In the weeks leading up to the release of my books I suppose I’d better start some writing posts.

Not so much about how, when where, although I suppose those questions will come up, but more along the lines of how far I’ve progressed to how far I’ve come.

When I wrote my first novel, THE ROAD TO VEGAS, back in July/August of 2006, I knew one day I’d be famous for it.

But no publisher wanted it.

I can see why.

While I believe the story is still good, it definitely needs an overhaul and will be the third book I release, sometime next year.

In Feb of 2008 I wrote my second, HOW I WON LOTTO, MOVED TO L.A. & MARRIED A REALLY HUGE TV STAR!

It took about three weeks of handwritten labour and then another three weeks of typing it all up. After two years of submitting a publisher wanted it, but also wanted to take another two years to publish it. After many a night of crying over either saying no, or paying an exorbitant amount of money to get it released this year, I said no.

Then last year came LIFE AND DEATH ADVENTURES IN LONDON, my third book which will be released at the same time as LOTTO.

I sent it on the usual round of agents and publishers and did think of digital, as Cyn-B-Demented suggested. But at the time, I wanted to hold an actual book in my hands, and see it on bookstore shelves.

Then one day, a few weeks later, I came across CreateSpace and realised I could hold my book in my hand, and not long after the realisation hit me, “Why am I waiting for a publisher to tell me I’m good enough?”

So I decided to do it all myself and have set the plan in motion. Especially since bookshops are a dying breed (my closest one has shut down) and the “BIG PUBLISHERS” don’t seem to want any new fiction from unknown authors anymore. But that’s a different story.

Back on the first of May my list was – get my books edited, get them formatted and get them uploaded.

Well, I’ve had one copy edited and the second has been sent off. I’ve decided to do the formatting myself, so that’s in the next few weeks. I’ve had covers done for some time but have tweaked them to the specifications of the places I’ll be selling. I’ve downloaded and printed all necessary info from all three places about formatting and selling. I’ve also set up Facebook pages for the books and they will go live when the books are published.

So, while I have done so much, there’s still so much to do.

Yesterday was the day for one last proof read of LOTTO, and then sending separate copies into three separate folders, I’m going to attempt the formatting by following the instructions.

I think it went well. The instructions were somewhat easy but I wasn’t able to do a table of contents and it took me well into the night.

In future writing posts, I’ll detail everything, but not down to the last crossed t and dotted i as that will be too boring, but I’ll definitely thank the other writers for their help and give links to their websites for future writers.

If you have any questions about my writing or anything to do with my books, let me know and I might start a FAQ page if anyone thinks that’s interesting enough.