First Journal Entry

This is the first page from my grandfather's journal. The entries begin on August 4th 1914 and end in May of 1915. He served in the 40th Battery, 43rd Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. In 1918 he was transferred to the newly formed Royal Air Force where he served in accounting and payroll until 1919.

Hard Marketing Facts

Everything I've read relaid the message that to be successful you have to develop a marketing plan and then stick to it. I did just that and so when my book was released, I started to implement the first part of the plan, which was to activate my support base.

I thought that my family and friends would help spread the word and push my book - wrong! With releasing my book I was riding on an emotional high by finally reaching a four year goal. However, my support group wasn't directly involved and therefore not at the same level of involvement as I was. Personal involvement leads to commitment, without participation, words are not converted into action.

People, which includes family and friends, are involved in their own lives and by nature they proceed through their day without wanting additional burden. Therefore, your greatest asset of a pyramid of exponential numbers is only potential energy.

Thank goodness I was diverse in my plan which included organizations and websites. Even these are difficult to motivate to action. I found this to be true with the Western Front Association, Great War Forum, and a few others.

Only sure thing is paid advertising and that is cost prohibitive. I suppose that marketing a book is like writing one in that both take a great deal of time before results are displayed.

I was hoping that upon releasing the book I would see leap in initial sales - it didn't happen. Disappointing but expected.  

For Sale!

I just approved the final book proof and "The Great Promise" is for SALE!!

It will take a couple of days for it to be listed on Amazon, however it can be purchased on The Great Promise

Houston! We Have a Problem

In one of my earlier postings I said that I talked with a customer service representative from Create Space regarding the correction of just one element. I thought that I gave her my approval of the remainder of the book so that once the correction was changed they could move on with printing.

Will it never goes like one believes it will. I received an email informing me that the service group applied for a proof book to be printed and shipped. Now I have to wait a few days for the book to be printed and a couple more for shipping. This would place the print date around August 17 th, just one week prior to my book launch. This is not good!!

I'm thinking of accepting the proof before I actually receive it in order to move up the print date. I examined the digital proof in detail and didn't fine an error so my comfort level is elevated.

I'll wait until Friday to see if they printed the book and shipped it. If it isn't, I'll accept the changes and the book should to into print next week and shipped by the end of the week. They should arrive at the gallery by the middle of the week of the 24th.

The Second Proof

Received an email from Create Space that the corrected proof could be downloaded for review. I downloaded the file but I was about to leave on a trip so I didn't have a great deal of time to look it over. The first error was found within the first few pages.

The first change I made was removing the "fictionalized description of the following", and added "memoir account of the following battles:". The change resulted in, "memoir account of the following: the following battles".

I quickly reviewed the other changes  and each seemed correct so I called the Create Space service desk. I requested the correction to the double "following" and told them that the other changes seem correct so I approve the proof. The representative said that the minor change would take two business days, which is hard to believe in this day and age.

Even if it does take two days the book would be finished on the requested date of August 8th, although it would be ready for printing on that date. It is my hope that the book would be in print by the end of the week.

I'm feeling that the up-coming book launch is going to be huge so I'm considering the purchase of 200 books, that is in addition to the 50 free books. With that quantity I'll have to prepare a standard quote or the signing would become a nightmare. Anyone out there have a suggestion on how I should handle this?

Electronic Book?

In this day and age many readers have strayed from the marvelous feeling of hold a book while reading. The smell of a newly printed book when it is first opened. However, like so many of our old standards such as magazines, newspapers, music CD and movie DVDs, times are a changing.

In order to make money, or break even, I have to consider publishing my book electronically on the Kindle format. The royalties are higher but the reader's cost per book lower, but then again the volume is higher, so I guess the money that can be made is about the same.

To convert the book to electronic format I contacted Create Space. They have a program that will convert the book but they didn't say if it is free. It seems that nothing is free except advice and often, if taken, can be very expensive.

I haven't heard from Create Space on the progress they're making on the changes I've made. Wondering why, I logged on and saw that my upload of changes were still active. I clicked on the update button and my upload vanished from the page. This worried me since I uploaded the changes over a week ago and my print deadline is approaching. Worried, I sent a message to my support contact wondering why I haven't been contacted regarding the changes and I was told that until I actually sent the changes they didn't have the information to work with. It would take 7 business days for them to make the alterations and then a couple of days for print and mail the proof. My God! This is cutting it close - too close.

With the launching coming up on the 24th, I fear that the books will have to be sent express in order to make it to the Gallery on time, which will cost a lot more for shipping. I'll keep you posted on how this event unfolds.

Planning The Launch

I met with Nancy from the gallery that will host my first book launch. She sent out their news letter that included an ad for the launch (eyecandygallery@centurylink.net via mail29.us1.mcsv.net ) 
An ad is was also placed in a local magazine, the Pinestraw. 


I'm concerned if the book will be published in time to place an order and have it delivered to the art gallery in time for the
launching. 


There hasn't been any feedback from Ken, my WWI expert even-though it is the first of August and he said that he would
read it by the end of July.  I'm also waiting to hear from the webmaster from the Western Front Assoc. to see if he received 
the journal images I sent as well as the corresponding transcriptions. It seems that you try so hard to do what counts and 
then it comes down to depending on others and I'm helpless to influence the timing. 

This coming week I'll meet with my daughter to organize a time and place to give a presentation to a group of seniors in 

one of her healthcare facilities. I'm going to promote that they consider writing their stories for their family's. In the process 

I'll tell them about my experience in writing the book and the power of the journal.