Proofs & Paperbacks

As we go into the weekend, I thought it was about time for a Those Who Trespass paperback update. Not...that there's anything remarkable to update about.

A quick, 'How This Works' for those not familiar with the CreateSpace process:

1. Upload your interior {pdf} and exterior {graphic in pdf form}. Submit. 10 mins--10 hours {submitting is painless, but nailing down your files for submission can take some time, especially early on}
2. CreateSpace approves your interior and exterior. ~15 hours of waiting
3. Order a physical proof copy. 3-7 business days of waiting
4. Proof the physical copy. Make changes. ~varies, but should get shorter with each copy
5. Repeat process until you're happy with your proof.
6. Approve. Wait for book to be sale-able on Amazon. 2-7 days of waiting

I received my first proof copy on 8/21, my second on 8/30, and my third on 9/10. That third one was supposed to be the last. I received it and happily noted that my previous changes had turned out well. There were a few super-minor things I wanted to change to the cover {things so minor that I did not intend to order a proof copy to proof them}. Except...the cover...was pink. Not pink pink. But with a definite pink hue. And the cover graphic was shifted 1/8" to the right.

My worry was that these new errors were my fault. So I called CreateSpace, because I knew from all my research that manufacturing errors do happen. They were very nice. I'm impressed. They're sending me a second proof free of charge, so that I can verify whether or not it was a random manufacturing error. It's supposed to get here by Monday. It's very nice of them indeed.

But I'm still not done. And I'm looking at my watch and tapping my toe and thinking, I told people mid-September! Of course, it could be live next week, it's true. But it just feels like it's taking way too long.

So, the short answer to the great paperback question: it is coming. I promise. I promise, I promise, I promise. The best I can tell you: the official release date is October 5. Of course, it will be available on the Internet before then. {It better be. If it's not, there probably won't be any copies to buy at the release party, and that would be terribly inconvenient.} And when will it be available for purchase online? If I receive the third-and-a-half proof copy by Monday, and if the pink/shift was a manufacturing error, and if it shows up on Amazon within a week like it's supposed to, then it will be available to order on September 24. You're welcome. {That's almost harder to figure out than my physics homework.}