True Confessions

Okay, I admit it. I have been unfaithful. I have blithely ignored my commitment to my blog and have been carried away by Facebook where I just have to post a sentence or two every few days and get to read what's happening with everyone else, in a sentence or two. But for Lent I decided it was time to give up Facebook (and Freecell, for all you solitaire fans -- not sure which has been more challenging).

I think with Facebook I have the impression I'm actually interacting with people. Sometimes I comment on their posts, sometimes they comment on mine. It feels a little like a conversation. Sort of. But in truth it's a big time-waster and doesn't really elicit true communication. So I gave it up for Lent.

Which in a way is too bad, because I have some news to report. So I'll report it here. Last Tuesday I put the finishing touches on the last chapter of my book. My conclusions were the hardest part to write but I have written them.

I had been working on updating my proposal and query letter and earlier this year sent out a number of queries. Those who responded declined to see more; most didn't even respond. I finally decided I was wasting my time sending out queries, even based on some pretty good research about agents who represent the kind of book I have written (memoir/true adventure, among other aspects). So I decided: who needs an agent and a publisher. I'll self-publish. In order to look "legitmate," I decided to create my own publishing company, Gray Wings Press, LLC (which I registered with the Oregon Secretary of State). I bought my domaine name and am ready to put up a web page to sell my book from.


After doing more research, I set up an account with a self-publishing process (Createspace, part of Amazon) and figured out what I need to do there. They are "print on demand" so whenever they get orders through Amazon (or other sources), they print the books. I had to set it all up in camera-ready format (for a PDF) which I have done as I edited and completed the work.

Then based on the suggestions of a friend who has had several books published, I met with a man who knows the publishing industry well, has been an agent and is now a "book packager." He has lots of contacts and is trying to help me get it put together to either self-publish or publish through a recognized publishing house. He tells me I still need to do some serious editing (cut it down by about 40,000 words) and will probably have a professional book editor work it over.

But it should be ready to go (from my perspective) within another couple months, I hope. If I self-publish, I have contacts to try to promote it locally and hope to have some of my friends across the country who were part of my travels promote it in their regions, too.

Part of my marketing plan is to recommit to my blog and try to post at least a couple times a week. Even after Lent! Once I have my webpage set up, I will like that to my blog and my blog to the webpage.

Further plans for my publishing company might include some collections of essays/reflections by some of the lovely women over 50 whom I know, thoughts on life and love and faith from the middle ages, something like that. I have other friends who are or want to write non-fiction. I want to write fiction. Between us we might be able to put together a nice collection of books for Gray Wings Press to represent. I could help with the self-publishing process, help a little with editing, promotion, etc. We'll see how it goes. For now it feels right, exciting, invigorating.

So onward and upwards. More editing on my book, then figure out how to do a web page. Step by step, again. I know how to do it now, after my 25,000 mile journey.

TravelinLady