I Warned You...

I want to do so many things...I did warn you...

I made my first fruitcake, or Christmas cake they call it here. I rarely if ever eat them. I mad it because my husband wanted to make one and well, it was less mess if my hands were doing the making. So it is wrapped up in the linen closet (coolest place in this house) and has been there for about 6 weeks. It's scary to think you can actually keep baked goods stored that long. ;) this is what it looked like going into the closet.

But my biggest achievements have been more books! (Not sure how this photo will turn out.)

I have published two more this year, my grandson, Cameron wrote one that I published and I have published several other books for other authors with varying levels of involvement. You can see all of the books at www.woolyswagon.com.

I did some of the work while on a 4.5 month working holiday back in the USA where I held my first ever book signing. Co-hosting was my cousin, Chuck Hurley, illustrator for a variety of books and book covers. It was great fun. We were on local radio and in the local paper. Not a great photo, but we had to submit it within the hour...

So that has been where all my time has been spent...on books. The garage hasn't been touched. My art supplies have only been shuffled around while looking for something else, and I have been very skilful at learning to make fast dinners and freeze a second batch of whatever I'm making so I can even have a reprieve on some days.

I've been learning about marketing and lots of other skills to promote the books offered on WoolysWagon.com and grow the business.

So for now, gotta run, time to whip up a quick dinner, then play with Dragon Speaking, a voice to text software. Another time-saving effort so I can do the work of many and still vacuum and mop.

I'll be back after I see how that fruitcake turned out. Might make a few other treats too.


Cheers!

and the Learning Continues...

Just a short one today. I've finally got my book published in paperback.  'Kangaroo Tales - The Long Black Paddock' is now available here:  https://www.createspace.com/3795452 and will soon be available on Amazon.com.

I'm making progress with the illustrations on my next book:  'Perki Cati' and hope to have it published in both ebook and paperback before the end of April.  If I'm incredibly diligent I may also get 'Button, Button...' published right around the same time.

Along with all of this I am editing and publishing/republishing Judi Miller's body of work along with some new titles for her, and editing other author's works too!  I'll continue working during my Holiday/business trip to the USA beginning in June.  Lots of details and planning yet to do. Although it is necessary and I find it challenging planning my itinerary, the adventurer in me wishes I could just get a flight and wing it from there. ;) I hate pinning myself down to being somewhere at a certain time. Just one of those halftado things when you are involving other people. ;)  I'll just make sure to hold back a little cash for rescheduling my flight home...;)  lol  Shhhhhhhh  don't tell!

I spend more time on writing/editing/publishing than I ever did in a 9-5 job, and it is so much more rewarding. At the end of the day, I know my work is appreciated, I know things have been done the best they can be given my ability and I know someone else isn't going to suddenly decide it would be better done another way (that doesn't work) or that my good work will be bastardized by someone thinking they have better ideas.  ;) Not to mention not having to wait around forever for someone else to make decisions.

Well, off to the kitchen...dinner time.  I need a cook. Today has been all about domestic housework.  Blech! I think I will bake myself a cake though. Reward time.

Till next episode...Take Care

HOOOOOeyyyy!!!

Aha!  I beat the one year blogging and made it back within a month!  Whhhhooooooeeeeeeee~  So what's been happening? Well, ummm...  I've been busy EVERY DAY, editing, publishing, illustrating and communicating.

I have one ebook, a Middle Grade new-aged Cinderella story, for established author, Judi Miller, ready to go as soon as I get the Book Cover ready. Then next step is getting the print version underway. Watch for "Me, Max and the Lucite Boot".

Working through the edits on another book for Jean Scott. This one is a compilation of stories about life and perspective.  I don't like to throw other author's names about as reference points so I'll just say you'll enjoy the poignant bits as well as the funny, laugh out loud bits. "Road Trip" is everything the title implies. Up and down, missing some potholes and OUCH!  Written with a real enjoyment of the stuff life is made of.

I edited and assist-published "Be Still, My Love" by Deborah J. Hughes, which is currently exclusively available on Amazon, free reading to Amazon Prime Members. If you'd like a copy to give a review on Amazon, you have to have an Amazon account that you have used to purchase something, let me know and I'll speak with Deborah about it.

I'm also getting my first ebook release "Kangaroo Tales-The Long Black Paddock" ready for print. Nearly there, just have to properly size the illustrations for the print edition.  You have to have a much higher resolution illustration for print. So just a hint, if you are scanning illustrations for your ebook, make the first scan 300 dpi (HIGH resolution) so you don't have to scan again later on for the print version.

I'm also planning for my family vacation in 4 months time.  No, I'm not taking the family...Just me visiting the family all over the USA. It's a working Holiday as I will be working on my first novel, "A Woman of Means", doing a book signing in the area my family is from, Knockemstiff, (yeah you read that right!) with my illustrator cousin, Chuck Hurley for Kangaroo Tales-The Long Black Paddock and maybe Perki Cati if I can get it done in time. Maybe I will luck out and find a local bookstore that wants the publicity (lol really, Robin, publicity?) and we can do it there.  If not, it's out by my cousin's hand-built lake/pool, and it's BYO! I'll also be continuing the editing and publishing process for talented authors everywhere! The great thing about this job is it's portable! Believe me, I've never had work that was actually so much fun. I guess if you look long enough...

I'm always in the need for reviewers for the books I'm publishing, so if you've got a few minutes on your hands and want to read a book or two, let me know and I'll shoot some your way when they are nearing the end of the editing process or just posted for sale. You get to read a book for free, I get feedback and HOPEFULLY, when it is up on Amazon you will kindly go give it a review. Just email me at robin@woolyswagon.com if you want to be on my reader/reviewer list.

On another note if you are an author with a book that's just sitting around waiting for some agent or publisher to knock on your door, maybe it's time for you to send me an email so we can see how we can get your book out where folks can read it. I've got ways for it to be affordable to nearly everyone.

So, you may be able to see that I am not doing much in the kitchen. (Yay me!) That means I'm not ingesting tons of calories (well, not TONS) and I'm diligently keeping  up with my "Exercise in Bed" Program.  No... no...no...don't go there. ;)

I had a hella lucky Christmas season. I won an iPad. woohoo! Now just have to learn what I can really do with it. I also won $525 in a Canon (they deserve a little free advertising after that one!) printer promotion.  You buy the printer (which I did for a christmas present) go online and enter the competition... and WIN!  I have the first part of the win.. a $25 gift card and am awaiting the $500 part.  I thought it was to be another gift card to the same electronics store, but they may have changed it to cash.  Either way, it is already spent (second part of the printer present). It's always good to exercise people's delayed gratification factor.

All right!  I have just spent the last minutes of my day before I have to go make dinner. Followed by a few hours of TV until the other half goes to bed, then TO WORK till the wee hours of the morning. The best time to work - NO DISTRACTIONS!  I think tonight I will put the print version of Kangaroo Tales-The Long Black Paddock to bed. Then it's onward to finishing, "Button, Button" and "Perki Cati".

Maybe I need a nap.

A Once a Year Blog??!!??

It has been nearly one year exactly since I started this blog. TskTsk.. BUT! oh what I have accomplished. No, not in the garage, sadly, though I did get most of the books and records (yes, those vinyl things) moved to the shed (yes another junk storing building). No, not in the art room- still the mess it was though I have opened a few of the boxes while searching for things and I have new IDEAS on how to organize it. ;)

I have, though, started a freelance editing service.  I edit and publish both ebooks and books for print on demand ordering through Amazon.com. The ebooks are available on various online outlets like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore, Sony, and Smashwords. BTW if you ever buy someone's books you should check to see if they are available on Smashwords, as it gives the author more royalties than buying on the major outlets. It is they who should be getting that money, you know and most authors that use Smashwords have all of the ebook formats available there.

I have also written and published two of my own books, Kangaroo Tales - The Long Black Paddock, a story about Kevin Kangaroo and his friends' adventures in Australia (Book One of the series) and Exercise in Bed, a low impact exercise plan for overweight and chronic pain sufferers who find regular exercise regimes too tough to tackle.

I have two more books coming out in the next few months, which are in illustration phase at the moment.

I'm most proud that I am offering my services at less than half the price of other freelance editors/publishers and offer both full cash or cash/commission options so nearly everyone can afford to get their books edited and published. It is such a joy to hear the exclamations when a person who has always had the dream of getting a book published sees their book for sale on Amazon or another ebook retail site. It's like publishing one of my own, truly.

Not only do I get to write and read some great books for free, I help others. I also keep my hand in as an artist by designing book covers and bringing life to b/w sketches with color for both my own books and those authors I provide services for.

Finally, a job I love and that allows me to help others at the same time. ;)  And the only crabby boss I have to put up with.... is me.