the writing food chain, whether it be established, well known author, or unpublished neophyte working on your first manuscript...or wherever inbetween, BELIEVE and WORK HARD. That's all there is for a writer. A writer must write. A writer works through the problems, the doubt, the frustration and even through the joy and delight that surrounds our craft.

    The hole is filled in, long live the hole. May the dragons watch over you all... 

I Fell Back into the Hole...But I can Get up...

     Okay...just as the end was in sight, I slipped off the earthen ramp and fell back into the hole. But no worries, apart from being frustrated and a bit chagrined, I'm okay. I had one of "those days". Teeth issues, AC went out, and my iMac went blank. Of course all my manuscripts, works in progress, covers, templates, etc. were on that iMac. Yes, I have a back up. I have an external hard drive, a Passport is what Apple calls it. Most of the information is there, but since I need an Apple computer to retrieve it, so it virtually just sits there and taunts me.

     I took the iMac to Best Buy where my friendly and always helpful Geek Squad assured me that it was repairable. It's some kind of graphic card. The kicker though, it has to be sent to an Apple repair service mecca shop in Kentucky. Two week turnaround. Luckily we had the total service plan and shouldn't cost more than the $100 for the Geek Squad's download. Yes, to be safe, I had them do a complete download of everything on the computer and then they sent it off. Now I keep getting little messages from the Geek Squad saying where my iMac is and what's going on, which I find surprisingly consolling.

     So, I got back the first 5 proofs, and have ordered anothyer 5. I will write in them and ship them off to our five kids, my wife's sister and my sister. I also have promised one of them to a dear friend. That at least I can deal with without the computer. When the second set of 5 proofs get here (they don't let you get more than 5 at a time) I will then complete the publishing process and the book will be out for sale. It goes on sale for $20.18. That's due to the length, 602 pages and me wanting my book for sale on all six markets they offer: Amazon.com, Amazon Europe, CreateSpace eStore, Bookstores and online retailers (like Barnes and Noble), libraries & academic institutions, and CreateSpace Direct.

     Apparently, the more distribution and merchandising markets, the more it costs. I don't imagine lots of people will buy it because of the cost, but it's there for the collector and fan of the series. It's also my first paperback, in my hand book, which at any amount is precious to me. The others should be less, since they are smaller in the amount of pages.

     I will brush myself off, get back up and accend the earthen ramp to get out of the hole. Then, with the first of the series published, I will move onto the second. It's already in template pdf form (on my iMac in Kentucky). I already have the front cover picture and will work on front covers for all the other books in the series (15 as of now, as soon as I publish The Falls: Brotherly Love and I'm a quarter of the way into The Falls: Boneyard, the sixteenth).

     In the meantime, I have two books, The Falls: Mud Season and The Falls: Making a List, Checking it Twice, numbers 3 &4 in the series, on sale this weekend for $.99 at the Kindle Store. That's what being an independent author/publisher/cover designer/publicist is all about, right? Many eggs in your basket. You just don't want to triup (or fall in a hole) and break some of them.

     Despite the pause, I will persevere. So should all of you. That's the only way it gets done. So, as I dust the dirt, small pebbles and odd piece of debris from my bruised but strongwilled body, I wish you a day filled with small pleasures...and may the dragons watch over us all...

    





And so it Continues...

     Just got back home from a trip up up north to MA where my wife and I were thrilled to watch our beautiful and talented granddaughter graduate from the Northeastern School of Law. Go Caitlyn Elizabeth! The trip was from Wednesday until Sunday and was a good family reunion. Very busy and lots of good food. Back to watching our caloric intake again.

     We came back to the AC not working. It was 99 degrees in the upstairs loft when we got here. So this morning, after our walk, the doors and windows are all wide open and every fan in the house is on. The last time we went away, our house was broken into and we were robbed. Honestly, we need to stop this kind of after trip behavior!!!! 

     Just ordered 5 proof copies of The Falls: In the Dead of Winter. I had already finished my second editing and proofing job just before we left and I'm okay with what it looks like at this point. Every book has a little glitch now days, so if I missed an error of two, so be it. You can go to the extremes when proofing. After awhile, you need to say enough and get it out there. When they get here, I'll order five more. Then I will go in and order a couple more so I have between 12-15 proofs at $8.07 rather than paying a good deal more, even at author's prices, to give away to family and friends. They have PROOF stamped across the back blank page...but that's no biggie. (This was something a good friend clued me in on...Thank you Kate!) Cost me $48.92 for five copies ($8.07 for the proof, $2.26 tax and $5.95 for shipping).

     I checked with CreateSpace Support about whether I should resubmit the book to Kindle which they offer as a service. They told me that I didn't need to. What I will do is resubmit the cover for the new paperback in my KDP bookshelf section (where I can go in and edit any part of my digital books) so they have the same look and then add the paperback onto it so when you pull up The Falls: In the Dead of Winter, it will show you both options.

     Okay...my writing loft is getting a bit steamy (it's 87 up here right now) so on to working on my next Chapter for The Falls: Boneyard. The 16th in The Falls small town mystery series. The hole is getting easier to climb out of...stay tuned for the final placement on sale. It will be available at Barnes and Noble, CreateSpace, Amazon, etc. I hope your day is cooler than mine and that the dragons watch over you all... 

The Second Proof...

     Well, the proof got here Friday afternoon, the second proof that is. I've been editing it most of Saturday and Sunday. Only 150 pages to go in the 602 page volume of the first of The Falls small town mystery series, The Falls: In the Dead of Winter. (It's the largest...which often happens with first books.) My eyes are swimming at this point. You don't realize how intense reading to correct and catch errors is until you do it for a number of hours.

     The new cover is better. It's got larger, clearer type and a better font. The back cover has only a blurb on what the book is about (same blurb that I placed in Amazon Kindle Store for the ebook version) and my picture. Speaking of which...it's hard to find a pic I want to use for an author photo. I don't think I photograph particularly well and I guess I'm just old school, it embarrasses me to put it there. I know, I know...but I can't help the way I feel. 

     Anyway, the cover has the same color scheme as the first cover, but the back font is much more readable without the faint front cover picture in back of it. The back cover is now a solid color, although the space for the blurb is set up to have a curve to it. Not sure I like that, but it's better than before. The front fonts are bigger and the spine font is okay as well.

     You would think that with both my wife and I editing the first proof, after me editing the Word document several times before that, there would be no typos or errors. Wrong. I still have probably eight to ten things to correct so far.

     Funny thing. As I was editing this afternoon and happened to glance at the cover with my name on it, I had an odd thought. It hit me for a few seconds how much my mom and dad would have liked to have seen my first "real" book. You know, not the digital ones, although I have quite a few of those. But they never saw any of those. To them a book was pages and ink and a cover. It would have made them happy and proud, I think. Funny how things will creep up on you when you least expect them.

     I'll probably finish editing the proof tomorrow and then edit the docx and convert to pdf. Then, I'll go in and download the file to CreateSpace. I'll probably go in and check the cover one more time as well. Then I'll check through all the steps and figure out if I'm ready to publish.  I'm not sure. Probably order some author copies for the kids and grandkids and our two sisters if I am because the author copies cost less.

     Publishing is getting closer. I already have finished editing the second book, ready to place it in the template with chapter headings. The next big decision is whether to publish the new document of The Falls: In the Dead of Winter as a Kindle version, changing the Kindle version I have right now. Not sure what I want to do. I think I'll message the CreateSpace support team and ask them which way makes more sense. They have been super helpful up to this point.

     Anyway. I now have my head up out of the hole and and walking up the dirt ramp. I can see the horizon and I feel the impending publishing date on that horizon. Have to admit, it feels good. We'll see as the time goes by. But digging the hole, building the ramp and walking out of the hole is almost at an end. 'Course it will begin again as soon as I start transforming the second volume over to a paperback through CS. Next installment of the blog will talk about whether to publish a new Kindle version and how many copies I'll buy as author copies. 

     The dragons have always watched over me...and they'll always watch over you...you just have to keep believing...

The Next Step...

     Well, Saints be praised! My wife and I have each done our editing of the proof. It took us collectively almost two weeks. Today I went in and made the changes on the Word docx template and then converted to pdf file. Downloaded the pdf to CreateSpace and went through their reviewer again. Found that one of the logos (Chapter Two) of the maple sap buckets came back as less than 300dpi. But it had before and in the proof, there is no discernible difference. Also found one spot where the reviewer said the text had overflowed the text box. It did the same thing when I ordered the proof and it came out fine. There was also one place where a *** that separated scenes within a chapter was not centered. So, I got out of the reviewer, told it I was going back to make changes and went back to the Word document. Edited the one place and then converted to pdf again, which I then downloaded. 

     After waiting for the process to assimilate the new document, I went through the reviewer again just to check the page where the *** were. It was fine. Taking a deep breath I went on to the cover. Now, I had been working with a cover which was actually pretty good, but it had some flaws. One was the back page took fainter version of the cover image and used it as a background for the blurb for the book. It also had my author picture in the section where the blurb was and not in the smaller section for the author info. The type was also a bit smaller than I would like. So, I looked through the images of covers and came up with one that was simpler and better for what I wanted. The title and author fonts were bigger (and fonts I liked better...the font was name Simplicity...that's me!), and the back page had a solid color which made the type much easier to read. No author info, but an author picture. 'Sides the author info is on the last page of the book. That was no big deal. I kept the same front picture (the maple with old fashioned sap buckets) and color scheme. Very pale blue background (almost white), dark blue fonts.

     Then I saved it all and am waiting back for a message from CreateSpace. Then I'll order one more proof. I'm not going to carefully comb through the text this next time, I'll just be checking to make sure logos are centered, make sure there are no missing words/letters and checking out the new cover mostly. Then, if everything is cool...I'll go to the publishing section, which I obviously haven't been through yet.

     I'm still wide-eyed over the price, $20.18. That's the lowest CreateSpace would allow me to sell it for. Amazing what the prices are on self-published paperbacks. I look at the mass market produced paperbacks and shake my head. I can't compete. But the issue for me is I want my books in paperback form, not just in digital. To do that, for now, this is what I can do. It may change, but I have a long way to go transferring all The Falls small town mystery series and the Dragon World Series into paper and ink volumes. That will keep me busy, along with publishing the next Falls mystery, (15th) The Falls: Brotherly Love, and working on the 16th volume, The Falls: Boneyard.

     That, dear reader is where I'm at. I'll let you know how the second proof and the publishing process through CreateSpace progresses. May your day be filled with small pleasures and may the dragons watch over you all...

Mother's Day Weekend Sale!

     The last two books in The Falls small town mystery series, The Falls: Thanksgiving and The Falls: Pretentious Withdrawal, will be on sale this weekend, Saturday, May 10th and Sunday, May 11th for $.99!!! That's a 67% savings! A little gift to all the mothers and soon to be motors out there! Have a wonderful Mothers Day! May the dragons watch over you! 

http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Thanksgiving-small-town-mystery-ebook/dp/B00I21RA20/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399663810&sr=1-1&keywords=the+falls+thanksgiving

http://www.amazon.com/The-Falls-Pretentious-Withdrawal-mystery-ebook/dp/B00J1LCFSE/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0T8BP839HXVM1M0Z944Q

A Small but Important Addendum ...

     After hearing promptly back from the CreateSpace team, I have to confess that I was in error. I had stated that there were no spined options at the CreateSpace "Build a Cover" section the last time I looked, that they were all spineless. And that's quite true, until you place your "interior" (your book document) in the format...then the spines options show up. Mea Culpa.

     So my sincere apologies to the CreateSpace Team, but for those of us who are new to the format and technologically challenged at times, it would have been good to have a simple quick explanation on there somewhere stating that fact. They answered my request for help quickly and efficiently and I gave them a five star grade in their request for feedback form with a nice thank you.

     So, the saga continues. I will tweak the cover, because the back page is still too busy, and I will input the edits as soon as Carolyn is done with her part. Then, we will saddle up and head fearlessly (well, semi-fearlessly) onward! Sounds a lot like an old Rawhide episode!

     May the dragons watch over us all and give me a boost up the ramp and out of the hole!

The Proof and Other Things...

     Well, I've finished editing the proof, now waiting for my patient and wonderful wife to do the same. Then I'll edit the docx document, convert to pdf and download it onto the CreateSpace website. That part is going well. I have to say, though, there were more edits than I thought there would be. But then, it was my first novel book in the series, and the first digital book I published. I changed it around several times as I was writing it and then several times again afterwards. So I expected more issues than I have now when I edit the 15th novel in the series. Only stands to reason, right?

     Now, here's the glitch. Are you ready? I went to CreateSpace to play around with the cover and guess what? CreateSpace, which a few days ago had both spineless and spines formats in their "Build Your Own Book Cover" section...now has only spineless book covers!!!!! I want a spine...I want the title of my book and my names on a spine so people see it on the shelf! I want it there staring out at readers telling them to "Pick me up! Read me! Read me!"

     Naturally, I was a little unnerved. I messaged my good friend Kate Eileen Shannon who has been giving me some pointers on covers and how to design them and has even showed me some things I could do to enhance the cover. When I told her, she was bewildered as well. She promised to play around in CreateSpace and get back to me. I just checked in again and it hasn't changed...there are still no spines styles in their create a cover section. I sent a message to support this morning, asking why and telling them I wanted a spines cover. They are good about getting back, so I'll wait to see what their answer is to the problem. Crossing my fingers...and other things as well.

     Soooooo...the hole I'm in is still a hole and the ramp has suddenly started to crumble a bit. I should have figured that there would be at least one or two more trials to go through before I actually sent the next proof in. (I should have, right?" Maybe I was lulled into security with how well it was going the last few days. Foolish Yankee Highlander...)

     Okay, as soon as Carolyn gets through editing for me, I'll work on editing the docx document. That's next on the agenda. (Of course I have already started working on getting the second volume in the series, The Falls: Summer Nightmare, ready for conversion to CreateSpace paperback as well. All the while writing on the 16th volume, The Falls: Boneyard, and editing the 15th, The Falls: Brotherly Love, which should be out in digital form in a couple of weeks,)

     At least I can't say I'm bored! And I have faith that in the end, one way or another, it will all work out. You kind of have to feel that way, right? Hey! I'm old, Scottish, stubborn and determined. What other way could I feel?! (A bit tired?)

     So for now, I'm working on the crumbly ramp and taking opportunistic peeks from time to time at the light shining down into my cozy writing hole. Hope you're enjoying the journey! Can't say there is no action! I'll keep you posted! May the dragons watch over us all...and may the ramp stop crumbling!