More Work In The World

Our Galaxy’s Publishing’s multi-author collection, Venus Rising: Musings and Lore From Women Writers was released in paperback and ebook on March 16 of this year and features two of my short stories: “My Last Husband” and “The Barely There Bear.”

If you’re interested in seeing more samples of my fiction, you can check out the reasonably priced ebook (only $3.99). To learn more about our Galaxy Publishing you can go to their website or check them out on Instagram @ourgalaxypublishing.

I’ve been busy with work and travel lately that I haven’t been able to post about this, but I’m super excited to have more stories to share with you!

Book Launch

I am so excited to say my book is now available for purchase! You can check it out on Amazon or barnesandnoble.com by searching my name and the book title Word Bath. If you’re looking for some light poetry, please give it a read. You can see more details on the menu of my blog here, check out the page labeled WORD BATH (easy peasy).

(featured image in this post is by Nick Fewings via Unsplash)

Friends & Family Orders

UPDATE: I found a couple typos so it looks like I’ll be going into revision. This is why it’s always good to order a single copy before you go whole hog. So glad I did!

I’m making my book available to family and friends before its official release on Feb. 1 where it should be available on online platforms like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Now that I have a physical copy in hand (and it’s not backward!) I can place personal orders through IngramSpark. Those who know me personally can check my Instagram stories @dukeofwords or my Facebook for more details later tonight!

The Backwards Book

I’m currently waiting on the first print version of my book to arrive so I can check it for errors. I received a notification that it has been shipped, so I lie in wait.

My major worry… that the whole thing is backward. The digital proof I was sent looked that way, but I thought: “Maybe it’s going to look different once it’s printed. How could they possibly have flipped my entire file? Especially when I worked with the typesetter who knew what she was doing?”

Revisions would cost extra and delay my release. So fingers are majorly crossed!

eBook Release!

My eBook is now available for preorder on Amazon with a release date of February 1st! Click here for deets.

IngrrrramSpark

I’m stuck in processing limbo with IngramSpark in regards to my eBook. I ordered a print version so I can look it over and make sure all is well in a physical copy, but I swore the eBook would take less time.

Mama always taught me not to swear…

I’m finding IngramSpark’s support team a hit or a miss. I’m not sure where they’re based out of, but first, they locked me out of my original account, I made a new one – asked to have my password reset for the original account… and they reset it for my recovery account instead. Fine, ok moved forward. I upload my book and, after about a week or so, I’m still seeing this:

I reached out to the support team after looking through the FAQs to find out what this might mean and got this answer:

When I asked what she meant by “print” in regards to an eBook I did not receive a reply. And I still haven’t received an email detailing what issues they’re having with the files… that I uploaded on January 9th…

Guess I jumped the gun on thinking this would be happening soon! Anyone else ever used this platform to self-publish??

Printing Delay

Bit of a delay with the print release of my book. Looks like it’ll be closer to Feb. 1, 2021. Hopefully, the eBook will be ready soon!

!!!POETRY!!!

I added a new page to the menu at the top of my homepage for information on my book of poetry Word Bath. I’ll be updating that page as I get closer to my publication date of January 15, 2022! I’ll also be posting updates on my Instagram @dukeofverse.

Daniel Deronda

I watched the 2002 miniseries of Daniel Deronda a while back and I remember enjoying it, but the book was… less so. The first portion spends so much time on Gwendolen Harleth’s story that it left me wondering why George Eliot chose the title for the book that she did. Granted, Gwendolen’s probably more fleshed out as a character than Deronda, but I’m guessing that’s because Daniel Deronda’s purpose in the novel was more symbolic.

I wanted to know WHY this novel was so important (as opposed to, say, Middlemarch which I loved so much more) – so upon reading up on it, I found that Eliot’s sympathetic presentation of the Jewish plight and Zionism was pretty revolutionary for the time. This is also her only novel to take place during the period in which she lived and wrote (late Victorian era). So, knowing her true intentions and what she was trying to tackle I can see why that particular aspect of the novel seems weaker and than Gwendolen’s storyline. She was breaking new ground in western lit.

I will say, I start to tire of characters like Mirah Lapidoth who just are so ~good~ it almost rots your teeth. But they’re everywhere in this period. I had the same issue with Agnes Grey. I’d take a Gwendolen any day. At least there’s an arc. And boy do I love to hate Henleigh Mallinger Grandcourt. Hugh Bonneville is superbas Grandcourt in the miniseries. It took me a while to get through, it’s not a terrible novel, just slow and oddly paced.

Self-publishing. Respect.

Back when I graduated from university in 2008 with my BA in Creative Writing & Literature there was a bit of a stigma to self-publishing and it’s amazing to see how it’s changed over the years. I spent a brief period of time as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble when I came back from completing my MA in the UK and often customers had no idea they were requesting a POD (Print-on-Demand) self-published title. Those authors have major traction now. It’s become fairly popular for Instapoets to get their words on the page as well. I’m in the middle of self-publishing a book of poetry myself and I have more respect than ever for this entire process.

Not sure why I didn’t consider doing this sooner. I much prefer doing things my own way. Not going to lie, writing contests have never held a huge appeal for me. I’ve tried my luck at a handful but never kept pursuing it. I prefer to do my art my own way and let the audience make of it what they will. The one major downside is you have to get your art in front of people all on your own, but oh how nice it is to be doing it all for you and completely your own way.

I’m not going to go into the entire process since there are already some amazing resources out there, but I can share some of the ones that I am using. I work with graphic designers on a daily basis at my job so thankfully, a friend/coworker did my cover design (I paid her). I found a great typesetter/interior designer thorough Reedsy who I am working with now and in the final stages of proofing. The publishing platform I’m using is IngramSpark which, to be honest, I’m still learning how to use… but they have a lot of helpful articles for us newbs to this whole self-publishing process.

I can’t say I’m a guru just yet, but the next book should be SO much easier! Although maybe not cheaper… Oh, and I don’t update it as often as I should, but you can find me @dukeofverse on Instagram.