I just sent the first draft of book 9 to my editor for her first read (yay!), and while I know it’s going to need a lot of work in the editing process, including a title, I can safely say that for the moment it’s DONE. (I need it to be done, otherwise I keep messing with it and having to send her revised copies.)
I don’t really like to be between projects. I’d much rather be working on something, and since I’m not quite ready to start another book yet, I’ve decided to go ahead with a printed version of the first book in the series, Strangers on This Road. Amazon offers free print-on-demand services through CreateSpace, which is pretty freaking cool. They take a chunk of the royalties to cover costs, but don’t charge you anything for initial printing and set up. I’d already researched the possibilities and done a lot of the formatting work, including designing a cover, but I wasn’t quite there. Now I think I’m actually ready to publish my book in paperback.
When I used to imagine my books being in print one day, a publisher was always involved. One thing publishing my e-books has taught me is that you can’t wait for the industry to find you. My books are what they are, for better or worse. I’m very proud of them, and a lot of people seem to enjoy them. Whether or not agents and editors are interested in investing in my work, the revolution in e-publishing and independent platforms has given me the opportunity to invest in myself, to create my own destiny when it comes to my writing. As much as I might have doubts about doing this on my own, I’m not letting the critical voice in my head stop me from moving forward.
The final cover, missing the bar code (CreateSpace adds it)
Within the next few weeks, Strangers on This Road will be available as a trade paperback, 5.25″x8″, with a beautiful color cover and crisp white pages. CreateSpace makes it easy to choose exactly what you want to do, with plenty of helpful instructions, guides and tips for how to format and upload a book, where to sell it and for how much. If the price is too high, I can lower it. If it’s too low, I can raise it. It will be for sale through Amazon, CreateSpace eStore/Direct and other booksellers (Barnes & Noble, local bookstores), as well as in libraries and in Europe.
This is for real, which is both incredibly scary and incredibly exhilarating. I’ll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!
– Emily
Emily Senecal Books 