Getting books to stores. Picking a book up at the bookstore, online or loading it into an e-reader takes a few minutes. Have you ever wondered how it got from the author into your hands?

The writing part is the easy part and most enjoyable. Those of you who have followed me for a while will know that my morning writing time is sacred but what you might not know is that a good half of my day is spent on the publishing and marketing side of getting a book into your hands.

The familiar publishing houses such as Penguin do all the marketing behind the scenes. It is still done behind the scenes but indie authors like me now do it themselves. I don’t think any of us had any idea what we were getting into. I certainly didn’t It’s easy they said, I agreed – write the book and send it to the bookstore. Not so fast they said, What about the cover design, formatting for e-book or print or both. Where is it going, Amazon, Kobo, bookstores and places I had never heard of. Who’s going to read it, how do they buy it? Stop I say! I’m a writer let me write. So, I wrote a book about it,  I decided to Self-publish! A humorous account of the challenges of publishing a book; to be released next month.

Frustration and a lot of waiting is part of the publishing process. If you are wondering about Anna’s Legacy I’m still waiting and I’m frustrated but it’s coming I promise. To show my gratitude for your patience here is another excerpt.

The Sackville Hotel

Second excerpt from Anna’s Legacy Chapter 1 – See blog October 22 for first

Anna switched her thoughts to the hotel and their new home, and the familiar butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She wondered how the renovations were progressing. More to the point, she wondered how many problems had arisen.

She looped her finger into the black velvet ribbon at her neck and twisted the blue crystal pendant, thinking of Uncle Bertie all those years ago when she had first arrived at Bexhill train station. Another chapter of her life was beginning, at the same hotel. Thirty-five years ago, she had been alone with Uncle Bertie’s globe-trotting inspiration, his gift of a blue pendant and words of wisdom. “Follow your dreams and don’t let anyone take them away,” had comforted and inspired her many times. She had followed her dreams: three months ago, she and Bill were married and together they now owned The Sackville Hotel.

The public address system boomed a polite goodbye to the passengers and suggesting they make their way from the lounge to the gangway. Anna straightened her floral cotton dress and patted the full skirt on her broadening hips and thickening waist. The small-waisted skirts of today’s fashions would have suited her well in her younger years; she had always been proud of her tiny waist. She sighed and buttoned up her jacket, pulled on her cream-coloured gloves and pushed some wispy, greying golden brown curls under the small blue hat that sat on the crown of her head. Although Anna liked to look nice, she had never been particularly fashion conscious, but three months of brushing shoulders with the elite had rubbed off a little.

Bill leaned towards her, his aqua eyes a little faded with age but still tender and admiring. He buttoned his blazer; even the ever-casual Bill had dressed the part during their trip.

Walking down the gangway, Bill whispered in Anna’s ear, “Remember what happened the last time you walked down a ship’s gangway here?”

Anna giggled. “Yes, some handsome man stood at the bottom and asked me to marry him. I was a little embarrassed.”

“You were embarrassed! Can you image how I felt, down on one knee and trying to propose in front of thousands of people.” Bill winked his special wink and smiled. “When you walked onto the gangway, all those people disappeared. I only saw one person, you. However, when the crowd roared I did question my choice of venue.” They both laughed. Continue reading →