Tuesday April 8th – Self-publishing blog diary

Suddenly think about WH Smith as a stockist. I telephone several times and the switchboard tries to connect me to a book buyer who actually left a month ago … but I do get another name and do manage to contact him. I also e-mail Waterstones, Bertrams and Gardners with the latest publicity news. Send … Read more

Monday April 7th – Self-publishing blog diary

The third video is now on the site – I’m reading the prologue – but I never once look up from the text – so it appears I have no eyes …. A lesson for the future! Ask Waterstones in Notting Hill to order their copies and e-mail Waterstones HQ with info about publicity. But … Read more

Thursday April 3rd – Self-publishing blog diary

Fiddle around with the website – manage to talk to Rupert and learn how to make more buttons – so now I think I can do most things on the website. Continue with my April project which is clearing out endless paperwork. So far have filled 2 bin bags. I do need something to distract … Read more

Tuesday April 1st – Self-publishing blog diary

Talk to Waterstones in Woking who sound positive. Join Contact an Author (www.contactanauthor.co.uk) which I read about in The Author. It will be interesting to see if anything comes from it – it seems to be a forum where people find authors to speak at various events. Printers now say the book won’t be available … Read more

Monday March 31st – Self-publishing blog diary

Visit Waterstones in Chiswick on way back from taking car to be serviced. Check that Nielsens have got the fact that I’m being distributed by Central on their database – they have and it should be on all cds going out to shops from now on. No news from printers – I know there is … Read more

Friday March 28th – Self-publishing blog diary

Feel very sorry for myself – cold which borders on being flu … do very little work. Ring Waterstones in Hampstead; get in touch with school magazine. Still no news from printers other than to say they have no dates yet. I think we should start approaching tv shows … I’m now on Meettheauthor.com

Thursday March 27th – Self-publishing blog diary

Ring round various branches of Waterstones. Finally get the second video blog onto my site – ‘Why am I self-publishing?’ I manage to upload this onto Facebook but don’t succeed in getting it onto MySpace. Trouble at the printers which means there might be a delay – infuriating. Hear that the Mail definitely want to … Read more

Wednesday March 26th – Self-publishing blog diary

A friend rings to tell me of an article in yesterday’s Independent about a woman who had had meningitis and had to have both her hands and feet amputated. She has started a charity 500 Miles which aims to provide prosthetics for those in desperate need. Get in touch with Askews the other library supplier, … Read more

Tuesday March 25th – Self-publishing blog diary

Apart from telling people about the book – I didn’t do any work over Easter – however someone who works in Waterstones in Tunbridge Wells was at lunch on Easter Sunday. This morning I went to Waterstones in Brighton who were interested, then to Kemp Town Books – a nice shop where I had a … Read more