Rebecca Bryan's Blog, page 6

The Sand Bar Book Trailer

Gee Whiz it's been a long time since I've written on here. But that doesn't mean that I haven't been busy behind the scenes getting ready for my first book signing, and the launch of my blog tour. Things have been hectic, crazy, and just your typical mad May-ness as everything comes to a close including dance recitals, band concerts, etc. But there is still time for the debut of my first book trailer. I will be the first to admit we had some issues getting it made, but over all I think it turned out well.

So sit back and enjoy a snippet of The Sand Bar!

Also, don't forget I will be having a book signing during Fisherman's Breakfast in St. Anthony on Friday, the Twenty-Fifth in the morning, and then from one to three I will be at Broulims Market. Come by and say hi, watch the video and get a book.

Important note* 10% of the proceeds from this weekend will go directly to the Fremont County Search and Rescue. Plus I'll have a jar available for donations that will go directly to that organization so be generous! After all you are getting a free breakfast, and those folks just might be the ones to save your lives one day. Don't make them buy the cheap rope!

Sometimes you just need a laugh. I find the group Flight ...

Sometimes you just need a laugh. I find the group Flight of the Concords to be one of the best comedic groups out there. They are extremely talented (note previous post about the muppets) The first time I heard this song I was running. I literally had to stop running because I was laughing so hard.   Even my six-year-old laughs at it.  




Happy rainy Wednesday.

Oh, and just a reminder, if you've read The Sand Bar, Please leave a review on Amazon or goodreads. Muchos Gracias!

GReat NEws!

Happy spring break/Easter!!

We took the opportunity to travel to sunny Southern California for spring break. We spent all our savings at Disneyland (and that was just for the food), but we had a great time so it was all worth it. And after today's trip to Manhattan Beach, we are nicely baked to a well done and ready for the 11+ hours car ride home.

And here's the great news!



While we were zippidy do-da-ing at Disneyland, my book became available as a paperback!!!



This is super happy news. I am adding a link if you are interested in buying it. From the link you can also buy it from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.



Copy and paste link to order a copy of The Sand Bar!

http://outskirtspress.com/thesandbar



Leave a review if you liked it!

Crazy, Cougar-ess weekend!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sand-bar-rebecca-bryan/1109719391?ean=2940014242110
(copy and paste link)
Update for those with Nooks like myself. The Sand Bar is now available on the nook. Outskirts still doesn't have the print version available. I am grinning and bearing it because what else can I do?

Another side note: My novel titled "Escaping Bubble Land" was just sent to a publisher as a "full" That means they are interested in buying the book. That was kind of a fun thing. And on days when you are waiting, waiting, waiting for a book to go live you have to look for the positives.

Tonight I get to play Mrs. Robinson down at BYU. Don't worry, it fades to black before they ever reach the "portrait". I think it is going to be so fun to play a cougar, if you know what I mean. Here's what I'll be playing for those of you not familiar with the movie. I am not going to watch this because I don't want to try and be just like her, but I will watch it tomorrow.


Fun, fun, fun!

Have a great weekend. It's General Conference tomorrow. That will be great after I've just played a horrible seductress. Hope I can handle it. :)

5...4...3...2...1...LIFT OFF!!

UPDATE

It's happening!! I feel excited and sick in my stomach at the same time. I want to turn and run away, or cover my hands in my face and peek between my fingers. Either way, here it comes!
Today, Amazon, Kindle has my book available for download and the Barnes and Noble Nook version should be available by tomorrow. The print version should be available very shortly. Like any day.

UPDATE

I'm feeling bad about bashing Outskirts like I did. I really went after them the other day. I hate doing that. I try to keep negative views of other people or businesses to myself, or at least between me and my hubby, but I'd really had it...and I let everybody know.

There has been a change for the better so I wanted to let you know that all is not the devil over at Outskirts. I had to scream and shout, but they finally heard me and acknowledged their error. In so doing, I feel it only fair to recognized a few errors of my own. First, when I realized I did not get my free edits I should have immediately brought it to their attention. I didn't. I stewed and felt frustrated, but did not want to confront them. A miserable part of my personality that I detest. Secondly, I realize now that I could have cut and pasted the @ sign. Why didn't I do this? I don't know. That would have been such a simple solution. Instead, I panicked and thought, "I don't know where the copy symbol is. I'll just use this and they'll understand"

My assumptions get me into a lot of trouble. Like the time I assumed my husband knew that I had somewhere to be and he would be home in time to watch the kids, or the time I assumed the waitress heard me ask for more water and she ignored me and then I felt slighted. I could go on and on. But I won't. I just thought I should be fair. It's what I would expect from the other guy. I am trying to live by the golden rule. It would be nice if a few more people did the same.

Self-Publishing Pros and Cons

I am writing this morning with a lot of fire in my chest. Probably not the best time to put my thoughts out there in the blogger world, but to me it seems necessary.

First, a recap and update on the self-publishing journey.

Remember what I said about there being no perfect solution in the world of Self-publishing? Well that needs to be underlined. I've had a very bumpy road to say the least. I'm actually beginning to think that I'll try querying again after the experience I've had with Outskirts Press.

Here's the bad news. [image error]


I don't know about other self-publishing companies, but Outskirts Press has treated me like a number in some huge, gray and cold warehouse. When my representative submitted the wrong version of my story, she insisted that she was not at fault, and if I wanted to resubmit the correct version I could do so for an additional 100 dollars! And have a good day.

Why would I do that? She had the correct version, even she admitted that, but it was not the version that was used in the final galley review. I dug my heels in. I knew that she had made the mistake, not me and I wasn't going to pay the additional amount. All I wanted her to do was submit the correct version. She wanted me to resubmit and pay the money. "Cha-ching cha-ching" I had to take it to the president of the company, who was very gracious and promised to fix the problem right away.

Only one problem. I didn't get his email. It went straight to my trash box. Sometimes I think there is an unseen force out there trying to keep me from succeeding. In his email that I didn't receive, he suggested I make all additional corrections and then resubmit it for free. Well,by the time I discovered it, (he sent an additional email stating he hadn't heard from me and I went digging) I had already sent it back to his supervisor uncorrected.

Doing it his way would have been a great thing. You see, going through and making corrections would have saved me a lot of time and money in the long run, but I was trying to play by the rules. I didn't want them to think I was trying to cheat them. So I missed an opportunity to make corrections. Bummer. That wasn't anyones fault, except the unseen force that sent his email to trash. So I went to the Galley review to make the corrections and found that they had skipped ahead to the second Galley Review.

What is the significance? The first Galley review offered 25 free edits. Not only were we two weeks behind schedule because of this misunderstanding, but I also lost those 25 free edits! It was such a pain to get them to see my way the first time that I just gritted my teeth and paid for all the edits. (turned out to cost me an additional 200 dollars)

On the last edit (The Fourth Review) I discovered they had given the wrong person credit for the cover photo. I went ahead and paid for it and did not argue with them because again, it didn't seem worth it. Believe it or not I don't like confronting people. It makes me very uncomfortable. On the other hand, even I have my limits. Anyway, in making the correction, since I don't know where the copy sign is on the computer I used an @ sign as an example of what I wanted, thinking that they would clearly understand what I was getting at.

Wrongo! These people are not really people, they are computer robots. They must be.

Well, you can guess what happened next. They copied it exactly the way I had written it. So now instead of a copy sign it has an @ sign. Is anyone confused? So I fixed it and stated that it was their mistake and I expected to be credited for the cost.

This morning I got an email stating that I would not get a credit. That "they copy it exactly like I write it and to have a good day!"

Have a good day? Blimey! I feel like screaming!

When I corrected it I stated "Put copy symbol here" If they really do "copy it just like you write it" then that is going to look really stupid and I was better off with the @ symbol.

This has been a very frustrating experience. I ignored several of the editors mistakes, realizing that she was human, just like I was and ignored the fact that they gave credit to the wrong person and paid for the change myself, and it did nothing to help me.

Am I weird? Okay, don' t answer that, but really, maybe it's because I'm from a small town, but I assume that people have common sense,and will recognize that they make mistakes, and admit it when they do. For something so small I would expect a little neighborly kindness. But no. This company is all about the dollar. I mean, they are really all about the dollar. Every change, edit, whatever, comes with a price tag. And talk on the phone? Are you crazy? Time is money, and we've got to publish 100,000 books this year!

Plus I hate their logo! It is huge on the back cover. It looks like a self-published logo. I hate it. It's bigger than my name.

I'm so done with Outskirts Press. I will probably use Abbot Publishing with my next book because at least the guy called me on the phone. I didn't realize how RARE that was.


Here's the good news. [image error]


I am almost finished! Hopefully by today or tomorrow I will push the button that says "Go to publish" That is the good thing. That is the hopeful thing. No matter what has happened with the publishers, I am going to get my hands on my very own book. And then I will promptly turn to Createspace or Abbott Press and publish my second novel "Escaping Bubble Land"

So that's it. And now the real work begins, the marketing, and book launching parties, and signings. I have dreaded this part. Just so you know, self-promoting is way out of my comfort zone. I hate it. If I didn't I would be a famous movie star by now. But I really hate talking myself up. I hate it when other people talk themselves up too; Really get's under my skin.

Have a great day!