Monday 23 June 2014

The self-publishing journey so far.

So it's out there.  Notes on a Rebellion is finally available on Amazon after weeks of angst-ing over cover designs, fonts and formatting.  And then of course there's the rest of life to think about.  The world keeps on turning, just as it should.

I've lost count of the number of people who've said, "I'd love to publish a book."  Well, my friends, it's all there, you just gotta to find out how it works.

It sorta sounds easy, and I suppose for some, it is.  In truth it's OK once you get going, but hands up, I had help from someone in-the-know and I was very glad of it. 

All-in-all, the experience has been really enjoyable...and exciting.  The beauty of 'doing-it-yourself' is that you remain in control of the process - you can choose your own publication date, your own cover, and how you choose to promote and market your book.  Organising the cover with Tim Pryor was brilliant and lots of fun.  I knew in my mind's-eye how Random looked, we know our own characters better than anyone, don't we?  And when he and I agreed on the image and I saw the first draft I was over-the-moon. I couldn't have wished for a better result and I can't recommend him highly enough.  My current website www.valentinahepburn.com looks great and will be updated on Wednesday with more info about Notes on a Rebellion and the sequel, now entitled The Compendium.  I'm very busy now, writing new scenes for The Compendium, updating A Dish of Stones due to be released soon, and getting Notes on a Rebellion ready for paperback and hardback. 

Thank you to all my Blogettes who sent messages of support, particularly Tanya Reimer, Richard Hughes, and Vicki Tremper, who have been there from the start.  It's lovely to hear from fellow writers because we understand each other and we know what goes into completing a novel; the blood, sweat and tears, and what it means to us to create something enjoyable and thought provoking for others to read.

The Notes on a Rebellion competition is running until July 31st.  Please enter here for your chance to win a 1st edition hardback copy.  I'll keep you up-to-date with new releases and competition news. 

Best wishes for your own writing.

Lots of love

Valentina xxx

2 comments:

Tanya Reimer said...

It's exciting to follow you in this journey, and yes, we certainly know it isn't as easy as we like to magically make it look! lol. All the best, my dear!

Valentina Hepburn said...

Thanks, Tanya. And to you. Looking forward to forthcoming Ghosts on the Prairies x

The Blogettes