from the 'orse's mouth

Bye-bye 2011, welcome 2012

2011-12-30T06:07:00.000-08:00

Another year crawling towards its end. Funny how years start crawling between Christmas and New Year.

Once again I learnt a lot, forgive me if I copy-paste directly from our News Page on P'kaboo.net.

2011 - A Year of Firsts

It was an interesting year. While in 2010 P'kaboo grew from one to 5 and, right at the end of the year, 7 titles, we did several things for the first time in 2011.

We launched our first external author.

We battled our first debtors :-) (and won).

We published our first republication of a previously published book!

We published our first American author!

We found our first distribution agent.

And our first literary agent, Bookseeker Agency in Scotland.

We brought out our first ebook.

One could say it was a good year.

Still, it could have been better: I could have missed fewer deadlines. This way, Solar Wind 3, "Forest Circle Quest" by LHW Noble, and the American edition of "Not Another Scale Book" by Alan Solomon all stand over for next year.

Once again the lesson was reiterated: Online marketing is not as effective as direct, live sales.

Getting past the systems that the larger bookshop chains have built in self-defence, is "merely" a matter of presenting the books at a cheaper price to the agents (without agents, no large bookshops!). In terms of money it would mean larger runs... which is why it isn't easy building a publisher on small runs. Not easy - but not exactly impossible either! Personal promotion and sweet reviews in the public media (newspapers, magazines) help. And the critical importance of having striking cover graphics... people buy with their eyes.

A cover sells a book.
A book sells an author.
And the author sells the sequel.
But in all this, the price must be right.

E-books: (I mean the electronic variety, not the beautiful chain of bookshops that has been of so much help this year, again):

We are experimenting with e-books. Our first one is a free giveaway, for testing the waters and the systems, then again it is a part of the Solar Wind saga, the first part, imminently readable for people who have about 4 hours on their hands and love excitement.

Download "Donegal Trouble" here.

In fact there are a few free downloads at the following link:

http://www.pkaboo.net/freestuff.html

Have fun.

Happy New Year.

Web Wow

2011-07-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Iain has been working very hard on the website, and we now sport a guestbook, a mailing list subscription page, are Paypal enabled and also have a proper order form for people not wishing to use Paypal; and he has applied some SEO... our clicks have skyrocketed and are nowhere near slowing down. The growth seems exponential.

That is great - exactly what our books can use!

Learnt another very ouch lesson. Friends or no, first the contract, then the action. Not having a contract can destroy a friendship, and it nearly did. The trust is considerably lessened, on both ends I'd suspect.

And in the same line: Priorities. I spent an inordinately large amount of time on input on a project that isn't mine (and may never be). The priorities are completely wrong.

Result: My priorities and deadlines:

1) Finish editing Solar Wind III so it can go for proofs

Freedom Fighter

2) Finish finishing Prof Alan Solomon's book "Not Another Scale Book" and send for proofs

Not Another Scale Book!

Apart from keeping the income steady and looking after the studio, those two books must be top priority now, not to be sidelined by other projects again until their completion.

Book Promo at an art restaurant and gallery

2011-07-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

It seems to me as though we are beginning to gather a core of solid supporters. This is really wonderful. It feels great building up 10 (not 1) books by different authors in a beautiful display along with pretty posters etc; the display looked great but you'll have to for now take my word for it because my camera phone refuses to communicate with my computer (I suspect it's the computer's fault).

18 months back I sat at the Karoo Cafe, at wit's end, waiting for someone - anyone - to show an interest in my newly published novel, "The Mystery of the Solar Wind". Sitting there wondering what I'd done wrong: Hadn't I put up enough posters? Hadn't I notified the newspaper in time (no I hadn't); why was nobody interested? I did make two sales that day; but I didn't regard that as any kind of success.

When they told us this time round that we were not allowed to bring musical instruments, we knew that it would be a quiet event again, more for the people who arrived specifically for us than anyone else to take an interest. And so it has been; however, surprisingly many people arrived specially to come and say hi to us and how is the promotion going. We had a lovely time.

From party to party to party. It's like learning to bake a cake by experiment, having to guess not only the quantities but the actual ingredients (without any prior knowledge about cakes). This time the noise was missing, so anyone not associated with us didn't know there was something going on - especially because of the placement too. The promo on the 30th of April was a lot more successful from a sales angle. But that is regardless; promos will continue to happen.

What is heartening is the growing fen. It's really sweet to see!

Now for a fresh angle on sales.

Durban "Mass" Launch

2011-06-18T01:06:00.000-07:00

...nuff sed.

Learnt:

Next time I'll arrange a launch where I can follow up on the marketing myself.

Internet Marketing???

2011-05-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

Scribd, AC, Yahoo, Lulu, Facebook, Ning, ezine, blah di blah…

Programming a website for our books

has brought it home to me just how much of marketing a real product still depends on normal, real-life advertizing.

The most books we’ve sold so far, we’ve sold in direct sales, face-to-face, to people we know or who heard about us.

The second-most sales so far have been made out of bookshops.

Whenever we advertize, sales ensue. When we let up, sales stop.

Word of mouth is a myth – there is too little of that.

Internet marketing though? I’ve had (literally) thousands of clicks now, on practically all of my “sites” where I publish… except ezine, but I have to add that I’ve neglected ezine after publishing those initial two articles.

One can spend all day online, posting here, posting there, answering comments, following other blogs out of selfish or unselfish purposes. At the end of the day you have spent all day online commenting and posting. The internet is like an own closed, endless circle. It’s maddening, and addictive. But does it take you any closer to your objective? That is the question.

Well I’m not at the end of my tricks yet. In the interim while I’m studying up on what to do next (and tweaking my website by learning Javascript, and polishing up the second sequel, Solar Wind III – Freedom Fighter, which so far only exists in preview and in a less polished Lulu version; and also working on republishing my violin mentor’s beautiful technique book), chocolate and coffee will not go amiss!!

Eat drink and be messy – for tomorrow we shall gym.

…gipsika, aka kalinka (no that was not a stutter – it was rap )

Learnt Items

2011-04-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

only sell books to shops COD
only make exceptions for bookshops who have earned it
be patient with results
be patient with reviewers
ditto with graphic designers but not too patient - check occasionally on their vital signs LOL
If you plan to launch in a venue that can hold 50 people, don't over-cater with books and food
cross your i's and dot your t's
Do your own advertizing - be innovative; and pay for it yourself if you can't get it for free
quality always sells
excitement sells too
a cover sells a book; a book sells an author; an author sells a sequel
don't make promises on time frames when you're dependent on others to deliver on time
don't forget that you are human, too - running a business does not mean the business runs you
remember to take your medication!!

Not that I think anyone should actually read this and take it as "advice". It is merely a log of what I've learnt so far...

2011-04-06T05:22:00.001-07:00

This post is copied nearly exactly from my Wordpress post at Thingummy.

We've recently had 2 launches at P'kaboo Publishers. The one was public; the other was a private launch, closed society, with a public launch for that book still pending.

Launch of The Solar Wind II:
The Assassin

Lyz Russo

"Remember who you are!"

His sister died with those words on her lips.
Something sinister lurks in his psyche.
Something that loves killing.
Can he complete his mission
without selling out to this entity?

The book is available at www.pkaboo.net, Lulu.com, Amazon or any branch of Ebooks Etc. There are also several other bookshops in South Africa who stock this book.

The book is the sequel to "The Mystery of the Solar Wind" (Lyz Russo). This is a lighthearted adventure story about a bickering lot of young pirates, set in a dark and ominous future. It is available in the same places as "The Assassin". To get more details, please visit www.pkaboo.net (for reviews, a peep into the book, etc.)

The Other Book Launch

(the one that happened in quiet, and which precedes a larger, more public launch) is for a fast-reading comedy featuring a ghost as the main character.

Almost Dead in Suburbia

by Douglas Pearce was launched in Observatory, Johannesburg,

Almost Dead in Suburbia

The uber-English little village of Wiggleswood is about to get more excitement than it has ever seen before. Ghosts, almost-ghosts and ghostly cats haunt the streets. Several of these ghosts are on a mission, with the hyper-intelligent police chief trying to solve an almost-crime... it's a fun read.

To find out what else P'kaboo has gotten up to, please do visit... www.pkaboo.net

Confucius say:
The one who says that something is impossible, should never interrupt the one who's doing it.

Launch went well

2011-03-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

See, stressing for nothing doesn't pay off. And while the launch wasn't overwhelming, it did go well. Any financial doors that were closed: Others open.

www.pkaboo.net is being kept up to date with news and newly available books. We're also investigating so many channels at this moment, it's really quite amazing.

who said it was going to be easy?

2011-01-30T08:44:00.000-08:00

Today the only reason I don't just throw in the towel and quit the publishing biz and pay back the money I owe and call it quits, is because I've been given up on before... and I've failed at things before and quit things before and gotten fed up, and angry, and despondent... and too many are watching and seeing if the "loser" is going to lose yet again, as they all predicted.

It's my pride that keeps me going now. And nothing else.

Why is SA so blasted corrupt, on all levels???

Congrats Les!!

2011-01-21T08:48:00.000-08:00

Leslie Hyla Winton Noble - make a note of that name please! The author of "Baa Baa Black Belt", "Regina", and "Tabika" one and two has been head-hunted by an American publishing company for the rights to ebooks, hardcover and possibly even, movie rights on his books!!

I'm proud to have him aboard P'kaboo as our wonderful and patient editor, highly skilled and knowledgeable and never shy to roll up his sleeves and do research on behalf of the author. I'm also proud to be able to say that we at P'kaboo distribute his books - where applicable (we're a still fledgling company ourselves and don't yet have access to all that many bookshops). He is self-published via "JustDone" in Durban, who have listed his books on Lulu.com, from where the American publisher prospected him.

Well done Les, here's to you, and HUGE success!

Wow - a year has flown by

2010-10-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

This blog is about the publishing and it's the publishing that is making it too busy for me to mind more than one blog. (!)

When I re-read my last blog post, I detected a fair spot of BA - Bad Attitude. I apologize to any readers who found this offensive. I was very caught up in the drive for success, and things weren't going fast enough. It turns out that patience is rewarded.

P'kaboo is coming on beautifully. We're at www.pkaboo.net and I've programmed a lot of that website myself (ok one can see it - but it is functional). We are now proudly distributing 5 books and a CD, with 4 further books overtly lined up for publication and one to three books and four CDs hiding in the woodworks.

Having the website has made it such a lot real to me, how strange that is! I also had to grow into the process and conquer this terrible, horrible shyness that stops me from picking up the phone and making the relevant calls. My editor (winks at Colonialist) has tried to persuade me various times to call rather than email, and still I remain people-shy - but admitting it has helped, for heavens' sakes I'm forty not four, and it's time that my self-confidence matched my physical size.

Friday I had an interview at the local newspaper, Rekord East, they are also reviewing the Solar Wind for me and are interested in attending book launches. Which are within grasp now, after a year of weirdness and karma.

My last post was done before our last studio concert, and before, in fact, that wave of life hit me.

On the 23rd of April my car was stolen. Sure, I live in South Africa so one sort-of expects this - but not the horrible after-shocks. The insurance taking 6 weeks to pay out, and then only half of what it costs to get a replacement vehicle of similar age, brand and quality. Being without a car for more than a month, juggling work, and home, and everything.

Just as I was in the throes of finding a replacement car, I stepped on a sewing needle and it broke off in my foot. I couldn't believe it was still in there (because it was such a large piece, and it didn't hurt quite as much as I thought it would). So, being unable to get it out or even see it, I carried on with life... for a number of days, until I realized that my foot didn't want to heal and got seriously tired walking. This wasn't good in the light of no car, so we took it to X-rays, which revealed half of the needle still in there, and migrating towards the bone. The Doc booked me into hospital to have it removed surgically because it was too deep. It was taken out at 2h30 at night by a young surgeon who admitted to being more scared of this op than the bullet he'd dug out of someone's intestines earlier that evening. Because there is such a lot of fine machinery inside a foot, and because finding the thing was a matter of luck. He did find it.

I spent the next ten days on crutches; an experience I DON'T want a repeat of! I was still on crutches when we bought the car I drive now. A 16-year-old Jetta - a year older than the Toyota that was stolen.

I put my head down and worked, and nursed my foot and taught hundred violin lessons, and then the message reached me that my grandfather had fallen down the steps and was in hospital. A week of sheer madness on all parts, preceded his death after we all were under the impression that things were picking up. He had been a very charismatic and highly independent and revered man, and his sudden death rattled the family badly. We were emotionally incapacitated for a month, until his memorial service.

There have been other things after that, my daughter breaking her arm, and my having to defend my studio against some low-lives, but nothing further to stop the flow with the publishing. I'm back.

Publishing is fun - producing a brand new book from thin air. The publicity is the part I have to grow into, and am slowly getting the swing of it.

Items covered in the interview on Friday were:

Where is P'kaboo going?

We are an (as yet) small publisher, with our main goal to launch new talent. There are such a lot of truly deserving authors out there! We are picking up volume faster than I had anticipated.

We also help already self-published authors market, if we find their work deserving. From my own experience I know how blasted difficult it is for a writer, an essential introvert, to punt his own work. It is easier to latch onto an established machinery and allow us to market, and sell the books at a mark-up from the price at which you sell to us. My friend Mark would call it "putting the cat over the fence".

We offer author services too, which obviously also form part of our publishing. We offer professional editing, graphic design and some other minor items. If you are self-published we might insist that you have your book or CD cover done professionally, and that your book gets professional editing before we agree to market - it all depends on the quality of your work. Of course it helps if you've already done so on your way to self-publication.

We want to diversify into music and art as well. By now there are three music books in the cooker. One is a re-publication, authorized to us by the author, and what a privilege to have him aboard - I'm not going to let on yet who it is, suffice it to say that in violin circles, he is well-known. Only one of the three (my Violin Tunes) is on the "Coming Soon" page of futurology in P'kaboo. There are, as mentioned above, four CDs waiting to be released - once again, not yet advertized. As for art, I'm looking not only at two full-colour books in loving memory of two great artists, but simpler things too... calenders, postcards, art books by artists, prints. These I'm looking at because I know a number of young people (all under 20) whose art deserves publication; and for variety, to keep the business interesting. This is fun.

If you wish to receive updates and launch invitations, please connect with the mailing list on www.pkaboo.net and email me your request.

Now excuse me please... I don't know when I'll be by again but I will.

mind maps and flyers

2010-04-04T12:22:00.000-07:00

Things are getting fairly busy now. The third run of the Solar Wind, this time with the edits of Les Noble and a new ISBN number, is under way (except that I need to battle them about the cover). A batch of flyers has been created and is being distributed to bookshops. The logic in those is that instead of handing out precious, expensive book copies for "consignment", we hand out flyers and get them to order copies of the books they want. COD. Iain's constructing a website, it's beginning to look (at least in concept) like something usable.

Les has teamed up with me re the sale of our books. P'kaboo officially represents his books (although the publisher is JustDone). I've also taken on a novel that Douglas was sweet enough to hand me for experimentation - his brilliantly written "Almost Dead in Suburbia". I've got a bedtime story by Ominiki that we're straightening out; and hopefully, once written, a novel by Les. Then of course there is my "4-leafed Clover" but the catch is that that book, like the "Waterwolf", the "Violin" and whatever else I wrote way back, needs a complete overhaul. I'm hopeful for "Clover" because it's only got 30 000 words - a nice short little novelette. But it will be a challenge to present all those rebellious, violent ideas in an acceptable format (not for the reader who is 11 and associates fully, but for the teacher). Ikki, who tries to present herself as "Vicky" and can't get rid of her old nickname though, is actually a very troublesome teen! I'm afraid Connie will have to moderate all the way where Ikki's wild horses run away with her.

Then, the "Assassin" needs a re-read, aloud with Iain listening, because despite the professional edit it still feels to me as though, from a dramatic point of view it falls short. Too much sop and mood and not enough substance. Oy vey! At the same time I'm squizzing through "Freedom Fighter" to straighten it out for Les and his edit. But the Assassin has to be a winner or else people will never bother with Freedom Fighter. I need a "test run" and reader feedback. What Ruthven fed back was not encouraging, neither was what Karin said. (Both fell off the series at book 2.) The Assassin also needs a cover and the financing for the first run.

I made a mind map of all that needs to happen. I gave the different classes of "things" different colours, the "next step" red, the marketing yellow, the separate books blue and the processes green. I noted that there were several processes that worked by themselves once started (e.g. Douglas edited by Les - a necessity, both ways, once for the fresh pair of eyes and outsider assessment, and secondly then for the professional "shliff", because self-editing can only take you that far). There are other processes that need my hands-on involvement or even direct own input. Case in point, Susetti Soletti.

Reviewers are a sore point. I mailed off a whole lot of books and got nary a review. Sure, Fran Lewis did indeed post one - a sweet one, but it's more a precis than a review. Nevertheless it has utterly usable bits in it. But the reviewers from the newspapers??? I'm at the point where I want to say, hang them, we'll make our own waves until they can't ignore us anymore and then we'll graciously "allow" them to review - if we still need it. (I suppose, with books they really want to review, they buy their own copy and review it anyhow. Well that suits me just fine - less overheads for P'kaboo.)

Newspapers - I'll bet on the Rekord East so far, for launches. There are two or maybe even five in the offing. Near future: Assassin, Almost Dead. Later (hopefully this year still): Freedom Fighter; Ominiki's story which she forbade me to mention the name of; and possibly the 4-Clover.

Idk what further I can do to generate publicity. No, that's not quite true, I have a few ideas. But, a step at a time.

Basta.

- the 'orse

the wheel is turning...

2010-03-13T16:37:00.001-08:00

phew!!

What a busy time! The Assasssssin is finished where edits are concerned, only one scene still needs to be approved.

LOL about the title. A quick search on "smashwords" reveals 47 titles containing or dealing with assassins. A very favourite topic these days! Well, I'm not the first and won't be the last, but it's still a catchy title and mine is different from the others (as is everyone else's). It doesn't matter, it seems to be obligatory to have a book titled "Assassin" so that one is taken seriously. (I could have called it "field of shards", much more abstract, or "Master Plan" - probably tens of thousands around with that title too - but it's already advertized as "The Assassin", so there you are. I bet you there are countless books titled "Freedom Fighter" too, but none called "The Morrigan", other than from Wiccan literature! There is a reason for this. There are only so many words in the English language. Many more writers than words.

So stepwise the following has to happen:

- The fliers, once printed, need to be distributed
- Solar Wind print run of 50 (can't afford 100 at this point).
- Sales need to happen rather fast;
- Launch of the Assassin.

I am COUNTING on those fliers - lets hope that they don't let me down!!

Solar Wind Log, 12 Feb 2010

2010-02-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

I'm about to reread and re-edit the Solar Wind 1 for the last time, integrating all Les' edits as well as smoothing some of the terminology. This will of course mean she needs a new ISBN number. The back cover also has to be redone to incorporate the review, but the cover pic stays the same. So what if she's not square-rigged but Bermudan? It's nearly a tradition to have the cover pic not quite fit the correct description.

After smoothing her, next print run. After that: Flyers. Yip. So here we go.

the next step - pamphlets

2010-02-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

Alright, let's get our mind together here.

My next step in the plan was to produce pamphlets, to distribute to all bookshops in lieu of 5000 consignment copies. Well, Bernhard from Irthling.com did a beautiful job on them (see below); there are single details (e.g. a sentence elucidating that Les' books are only marketed by P'kaboo) that need to be changed, and that is all.

But: If I print all those flyers and suddenly there is a demand for MORE THAN 36 BOOKS... (which is the stock I have currently) - I have to have the next print run in stock! I can't do this and sell out and oops - 3 weeks no books! So at least I have to print 50 more books, which means, the edited updated version, which entails, new ISBN, maybe the cover graphic improved... definitely the blurb improved and the review added.

So, step 1 AGAIN, fix up SW1 and get print-ready, print a run of 50 new books, and THEN go for the flyers!

The flyer does not want to load. It's a zip file. Zipped closed.

I'll return to Federi now and see what I can do for him.

Editor update

2010-01-29T01:12:00.001-08:00

After searching for editors and despairing over their fees last year, I posted my lament on my other blogsite, on letterdash (24.com). One of the self-published authors there who has an impeccable command of the English language as well as personal yachting experience (! - how lucky can I get!) came forward and suggested he help me edit my books.

Thank you, Lesley Hyla Winton Noble, author of Tabika (1 and 2), Baa Baa Black Belt and Regina! (All available on Lulu.com too.) L'chaim and here's to a long and prosperous association!

that purple monster

2010-01-29T00:53:00.000-08:00

There are certain ways of NOT going about publicity.

Reputation is imperative. I noticed this with my studio... reputation is invisible, they will never tell you what they heard about you. But you will feel it, in people's attitudes and in your numbers. I'm now at the point in my violin studio where I can tell a prospective student to the face, "my fees are quite high", and they sign on anyway. Reputation pops out in small ways - strangers call in and ask for lessons, and when I tell them my name (our posters have no name on them, just numbers), they say, "aah!". (Not, "aargh!" - LOL!)

Now the best way to ruin a reputation right on the outset is to set up a truly professional, highly visible, public event - and then make an unprofessional mess of it. People remember. "Ah! Lyz Russo - that idiot woman who set up all her books here and then brought the creche to tear down the place! We couldn't eat our breakfast in peace! She and her rugrats also put us off looking at the gallery. Eww!"

I shan't set up another booksigning until the following are in place:

a bookshop calls for it
there have been newspaper reviews and the book is freely available
the book is making waves

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

someone is babysitting - paid for the day, preferably in another city!

How is it that when a woman dumps her children on her husband in an important professional event, they feel sorry for the man and they regard her as a selfish, inept mother? But when a father dumps his children on his wife while she's busy with an important professional event, onlookers feel sorry for him and regard her as an inept professional and a selfish woman who is an inept mother and wife?

I can see why behind every successful man there is a very active wife -
behind every successful woman there's a broken marriage!

What am I doing wrong?

2010-01-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

Another "book signing" with me hanging about uselessly for 5 hours. People saw the books and the poster. They did nothing. One acquaintance came and bought - one of mine and 2 of Les' books.

If people rave why doesn't this book sell? And if it's not selling, why do they rave? What's going on here?

Yippeeh a sweet Review!

2010-01-19T16:20:00.001-08:00

Jinxed? Nah. The only thing that seems to be jinxed at this point are my megabytes!

Fran Lewis, author of the Bertha series of books and Memories are Precious, decided to review the Solar Wind volume 1 for me. I kept her waiting (not by choice) for an easy 3 months and yet she was still prepared to review, and wrote me a stunning review (which I'll be sending to all newspapers I can come up with).

Here it is:

Powerfully written: Mind Stimulating: Terrifying and Full of Twists and Turns:

(The mystery of)

The Solar Wind

By Lyz Russo

Secrets, mysteries, lies, deceptions, intrigue and murder are just some of what you will encounter when you board the Solar Wind for your journey into the 22nd century. This will not be just any ordinary journey, it will keep you spellbound, alert, terrified, inquisitive and more, to learn about the new regime and the new world powers of the year 2116 and just what changes are in store for you. With a cast of characters so diversified, yet so alike, you will want to not only learn the reasons why each crewmember signed on to the Solar Wind, but go along with them on their dangerous journey to find freedom and safety in a world filled with fear.

The world is not the same any more. The governments in most parts of the world are no longer democratic. The Unicate and the Rebellion are two opposing World Domination Governments that have taken over and captured many countries on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. Let’s meet the Captain of the Solar Wind: Radomir Lascek, who sails his illegal trader ship around the world doing shady deals and illegal trading of ships and much more. Next we have three teenagers that were rescued and brought aboard in Dublin, escaping the wrath of the Unicate Government. What would happen if everyone in the world that needs medical care did not have to pay a co-payment for service but instead a hefty fee for a medical care license, just like a driver’s license? This license has to be renewed on a yearly basis and if you cannot afford the fee, you do not get the care. What would happen if you had to flee your country because you were accused of murder but did not commit one? Wait until you learn why and how the Donegal kids came to work and live on the Solar Wind: Paean, who has the ability to forecast when something bad will happen and has an understanding of herbal medicine and more; and her two brothers Ronan and Shawn who have skills of their own that make all three invaluable to the captain of this dangerous ship.

There are many more interesting characters: Federi the gypsy, who has a secret of his own; the captain himself, the doctor and the centenarian, and all of the others on this ship who are trying to escape the government and find freedom. But will they?

And what about the mysterious Ailyss who is on the ship but seems cold and stays to herself? Paean tries to befriend her, but is aware that she might be dangerous. Paean is the one character that you can fall in love with despite everything that is going on. She is tough, adventurous, kind, straightforward and will do anything to win the captain’s favor even if it means breaking the rules. Proud that she is now considered part of the crew and a pirate, she does more than her share to keep everyone stitched up, safe and properly hydrated with her own brand of medicine and coffee.

Added to this mix is the captain of the Hun, Anya Miller, an angry bounty hunter who was humiliated by our captain and will resort to anything to bring him in and collect the reward.

Most importantly let us meet the Solar Wind, the most unique ship ever to sail the seas. A ship that has more sensors than the government and more eyes than the FBI of CIA when tracking predators, sharks, change of temperature and current. This ship is smarter than any person that mans it and its computer is constantly processing the information from the sensors all the time. Elusive and able to change appearances, its name and location, this ship can hide from just about anyone. Or can it?

The Unicate with its army of Stabilizers is trying to track the Solar Wind, with the help of Anya Miller. With the crew of several other ships aiding him, our captain manages to escape capture and get through the Panama Canal almost unscathed. But what happens next will astound the reader and only author Lyz Russo can tell it in her brilliant way and keep the reading on edge throughout the entire novel.

Their frightening finds on the Pacific island of Hiva Oa lead them to a trap that endangers the lives of two of the crewmembers. Vanishing lizards; killed tourists. Sunken treasure ships that were not supposed to be there, with fifteen skeletons left behind. Shawn Donegal steals a metal device from the body of a dead hobo, and Paean, wanting to return it, soon finds out that this is the missing piece of a data capsule from the Hun, and might provide the information they need to uncover what the Unicate had planned. Going back for the rest of the bounty, both Federi and Marsden are captured.

Throughout the novel the reader learns about Federi and his life before coming to the Solar Wind in letters he writes to his sister. Paean decides to keep some of her thought on paper too, helping the reader to understand her even more.

Who is the spy for the Unicate or the Rebellion on the ship? What happens when another ship’s crew comes on board and the Captain of the Solar Wind befriends them?

Keeping the enemy busy on board their ship allows Captain and Jon Marsden the time to dig deeper into the information on the two capsules, continuing their spy work right under the Unicate’s nose. For years the Unicate has hunted the Solar Wind hoping to finish off the rest of the crew that they led into a trap two years before. Is the Solar Wind at the heart of a political plot against the Unicate?

With the Unicate aboard and the Rebellion on their tails, the crew struggle on through a storm. But what is wrong with the radar? The Captain demonstrates his power over the ship and his ability to control it in his own elusive way. But then the rebel ships capture Paean and Sherman; and Federi, Rushka and Ronan Donegal will stop at nothing to find them both. With Paean and Sherman in trouble Federi risks more than his position on the Solar Wind to save them.

Who is the spy and why is this person on the ship? What does happen, will surprise the reader and renew your faith in loyalty, friendship and understanding. Will the Solar Wind ever be free from the Unicate or the Rebellion forces? Will the world succumb to being dominated by evil? Wait for the sequel and find out!

I never give stars so I will give this book FIVE SOLAR WINDS THAT HAVE AN INVISIBLE SHIELD TO HIDE FROM THE UNICATE AND REBELLION FORCES TO SAFETY AND FREEDOM: In the words of our amazing author: DONEGAL MAGIC PREVAILS

Fran Lewis: Reviewer and author of Memories are Precious and the Bertha Series of Books.

Jinxed??

2009-12-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

By now I'm pretty sure of two things and wondering about a third.

1) The way I'm doing it is NOT getting results.
2) I need to read more and learn more and speak to more people and FIND OUT HOW IT WORKS!!!

and

3) I'm wondering if this whole blasted effort is jinxed? Here is why: Every single event I set up personally so far has belly-flopped. Booksigning at E-Books: 1 sale (to a friend). Launch: Library was closed. Booksigning at Scouts: First round: rained out. Second round: People not interested even though part of the proceeds was to go to Scouts. Sales Nil. Publicity near to nil. Klip Klap market: I'm wondering if the market itself isn't a loss. I'm wondering if anyone really sold anything there that day! But it was a set-up too, pushed into a corner - I guess that's just not the way to market a book! Kimiad market has vanished. Today's "promotional" event was none - it was a set-up by Iain, he never got it organized but got me under the impression that he had. It was really just a manipulative move to get me out of the four walls. Not appreciated! And of course no books were sold at Natalie... but on the up-side there, her sister Nandine is interested in agenting and has presented a few of them at Hazeldene (I think it was) market. We'll see how that went. I hope she sold some, that would be stunning.

I'm currently very discouraged. But I know, that's not the way to market a book. The media are. I only wish I could get an inside view in PTA news, Star and Beeld and all those other places. Sheesh. There are lots of readers out there - why should they buy American authors rather than me?

with a sigh...

2009-11-24T11:30:00.000-08:00

Discouraged. Had a booksigning at Ebooks, Lynnridge Mall on Saturday. It rained various mammals. People were on a mission. There were a LOT of other stalls. (Tupperware etc.) Hardly anyone came into the bookshop; we were just outside their doors and though some people looked, most just charged past as fast as they could. Sold one copy (to Magda - ay, what would I do without her!).

Klip Klap we sold nothing. The first booksigning at Scouts was a rainy deal, and though one whole person looked and asked, nobody bought. The AGM on Friday; I'm sharing the profit with the Scouts so there's something in it for them to announce me, and something in it for the parents to buy. Will that work? No cooking clue.

Eddington has been amazing. So sweet. He assures me that once the book is reviewed in the newspapers, sales will happen. He took more books on consignment to "bulk it up" for the Christmas sales, I hope people see it and want it. Come on, how many copies has "Twilight" sold in Pretoria? Give me a break - there is definitely a reader's market. Eddington also called the book "fantasy", which makes me wonder if it isn't perhaps. I always thought, futuristic, Earth-based, reality based, science link = Science Fiction? Maybe not, after all.

I'll try to arrange another signing for the morning of the 5th December. Maybe better luck.

Riana's artwork looks amazing. She floored me once again with her professional flair, and speed! She is brilliant.

Les and I are working on a sales situation.

And then there was faith.... which I'm sadly short on.... all those deities with their empty air promises, let's face it, so much magical thinking. Or maybe not. How should I know? Consult Federi on that, don't speak to me!

Publicity

2009-11-16T09:53:00.000-08:00

Publicity is free, someone said.

I called my oupa, opera star Dawie Couzyn, and found out from him how to approach this whole publicity business. Here is the advice he gave:

You find out who the editor of cultural events is at the main newspapers in each city. He named papers and editors here.

You call them. Not email; phone call. Why? Because it's interactive, because they can hear your voice, and so on. You tell them that you have (whatever it is, in our case) a new novel out, first of a series, first by a new South African author, and it's in print now!

You post them (snail mail or email) a press release. You write it. Stands to reason. I did write our own article for the Rekord, too, up to a point.

You mail the same article to all the major newspapers and any number of minor ones. They don't mind.

And then you employ a clipping service to keep an eye on whenever your name pops up in any of those newspapers.

So Iain found out the numbers of those (and MANY more) papers.

I need to start calling them tomorrow.

I also have to email Riana with the details of the poster we need for the 21st. Tonight.

I need to invite people to the book signing and the Gaiana Gypsy concert. Tonight.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday...

2009-11-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

So here is the schedule:

-Today we were at "Klip Klap" Art Market, promoting. No sales. Not too many feet at that market.

- Next Friday, Signing at Scouts.

- Saturday, Signing at Ebooks Lynnridge Mall.

- Saturday afternoon concert at Nats, and books along, and signing. Still have to advertize this.

- Sunday: Probably Cullinan, otherwise Kimiad

- Friday after (27th Nov): Book signing at Scouts AGM.

-I'm booked up until end of Jan for Kimiad - options every Saturday, every Sunday. GOOD DEAL THAT!

Spoke to Dawie today about newspapers. He named all the major ones in the 5 towns. He said, all I have to do is call them each and speak to the editor of cultural events, and then write up a press release, and it's news - I don't pay for that.

Then also the Star and the Pta News have a book reviews section. I must mail them a copy of the Solar Wind for review and hope they print it.

I'll step on all that tomorrow morning (Monday).

Meantime I made 2 more contacts for authors. I've also started proofreading a friend's book - but as tired as I am, although it's a really stunning, funny story, it's slow going - managed the equivalent of 2 chapters last night (he doesn't chapterize although I do suggest he should - it gives the mind a break from laughing cramps).

I'm editing the Assassin, too. Chapter by tedious chapter. "Make it more gripping" was the demand, and boy oh boy!! ...is that a task! There's just such a LOT of that book! It's about 3 books in one. A whole odyssey!

Anyway. Book 3 is shorter. Freedom Fighter. That's me, yeah.....

Exclusive Books

2009-11-12T01:56:00.000-08:00

I've set my blog to private now, with only two readers having permission to read. I don't want bookshops to read something wrongly and take offence.

I had an interview with the manager of Exclusive Books Menlyn. (Werner.)

1) He complimented me on the layout and professionalism of the book. His exact words: "A good-looking publication."

2) He complimented me on the theme - "quite unique".

3) He mentioned it's all about the hype. He asked for my marketing plan, so I told him about posters, flyers, bookmarks, newspapers, reviews, and the plan to contact radio. He then suggested (like Karin suggested too) that Jenny Crws-Williams would be the one to contact, or her manager.

4) He said (tongue-in-cheek) that the way to reply to the supplier who told me to get back to her when I had 1000 copies in hand, was to ask her to order 1000 copies.

5) Book signings: He said that that would be Step 3 for him, not Step 1. He wants them to queue. Get publicity first.

6) Exclusive Books don't take books on consignment as a policy. He also mentioned it would be a good idea to "frustrate" bookshops by having people coming asking for the book.

So clearly the next step in the process is jenny Crwys-Williams.

Ebooks Lynnridge Mall has sold 1 copy so far. We have sold 40.

Lined up:

15 Nov: Klip Klap market, 8 am.
20 Nov: Book signing at Scouts
21 Nov: Book signing at Ebooks Lynnridge Mall
Also 21 November: Book signing at Natalie
27 Nov: Another signing Scouts AGM.

Markets: Klip Klap; Kimiad.

Unscrewed it? Let's glue it!

2009-10-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, the moment of doubt has passed.

Items on the list can be divided in 3.

Already done; in progress; still has to happen. Let's call them 1, 2 , and 3.

List 1 : Done

The book is printed! I'm in possession of the second run. (Was a bit more expensive this time.)
Karin designed the bookmarks for the launch.
She also designed the promotional bookmarks.
I finished the B&W poster - finally!
We've decided how to dress up the place.
We've decided the schedule
Facebook has been updated and so has the blog at Letterdash.
I've mailed an email invite to the Akela of the cubs

List 2: In progress

I'm putting together the music. There's a LOT
I'm working on my appearance (aaarrrghh! I hate these tropical - whatever.)
I'm selecting scenes to read; have to find 9, in case. Karin helped me select the 3 she enjoyed most.

List 3: Still has to happen:

Full colour posters for the libraries. (Priority A)
B&W posters printed and pasted all over PTA. (Priority A)
Rekord needs to be called (TOP priority)
Bookmarks need to be printed
and distributed in bookshops and other book places
Don't forget second-hand bookshops! Book lovers love these!
decide what to wear
buy the decor
dress the launch bookmarks
Send a book to Fran for reviewing (this has nothing to do with the launch but is of equal importance)
Practice reading those scenes to Karin
Still have to INVITE everyone on my mailing list and everyone in my phone!!!!!

Schedule will remain unpublished for now. I'll report back on launch afterwards!

Hot air or healthy buzz?

2009-10-10T16:53:00.001-07:00

I'm amazed and thankful at how people are rallying around me to help with the launch and everything around it. It's absolutely wonderful.

There is of course the fear that I may let them down. I found someone who was prepared to proof-read my book and point out edges that needed a bit of polish - nothing major, thank goodness! He also assured me that it's a good read. This gives me hope. But when I hear myself voicing goals (1000 books by Christmas and so on) I get scared. Am I just a loudmouth?

I guess the moment of truth is marching closer. Am I capable of creating enough healthy buzz to launch this book properly? Even without having it available in bookshops but mail-order only? The bookshops must not worry, they'll get their share, once I've sold enough to generate a litho print run and the equivalent in marketing money. But is this another such statement? Will I get there? Will there be enough interest? I'll advertize of course, and advertize and advertize...

There are a number of people who believe in me and the quality of my writing. They are like a solid core around me. I'm stressing my head off.

Wish me and the Solar Wind luck pls.

ha, ha, ha....

2009-10-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

Nothing ever goes the way it's planned. This is called life; every sudden change is an opportunity.

The launch at the library has been moved to the 24th. The reason had nothing to do with me, or the library, but with the city council and their efficiency (or lack thereof) with licensing.

This means: 1) the printer has more of a gap to finish the run.
2) If I'd known it a day earlier I could have incorporated the polish edits by my editor, Les Noble. This way the edits have to wait for the next run.
3) The Rekord East is available again for an editorial. I hope. If they don't place it I can still advertise through them anyway.
4) It gives us a LOT more time for advertising.

5) It's now juxtaposed to the Studio Concert on the 23rd so we'll have to be really careful with the spending. Pity.

I'm breathing again. Who knows, hopefully all of Pretoria will be at the library that morning listening to my presentation.

Ha! Presentation. Right. This is what: A "reading" isn't enough. A presentation. Now my mind is running in the correct lines. It may not be genetics but it's just as exciting and newsworthy.

Rekord East

2009-10-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

This is so exciting! I called the Rekord to ask whether I should place an ad announcing the book launch, in the small ads or the entertainment section, and how to go about it; and apart from that it's too late to advertize in next week's Rekord, they want to cover the story of the launch in an editorial! They want pictures and stories. WOW! I asked, what is the cost, so they said, no, this is free, it's news.

I am so thrilled!! (I'm as excited as a 12-year-old!)

Rekord is a free newspaper with distribution all over Pretoria, and Rekord East covers the whole eastern parts, which are the moneyed parts - the major part of the readers in Pretoria. How lucky can a gal get? That is the best exposure I could hope for!

The print run will also be ready on time, I'm just a bit sad that one of Les Noble's brilliant suggestions didn't make it "in" in time. It's great to have a fresh outlook on the whole story, even better when he sends me such ego boosts as "just wanted to dip in and got pulled in".

Les also offered to place a few (I mean, three at a time) copies for me in Durbs bookshops. I'd love that. I offered him in turn to market some of his. Author's co-op. I see it all as part of P'Kaboo. Sooner or later I'll be able to offer proper publishing / marketing deals to authors. It's a matter of time, and momentum.

After 18 copies the money for the print run was back in. (I gave away 7 gift copies.) This thing is looking good!

Second Run for it, and LAUNCH!!

2009-09-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

It's a strange thing about this process. At times it feels as though everything's standing still, driving me nuts - and then suddenly the wheel lurches forward a whole stretch!

I'm into the second print run. Was naughty and overhauled the second storm. There wasn't anything wrong with it but now it's such a lot better! Riana the Sweetie fixed the book cover to make space for that ISBN bar code and Stephan from Business Print was still available at 5pm to receive the files. Author Leslie Noble (Tabika, Regina) is looking over the SW for errors in the English, it's the "fresh eyes" I so desperately needed... and he assures me that so far so good, he doesn't see a problem! I did exchange a whole lot of "all in all" and "to and fro" and "on the whole" and similar that the spellcheck points out as cliche's, with more acceptable wording. We don't have to be "momparras" about the language.

Whew! I hope Biz Print will be ready within 10 days? Tomorrow the signing of the proofs. After that hopefully, the second print will be available really soon? I mean, if I sit at Alkantrant Library at my own launch with 23 copies (that's all that's left of the first run), and they all get signed and sold - what next? Take down orders?

Ok with 73 copies the chance is less that I'll get stuck, but it's still not impossible that I sell out (I HOPE I will sell out!) I guess then orders it is.

Here's my new action list:

Book launch 10 October
book signings every 2 weeks
recruiting agents for commission for out-of-hand sales
advertizing (still have to advertize for the 10th!)
in: newspapers (start with record)
Mags
radio
posters
bookmarks
email campaign
Ron wassisname
blog
schools and libraries

1000+ copies sold by Christmas!

ni editor...

2009-09-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Both my author friends feel that getting an editor for the Solar Wind is probably not what I want - I'm looking at someone who can pick out the semantic and grammatical hitches with fresh eyes. One has had rather disappointing experiences with editors whereas the other is skeptical of them. I can only agree. I don't want to be corrected on the way the Tzigan abuses English, or Rhine Gold's deliberate Germanisms.

So the new improved plan is to find that person who is good with English, to smooth over the book in a technical way... NOT for R15 000!

The editor, the editor!

2009-09-22T15:43:00.001-07:00

So my partner in P'Kaboo comes back to me about the editor - she feels that I'm crooking people by selling them a book that isn't professionally edited.

Does she get it - R15 000? I have to raise that money somehow before I can pay for it! That's exactly the deadlock a self-published author is in, without heaps of spending money!

There are other concerns I have about that editor. Sure, every book can do with a proof editor who makes sure there are no typos, who smooths out the grammar and punctuation where necessary, knows the grammar rules and can point out glaring logical inconsistencies. The best time to have a classic editor though is during writing - when you get seriously stuck as to what's wrong with this part - it just doesn't read well!. Gosh did I yearn for an editor in some of the chapters! What I had, was two critical lay editors - both avid readers of good books; both versed in English; one a writer herself and the other of Irish origin, with English as his mother tongue, a background in the navy, and a very sharp ear for logic. Between the two I felt I was fairly safe. I didn't go and publish First Draft either, for the love of revision!!

Of course every writer feels that their book is good enough not to need an editor (correction - this writer yearned for an editor! Where are they when you need them most??). But that statement alone tells me that I had better, and after all that guy is on the plan - but my partner feels I shouldn't be selling any copies at all without first having it edited! So how the heck am I supposed to raise those R15000? Which "other" way?

Without wanting to sound ultra, G-D cynical, it reminds me of that ex-colleague long ago who recommended when I was still struggling to get on my feet, paying my way in a lift club and paying down a study loan, that I "should really get" a car!

Better healthy and wealthy, right?

I don't feel that I'm crooking them if they read the story before it's been proofed. Point is, it's a jolly good story! Point is too that most of the grammar, punctuation and spelling is correct - and better than in a lot of novels today that have been proofed! It would take another writer, an editor or a compulsive nit-picker to find all those faults and let them bother them!

This is not a blog about writing techniques and styles, but about my self-published journey and all the potholes. But this attitude attack is part of the journey. Let me give you an example of a crit someone gave me (a fellow author for that matter). I used the term "passed-out parties" to describe some of the scenes in a certain place.

An oxymoron? Or creative use of language to describe effectively and from a fresh angle, people that were quite obviously on some sort of drug, or so full of alcohol they were stretched out on the ground? If language can't be used in new, innovative ways, who is ever going to break out of the old clichees?

Will the "mustard after the meal" professional editor make me change such fresh ways of describing something, into the old weather-beaten tracks everyone uses? Will that editor tell me I ought to rewrite the whole dang novel in present tense, or in first person, or both? (Both are "modern" writing schools - both having been around since the middle ages!) Will the editor try to change my style or my content? We're in South Africa. Will that editor be more at home in English than my English-raised husband, or will he steer me towards split infinitives and make me change the way my Tzigan speaks? I really only want someone to find the grammar and spelling errors, smooth the punctuation (where necessary) and point out logical discrepancies. The rest I'll do myself!

Which leads me in a circular line back to the starting point - how to get my hands on that money?

Maybe I should point out to people that this is the pre-proofed version. They won't buy then though, and I might as well pack it in.

Sheesh the last time I had an attitude fit like this was when that bookstore supplier told me to pack it in!

A stepwise plan (another one!)

2009-09-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

I'm looking at that pile on my table and counting up, and 25 copies are gone, gone gone!!

That is amazing. But here are the milestones anyway:

Someone told me the difference between vanity publishing and self publishing is this: In vanity publishing the author pays up to see his name in print. In self-publishing the idea is to make money selling books.

Milestone 1: Already achieved!! - to make back the money of the print run from sales.

Selling off most of 25 copies has replenished the amount necessary for the next print run of 50. I could do it today; but for fixing up a few nit-picking errata, and the bar code being printed on the back cover pls.

Milestone 2: Selling more than 100.

This is an important one because this puts us into the top 3rd of books published in 2008 (technically the Solar Wind was published then, on Lulu and Bookhabit.)

Milestone 3: 300 copies

That would technically enable us to do a litho print run of a 1000 copies. The cost per copy comes down dramatically and there is enough material to offer the books to the book stores - but wait, I wouldn't do it quite yet.

Milestone 4: 400 copies

This enables us to do a litho print run as well as having the book edited professionally (by offering an editor a deal) and also some spending money for promotions (radio, newspapers, magazines). This is the point at which I'd do a litho print run, unless we can't find an editor, in which case I'd wait and sell

Milestone 5: 500 copies

definitely enough money to pay that editor. Also 500 copies are halfway to my original 1000 mark.

Milestone 6: 1000 copies

Someone quoted me this as the magic number needed to attract the interest of publishers. Who knows, but it's worth a shot, but in any case by that time the book will be generating some money.

Milestone 7: 3000 copies

A book is officially a bestseller in SA when it's sold 3000 copies. By then hopefully the international Big Boys will look up and take note. And possibly the local film companies too.

.....milestone of the future: 100 000 copies

That would officially make the Solar Wind an international bestseller. I'd have to sell internationally of course to get that right. Clearly there are some milestones missing between!

Where is that list of target marketing groups we wanted to target with presentations? Let's see, there are yachting and sailing clubs, outdoors clubs, pirate fan clubs, teen organizations...

publicity and professionalism

2009-09-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

I got a professional for the cover, and for the print and binding...
It makes sense to hire a professional for the marketing too??

The 'orse's rear

2009-09-05T13:54:00.001-07:00

...must get in gear!

This is enough self-pity for now, thank you. The 12th is moving closer.

I also think I should advertize the readings in the Record, but first set the dates with Alkantrant. The Record is a good idea - distribution across all of Pretoria East, and reasonable ad space for small ads (which people do compulsively read). It has to be well-designed.

Sharon will be in town for 1 week, I need to find out from her when her book club meets again so I can set up a book signing there.

I must ask Riana how much she'd charge for 1) bookmarks and 2) fridge magnet bizcards. (Why not? Those get seen about 10 000 times per week! That's branding and subliminal advertizing!) She needs to design me nice ones.

And: Inger! Of course! I have to get to Natalie and give Inger her copy so her dad can hopefully read and love it... possibly even write a little review for me...

Keep the ball rolling, Riana said. Time to shake myself out of my lethargy.

in limbo

2009-09-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

ok the fuut is out of me altogether. Waiting around for Saturday 12th when I can finally do a reading at Alkantrant library. Who knows maybe a few sales? A book signing? Still have to organize it. Sharon's on leave she's in Holland currently. When she comes back then we can look at me talking to her book club. Not entirely sure how I should go about it... she'll need to introduce me and build my posture and I'll build her posture right back. Complimenting each other. It's how it works. I ought to reread Patricia Fripp "Make it so you don't have to fake it", after having read Helen Nicholson's "Networking". I need business cards and bookmarks. My bizcard ought to be a bookmark! Remember memorable formats! Are the ones that are the wrong shape! Anyway if they put it to its intended use they'll think of the Solar Wind whenever they read any book! So maybe of all the marketing tools bookmarks are my most important. I ought to tell Riana. I want a certain amount of bookmarks for bizcards. They can even fold double, with magnet... but should they? then they lose their unique "uncomfortable" shape and become just another piece of jetsam in a handbag or wallet! Ni. Will keep original bookmark shape. I wants a hundred. If payable.

And soon! Before I go ahead and read to people!

Submissions, submissions...

2009-08-25T14:27:00.001-07:00

ok while the wheel is beginning to roll with the sales (I mean as it slooooowwly grates into motion), I carry on submitting to agents overseas. Seeing that I AM P'Kaboo they can buy the rights from P'Kaboo with the author/owner's blessing. P'Kaboo will carry on publishing books anyway - I'm sure there's a HOST of SA authors out there who really want to publish but sit in the same spot as moi, currently. Kiddies' books, books on gardening and cooking, violin and guitar methods ;-) ....

Cherryl wants a copy for her nephew who writes too (he's 11). (Candidate for P'Kaboo?). She wants it inscribed with a little message (of course, no problem!), and she wants to promote the Solar Wind among the playgroup mommies to sell a phew copies. This promises to be good fun.

I've just had a total oddball idea. P'Kaboo must advertize a competition in the Rekord for Under 13's, young writers and artists, to send in their stories and art, and then publish the better ones in a collective book titled "Bright Sparks" or something like that. If I can get 30 contributors who each pay R100 entry they'll cover the print run to a big part. But y'know, then I'd have to make a big local hoo-haw about it and start selling copies really fast. I don't think 50 would be enough, I don't think 100 would be enough. I think 1000 would be good, and now we're talking big quid again. It would help to have capital...

...procrastinating...

2009-08-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

it catches a girl.

.
Haven't done anything but blogging and delaying all week. Last positive action was sending off a copy to Bookdata. Soul Mate is investigating the readings at libraries but the earliest we can do it is the second Saturday in September.

We've decided that for now we'll only be selling copies out of hand. I'm still going to go with that promotional program, furthermore he'll make me a beautiful website (did I mention he designs?). With a point-and-click ordering system so I can post copies to people as far as Cape Town (overseas I'll direct them to Lulu.com or Amazon, easier for them). Grr that puts a provisional Paid to P'Kaboo's credibility as a publisher - can't offer the service of small print runs to other authors yet because my marketing channels are as yet not set up. It would be so cool to have one bookshop - just one - who'd grant P'Kaboo two years per book rather than the customary 3-5 months! But okay - we're looking at big-time advertizing, and before our company has established itself and elbowed its way into the market place, we ought to avoid bookshops.

Still submitting to agents, with a hopeful grin...

...did I mention that self-publication is the coward's way out?

.

Eish....

2009-08-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Kalahari a dead-end too...

.not that I was trying to by-pass the bookshops... I'm exploring ALL avenues, and of course online book distributors such as, Kalahari, Leisure Books etc. - I emailed them all to see if there was a possibility for me there. But in effect I'll have to knee-gaze at my inbox all day every day in case an order comes in; because I have to respond within 24 hours. And then, courier the book to Cape Town for them to mail / courier it to the client. All in the same 24 hrs.

Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe I should re-read the email. But in all it sounds like an impossibility. Pity - there goes another distribution channel, for now!

.

Captain's Log, 14 August 2009...

2009-08-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sent off 2 copies today. One to the national library, Cape Town. This is a legal requirement in SA. Wrote the ISBN in on the front page in pencil, REALL professional-like, hay. The other one was a gift copy to someone who'd helped me.

Got a number of people reading. This is good. By now I think we'll go the route of a website, and generate as much publicity as we can and then make direct sales. I'm reading "Advertizing for Dummies" and "Networking" in the hope of picking up clues. Because I'm sooo clueless right now I feel downright lost.

Anyway. "Toodle pip". Anna, proverbial.

Editor: R15 000

2009-08-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Waaaaaaaaaahhhh............

this is terrible!!!

On another note: A bestseller in SA is a book that's sold 3000 copies. Rest of the world: 100 000 copies! What a small market!

You should try to sell 1000 copies in the first 3 months. In other words, 1/3 of the market. yoy.

There you have it. That's all I found out today, except for submitting to 5 agents and getting 2 replies, one a "maybe, we're not yet done looking" and one a "no thanks".

Double the dosage of St John's Wort.

Oh and btw: Let's see how many stories I can think of in which the main antagonist was NOT one person.

Twister
The Perfect Storm
Animal Farm
1984
The Tarn (short-story)
Rain Man
The Running Man
Bladerunner
Angelheart
House of Cards (in fact there isn't an antagonist at all, it's a mother's struggle to get her child back into the "real" world after the death of her father - perhaps the most moving film I've ever seen)
Awakenings
Little Man Tate

I'm sure I can carry on ad lib. It seems to me all the BEST stories have antagonists that are not "a person".

I absolutely cannot handle it when someone tries to make "rules" for writing! If we all wrote the same way and style and stylized storyline and characters, we'd all be writing the same book, ni? Get real!!!

Editor

2009-08-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

I cried on my colleague's shoulder and she gave me the number of an editor!!

Now it's a matter of quanti costi, and hopefully she'll allow me to pay it down in installments, but I've been pining for an editor more than once in this whole process. There's only so much a couple o' soulmates and my mom can spot. We need a stranger to the family to take a look.

Woodhill's library now holds a copy. Goodie.. wheels are still turning, though the spanner yesterday made them crunch frighteningly. Guess nuclear drives and solar sails are hard to pull to a stop. The momentum is amazing! (In motion: Momentum. Stationary: Inertia.)

And on 24.com, people are commenting on my book scene posts, and a short story I posted on "Writer's Club". I love the comments, they bolster my ego of course; oh mon, that plus 3 St John's Wort plus the beaming smile I got when handing a gift copy to the librarian... definitely is fixing up the damage that happened yesterday to the process.

Chinzz up and avast we go... duh corny!

Bookshops

2009-08-12T02:01:00.000-07:00

Attentie, Tzigan!

Yesterday a book distributor of a major bookshop chain contacted me, on my request to have my book listed / stocked at that chain. She informed me of a few interesting things meant to - no doubt - prepare me better and give me an idea that I should stick to submitting to agents and forget about self-publishing.

I'm very thankful to that lady that she took the time and effort to speak to me, whom she's after all only met in a short email. She is a true lady.

What crystallized out was some very good information. Take this, like everything else, with a pinch of salt as once again it comes (as yet) from only a single source. Telling, nevertheless.

Editing. (I knew this and an editor is on the charts for the book - but not at the murderous rates they charge!!!! Eish!!) A book needs professional editing. (R20 000 later. No kidding. That's what they charge, online and freelance. Good business.)
Cost per copy. Get this: SEVENTY PERCENT markup from the cost price to the selling price, plus VAT... Sheesh, don't tell me books aren't a rip-roaring business! What freeks me about this is the following. R66 is R40 more than R26. A book costs R26 to mass-produce; it retails at R100. Ok, fair. A book costs R66 to produce - it doesn't retail at R140 or even R160 but at R300!! Tell me what that is, if not plain greed? If this is actually correct, then that's the single greatest deterrent for me from offering the book in stores. Nobody would want to buy it at that price!
Ok. So you mass-produce to bring the ridiculous retail price down. Do a print run at R60 000 to R100 000. You pour your life's savings into it (remember that's after the editor - R20 000. Writing "courses" also charge R7000 for a weekend). You get it stocked in bookshops. First-timers ATTENTIE:

THE BOOKSHOP (at least the chain in question) GIVES YOUR BOOK THAT THEY'VE FORCED YOU TO MASS PRODUCE VIA PRICE MONGERING, EXACTLY THREE MONTHS. After that, the thing gets returned to you if it didn't "sell" (i.e. didn't sell enough copies - and how many are "enough"?). And after this? No bookshop or publisher will touch that particular book ever again. It's "damaged goods". The author is "damaged goods" and will struggle to publish anything else.

Friends and beloved foes, answer me this.

A new book is a business project. Correct?
And ANY business project takes 6-12 months before it's even in the running!
Advertising takes 3-6 weeks for people even to look up and notice! (Longer on the Net)

How in hell is a guy who is good at writing (introverted, thinker, dreamer) and brand new in the business world, going to sell 3000 copies in 3 months from zero? This is a tried and trusted recipe for failure!

(Because remember, they only "stock". They don't raise publicity for you. They are really only a display case - and not a very good one because all that displays is the spine, between thousands of competing books.)

Who gives ANY business venture only three months to get up to full steam?
Unless they MEAN for it to fail! Unless the INTENT is that the book fails!

I learnt a lot yesterday.

This is at best horrific; at worst, sinistah!!

BUT. That's the thing. Bookshops, although the most convenient outlet for books, are by far not the only one any longer. The Internet has seen to it that their era is passing. I very nearly ordered a book from Kalahari yesterday because the process was so easy. Click, click. Delivered to your doorstep. You can browse, right in your comfort zone. And the cost - same ballpark. I'm going to check out the book's pricing in shops today or tomorrow and if it's the same, I'll rather order it from Kalahari. To test the process.

But even without internet there are many ways of vending a book in this our Free Country. All the channels we were looking at for marketing now become more important as the bookshops (at least that particular chain) fall away. (Possibly other chains don't have the same kill-the-newcomer attitude.)

The point is, I made a promise.

Basta.

Publicity

2009-08-10T01:36:00.000-07:00

Blogging!

This is really silly of me - it's so obvious but it escaped my notice for a seccie. Another way of creating publicity is of course blogging! This smacked me in the face when a friend of mine, an author too, built up a really active readership and now wants to quit blogging! That's sort of self-defeating.

If I think about it, one of the first and best pieces of advice for internet marketing another good friend of mine gave me was to blog - but with a link in your signature. Haven't done that yet.

keep the ball rolling

2009-08-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

I did say that self-publishing is for the weak of backbone...

... so okay, today I emailed several different bookish distribution places, gave them the name and ISBN of my book and asked if they'd like to carry the book in their lists. I realize the publicity is up to me but by the time I do I want to tell people, "you can go into any bookshop and they'll order it for you... quite a few have stock... get it through the net too... or at my email..."

f

A good kick....

2009-08-08T16:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry Crew...

Was sick this week. NOTHING got done on the poor book. Iain sold a few (I think, 2). Still waiting for feedback from that bookshop, will now (I mean NOW, 1:29 am on Saturday night) email the next agent for Exclusive Books. Is 1 week long enough for someone to check their inbox? I mean their business inbox??

SIGH. Been thinking. That's a bad habit. And I've been editing "The Morrigan", sheesh the whole book needs a rewrite. The story is intact, the scenes are logical, the dialogue is fast-paced and there are a few giggles in there but the feel is missing. Can't have that book without a feel. It's like playing Bach pitch-perfect and bone-dry. Listen to Pablo Casals to get what I mean

Anyhow LOL.

I guess for good measure I should try submitting the book to a few more agents too. SIGH to have my ego all bashed about again! Self-publishing is actually for cowards. But I made a promise, to the Crew, basta! Basta basta. Fini!

What's the next step? Emailing those ppl and 2) organizing events. Bookreading and -signing events. ay eesh!

s

Of ISBNs and bar codes

2009-08-03T04:05:00.000-07:00

Ih yoy, to put it federitically!

a quick line. If you intend to generate a barcode from an ISBN number, there are x different formats for barcodes online! Get the right one - then it doesn't work on the rest of my system. This is frustrating, but my cat sitting next to me makes it better. Thanks, Ginghis!

And the printing place wanted R300 for the printing of barcode on stickers, be it for 50 or 1000 stickers! I stink not... I'd rather keep that cash for more books!

Learn, dear fictitious and future reader: You FIRST organize your ISBN before you go print!

. If

onna roll

2009-08-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

Panama Canal in the spotlight

It was Saturday today. (Ok there are still 1 1/2 hours of today to go, but at least for business porpoises most is finished.)

I sold 4 copies today. Still to friendsnfam, so that's a limited pool. But 4 copies is 4 copies. Iain's out selling another 2 and doing like the computer sales force of the 80's, selling the sequel (it's not even printed yet!!). Well!! He also wanted to sell one for free but that's where I drew the line. I didn't buy those copies for free!

From the amount of commentary I get, I deduce I'm still blogging for myself - more or less like Radomir Lascek's Solar Wind Ship Log, it's just to keep the past organized and keep tabs on the process. That's okay. It would be nice to know someone is benefiting, except myself, but oh well. Maybe who knows, with this blog as a historical record of what I did, I'll be able to write a stepwise manual to self-publishing a novel (in South Africa, today), once it's successful.

Feedback from readers:

So far every single reader who absolved the whole book came back to tell me they loved it and want more.

Correction against bias: All of them are so far people who know me personally, and as they are on a good foot with me, they are unlikely to tell me the story stinks. However on the other hand there are one or two ace critics amongst them who'd really tell me if something bothered them. (Remember: Friends and family!)

Iain made me write these steps down for the marketing campaign:

Radio podcasts and interviews:
Radio Tuks
Jakaranda
702
Book clubs
A friend of mine, S
Find more book clubs
library
Try to get in at Leisurebooks!
Readings at
house concerts
libary
other devious means of advertizing:
Review by a well-known South African youth author whose daughter I know personally
Magazines - book reviews (find the operative person who writes them and send in a gift copy)
Newspapers: Record
Hot air balloon and small air plane with banner

...a bit lost...

2009-07-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a wisecrack saying to insert here...

so here we are. Thirty-four books on my table and six more in my car boot. Staring at me and asking the "when..." question. Aargh...

A week back it felt as though the wheel was in motion and unstoppable. Now? SIGH...

ISBN numbers being printed on stickers. At R6 per sticker, ih yoy! Next print run they are part of the cover! Next book (the sequel) gets its ISBN before the cover gets designed! Now that I know where to get them...

Still have to mail books to the various official places.

and then the marketing. Organize readings at book clubs, libraries, house concerts, other opportunities. Try to organize book signings at book shops. Try to get into the distribution channels of the big book stores.

But the most important is the mass media. Mags, radio. Especially radio. Wonder what that is going to cost!

The whole thing is a bit daunting. I wish there were someone to tell me the next step here, too...

Well, I gave myself 5 years, 3 years back. We shall see.

L

Next Step

2009-07-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

To-do List

Now that we're "legal" with ISBN and all, the next step is the marketing.

Look up book clubs for readings
Include others in profit (commission) for selling copies
Gift copies to strategic people (bookshop owners, libraries...)
Posters and events
Find out who the bookshop suppliers are
Find special interest groups

Amazingly, while selling copies out-of-hand, there's already one customer who is interested in the sequel. That isn't even printed yet! At this rate I guess I'll have to repeat the small run process for the sequel along with further runs for the first book!

All this is very encouraging. And I have to say, hats off to my professional friend and to the printers. The book is truly beautiful. I love the cover - so does everyone else I show it to!

Signing off for now

Family Baggage

2009-07-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

And then there was, Herbert A. Klein. My great-uncle.

He was a Tcherman in South West Africa, during The War. You see this is why wars are really sick: People are just people, most aren't even interested in politics! Scared of it, sure, but not really interested! But it destroys chances and life dreams, and lives, and life...

So he wrote these really cool adventure stories about gold and South West (Namibia today) with its incredible scenery and harsh semi-arid climate (think the Clint Eastwood style Western movies). I read two of his stories. They are fast-paced and they've basically "got it".

So H.A. writes them, illustrates them, prints them by hand, binds them manually and tries to punt them. Ayayay, in Windhoek of the 40's!

Neesh! There's something to be said for the professional printing process, and making use of professional everythings... cover artist, editor, marketing strategist... money talks, my friends! In my da's words, wish money would shut up!!!

Disclaimer:

The Mystery of the Solar Wind, and all her sequels and prequels, has NOTHING to do with the hand-printed family baggage of 4 1/2 generations back at the rear end of Planet Earth!

LOL

2009-07-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

My father picks up the copy of the book and grins.
"Oh! You found a publisher?"

Kalinka can't lie. I grin back.
"Yup, daddy... I founded a publisher!"

Scene from "Freedom Fighter"

2009-07-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

Twenty km’s outside of Caras the lipstick-red Corsair V came to a noiseless halt. The sun was peeping over the mountain tops. Carlos unpeeled his hands from the handholds. He was looking a bit green in the face. Perdita was a fast driver.

“Stay in the car,” ordered Perdita. She got out and breathed in the fresh air. Carlos needed a bath! It was tiring travelling with him. But she didn’t have the heart to send him back to the old man.

The secret Rebellion air base nestled in the nook of the mountains. It was still in full shade at seven in the morning. She marched in, sought out the office. The man on duty was half-asleep from the graveyard shift; nevertheless her appearance had the effect it always had on strange men, that of surprised admiration and a trace of hopefulness.

Perdita produced her identity override card. The man ran it through the system and registered with shocked eyes who she was.

“I need a jet,” said Perdita.

A jet was provided.

Got It!!!

2009-07-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Today I open my email box and YIPEEEEH! here's my ISBN number!

No charge; the price is a number of "gift" copies archived in various legal deposits, oh well.

Now she's official!

Did you know? ISBN numbers were used in the 60's by only one publishing house, for stock purposes. The system was so useful that by the 70's everyone was using it and now it's universal and bookshops won't sell a book unless it has an ISBN. Imagine a similar stocktaking system for clothes LOL.

The history

2009-07-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

First there were the rainbows in the breaking waves at Shelley Beach, at 4pm in the afternoon.

The crew of the Solar Wind invaded my home not much later. They hung about my lounge, completely disorganized, insubordinate. The main character was sidelined by the comic relief character; several serious sailors turned into comic relief; the tragic heroine became a magic heroine. And then there was chemistry!!! I never gave them permission for that! Aargh! (anna bottle!)

A year and 13 draft sequels later I got the internet. Yes that is a bit like getting a disease. And it's contagious too, my soulmate got the internet worse than I did.

So we scoured - literally scoured for agents, and publishers. Stepped into every conceivable doodle. There are more voices advising on how to write a submissions letter than should be listened to! I tried it all (and probably stuffed up any chances with several honourable agents)! After following every eejit's headvice, I came to a conclusion of my own (finally). It's this:

Valuable lili insight

They probably don't give a rip about who this new vamped up writer dude thinks she is! Pertinent CV background (such as, having been a scientist) only matters in factual publications (which for some obscure reason seem to be favoured higher than fiction by the Big Boys). Previous writing background is an iffy thing unless you have a previously published book. If you're a newby... it's about the book and all about the book, who cares about the author? It's only when they LIKE it that they want to know more.

Anyone care to correct me on this?

So the next step was online, self-publishing.

My books are available on Lulu.com. Click the rainbow mast on the left to take you there.
The first one is also available on Amazon.
Surprise number next: Neither of these deliver to South Africa.

So here I sat with my draft of a marketing plan, and a whole lot of friends and fam clamouring for a paperback copy, and no way of getting my hands on the book.

A friend believed in me and helped me get the small print run together.

I learnt:

Quality of printers varies. It took 2 tries to find a professional printer capable of producing a book-shaped book.

Today

I followed a bit of advice from someone and brought a friendly bookshop owner a gift copy for him to evaluate if he wants to sell the book, and guess what:

You can sell on lulu.com without an ISBN. But not in real shops.

And: ISBN are available at the National Library, comparatively well-priced. I'm organizing mine now. (I thought one had to pay Amazon hundreds of dollars...)

I'll update this periodically, keep you guys current... hopefully someone will one day find this useful.

Hello and welcome

2009-07-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

New Novel hits the market

LOL I'm probably writing this first post all for me lonesome. Because I came over from 24.com. While I still have a profile and blog there I'm really disappointed - just as it started cooking, some eejit changed everything about the site and nothing works anymore. I hope nobody is going to tamper with this 'ere place like that.

While I'm still watching 24.com for any improvements, let me get on with blogging here.

To summarize, we (myself and a few friends) are un- and self-published authors. I've just started out on the interesting road of doing a really small print run and learning about marketing; this is after discovering that Lulu.com doesn't ship to SA, and after realizing that most agents and publishers seem to be chronically out of office. I also realized that there are a lot more authors out there than I ever dared to hope. Some of my unpublished friends write absolutely brilliant stuff. Someone thought mine was brilliant, too, so she (a graphic designer) decided to make a professional cover image for my book and help me with that first print run. Here is the result (camera shake and all).

The idea of this blog is to keep others updated about my progress as a self-publishing die-hard. I'm told that Amazon and Lulu.com (my book is on both) don't deliver to South Africa. I'm told South Africa has no reader's market for English general fiction (unless it features South Africa). I'm told that there is no money in publishing; that there are more writers than readers; that one has to write in a very specific way to stand a "chance".

I don't buy any of that. It reminds me of how they used to spread myths such as, if you're over a certain age you're too old to learn violin. (Busted that one personally! I'm a teacher and I have LOTS of "too old" students!) It also reminds me of science: How progress is sometimes blocked by our "best" theories that have become accepted dogma. Example: E=mc2. Some renegade scientists are actually questioning this piece of celestial truth these days, and guess what: They are making new discoveries that were being blocked by that theory!

So I choose to believe instead that:

I'm a reader too, I like adventure and fast-paced stuff, I like it funny, witty and romantic. I can't be that unique, therefore there are others like me out there.
More South Africans are reading than ever before, thank you MWAAZ!! to J. K. Rowling and her Harry Potter! Ergo, there's a market.
South Africans buy a LOT of imported books dealing with Scifi and Fantasy - ergo, there's a market!
If I managed to learn to play the violin, which is fairly complex... if I understood molecular genetics, I can learn marketing, too. It can't be all that difficult if that many are doing it!
If my book can sell, so can others. That, my friends, is the next step. Hang close and watch this space....

from the 'orse's mouth

Bye-bye 2011, welcome 2012

Web Wow

Book Promo at an art restaurant and gallery

Durban "Mass" Launch

Internet Marketing???

Learnt Items

This post is copied nearly exactly from my Wordpress post at Thingummy.

We've recently had 2 launches at P'kaboo Publishers. The one was public; the other was a private launch, closed society, with a public launch for that book still pending.

Launch of The Solar Wind II:The Assassin

The Other Book Launch

Almost Dead in Suburbia

Confucius say: The one who says that something is impossible, should never interrupt the one who's doing it.

Launch went well

who said it was going to be easy?

Congrats Les!!

Wow - a year has flown by

mind maps and flyers

the wheel is turning...

Solar Wind Log, 12 Feb 2010

the next step - pamphlets

Editor update

that purple monster

What am I doing wrong?

Yippeeh a sweet Review!

Jinxed??

with a sigh...

Publicity

Friday, Saturday, Sunday...

Exclusive Books

Unscrewed it? Let's glue it!

Hot air or healthy buzz?

ha, ha, ha....

Rekord East

Second Run for it, and LAUNCH!!

ni editor...

The editor, the editor!

A stepwise plan (another one!)

publicity and professionalism

The 'orse's rear

in limbo

Submissions, submissions...

...procrastinating...

Eish....

Captain's Log, 14 August 2009...

Editor: R15 000

Editor

Bookshops

Publicity

keep the ball rolling

A good kick....

Of ISBNs and bar codes

onna roll

...a bit lost...

Next Step

Family Baggage

LOL

Scene from "Freedom Fighter"

Got It!!!

The history

Hello and welcome

Launch of The Solar Wind II:
The Assassin

Confucius say:
The one who says that something is impossible, should never interrupt the one who's doing it.