Even though I’d seen the BLAD and of course the final proofs in a PDF format, the book still didn’t feel 100% real until I received the advance copies through the post. I knew what size the book would be, the number of pages and what the cover would look like, but I still really struggled to imagine it as a REAL book! When the … Continue reading Blog to Book (Part 8) – Advance Copies
Like all writers, I LOVE a great story. That’s why one of my favourite bookshelf beauties is The Complete First Edition of The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. It’s such a wonderful book! The introduction is informative and interesting, it explains how the original tales were rediscovered. I learnt a lot about the brothers and realised that they didn’t actually travel … Continue reading Bookshelf Beauty – The Complete First Edition of The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm
The marketing and publicity for Bailey Boat Cat – Adventures of a Feline Afloat was one of the most fun aspects of the whole Blog to Book process. Bloomsbury have offices in London, Sydney and New York and each team had people dedicated to marketing and publicising the book in their area. Bailey Boat Cat – Adventures of a Feline Afloat was the first Adlard … Continue reading Blog to Book (Part 7) – Marketing and Publicity
I have a whole shelf on my bookshelves dedicated to writing books and my favourite by far, in terms of beauty, is Wonderbook – The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff VanderMeer. It’s a fantastic book to pick up and flick through to get the creative juices flowing. The book can really turn your ideas upside down and inside out leaving you with … Continue reading Bookshelf Beauty – Wonderbook
I’m currently reading Earnest Hemingway’s On Writing which is a book compiled of Hemingway’s comments and observations on writing throughout his life and career. I’m throughly enjoying it and I think it’s a great book that I’ll dip in and out of again. Its next to my new Bonsai tree which I’m in love with. I’ve wanted a Bonsai for ages but until this week, … Continue reading Hemingway’s House – Key West
Until the Bailey Boat Cat Blog to Book process began, I’d never heard of a BLAD. I didn’t even have a clue what a BLAD was! As I’ve said before, I was so lucky that my editor and the team at Bloomsbury were very patient with me and they kindly explained that a BLAD is a printed sales tool. (BLAD = Basic Layout And Design) … Continue reading Blog to Book (Part 6) – The BLAD and First Proofs
I love Harry Potter. I grew up reading the series and waited impatiently with millions of other fans for each new book to be released. I was already an avid reader, but Harry’s world captivated me and I wished so hard for a letter to arrive inviting me to Hogwarts. (There’s obviously been some sort of terrible admin error, but I’ve still got my fingers … Continue reading Bookshelf Beauty – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Illustrated Edition)
Last August, I had the pleasure of staying in the gorgeous hamlet of Acciaroli for a week. The place has a sleepy charm during the day and a vibrant community spirit that comes alive as the sun goes down. This week, Acciaroli has been making headline news around the world because of its large concentration of centenarians. One in ten residents is over the age … Continue reading Acciaroli, the secret to a long and healthy life?
One of the most exciting moments in the whole of the Blog to Book journey was when I first saw the cover. I’d been asked to provide a choice of full body shots of Bailey. The designer could then choose an image to use for the cover. I was told that the designer would likely cut out Bailey and position the various photos of him … Continue reading Blog to Book Series (Part 5) – The Book Cover
I’m a real sucker for pretty books. Not only do I love reading but I also appreciate beautiful books both old and new. In this new series, Bookshelf Beauties, I’m going to highlight some of my beautiful books and why I love them so much. To start with I had no choice but to share this stunning Barnes and Noble Leatherbound Classic Collection copy of … Continue reading Bookshelf Beauty – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Other Stories
Sailing Titanium 