It’s been a few months full of writing, revising, traveling, and enjoying heat waves here at home, but now I have 2 major ‘author-type event’ deadlines coming up in October, so it would be really convenient if I could get my book done before then!
I met up with my author friend Cody Sisco yesterday, who gave me some great tips on how to get started. First, he asked, do you have a website?
Why yes! You’re looking at it!
A book cover? It’s in the works. Also some bookmarks would be great! In talking with Cody yesterday, I got a new fun idea for them. I sent my cave-drawing type file over to a professional last week that happens to be a close blood relative with at least 25 years of graphic design experience. And thank goodness. The file I made is too ugly for words but has lots of notes on it on how I want it to look!
What about a newsletter? I’m lukewarm on that. I don’t generally read emails, so I don’t want to create emails for others to read (unless I’m at work- ha ha ha). So I came up with a compromise: I’ll make an occasional newsletter and post it on this site! And that way people can take it or leave it. (People at work love my weekly gazette, The InfoTech Times, which updates them on current projects within the department!) Perhaps I can use some of that flair in my author newsletter!
What about a picture? Cody asked. And apparently I should like it because it will be used over and over and over… Oh my. Maybe I shouldn’t have let my Creative Cloud membership lapse last month, but with all this book prep, I really don’t have time to learn more about PhotoShop. When I did have it, though, I made these pictures of myself for social media, and the one on the right was used on our first Made in LA marketing material. (Photo by Hubbs; taken while we were waiting for a table at a restaurant this spring. Backgrounds courtesy of googling ‘batik fabric.’) Perhaps I will use them for book stuff too. (I like the one with the swirly background best, though the plain background works best if there’s a pretty border.)
A copy editor? Check. Someone to help me figure out formatting for Kindle? I’ll look at my notes and pick brains as needed, after I get to the final version.
A plan for a paperback? Blurbs and bio online? Amazon page? Fan base? Please! I’ll figure that out in the magical time called later. Right now, I need to revise A Magical Time Called Later.
Author Gabi Lorino 