Wednesday 10 December 2008

My publisher has come up with a new date. Hopefully we'll be going ahead, although sadly with a different editor (I can only guess at the reason for that.)

I'll post an update about CUT SHORT when I know more, probably in a couple of months.

In the meantime, I'm forgetting all about this confusing episode and writing another book!

27 comments:

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Looking forward to finding out the date.

Good for you, getting on with the next date.

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, Deb. It's a relief to put all that out of my mind and return to writing.

Anonymous said...

Oh way to go! Great idea ... it's all up to them now and why should you wear the worry of the production side of it anyhow.

Bill Clark said...

Keep on truckin', Leigh, as we say on this side of the pond!

For fun, you might want to check out Amazon.com (or Amazon.com/uk) and enter:
978-1436375788 in the search box. It's a romance/adventure with a dash of the paranormal mixed in for spice.

There should be a review appearing in another day or two. Feel free to order a dozen copies for your school's library, and write a review yourself when you've read it! :)

Leigh Russell said...

You've beaten me to it, Bill! I'm off to check you out on Amazon right now. I have a friend who self-publishes - it's not something I've ever considered . Let me know how it goes.

Leigh Russell said...

Aggie - sorry, I was sidetracked by Bill's exciting news and didn't reply. You're absolutely right. No worries! Now I can concentrate on writing (and blogging). I've got loads of ideas to work through, and not enough time.

Eryl Shields said...

Crikey I've missed all this, sorry, and the time for sympathy it seems is over because you have moved on, good for you.

Leigh Russell said...

Please don't feel you have to hold back on the sympathy, Erin! Feel free to pander to my bruised ego as much as you like. I can take it!

fizzycat said...

Good luck with the new book.Hope to read the first book soon.

Barbara Martin said...

Leigh, I'm still sending positive thoughts on your upcoming book: need to do that review! Excellent that you've decided on moving ahead to work on another manuscript. I've been blog hopping too much lately and need to get back to my own writing.

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks for the support, fizzycat. Bizarrely, the virtual world seems less weird than the real one.

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Barbara - yes, from now on I'll stick to writing and blogging and leave it to the publisher to worry about promoting my book (or not). I had lots of events in the pipeline - all wasted effort. Definitely time to move on!!!

The World According To Me said...

I'm looking forward to an update and glad you have a new date. Whoever said life was easy and straight forward?!

Bill Clark said...

You've beaten me to it, Bill! I'm off to check you out on Amazon right now. I have a friend who self-publishes - it's not something I've ever considered . Let me know how it goes.

Hi, Leigh! Well, it's sort of self-published, through a company called Xlibris, but they're also sort of in the mainstream. Their books have ISBN's, are listed on Amazon.com, and are available through industry wholesalers like Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Their real advantage is SPEED!

Exempla gratia: there's a scene in my book in which Wills and Kate get engaged. An Internet rumo[u]r has it that they may announce on Boxing Day. So here's Bill, mss in hand, afraid his book is going to be old news by the time a mainstream publisher does their thing - which as we all know can takes months if not years. :(

Enter Xlibris. I sent them the mss by email on September 10, and they had the book published by November 10, both softcover and hardcover editions. I got to choose the font (Baskerville because of the lovely Q as in Queen), font size (12 for easy reading) customize the headers and footers, and design the cover myself. The process was not without its ups and downs (they employ nitwits like your late editor), but I rode them hard and cc'd the CEO of the company on my emails, and I must say I'm quite pleased with the final product.

An author retains all rights, and if a mainstream publisher decides to pick up the book (they have a relationship with Random House/Bertelsmann), they clap their hands and send you on your way. Right now they have a December half-price special. My September special included a substantial discount, free expedited service (a lifesaver, in my case), and a bunch of free books. You can check them out at Xlibris.com.

Finally, take another look at the Amazon.page (enter 978-1436375788 in the search box). Someone (I wonder who?) has written a review of the book, which will tell you a bit more about it. :)

Leigh Russell said...

I like the sound of the speed, Bill, but I wonder how much all this costs? My friend who self published worked like crazy and barely covered her costs. Don't like the sound of that. Then again, you'll have a whole library published in the time it's taking me to publish one book!

Bill Clark said...

If you use the professional package, as I did - the one that lets you pick fonts and personalize headers and chapter formats and covers - it's on sale right now for $449 (I think). Be sure that your text is publication-ready, as changes in the galley stage cost $2+ each, which can mount up.

Royalties depend on how the book is ordered. Orders through the Xlibris website give you more than through a third-party bookstore or Amazon.com, and they're more generous than most commercial royalties. Or you can order copies yourself at roughly half off, which gives you a much larger profit margin.

In my case, it was all about beating Wills and Kate to the punch. I wanted the book to appear before they announce.

Oh, and the company gives you ten free paperbacks and a free hardback (retail value $230). That brings your actual cost down to about $220. Plus they have occasional specials, such as buy ten books, get one free.

$220 is what - about L150? Hardly enough to lose sleep over, especially if you want to see results in just a couple of months.

Oh, and I hear that copies of my book have turned up in the mailroom at Buck House and Clarence House...however did that happen, I wonder? :)

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Bill - On a first reading of your comment, I took the retail value for one hardback as $230... That's some book, I thought! Then reread - I wonder if they're reading the paperback or the hardback version at the palace? Good to have you back blogging again, Bill.

Middle Ditch said...

That's the spirit Leigh. Let them sort themselves out and you just keep on writing.

Leigh Russell said...

Everyone should have virtual friends to support them through the endless little disappointments of life. Thanks, guys! That's just given me an idea for another plot... The worst aspect of all these shenanigans was that for a while I felt too dispirited to write much. Now that was depressing!


Now I feel like a past Duke of Wellington who allegedly told his courtesan to "Publish and be damned" (the original kiss & tell?) - in my twisted universe it would be "Don't publish and be damned"!

BernardL said...

It's always a good idea to just keep writing. I hope things work out with your new editor.

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, bernardl. I've been unlucky but I'm just going to focus on my next writing project, and try and put what I've learned so far into practice.

Virginia Lady said...

Bummer on the delay, but at least they are still working with you! Good luck and I hope things move more quickly soon!

Bill Clark said...

Hi, Leigh -

Oh, and I hear that copies of my book have turned up in the mailroom at Buck House and Clarence House...however did that happen, I wonder? :)

Just wanted to let you know that the post has trickled in today.

What - you want more news? Isn't that enough?

Well, perhaps I should add that it included a letter from Prince William's Private Secretary, thanking me for sending a copy of the book, and letting me know of the Prince's best wishes.

Whee! So now he can read about his fictional engagement to Kate Middleton before they go public, perhaps later this month. In the book my hero predicts (p. 214) that the two of them will be very happy together. "He already knew that, I could see," my hero says.

Isn't authorship fun?

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, Virginia Lady.

Leigh Russell said...

Depends how you define 'authorship', Bill. Writing is certainly fun, but dealing with the publishing side of things hasn't been my idea of fun so far. Of course, you've neatly sidestepped all that by simply putting your hand in your own pocket. Could turn out to be a shrewd move! Nice of the palace to send you their best wishes. I can't wait to hear what they have to say about the book! Must get on and read it myself . . .

Sleepy said...

Chin up and onwards!

Leigh Russell said...

That's what chins are for, Sleepy.