Hebridean Diary of a Serial Sailor

[bikedaft]

Sorry, our neighbours in dumbarton run the local talking newspaper (for blind folk). I'll ask over the fence. But there are (i think) plenty of talking newspapers.

Rnib - http://www.rnib.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx "Supporting the blind and partially sighted" worth an email?

 

[PAPILLONOFCARDEN]

I have now checked out the audio side to publishing a book which is more complicated than I thought especially if you plan to use your own voice so have shelved this for the time being.
One of the advantages of an e-book over the printed page is that you can make editorial corrections after the publication date. I have now updated, improved the grammar and corrected one or two factual errors so hopefully the revised edition will be much sharper although I have been told a writer/editor will keep making corrections every time the book is reviewed, not something I would relish doing in the long term. In the first publication I was naturally excited with my output,(120,000 words!) and managed to put over 1000 exclamation marks at the end of the sentences. When I read it through the second time last month, I realized this was around 850 too many exclamation marks, and have now deleted the offending ones!

A printed version?....
My publisher is thinking of now making a printed version of the Hebridean Diary of a Serial Sailor. After three months, the sales of the Kindle version have been steady if not spectacular and I have had several requests for the diary in paper form. The trouble is I have found many of my images are okay for electronic use in an e-book but not of sufficient quality or resolution to transfer onto the printed page, and I always thought my images were an important part in telling the story of my travels on the West Coast.
I would be interested to hear if any reader knows of a program to take up the resolution of an image to make it printable in paper form?
Also would a printed version be something some readers would prefer over an electronic version?
Unfortunately the price would have to be much higher(maybe £18 plus) than the electronic version which is £4.11 but would be in A4 format, so interested to hear opinions?

 

[PAPILLONOFCARDEN]

Well, much has been happening since first posting and I can confirm the revised version of "Hebridean Diary of a Serial Sailor" will be free to download from Amazon Kindle from next Tuesday 19th November for three days until Thursday 21st November.I will not put a direct link as I do not wish to appear to be over promoting the book, but the title should take you to the correct download page. Just be sure it is still free when you go to the checkout as Amazon may be using USA time instead of GMT.Putting in the name "Cully Pettigrew" will take you directly to the page.
The purpose of the free days is to get the book more widely read and all I would ask is that you give me your honest opinion through the Amazon feedback...yes, a risky manoeuvre to be sure!
So far the e-book has been moderately successful with sales topping 100, and this has encouraged the publisher and I to go for a paper back version of the sailing portion of the autobiography which meant I have left out much of the philosophizing which may be a good thing. The title of the new paper version will be "Yachting Journal of a Hebridean Sailor" reflecting the 100% sailing content, and will be published soon. If any budding author out there wants to hear from my paper publishing experiences, I am more than happy to oblige. Going through Amazons "Create Space" template should have been simple but has turned out to be a nightmare so better to get professional help.

 

[Humblebee]

Hi Cully, thanks for the thread. Copy ordered, I look forward to reading (and reviewing) it.
Chris

 

[Eyore]

Planning a short free period for my book on Amazon, dates to be decided.Anyone can download the book for free for one day if they have an electronic reader.
All that I would ask is that the reader leaves a review.

Just got a free download, can't wait to get stuck in.

 

[PAPILLONOFCARDEN]

Thanks for that. A review would be most helpful as Amazon appear to be influenced by such when recommending to others.
I have just published the printed version on Amazon titled "Yachting Journal of a Hebridean Sailor: Logs of Papillon of Carden1980 - 2013 [Paperback]" which is priced at an introductory price of £17.50 plus postage.This is the 100% sailing version of my e-book, and I chose to cut out the Fine Art business and a large lump of philosophy in the interests of brevity which might be a good thing! Still the printed book comes to over 200 pages in A4.

 

[PAPILLONOFCARDEN]

Just to update, the printed book version has been withdrawn by myself and publisher as we are both unhappy with the feel and look of the book. The contents are terrific of course!!
May take a few weeks to sort out (everything stops for Christmas and New year!) so not available at the present time.Will update when available.

 

[bikedaft]

Hope it all works out for you... I enjoyed the ebook. I can see why you dropped the first bit (tho i agree with what you said in it!)