11/5/25
There is always the tension between knowing that the less frequently I write, the more likely it is that people will keep up with this blog; and the fact that I just like to write. As for new people, well, it doesn't much matter which entry they read. All of them should be good.

Today I posted my new print book, "The Sacred Carol," on Amazon's KDP. I should get a physical proof in a few days. Already I know the register for the cover may be just a tad off, as I had an extra three blank pages on the back which I didn't realize pushed it over the total I'd given the cover designer.

I mentioned this before, but I don't recommend designing your own book with Microsoft Word, having ChatGPT as a tutor. That is, unless you have the patience of Job. AI is brimming with self-confidence; but it only knows what it's talking about roughly 90% of the time.

That other 10% will kill you.

So now that the book is done, what's next? I have to think about how to promote it, sans funds (because the funds will have gone to creating it, and sending off gratis copies). You may have gathered that I am accustomed to an inhuman amount of rejection. I've never worked in sales, but I understand that you have to have a thick skin to be rejected 999 times in order to make the one sale. And you can't let it get to you. If you believe in your product, you just shake it off and move on to the next opportunity.

So, for example, I see that C19, the association for scholars studying the literature of the 19th century, has a podcast, and you can submit your idea to them. I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that they'll actually "bite," but at some point, when my blog entry introduction to the book is up, I'll write them. I'm going to try to arrange talks at some of the local libraries; and possibly donate a book to the main branch. There are some forums I'll post on, including a forum for the graphics program I used (to describe my method of graphics enhancement); as well as a reinarnation forum I'm familiar with. I'll look for literary podcasts; probably, I'll do at least one press release.

There is just so much you can do with people who don't want to know. You can't wake up a person who is only pretending to be asleep. You can lead a horse to water but...

But now I will have a print book which might as well be a signed confession from Charles Dickens. The evidence is that strong. It's hard to imagine that everybody can ignore it.

Sincerely,

Stephen Sakellarios, M.S.