An actual for-real paper book!

[Malacandra]

Howdy again. The printed proof has arrived and I have proof-read it... a few minor changes and I'll be ready to release Sidewinder Precision Pro in actual book form.

It's a natty-looking little paperback that look surprisingly professional considering all I did was follow the idiot's guide on CreateSpace. I'll be back when it's ready to go on sale.

[TheOldGamer]

Congratulations; that is a significant achievement!
It is a good story, well written and enjoyable

Do you have any particular plans to promote it? I, for one, am telling all my friends; I love Oolite and whenever I talk about it I include the fact that novels have been written about it.

Cheers!

[Malacandra]

Thank you! The Kindle version has had its own Facebook page since it was launched, and also I've been shamelessly touting the boards on message boards that I frequent. I figure some posters in local shops might help me shift a few copies, I'll get one in the library at the school where I work (it was the librarian there who clued me in on how straightforward Kindle and Createspace actually are) and it wouldn't hurt to try the local town library to see if they're interested. Some of my local bookstores might buy the "local author" angle too, I figure - I'll have a couple of weeks to try it out during the summer holidays.

I showed a Year 10 class the proof on Friday and I'm sure I sold a few copies over the weekend on the strength of that. Yes, I have the scruples of a pimp.

[Malacandra]

...Took my son to Geekmeet in Norwich today and handed out a few flyers while I was there as I thought they might be a suitable target audience, then dropped into the city library and some bookshops. A few emails to write...

[TheOldGamer]

Thank you! The Kindle version has had its own Facebook page since it was launched, and also I've been shamelessly touting the boards on message boards that I frequent. I figure some posters in local shops might help me shift a few copies, I'll get one in the library at the school where I work (it was the librarian there who clued me in on how straightforward Kindle and Createspace actually are) and it wouldn't hurt to try the local town library to see if they're interested. Some of my local bookstores might buy the "local author" angle too, I figure - I'll have a couple of weeks to try it out during the summer holidays.

I showed a Year 10 class the proof on Friday and I'm sure I sold a few copies over the weekend on the strength of that. Yes, I have the scruples of a pimp.

(Chuckle) If so, I'm wondering what scruples I have.

I am very close to finishing my first novel (after over a dozen support-writing works for other peoples' novels, ghost-writing and research jobs; this is the first released under my own name) and so far have the police departments of Toronto, Kitchener (Ontario), Edmonton, Seattle, Las Vegas and New York on-side. It is a murder mystery set 250 years in the future; each of the police departments mentioned have roles to play in the story. I engineered the story to properly reflect investigative and police-based techniques; I reached out to police departments in order to solicit their help. The response has been encouraging, to say the least.

Malacandra - you have my thanks - you've proved it CAN be done: writing successful independent fan-fiction. If I can offer ANY advice at all it is this: RUN WITH IT! Go nuts; there is no idea too weird or too strange when it comes to self-promotion. The more people hear about your story, the more will enjoy and share it. YOU can bring the Oolite universe to readers; that is a good and saleable gift. Go nuts and enjoy!

David Lourne

[Malacandra]

lol. Time enough to use the word "successful" when I've got a few more sales to my name, I'm thinking - but words of encouragement from someone with actual experience in the industry is cheering, and that's a fact. Still hoping to see if yesterday's leaflet raid will have any practical effect, at least to the extent of paying for the paper and the ink, but at least the fuel to get to town was a sunk cost; and meanwhile I've fired off emails to contacts at bookstores and the library (which should be the point of contact for the whole county's library network, so fingers crossed).

Some of the English department at school have shown an interest in this and the other books I've been working on, if only out of interest to see what a mathematics teacher can write, and my next step is to go whoring my work around the book club my wife's a member of. By hook or by crook...

[Malacandra]

And here we go -- those who enjoyed the adventures of Marilee and the Macraes can now own a beautiful printed copy. Work on Claymore Mine proceeds apace...

[Cody]

<applauds>

[another_commander]

Well done, congratulations!

[Malacandra]

Well done, congratulations!

Thank you, I've sold a paper copy already (OldGamer, maybe?). I heard from one of my pupils before the end of term that "this book that Sir wrote, there's a four-way on like the second page!". Well, if it gets the kids reading...!

Unfortunately I gave the milk away for free to my core audience, but I owe the Oolite community that much for what I never tire of describing as a fantastic game. And "Claymore Mine" is getting towards the end - this has been a productive holiday for writing.

Sadly the library, and the book shops that have actually answered, told me to take a long walk off a short pier, at least until I find myself a real publisher. Still, it's something to have an actual thing I can put on the bookshelf.

[maik]

So I'm the proud owner of the first copy?!

It's on it's way, looking forward to reading it (though will not be able to pick it up in the coming two weeks)!