The Second Edition of my novel is now out, in 6″ X 9″ trim size and with page paper more akin to what I’d expect in a novel (thinner and slightly creamy). I’m glad the spine text worked out. I’m very happy about the new cost – just £5.39. THREE POUNDS cheaper than the pocketsize! The First Edition is still available, but I’ll probably retire it once the Second Edition has found its way onto Amazon toward the end of February/early March.
Not only did the Second Edition get signed off today, but Amazon have also pushed the sample feature on my book and so the public can now see a sample of the Second Edition via the Kindle version.
I’m now working at the best time to do a promotion campaign for the Kindle version via KDP Select – essentially making it free for a few days on Amazon…
Happy New Year! It’s exciting for me to have had some very positive reviews on Amazon over the last week or so. As of today the Kindle version has been updated to the Second Edition and reduced in price to just 77p ($1.20). I’ve also enrolled in the Kindle Select programme, which means Amazon Prime members can read the novel for free! However, I have removed the digital version from all other platforms (a requirement of the Kindle Select programme). I shall, of course, review this after 90 days.
The paperback is coming along nicely, and RJ Locksley (editor) has been so kind as to help me thin out that first chapter 
(take a look at the Kindle version’s preview at Amazon to see it). Hopefully the paperback will be ready in about a week. It’s price has also been slashed. Exact cost to follow later!
In 2012, in addition to getting the Second Edition out, I’m also looking to complete a shorter, more fast-paced, first-person-perspective novel. My aim with this will be to get it published the traditional route. Wish me luck!
Yes, it’s time to make some small changes for a Second Edition. I’ll be adding to these based on feedback from readers. The current list is:
MINOR
1. Correct Darkeldun to Darkledun on back cover
2. Increase font size (from 10 to 11?)
3. Increase trim size
4. (if possible) try to get the book about a £1 cheaper
5. “might be able tell” –> “might be able to tell” (p. 38)
6. Review commas for consistency with nouns with two adjectives (i.e. remove commas): “thick, grey” –> “thick grey” (p. 1)
7. Check for incorrect apostrophe positions: “take ‘em out” (p. 166)
8. Hyphen/mdash swaps: “Er, no, Miss” (p. 237)
9. wrong marks used: “old times” (p. 287)
10. comic –> comical (p. 180)
11. cemetaries –> cemeteries (p. 147)
12. “I see him” –> “I see ‘im” (p. 261)
13. comma after “Treice said” (p. 277)
14. “before your were brought” –> should be “you” (chpt 1, p. 22)
15. change the hydrogen molecule colour to white (oxygen is red!), chapter 11
16. “Exactly is a very difficult word” –> change to “That’s a difficult question to answer” ? (chpt 12, p. 163)
17. “everyday” –> “every day” (chpt 2, p 33)
18. “ship in on a foggy night” –> “ship on a foggy night”
19. “a small slide lever, also with settings marked along it length” –> “its” length
20. Kindle version seems to have “reacheding” rather than “reaching” in Feast of Fires chapter
21. Feast of Fires chapter: add in Treice Montague to list of new cadets that Trevelyan introduces.
22. The Serpent in the Glass chapter: the glass should dim immediately “surround” Thomas, not “around”.
23. roiled –> writhed
24. “Thomas looked down at he Glass”, should be “the”
25. fit/fitted corrections
26. bolt upright rather than bolt up
27. “though” should be “through” when coming through the stalls in Cnocmorandolmen chapter
28. Last chapter “they” should be “that” in regard to Miss Havelock telling Thomas about Trevelyan still being weak.
29. Merideah says “you’re name is Ghillie” where it should be “your”
30. spread-eagled not spread eagle.
31. Muddlestump Wood chapter: swallowed whole not swallowed hole
32. Minor comma errors
MAJOR
1. Review Chapter 1 to make it less heavy/laborious by about 40% (will require feedback)
The first edition paperback is now available at lulu.com (see purchase links to right), and all other versions have been updated as well. The first full public release on all platforms is now official! Please let all your friends know! Christmas is coming!
My novel is now available in several other digital formats on Smashwords. See link in the right-hand column of this site under “Links to Buy”!
Yes, the Kindle version of The Serpent in the Glass is now live at Amazon’s Kindle Store in the UK, US and Europe…!
Amazon UK Kindle Store
Amazon US Kindle Store
Please share, comment on Amazon.
A bit early perhaps, but I’ve made a survey for readers too: Serpent in the Glass Feedback Survey
I’m now working on providing a version for all non-kindle electronic platforms – hopefully done by the end of this week!
Well, editing has finished, but…
What a host of sites offering varied software and advice to format a book into Kindle format! I can’t afford the paid services (about $150-250) so I hope I can get this done myself. At least I know HTML.
I’m thinking to get some feedback on the Kindle version – feedback, reviews, etc. – that I could then use on the paperback version. We’ll see.
My biggest problem at the moment is that I don’t have a Kindle, and so can’t check the format/functionality is as it should be!
I’ve spent the last couple of days looking at options for a print-on-demand service so that SiTG is also available in a physical form. This has meant I’ve not been able to yet finish my edit of the manuscript. Why have I done this? Well, I am told that it can take 6 weeks from the time of “publication” until the time it appears on Amazon – and I’d like it up before Christmas.
But what a pain it has proved to be. There are 3 options, or so I am informed, for professional POD services: LuLu, CreateSpace, and Lightning Source. They all have their pluses and minuses, not least of which is a terrible inability to point out differences in services if you’re based in the UK (they are all US companies). CreateSpace, for example, is owned by Amazon and yet using them makes your book available through Amazon.com with no guarantee of being on Amazon.co.uk. So that’s a big minus. Lightning Source expects too much technically and has a high set-up fee. There’s also issues with tax and costs (in relation to using a US-based company), though I’ve not fully looked into that yet. LuLu has a print in the UK (so no expensive shipping costs as with CS), but then chooses to have no trim size (that’s the dimensions of the book) in a size that accommodates the UK market! 
What to do? I shall have to decide soon!
Now, back to my manuscript today I think…
I’m on the last few pages of the final edit of the physical SITG manuscript. It’s a tedious thing to read the same story so many times! I’ll be updating the electronic version this coming week, but I’m already taking a peek at the requirements to convert it into ebook format (and then into Kindle format). I hope it is a painless process, though it doesn’t sound like it from what I’ve read!
As I lack the funds to have anything done professionally, I’m doing everything myself (as usual!) – the ecover excepted. I’m hoping my editing has at least made the book half-way decent! I have decided to release it electronically at first, and then see how it goes. A print version will likely be added later (when I’ve made enough Kindle sales to pay for the set-up fee!)
I’ll report back in a week or so, no doubt to complain about the format process
A big thanks to the excellent artistic work of Alex Hausch who has completed the Kindle/Amazon ecover for the soon-to-be-published first book of the Tales of Thomas Farrell, The Serpent in the Glass!
