Writing and Publishing News

I’m home once again. I discovered that it’s not as convenient as I thought it would be to work while traveling. I packed my computer with an internet hook-up that works anywhere and anytime (except, for some reason, in Ohio). So what’s hard about stopping for a few minutes each day to add to my blog or respond to a client’s question? Well, I can tell you, it isn’t so easy to do when you are living without a schedule and when you are distracted by unexpected flight cancellations, meetings, sights to see and, most specially (as they say in the south), that great southern cooking.

I have to admit that I failed you—those of you who faithfully read my blog. And I apologize for not keeping up with it while traveling. But, while I was ignoring my responsibilities to the blog and in between the tours and eating fests, I was working with authors and budding authors. I was meeting with professionals and leaders in the world of publishing and I was gleaning information to share with you.

There are some major things happening within the ever-changing publishing industry. Much of it seems to be designed to further alienate the independent publisher and unknown author. But there are also organizations that are working very hard to protect us from the monopolies and conglomerate decisions. If you think that having your book accepted by a major publisher will protect you from disappointments and shabby treatment, you may be terribly wrong.

This industry caters to the elite few and, even if you enter into that elite realm, know that your days are probably numbered. Even if you land that contract with a major publisher, for example, your success may be just a flash in the pan—lasting no longer than a month or two.

Within the next few weeks, as my stack of to-dos dwindles and I have time to study the issues at hand (Amazon and BookSurge attempting to create a monopoly that excludes POD books, for example), I will be offering my viewpoint along with links where you can find additional information on this and other major industry topics.

In the meantime, I have dozens of books to ship, SPAWN members to contact with regard to the upcoming Los Angeles Times Book Festival, client work to catch up on, many newsletters to read and so forth.

The last phase of our 11 day trip was the PMA Publishers’ Affiliate Retreat in Nashville where 15 representatives from PMA affiliate organizations met for a day and a half to discuss you (the author) and your issues and challenges and how we can help you manage them. Stay tuned here, join SPAWN and read the SPAWN Market Update (in the member only section of the SPAWN website.) That’s Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network http://www.spawn.org.

Join your local/regional publishing organization. I will be posting a list of those organizations operating on your behalf in Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, the northwest, the Midwest and, of course, California in an upcoming article in the May 1 edition of the SPAWN Market Update. I’ll also be discussing some of the issues and resources, etc. that were brought up in the retreat right here in my blog, which I hope will go daily again soon.

Today, along with playing a major game of catch-up and trying to convince our kitties (Max and Sophie) that we still love them, we’re concentrating on getting our luggage back. Yes, Delta really did a number on us this trip. They managed to make each and every leg of our flight an adventure. I even got to experience standby for the first time ever when they decided to cancel our flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles yesterday. With this on our minds, yesterday, and because of our need to stay close to the gate in case they called our names for the next available flight, we didn’t dare venture out to replenish our snacks and water supply. We did get on the next flight without our own food and water. And we spent the next 4 hours waiting to be served even a glass of water. They served us the remnants of what was left on the food and beverage tray ½ hour before landing in Los Angeles. Sigh! We’re glad to be home. Just wish our luggage could say the same. They didn’t deliver our wayward luggage last night as promised and so we called this morning to ask about it. It is a little disheartening when you’re asked to describe your luggage and its contents in minute detail and when they want you to read to them your entire itinerary (canceled flights, changed flights and all). Despite the impression we got from the clerk at the Santa Barbara Airport—who said our luggage was on the next flight and would arrive in 45 minutes—these people don’t have a clue as to where our luggage is.

I had lots of book orders waiting for me at home. I’m going to the post office Monday, anyway, so you might as well place your order NOW for The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html If you have written a book, are in the process of writing one or are just thinking about writing one, you must have this all inclusive book!!