Monthly Archives: November 2012

Synopsis of Bud & Roo’s Spectacular Adventures- The Beach

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In the first edition of our children’s adventure series, Bud & Roo’s Spectacular Adventures The Beach, Bud & Roo find a blue bucket.  But where did it come from they wonder?  They sniff their way to a gorgeous illustration of …(well, you just have to buy the book to find that one out).

The book targets little readers under 7′s.  What makes this book so special?  This book is different as it encourages independent reading.  There are so many books that my daughters bring home that are either un-interesting and don’t make sense or don’t really reach them on their level.

Bud & Roo’s Spectacular Adventures-The Beach. was inspired by one of my favourite children’s books Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins.  Once I saw Suzy’s art work I knew she was meant to be the illustrator of our children series.  When I saw her illustrations she gave me the same fuzzy feeling I had when I read Rosie’s Walk.  Plus, my three-year old is IN LOVE with Rosie’s Walk.  She can recite the whole book which is simply amazing.  Simple and amazing.  It was copy written 1979 or something like that.  It is the ultimate classic.

Having teaching as my background (I have been a teacher for over 15+ years and that of creative writing, reading and Language Arts – or as most know as an English Teacher) I wanted to create a book that also tickled the critical thing a bit.  I know that at around age 7 the brain develops and critical thinking skills are soon to develop (my many years of psychology studies).  However, I wanted to challenge the young person’s mind.  I wanted little readers to question where does the blue bucket come from.  Where could it come from?

Lastly, our very own children have read the book whilst in the process of creating the first series of our children’s adventure books.  They can read most of the words and can remember many of the sounds.  It is truly inspirational.

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I’m finished faffing around trying to do it myself!

Posted on by bugleboypublishing

So, I’ve downloaded Calibre.  I’ve uploaded the files wrong because what no one tells you is that they need to be in .pdf format.  Not .jpg or any other file of the sort.  PDF works best.  And, because I have children something that would take a ‘normal’ person to work out takes me 3x longer due to lack of concentration and lack of time allowed on the computer.  (Thank goodness WordPress has the schedule post button because I could write a few posts and then they automatically go out on the date set- even though I love my computer being glued to it is not my idea of a Friday Funday).

At any rate, my next mission is to turn our book, Bud & Roo’s Spectacular Adventures-The Beach, into an ePub file.  Watch this space! If you want to produce an ebook that most ereaders can ‘read’ then put the file in an ePub format.  Calibre can do it for you.  Then, make sure you check it (bookbaby.com will prompt you to check it).  In the mean time, I have registered with Bookbaby.com.  They are going to do the rest of the stuff for me.  (https://www.bookbaby.com/) We are going to sell our book worldwide and keep 100% of the royalties.  Bookbaby.com offers printing, design help, and more.  Bookbaby.com boasts:

“BookBaby helps sell your eBooks worldwide.”

“BookBaby delivers your books to Amazon, iBookstore, Barnes & Noble and many more. Plus we’re adding new eBook stores almost every month. Your eBook can be read on every reading device — Kindle, iPad, Nook, Sony Reader, and more.”

Why would you spend countless evenings trying to do this all of yourself when you can pay someone $99 to do it for you?  Trust me, it just makes sense.

 

Meet the characters- Bud & Roo

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Meet the protagonists of the book, Bud & Roo’s Spectacular Adventures.  Bud is a Beagle.  He is independent, great at digging and very handsome.  Rosie Roo is a Border Collie.  She is smart and sassy.  She is always up for an adventure.

Bud & Roo are friends (well, most of the time- Rosie Roo likes to protect her stick).  Bud digs for artifacts and Rosie Roo joins him on the path to discovery where the item came from.  They are happy doggies and are inspired by our own pets at home.

Self publishing is addictive

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After self publishing (well, waiting for our prototype) I feel inclined to finally finish my self-help ebook.  I think if you could get over the ‘finished my first book’ threshold you could continue to write many more books.

Take Bud & Roo’s Spectacular Adventures.  It is a children’s adventure series.  We will write many, many more of these gorgeous books.  And, it feels good to have such an inspiration illustration on board.

However, many people say they are going to write a book, take loads of notes, pictures and/or do their research; however, they never get around to it.

I know some people think that self publishers don’t make much money, well I don’t think many people write books to be billionaires, do they?

What happened to writers being poets as well as being artists?  Since when has writing become so commercialized?

The point is- get that first book out there whether it be on print or digital.  Once you get your first one out there the second one will come a lot easier.

Don’t think, just write!

Quick uploading tip

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When sending over the pictures to the printers I noticed that every time I got to picture number 10 it automatically went beside number two.  After calling the print shop I asked them ‘what’s up’?  They suggested I save each page/photo like this:
001, 002, 003, 004, 005, 006, 007, 008, 009, 010, 011 and so on.

This is a short cut tip so that when you’re self publishing and uploading your pics on whatever program thy use- save it in the format just noted.  It will save a lot of frustration and if you don’t have much patience when it comes to computers and wanting it to get right away (like myself) then it is key to do it correctly the first time around.

Good luck!

How to condense images so that you can email them

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There is a download called Fast Image Resizer- just google it, then download it.  It is very easy (I use an old school Apple, MacBook Air.  I’d love to get a new one and I must say if and when I do I want to get either a hot pink one or red one.  Plus, because I have the first MacBookAir model that Apple put out it doesn’t hook up to the television;  therefore, we can’t watch our Netflix or I Love Film).

By condensing your files it will be easier for Nielsen to receive the front cover when you send it to them.  If you send it to them then it will be on their electronic file and the picture will come up on certain bookstore websites such as Waterstones.

This little piggy went to the market, this little piggy stayed home…

Posted on by bugleboypublishing

Have you come up with a marketing plan?  There is so much you will need to do to actually get your book out there.  Start by making a list.

1.  Make a list of all of the book shops you are going to approach

2.  Connect with people on Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook

3.  Register with Gardener’s on line if you are living in the UK

4.  Don’t forget the small book shops

5.  Send copies to your local library as well as the London library (that one is mandatory)

8.  Be prepared to put a lot of time in calling local distributors (all of the t & c’s will be different)

Title Verso Page

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Every book must have one of these.  Whether it be in the front or in the back.  This is something that you will need to do in order to fill out an ISBN application form.  And, this will protect your writing and illustrations.

credit: http://www.publish-yourself.com/make-it.shtml

Anyone can write a children’s book

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Yes, this is true.  Anyone can write a children’s book.  Madonna, Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg and yes, even John Travolta.  But what makes yours so special?  http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/06/celebrities-who-have-written-children-books.html

Find a target audience.  You will see that many of these famous people have a target of whom they want to reach.  That is a good place to start.  Bud & Roo’s Spectacular Adventures is focused on the 0-5 age group or as some book distributors such as The Guardian Book Shop like to label it as 7 and under.

After you find out your target audience go find out what they are reading and see what they’re interested in.  The age group whom you target your children’s book is your worst critic.

Anyone can write a children’s book.  However, whether or not it’s good or not is another question.  It has to be interesting to the targeted audience you are marketing it to as well as have a good platform to be able to sell.