Proofing The Proof

I finally returned home after travelling for two weeks. There waiting for me was the proof copy of my book.

Removing it from the confines of its cardboard encasement I marveled at the impressive book cover. However, I had envisioned the book being thicker then it was. Whenever I printed out a manuscript it amounted to almost 190 pages, yet the final book contained but 134 pages.

Immediately I delved into reviewing the contents of possible errors. I already knew that I wanted to change the statement that it was a "fictionalized account of the following". The first error I spotted was in the "Prologue". The next to the last sentence was cut short and its ending was carried down to start a new sentence.

On page 6 my conception of Fred reviewing his journal is italicized and indented matching that of the journal entries, this must be reformatted.

I'm not overly pleased with the maps, however most readers skip the maps in order to maintain the flow of the story, besides, I can't change them now.

Over all the book looks and reads well.

I a little concerned about the price I decided upon. Comparing other books, I ended up with a price somewhere in the middle, but the competition's books are of smaller dimension thus have more pages than mine. I'm afraid that potential readers will compare cost per page than content. Again, it is something I can not change right now.

Apprehension must be a normal feeling prior to the release of one's first book. It is unknown, uncharted territory with much riding on it. As I've always done, draw in a deep breath and move forwards with confidence that I can make the necessary adjustments as issues unfold.

On Monday I shall call Create Space and find out how to go about making the changes I discovered. I'm torn between forging ahead, "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" mentality and getting things right. It would be a mistake not to make the corrections now because if discovered by the readers they might think the book was poorly written. Once released it is out there for the world to evaluate!