It’s been almost 2 weeks since my last update; I managed to get a miserable cold, so had to rest quite a bit. But I’m back to normal (more or less) now, thank goodness! I was thinking I wouldn’t have much to report this time, due to all my resting, but I’m surprised! Let’s see … What have I done the past couple weeks? On with the journey ….

I’m continuing to plan my launch for my book, A Summerland Stories Scrapbook: Memories and Memorabilia 1930s-1960s … hopefully by late April or early May! I’ve been thinking up ideas to make it a fun event. For example, make a display of photo albums, scrapbooks, autograph books, and various memorabilia related to the book’s topic and time period … create a pamphlet with some of the baked goods mentioned in the book and/or popular in the time period–and bake some of them for people to snack on at the launch … create a Power Point of photos from the time period … and more! I also attended a book launch the other day for a local writer, Faye Arcand, after reading her new thriller Inside Outside (and got some good ideas for my own launch!).

I haven’t been “out and about” very much–but still … I had an appointment at the Summerland Museum to discuss doing some volunteering there … and have been checking some local bookstores and libraries and museums to see what books they have about Summerland (and am happy to note that I don’t seem to have much direct competition, so hopefully they’ll be wanting to add my book to their collections) … and I was so excited about spring-like weather arriving that I went walkabout in the neighbourhood, took photos, and posted two new blog posts on my Penticton Pedestrian photo site, here and here … and then it snowed … twice 😦

I received the “proof copy” of my book, read it carefully to make sure it didn’t have any errors (I hope!), and jumped with joy to hold a copy of the book in my hands! Then I contacted the printer in Vernon and ordered 100 copies to have available for my book launch, and other local events. I should have them by the end of March. Getting more and more excited …. (Oh, and of course, I paid my designer and have $$ set aside for the printed books, too … Glad I had money saved up … )

I have signed up for a reading at Hillside Winery along with 3 other local writers, at 1 pm on March 29. That should be fun! Hmmm…. Which story shall I read from my book?

I went through all the comments on my social media and on this blog series, and listed all the people who have said they want a copy of my book, so I’ll make sure to have copies saved for them … and be sure to send emails to invite them personally to the launch (as soon as I have a firm date for it). IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE AN EMAIL WITH THE LAUNCH DETAILS, BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW! … I have my Amazon KDP page all ready to go, as soon as the launch has happened. Now I’m working on setting up distribution through Ingram Spark, so people can order from Indigo and possibly Kobo, especially if readers want to purchase online (ebook or POD) through *Canadian* sources!

I have ordered an name and address stamp to use on receipts at the book launch (and in books, too, if people want that info in their copy) … and I created a personalized “signature” on my Outlook email, including name, contact info, photo of book cover, links to website, etc. … and updated my to-do list (I keep thinking I must be getting to the end of my to-do’s, but keep adding more things; still, it is fun to be able to check things off as I get them done!) … I was happy to get my many photos organized and ready to create a Power Point for my book launch–and then I was going through some old CD discs looking for an old file I saved a long time ago–and guess what I found? Yep, more Summerland photos, so I had to add them to my folder of organized photos! …

Have my Summerland Stories posts provided ideas for your own writing, publishing, and marketing journey? What else do you want to know? Please share your thoughts in the comments! Thank you!

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Here are links to the other posts in my “Summerland Stories Journey” writing project:
Summerland Stories 1: Summerland Stories will be in book form
Summerland Stories 2: Surprise! Self-editing is harder than editing for others
Summerland Stories 3: Making a To-Do List: Help Needed!
Summerland Stories 4: Yes! I’m still doing my Summerland Stories project!
Summerland Stories 5: Beta reads, platform, marketing plans
Summerland Stories 6: Notes from Conal Creedon
Summerland Stories 7: Retirement is Awfully Busy
Summerland Stories 8: Short and Sweet, Sunshine and Joy
Summerland Stories 9: Happy New Year 1959!
Summerland Stories 10: Even Editors Need Editors – and Beta Readers!
Summerland Stories 11: What I Learned From My Beta Readers
Summerland Stories 12: An Unplanned Project Break
Summerland Stories 13: Off to the Editor/Designer!
Summerland Stories 14: Doubt, fears, procrastination – Yikes!
Summerland Stories 15: My Project is Coming Along!
Summerland Stories 16: My Book is At the Printer!
Summerland Stories 17: The Journey Continues
Summerland Stories 18: Are You or Yours in the Book?
Summerland Stories 19: Book Launch May 4th!
Summerland Stories 20: Historical Summerland Lives!
Summerland Stories 21: Countdown! 3 Days until launch!!!
Summerland Stories 22: Successful Launch and Into Orbit!
Summerland Stories 23: Post-launch update and my launch PowerPoint
Summerland Stories 24: Back From Summer Break; Coles Book Signing