Update . . .

The crocuses are beginning to bloom! A sign promising the fullness of new growth. 
(Photo by A. Keith Carreiro, March 2016.)

I am putting aside my regular blog posting this week to write, instead, about the progress made to date on the Penitent – Part One.

While writing the past ten posts, I have been following the steps necessary to get the story ready for either an April 1^st, or May 1^st, launch in eBook format.

Never having done anything like this before, I feel like I have been in the deep Maine woods, especially on the coast in an almost impenetrable late night, early spring fog. Like an old timer might say in such a situation, “Can’t see nothin’ heah. Ayuh,” is what I am experiencing.

I’ve done a lot of reading about self–publishing, and I’ve tried to get a sense of the steps needed to get my manuscript ready for the electronic formats needed, for example, for publishing on Kindle, iPad, Nook and Kobo.

To say I am overwhelmed on the amount of information available on the topic of self–publishing would be an understatement.

However, major progress has been made in the following areas listed below:

• The immortalitywars.com website has been updated and improved. I am considering where might be the best place on the site to offer a sample of the first part of the story.

• I am a new member of ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors). The information ALLi provides self–publishing writers is excellent.

• The complete manuscript containing all three parts of the Penitent is completed and it has gone through a fairly rigorous audit by three other individuals and myself. Total word count is about 168,000 words.  Part One has received the most critical scrutiny, especially in terms of proofreading, background research and checking for consistency of story.

• Initial publication will only be in eBook format.

• The decision to publish each of the three parts of the overall manuscript on a sequential basis has been made. It is not cost effective for me to produce the full manuscript all at once. Doing all three simultaneously would put me way over budget.

  Also, taking each part as a complete novella helps create a beginning series while it also allows me time to write the second full manuscript, which I intend to do at the end of May.

• The cover design for all three novellas has been completed. I am very excited by what was created. Hollis Machala did the image design, and Chelsea Snyder did the overall cover design.

• A group of 10 ISBNs were purchased from Bowker Identifier Services.

An ISBN has been picked for the first novella, Immortality Wars: the Penitent – Part One.

An ISBN is explained in a Wikipedia article, in part, as follows below:

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique^[a][b] numeric commercial book identifier.

An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation (except reprintings) of a book. For example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, and 10 digits long if assigned before 2007. The method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country.

• I am currently in the process of getting the Penitent – Part One ready for eBook format.

Some of the quotes that come from other sources, and are listed at the front end of the story, have been changed. These quotes could not be used either because the rightsholder refused  permission to do so, or a more extensive time is needed to gain said permission, such that the publication would be delayed.

The dedication has been written.

The copyright section is completed.

The table of contents is formatted.

The basic, overall formatting has been decided.

The acknowledgement page is completed.

The sampler for the next sequel, the Penitent – Part Two, has been selected.

• I am now trying to determine how I will format the Penitent – Part One manuscript so that it will be ready to be electronically published on, at least, Kindle. As I do not have the time and confidence to do this work myself, I have had to turn to other , more reliable, sources to do so. I have approached a couple of well respected people in the self–publishing field, but the estimates they provided me were too expensive for me.

This is a major hurdle for me, and it has become a major challenge as well. However, I have traveled too far down this self–publishing road to be deterred, even stopped, at this critical point. I am confident that I will get passed this critical moment in the story’s journey in getting it before an audience.

I welcome you to write me and let me know about any thoughts or ideas you might have on what I have shared with you here in this blog.

Next week, I plan on resuming writing my regular reflection. I will be writing about another influential storyteller in my life . . .

If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products or services that I have mentioned here. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

© 9 March 2016 by A. Keith Carreiro