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(Small papers cover personal information I want to keep private)
Upon our arrival home from our recent trip, we noticed straight away that the UPS man in his signature brown truck had visited and dropped off a parcel. It is nothing new to have him pop by, often a knock on the door weekly, so we all get excited when he pays us a visit wondering what has come this day.
I picked up the package the woman looking after our home graciously brought inside and set on the kitchen counter top. Immediately I noticed the name on the return address, and realized this was a package I’d been greatly anticipating for some time.
I proceeded in due haste, with full force pouncing on the package, tearing at the opening strip provided, ripping the cardboard flaps up and off altogether, until, (great excited sigh)… voila (!), my great project baby was indeed here at long last!
Please join me in being thrilled to bits, for...
I AM PUBLISHED!
Front cover
Bottom view showed here - a thick baby!
Spine features the title, volume number and my name.
Back cover - Life is Good!
Yes, I have a very personal account of this written blog of mine, in a hardcover, library bound book to hold, cherish, keep as our family account living in the east, and of course, smell the new, crispy white pages whenever desire strikes. I had to publish this past year in quarters for the volume of writing and photos. The book size I chose for volume one is 8 ½ x 11 inches, 268 pages and contains 700 photos, clip art and icons images! This book also holds (only) four months worth of my journaling (I had alot to share with family back home), a scrapbook unto itself, and oh so precious already to the entire family here.
I was given the tip for such a project from a friend when she featured her copy on her own blog. I pranced over the website in due order with flying fingers, knowing this is what I always had envisioned as a final project to get my writing into a book form for keeps. I used the website called “Blurb”, the only website in business at this time who can “slurp” up an entire blog right into their free download program on my hard drive.
Copyright and Dedication page
At first I had familiarize myself and learn to navigate through the program, biting my lip often as I made error after error and thought I’d deleted photos or writing when selecting from the many page formats available. I attempted to keep one blog writing per page, although there were some taking up three, four or more pages. I analyzed each writing and its accompanying photos, deciding how I would have them displayed for the final printing. With the ability to blow up, widen, collage and edit the photos to something complimentary to the writing, many of the photos had to be shrunk for a reasonable fit into each page.
Finally the project came to an end, all the text and photos edited to my liking, and then it was time to create the dust jacket front, back and inside flaps for the completion of this mammoth project. As if the time taken to edit the book wasn't a long suffering endeavor, somehow it created great frustration when it wouldn’t upload to the website for printing. How could this be?
After several emails back and forth for customer service and assistance, I found out the title on the cover couldn’t contain any quotation marks, and guess what my blog title has. This simple and final tip allowed the entire book contents to upload and I was able to order it immediately. After several weeks of waiting with baited breath, alas, the package sat winking at me, teasing me, and snickering too, on the kitchen counter. Aha! I must admit, now that I'm able to navigate its computer program, the next few volumes will be much easier than the first clumsy walk through the publishing world. In fact, I am eager to continue with more, knowing all will have the same colored covers, titles and dedications, however only the photos will change, featuring ones from the time period the volume book contains.
I would like to pass along a tip for you with the website “Blurb” . I noticed they can produce and publish many assorted types of books, everything from cookbooks, stories, wedding and baby albums, blogs, and so much more, I now have a son writing furiously to complete his well loved and long desired goal to have a book published someday. Since “BLURB” offers a free downloadable program, one can upload directly from a word processor, add photos or drawings in the computer, or from the scanner, create a dedication page, about the author page, introductions and so much more. Many features are within the program itself to create a hassle free publishing experience. As well, anyone can offer their works to the Blurb community for purchase, thereby spreading the work of the author around and gathering feedback for their efforts. (I have chosen to keep my personal book private and therefore it is unavailable to the public.) Take a peak and see what you might be able to make your own next project. Oh, and if writing a story is your thing, here’s a website called “Write Guide” , offering editorial services to get your ideas into print in a smooth and effective manner.
After sharing my heartfelt thrill with you about my book, I will settle on the fact I need to find the perfect spot to display my precious and irreplaceable blog, now in print, something I am so honored to present to my dear family. The final fruits of my labor are now in our hands as a forevermore account of our journey and time in the east.
I am so pleased to present this to my loving family...
I love you all!
