Category: Blue Orchard Books

I Am Here

Absent from the blog, but busy working and living life!

The RWA National Conference in Anaheim, California occurs next week. I am attending and will be signing at the Literacy Autographing Wednesday evening. More information coming on that in a couple of days.

I’m mega-behind in posting my Galapagos travel posts. I’ve been busy updating and revising HEAD OVER HEELS for what will now be an August 2012 re-issue through my imprint, Blue Orchard Books. After rewriting about 80% of the sentences (if not more) in the story, I decided to hire a proofreader to make sure I haven’t left any stray commas or typos behind (and by hire a proofreader I don’t mean a family member, friend, or a critique partner. I wanted someone totally objective who was not at all familiar with the story). Yesterday, I sent off the file for proofreading and expect it will be returned to me at the end of the month.

Then comes the formatting, for which I am also hiring out. I am hiring out every step of the process toward the re-issue of HEAD OVER HEELS that does not involve writing or uploading to the various on-line venues. I just have too much going on to worry about learning how to properly format my work for all the different formats (Smashwords, ePub, Kindle, etc.). Maybe in the future, but not right now. This means, of course, that the re-issue of HEAD OVER HEELS does not come without a price. Proofreaders, formatters, cover artists, etc. are not free. However, I am so totally in love with this story again, and I honestly believe that if I want to try and find new readers with a re-issue then I owe it to those readers to put out the best version of the story that I honestly can at this point in time. For me, for a book that was originally published ten years ago (time flies!) that meant a lot of editing. I know other authors feel differently, but I didn’t feel right putting out a re-issue of a “contemporary” that was set in another decade. It was great fun updating technology and cultural changes, etc. without sacrificing characterization and story.

I am in love with the result! I hope you will be, too.

Continue to watch this space for news of the re-issue as I have it.

Now, I need to panic for the next two days as I realize I am not anywhere near finished packing (er, I have yet to start) for Conference!

Head Over Heels Cover Reveal, Third Edition

Thanks to Kim Killion and Jennifer Litteken of Hot Damn Designs for working with me so patiently on the new cover for HEAD OVER HEELS. I love it, and I hope you like it, too.

The re-issue through my imprint, Blue Orchard Books, will mark the third edition of HEAD OVER HEELS. I think I still have the original NovelBooks, Inc. cover on my hard drive somewhere. When I have a chance to breathe, I’ll post all three covers (NBI, AQP and BOB), which will give you an idea of how cover design trends change over the years.

For now, the cover reveal for the upcoming reissue of HEAD OVER HEELS! Drum roll….

 

Head Over Heels Rights Reversion Date

The rights have now reverted to me from Amber Quill Press for HEAD OVER HEELS. Which means I need to update my website! Tomorrow, I will reveal the new cover for the upcoming re-issue of the book. I love it, and I hope you will, too.

Pending Release Date: before the end of June. That’s my target for the ebook uploads to Amazon and Smashwords, at any rate. Smashwords will then distribute to Nook, Sony, Apple, etc. Being Canadian, I can’t upload directly to PubIt, the venue for Nook. However, I can upload directly to Kobo. Kobo is undergoing a transformation of its self-publishing arm. It should be ready by the end of June. So I’ll wait.

The trade paperback will most likely be available from CreateSpace in July.

I am halfway through heavily editing and updating HEAD OVER HEELS for the re-issue. I’ve been talking to a formatter, as I don’t have the time right now to learn how to format for the various ebook venues. I’ll learn at a later date, like when I begin publishing my short story series in August or so. For now, I want to get HEAD OVER HEELS and BORROWING ALEX back on the market as soon as possible after the reversion dates, and that means not wasting my time learning Smashwords and Kindle Direct.

Meanwhile, Amber Quill Press is still selling various ebook formats of BORROWING ALEX, the 1st edition.

I am excited about updating these books and (hopefully) finding new readers for them. Wish me luck!