Umbrella Books.com

Thursday August 20th 2009 - self-publishing blog diary

sarah — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:09:58 +0000

Five months have passed since my last blog and I’ve almost forgotten how to do them. I can’t believe that at one point I was doing these on a daily basis. So what’s new in the publishing world? More returns - so I am thinking of remaindering Halfway to Venus - poor love - does she deserve it? But the good news is that my agent in New York has been back in touch - there was an even longer silence from her than there has been ref my blogging … She didn’t have anything very positive to say - but its good to know she hasn’t forgotten me. Nothing much else to report except that here I am looking for a project - a year since Venus and although I’m busy - nothing has really grabbed me. Oh yes I had an e-mail from someone in the States telling me that her physio had heard Venus talked about on National Public Radio - and that they had tracked me down via Amazon.

Monday March 23rd – Self publishing blog diary

sarah — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:17:01 +0000

I’m increasingly thinking of Venus as last year’s project … however still have to do a VAT return and I had to send a cheque to Central my distributors because of all the returns. The system is really skewed when bookshops can send back returns indefinitely – it means no one – publisher, author, distributor has any idea of how many books are sold. One of the more amusing things (I think its amusing) is that on the Venus page in their ‘Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links’, Amazon have got links to armoured vehicles, armoured trucks, armour plate stockists etc. The power of arms!

Friday February 6th 2009 – Self publishing blog diary

sarah — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:29:37 +0000

Another long gap – but until last weekend Venus seemed to have been sleeping. However there was a review in last weekend’s Mail on Sunday by Kathryn Hughes – 8 months after publication. But it was a much-needed boost and was due to Marilyn Warnick at the MOS to whom I belatedly sent the book. She gave it 4 stars and I watched the sales on Amazon soar – well at least rise! I find it difficult to go on trying to promote and sell it when I have become engrossed in other projects. Next week I shall ring Melissa in New York and see what, if anything has happened.

Saturday December 13th – 2008 – Self Publishing blog diary

sarah — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:32:19 +0000

Did boring things like the VAT return last week. Christmas sales of Venus have been dire – Amazon keeps flagging up ‘more on the way’ – but neither Bertram’s or Gardner’s figures change. Very mysterious. I have spoken to the agent, Melissa, in New York; she was enthusiastic and said that someone else in the office had loved Venus too – so that was encouraging. However publishing in the US seems to have gone into meltdown … Venus has been called in for the PEN Ackerley autobiography prize – so that’s exciting too. There is a piece today in the travel pages of the Nation in Abu Dhabi – so Venus is spreading her wings.

Wednesday November 26th, 2008 – Self-publishing blog diary

sarah — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:45:07 +0000

I sent out a page of reviews to about 100 bookshops in the hope that they might order in Venus for Christmas. This was about 3 weeks ago and since then there have been more returns than sales so I think it might have backfired – reminding booksellers that there was an unsold copy in the shop – which they then promptly returned! Anyway I refuse to get downhearted about it – I feel that it’s out there now – and rather like a child you have to let it go. And who knows who might find it. Byron Rogers chose Venus as one of his books of the year in the Spectator - do people buy books on the strength of that? I gave a talk to the Women’s Petroleum Club recently – somebody had dropped out at the last minute and I was able to do it. It was at the University Women’s Club – and I sold several books afterwards. However my BIG and EXCITING news is that a New York agent has taken Venus on. I know that’s NOT a publisher and that times are hard etc etc – but nonetheless it’s very exciting.

Thursday October 30, 2008 - Self-publishing blog diary

sarah — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:40:40 +0000

There was a review in the Church Times written by Lavinia Byrne a few weeks ago – so things are still happening. I’m torn between still trying to push Venus and getting on with my new ideas. I’m certainly painting and drawing more – and will soon start putting some of my paintings on to the website I think. More interest from both publishers and agents in the US. Or rather several more have asked to see it – I anticipate a long wait – but that feels ok. On the suggestion of the publicist I have sent out copies to those newspapers who didn’t review it – and as she said ‘should have’. I’m not sure this will prove worth it – but I’ve done it – and we shall see.

September 20th - Halfway to Venus - a self-publishing diary

sarah — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:17:28 +0000

The sales of Venus are pretty slow but I’m still getting very positive responses from people who hear about it, buy it and read it. I did an interview with Conscious TV a couple of weeks ago and I’m hoping the link works here. I’ve been approaching American publishers - so far one rejection but there are others who still have it + I sent off a copy this morning to an agent. I must do a Venus push before Christmas but for the moment there’s not much to do and I need to get on with other things.

sarah — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:47:08 +0000

Sunday Times

Self-publishing blog diary - August 10th

sarah — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:06:19 +0000

I’ve just updated my Contact an Author site - maybe one day it will produce a talk or something? I have recently put my flat on the market - so that is the recent publicity I’ve been getting (rather than for the book) - all because of the film Notting Hill. I’m still having problems with Bookforce - they apparently are meant to have sent me a new invoice with a 10% discount. Big deal - but I’ve received nothing. Their first invoice was sent from an address that no longer belongs to them. The whole outfit seems mega-inefficient.

Monday August 4th - Self-publishing blog diary

sarah — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:53:59 +0000

Have talked to an agent about foreign rights. She was positive – but until something actually happens I’m not going to think about it. She only does foreign language so I will have to the US myself – I am beginning to accumulate contacts and am sending out feelers to America. The publicity keeps coming – a piece in ES Magazine on July 11th, the Catholic Herald (nice review), the two pages in My Weekly by Claire Saul look great – lots of photos. A profile in Matchbox (more about Notting Hill than Venus) and then in the Sunday Times of August 3rd there’s a piece on self-publishing by Jasper Rees and I am one of those he talked to. However sales seem to be static – it seems to have fairly healthy ratings on Amazon – but the numbers still in stock fluctuate wildly and ‘more on order’ appears. I do feel in a dilemma – in a way I feel I can’t leave the book – but actually I want to immerse myself in a new project. However August is not a good time to start new projects – so I think I must just be patient. Re the reprinting – I got a new quote from the new Butler and Tanner and it was over three times as much. When I queried this I discovered that all their printing is now being done on colour presses. What a pity.