The KDP adventure!

      I have been wondering whether to go ahead and publish my Teen Sci-Fi novel on Kindle, as it is  now well over twelve years since it began life as an idea. It has ventured out to numerous different publishers over the years, with one or two promising comments, but the majority of standard rejections. I have also tried agents, again just the standard 'no'. So, is it really so important to me to be published by a traditional publisher? I keep asking myself this, as I'm sure many of us do.

    Anyway, I decided to just have a go and see how easy/difficult it would be and had the bright idea of putting a short 750 word children's book on.  Well that took me all of yesterday. I put the painting I did ages ago on as the book cover, and all has gone ok. Apart from the fact that it looks really 'home made'. I also have no idea how anyone would find the book, apart from me telling everyone it's there of course. I can't seem to get it in a category other than 'juvenile-general' and 'juvenile-bedtime/dreams', neither of which seem quite right!??

   But I've done it now. At first I was proud of myself just for figuring out the basics, then I was all scared about the fact that it's there for the world to see, and now I'm feeling a bit...deflated.

   

Here it is,
TUMBLY MOUSE SNEAKS OUT OF HIS HOUSE (Please excuse home-made cover)


I felt ridiculously cheeky asking for money for the story, but I don't really know what the done thing is!
It will be free to download on SUN 24th FEB, if anyone would like a quick read, or have children in need of a bedtime story. Sorry there's no pictures in it, that's a whole new ball game!

 Eeeek!

How do you feel about KDP? Have you had good experiences? I am a complete novice here, I don't even have a kindle (only the PC version).
As for putting the novel on there, I'm still undecided, it means so much to me and it's a scary world. :/

Overheard Conversations

I know a lot of short stories (or even longer ones) have come from a little tit-bit of overheard conversations, so it's always good to have an ear out!

Anyway, this is one I heard the other day at the supermarket:

Checkout lady says to customer:

"Hello, Happy New Year!"

Grumpy Old Man:

"Yes, Happy New Year." (Said without feeling)

Checkout Lady:

"Did you have a good time?"

Grumpy Old Man:

"No"

Checkout Lady:

"Oh, that's a shame."

Grumpy Old Man

"Yes we went away."

Checkout Lady:

"Oh, that's nice."

Grumpy Old Man

"Not really, there was only a double bed in out hotel room."

Checkout Lady (Looking a little wary):

"Oh."  (Meaning, please don't tell me any more)

Grumpy Old Man:

"Well I don't like sharing a bed, the wife takes up most of it, so I couldn't sleep."

Checkout Lady (trying to be positive):

"Aw.Well at least you got away for a little break."

Grumpy Old Man:

"Well, it was a waste of time, I put up with it for two nights, then we came home early."

Checkout Lady:

"Oh dear." (What else to say? She didn't want to sympathise)

Thankfully he was done then with his shopping and was on his merry way . The poor lady on the checkout looked at me as if to say, "I wish I hadn't asked!"

I mean, his poor wife! Imagine a husband announcing such a thing, his wife's holiday is cut short because he doesn't want to sleep next to her!

What a grump. He made Victor Meldrew look like a charming romantic.

I hope your' new year is off to a better start! :)

Happy New Year !

Just wanted to wish everyone all the best,
I hope this New Year brings all good things your way!
:)
xx

Here's Mischa doing her bunny impression, getting practice in early -it's not Easter yet!

A book fit for a novel

Thank you for your help with the never ending novel dilemma.

I did decide to change it, it wasn't quite right, I knew that, or I wouldn't have been dithering so much! So,  I put in the extra scene, I am finding it very tricky and time consuming to seamlessly weave the new events into the book, but it will be better when I'm done.

The reason I asked my teen to read it, is that she loves reading and writing and is very imaginative. She is in a group of young writers (online) and she is a very good critic.  It helps me to know what sort of things they like to read and write about, so her feedback is very constructive. Anyway I will be really glad when this story is properly finished as it has taken me way too long now, it's just getting ridiculous!

My new WIP is 20k words in, and I have just made the decision to hand write it at the same time, mainly because I got this lovely new journal for my birthday! So I have made a start and I think it is going to be helpful, I like to see words on pages, real pages. It is a spine chilling supernatural mystery thriller romance, hehe. Snappy genre.  I am really enjoying it, it is very spooky and sometimes I scare myself whilst working on it.:)

I wonder if anyone could recommend a publisher for this genre? That is, teen supernatural. I would very much appreciate any tips. I know of the mainstream publishers, but I was wondering about e-publishers?
Thank you!!

The never ending novel

I have been busy editing this weekend. I have checked over three short stories, determined to send them elsewhere (they have all been rejected numerous times).
Must post them tomorrow. I can hardly complain of getting nowhere if I don't send the stories in the first place.
I have also been editing the children's novel,  which has been 'finished' and waiting for a final edit for some time :)  (To date this story is now 12 years in the making)
Anyway, I have just found a bunch of notes, that I had mislaid some months ago, can barely even remember writing, although one page was clearly written at night in the dark, going off the diagonal scrawl of the pencil. Which leads to my new problem, some of the ideas on these notes are good. I like them, I want to put them in! Which means this story is not finished at all.
Will I ever finish it?
I have been contemplating having a copy of this novel printed, on one of the self publishing sites, just to see it in print, but have been dithering about whether it is 'ready'. I'm too afraid of uploading in case I get a flash of inspiration to add another scene here...or there...
I annoy myself so much! Grrrgh.
I think I will know when it's ready, maybe my hesitancy is just comfirmation that deep down I know it isn't ready yet.
Do you have the same worries?