Ever since I can remember, I've had WRITE A BOOK on my New Year's Resolution list. I've been working on a Children's Book for Nico for some time. Now I'm on my way to seeing it become a reality. Here I plan on keeping a timeline of the process =) and progress.
Timeline:
2/9/12- I received my author copy!!!
2/3/12- Book was released online! I opened my book website to the Public:
www.valeriabooks.com!
1/26/12- THE FINAL GALLEY of the book was sent to me for approval!!!!!
Price has been set- $21.99 for Soft Cover and $31.99 for Hardcover.
I know they are a little more than I would pay for a book for Nico...but I have bought him a couple SPECIAL BOOKS for his collection....Like: Let's Do Nothing, Ty Cooney, Let's Race and I've really appreciated meeting the authors and getting their signature in the books, and hearing about their process. I hope that family, and friends, and family of friends and friends of family will like this book and want to share it with the ones they love.
1/24/12- I uploaded the complete files though YouSendIt.com to Glen. That same day I paid for the $174.50 Revision Service Fee. From the time I uploaded the files until they sent me The Final DRAFTS...Glen and I went back and forth on email checking, moving things around, looking for mistakes, looking for things that didn't look right. Fortunately for myself...I've come to terms with it and know that I may find and error or two...BUT i'm okay with it...lol.
1/3/12- I contacted Randy Hughes to see if I could get a REVISION SERVICE FEE discounted.
12/12/11- We purchased the SINGELA Font
12/8/11 - Started working with Priscilla Shakur, my mom friend and graphic designer. I added some new drawings. She was so instrumental in helping me FEEL that this project was real! We set up times to work on the book and deadlines. She sent me stuff to correct and approve, she showed me options of things she thought would look better, and gave me her opinion of how pages would flow better ALL the while staying true to my vision for the book....AND BEING A MOMMA OF 2!! Such a talented girl!
12/7/11- I had 3 more images to add to the book. I contacted Glen about adding them and finally worked up the strength write out what some of the mistakes were...because the list was just ridiculous.
11/23/11- I received an email from Glen Bryce at Xlibris to review the FIRST GALLEY and make any corrections necessary.....BOY was I livid when I received these files! IT WAS NOTHING like I expected or thought it would be. It was even in the wrong orientation.
11/21/11- Patrick Norrie, my Design Consultant contacted me about my book. We spoke briefly
11/18/11- Cherry, the submissions representative passed my book to the Design and Production Department. I was assigned to a design consultant.
11/17/11- I Submitted PDFs of all the page layouts a couple minutes too late...SO I missed the Christmas Guarantee Deadline. I was sad, but I got over it.
10/10/11- I've been working hard on the illustrations to try and get them done soon!
11/07/11- I FINISHED all the illustrations. I spoke to my submissions' Representative at Xlibris today who gave me all the instructions on how to submit my order form, manuscript, and Illustrations!!!!!! AHHHH!!! Now i'm off to get me some HIGH RESOLUTION scanned images to submit!
10/4/11- Sign up on Author Learning Center
09/30/11- Met local author Alva Sachs- Meeting with her at Books and Cookies was a great experience and re-energized me!
09/15/11- Sign up for the Publishing Package with Xlibris- It was a long process and the opportunity seemed right, and my husband jumped on board with the book and decided to "invest" in this project TOGETHER--NOW!
07/06/11- Kelly (Ashish's girlfriend) came to visit out here in LA and we made some great changes to the Manuscript that convinced me I needed to get going on the illustrations. And so I did.
04/22/11- I let the idea simmer for almost a year and a half. I started working on the manuscript, while on the flight to Miami--when Nico was napping in the baby carrier on my chest. In the following months, I tweaked and worked on the wording until I was happy.
1/15/10- Nico was born in on January 2010! My research began Here! While living in Austin in the first few months of Nico's life, I got the idea to write this children's book about Nico's perception of where is family is and how he gets to FEEL them so close.
