A Mess of Acorns and a Squirrel
An update on my publishing journey, a book release date, a survey about your reading habits. and a long-awaited (by me) announcement about a new title
Dear Friends,
A little less than a month ago, on July 21, 2024, I published the last chapter of my memoir, If You Only Knew: A Memoir of Family Secrets and their Undoing on Substack. I told you then that I was planning to take a little break as I contemplated my next steps, including figuring out how to publish this manuscript and my previous serialized memoir, Accidental Mentors: Inspirational Stories of Women who Shaped My Life by Just Being Themselves, in book versions. What a month it’s been!
The same day I published my last chapter, President Biden dropped out of the presidential race. I swear I had nothing to do with it! But I am happy about this unreal turn of events. I’ll be even happier when Harris sweeps the battleground states leaving no room for conspiracy theories about a stolen election. It could happen if we all keep the faith and keep working together. I’m hopeful and I trust you are, too.
And remember to vote early—that way the campaign can focus its attention on making sure other voters get to the polls.
The Wild World of Indie-Publishing
After finally recovering from my first bout with COVID, which hit on July 3rd, I’ve spent much of the last six weeks figuring the ins and outs of indie (i.e., self)-publishing. I’m completely committed to finding my way through this quagmire of a process, but I must admit, even with my extensive tech background and a lot of experience with the publishing world, the decisions and the new skills I need to acquire are mind-boggling.
I’ve been neck deep, not only in book design, editing, and formatting, but cover design, trim sizes, distribution options, publishing imprints, printing services, book aggregators, eBook versions, copyright, pricing strategies, advanced review copies, reviewers, awards, royalty rates, street teams, advertising, and marketing plans. I’m sure this isn’t even the half of it. Phew!
And, oh, the acronyms: ISBN, LCSH, LCCN, EIN, ARC, KDP, just to name a few. Keeping them all sorted in this 69-year-old brain is a lot like expecting a squirrel to organize acorns at the foot of an ancient oak tree. Just when I think I get one area all nice and neat, another acorn falls from the tree and messes everything up. I’m just waiting for a big wind to come and blow even more acorns into my path. Did someone say, “squirrel?”
At this point, I completely understand the desire to hand all this work over to a traditional or hybrid publisher.
That being said, I’m making considerable progress. I now have a final draft, which I created using a book formatting app called Atticus, and I have to say it looks pretty cool. Atticus creates both print and eBook versions, so it’s easy to see how it will look in both. I’ve printed it so I can see it on paper, and although the paper I’m using is larger than the 5.25x8 trim size I plan to use, I’m beginning to imagine what it might look like when I finally hold the finished product in my hands.
I can also see how it’ll look in other formats, including being able to read it on my Kindle, which helps me to identify typos or other errors that have hidden themselves along the way (thanks, Bill Blume, for that suggestion and steering me toward Atticus. It’s exactly what I was looking for).
In the next thirty days, I plan to have the cover finalized, proofreading finished, formatted files in the hands of a printer, and everything set up for sales on Amazon and Ingram Spark.
Tentative Release Date
October 1, 2024, is my tentative release date. Fingers crossed everything goes according to plan. I’m on a panel about memoir at the incredible James River Writers Conference October 4-6, 2024, and I WILL have print books available for sale at that event. I encourage any of you who are writers to check out the conference. It’s a wonderfully friendly event with lots of opportunities to learn and interact with other writers and agents.
Introducing WordsWomen Press
In addition to figuring out the labyrinth of publishing options, I’ve been working on the business side of things, too. I’ve reactivated the LLC I closed a couple of years ago, Marquis Enterprises, LLC, and renamed it WordsWomen Enterprises, LLC. I’ve also established a DBA as “WordsWomen Press,” my new indie-publishing arm. Not only will this work well for me, but it also positions things so that when Wendy (my wife) is ready to publish, she can step right in.
Win A WordsWomen Press T-shirt
As I add the publisher hat to my hat rack, I’d love to know more about your reading habits. Please take a minute to respond to this brief survey. This will help me make well-informed publishing decisions as I go forward into this wild world of indie-publishing. Everyone who completes this survey will be entered into a drawing to win a free WordsWomen Press t-shirt (once they’re designed). Thanks for playing!
WordsWomen Press Readers’ Reading Survey
Announcing a New Title
Since I began this book project twelve years ago (yes, it’s taken a long time and lot of work—emotional and otherwise—to get to this place), I’ve gone through at least five working titles including “Erased,” “Revisionist History,” “Revelation Is Not Sealed,” and finally, “If You Only Knew.” To tell you the truth, I wasn’t happy with any of them. Mostly, I didn’t like them because they felt focused on the past, on judgement, on negative memories. I also discovered that another book about DNA surprises has already claimed the title “If You Only Knew.” Although you can’t copyright titles, this was a little too close to my target market to feel comfortable about using it.
I struggled to come up with a title that focused on the journey and what it’s meant for me to come out the other side. Until now!
I’m excited to announce that the new title and subtitle is—drumroll please!
Living Into the Truth: A Daughter’s Journey of Discovery
I’m very excited about this new title and all it means. I like that it’s focused on my journey--past, present, and future--and not what was done to me or the negative things I experienced. It feels like it puts accountability and responsibility for my life and decisions in the right place—on me. I hope you like it too.
I’ll be revealing a new cover with the new title soon, so watch for that.
Get a free eBook of Living Into the Truth
Would like to get my books for free? Anyone who becomes a paying subscriber to “Annette’s Wanderings” will get free eBook copies of Living Into the Truth and Accidental Mentors when they’re released (if paying monthly, after you’ve paid for a year).
NOTICE: If you don’t want to become a paying subscriber and you haven’t finished reading either or both books online, be sure to do that before October 31. After the book versions are published and out in the world, I’ll be moving the serialized chapters behind the Substack paywall.
And remember, those of you who supported me over the past year, i.e., became a paid subscriber between May 2023 and May 2024, will receive free autographed and inscribed print editions of both books as soon as they’re available. You’ve been my inspiration and guide that got me to this point. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. Thank you! I am eternally grateful for you.
I’ll provide another update in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, enjoy the last days of summer and prepare yourself for what is certain to be a raucous and exciting election cycle.
My gratitude and love,
Annette
The DNC has been remarkable. Vote early...! And, often...! (kidding...)
Congrats Annette! A publishing question: will the published versions have all those great family photos in them?