The trials and tribulations of a writer

Morning all.


   Sorry to have been missing for so long but after the euphoria of a successful book fair my world fell through the floor. Varying things happened some too personal to mention here but this past week has been horrid.

 Only now do i feel able to put into words a small proportion of my frustration.

Ottawa;- A book fair which saw some success and for which i thank Peter and Lisa for their assistance. However here is where some of my frustration emerged. it cost me £37 to send a box of books to Canada. With printing costs and postage a substantial outlay to a small publisher/author. One that we would all embark upon without a second thought after all we need to get our product seen by as many readers as possible don't we?

Take care if you embark on such a venture because now to get me books back I am being quoted silly prices. £100, £125, 87 but that will take 6 weeks. Is it me or are these prices absurd, can England be the only place where the internet has spawned companies like Parcels2go who trawl the varying couriers for spare capacity and then offer reduced costings to make up loads?

Well if so thank God for this sad old Country, at least we lead the world in realistic courier prices.. To complete this sad story i contacted various large companies and they could all get my books home for a sensible price and in a time frame that wouldn't see them decay from old age in the process but I had to become a registered account holder, No problem  and send 6-8 parcels a week I wish there were readers out there in such numbers. So now Dead Men Lie are lost stuck in Canada without homes to go to, reduced to so much waste paper, an edifice to another lost cause.

Therefore after much soul searching and many questions being asked questions which personally i didn't desire to answer having things of far greater concern to deal with i have decided that Dead Men Lie will never be available in paperback format again. Those readers who can see the merit of this book (And there are many)  will have to consign themselves to e-book version. never again will I send copies out without first taking payment for my work. Thank goodness i refused to send the required 50 copies then i would have been £500 out of pocket.    

As you can tell i am depressed annoyed and put it bluntly disillusioned. This sad story has blunted my enthusiasm as has the total disregard for my offer to sell these trapped copies at a reduced rate.

Now back to my true task, for the foreseeable future writing takes a back seat. To those that have caused so many problems you can rest easy for a while but i will write what you are concerned about it will be delivered despite all your fears.

Until another time I leave you with one thought. Those who decried my book have missed reading what will become a best seller. To quote a famous retailer 'This time next year i will be a ....' well certainly well off.

Dave  

Hello again everyone
My thanks to all those who chipped in with their comments. Yes things got on top of me but a good friend telephoned this morning and verbally kicked me hard and severely in the rump. I am now back on course re-directed and ready to go again. the books have gone they are forgotten a costly error but in the great scheme if things a trivel nothing really to get heated about a lesson learnt and that is what life is all about learn and move on. Though i would say to all you budding authors out there take heed of what happened to me and do not fall into the same trap.

 I have a few more days of writing to finish the next installment of Ride the Marsh Road then i will be back into dealing with my friends story The Pathway is becoming an interesting read even for me the writer i trust i do justice to his life and what he has endued.

Until our next meeting

Dave