Self-Publish? Who me? Part 2

Part 3  -  Hiring and Working with the Editor:

In order to find a professional editor, I relied on the recommendations’ of author friends that were self-publishing as well as professional organizations like SCBWI searching for members who also did editing.  Be sure to check for experience in editing in your genre.  Make phone calls, ask questions and let you gut lead you.

 Do I need a professional editor?  After checking out the literature, I decided that I would spend the money and hire an editor for my own peace of mind. 

 In a blog on the NY Book Editors’ website, I found an article entitled; 12 Reasons Why You Need a Professional Editor. https://nybookeditors.com/2021/07/12-reasons-why-you-need-a-professional-editor/ The job of the editor includes more than just correcting typos – which is important in and of itself.  We all know how we feel when we come across a typo in a letter, blog post, article, professional paper, or a book.  It makes the author look careless and if he/she doesn’t care about his subject, why should I?

However, beyond the typo issue, the article discusses the biggest reasons why you should consider working with an editor to polish up your manuscript.

1.     You get a fresh perspective.

2.     An editor has a professional set of eyes.

3.     An editor offers experience.

4.     An editor gives objective feedback.

5.     You can become a better writer.

6.     An editor helps you discover your own voice.

7.     An editor will check for pacing.

8.     A professional edit ensures consistency.

9.     An editor will help identify the fatty areas and bring about a stronger story.

10.    You will create the right first impression.

11.    Your manuscript will be safe.

12.   A professional edit is more affordable than you think if you consider it as continuing education that makes your story stronger and you a better writer.

In my experience, I found the objective feedback to be most valuable.  Hearing the strengths and weaknesses of my writing from the point of view of someone who has worked with a number of authors enabled me to step back and make a few simple changes that in my opinion did make my story stronger.

A word of caution, it was tempting for me to rely too heavily on the suggestions given.   I had to remind myself to keep to my story and my voice so as not to lose sight of my objectives in writing the story in the first place.  You are the author and you can decide what works for you and what does not. 

I found it interesting to trust a small number, one or two, successful authors in my group of acquaintances to read my manuscript and offer feedback as well.  I was then able to compare what they had to say with the advice of the editor and make better decisions on my writing for myself.

June 9, 2021 I hired Rachelle Burke as my editor.  I received her first edit on June 22, 2021 and sent her my rewrite.  By the end of June, I received a second edit which I shared with Margarita Sikorskaia, my illustrator.  Margarita reminded me of how I had created my world of the neck and that I should not lose sight of my own writing style.  On July 2, 2021, using Margarita’s permission, in a sense, to continue with what had been successful writing in Life in the Neck Books 1 and 2, adding in Rachelle’s good ideas regarding sentence structure, moving ideas around a bit, and punctuation changes – I combined it all, put all of my characters back in with my own writing style and wrote the final rewrite.  I’m extremely happy with the result.  There’s always so much to learn. 

I’ve included Rachelle Burk’s first edit in its entirety for you to experience what you might expect to see from an editor.  The editor I had used previously was not this explicit.  Editors are all individuals with differing ideas and ways of doing things – just as author’s are.  It is important for you to find an editor that is the right fit for you and your style.  Here is the edit:

Hi Diane,

Lovely story, with a great “voice”!

I’ve researched your other books a little since it did affect some of my comments, such as the need to mention all the characters, or if there is already a fort mentioned, etc. Otherwise, I might have had different suggestions. Your books look lovely! BTW, one of my squirrels is staring at me at my desk as I type this very morning. Complaining about the lack of treats lately, I assume….Okay, he’s happy now. I just gave him Chinese noodles. (“Our” squirrels will climb our screen if we delay their morning treats).

Here are my notes, followed by line by line edits and suggestions. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Warmly,

Rachelle

TARGET AGE: Based on the animals and basic, informative info about Advent, it feels like a story geared to children ages 4-6. However,  the language sounds a bit mature for your target audience, more like a middle grade novel than a picture book. I've made suggestions for simplifying the language.

WORD COUNT: A bit long for a picture book, but very easy to tighten. You have a lot of unnecessary detail that can be cut since it will be shown in the illustrations without need for the text. I’ve made suggestions in text.

TITLE: More specifically about Advent than just Christmas. Maybe the title should reflect that? Life in the Neck: Celebrating Advent?  Your other books do not use “My” in the title, so probably don’t add it in this one.

CHARACTERS: You introduced 11 characters. A LOT for a PB. Must you name them all? I assume  they are in your previous books so you want to have them all present here? When they are so named, there is an expectation they'll reappear in a meaningful way, but they each have minor roles. It would be enough—in fact, perhaps more powerful—to show them prominently in the illustrations with no need to mention them (or at least not all) in the text. If the illustrator focuses in on the animal characters, the reader will get that part of the story visually. For example, if she draws the squirrels looking quizzically at each other when the manger is assembled, the point is  made without a squirrel actually saying, “Do you know that child in the straw?”  But if you want it to be consistent with the other books and are certain you want them all named, keep the early paragraphs that I’ve suggested deleting (which is just a suggestion anyway, for the reasons I mentioned).

Point of View (POV): It's a good idea to have a single character from whose point of view you write from. It’s the standard in picture books, and most other books for kids (though novels can have alternating chapters from different POVs). Currently it seems that you have 2 main characters (MC) who more or less take turns with action and dialogue (Eli and Elsie), and there is no way to determine whose story it really is. I would suggest Eli because he is your audience's age and it's his fort. (Certainly, his sister and other family members can do things or speak, but these will all be things that your MC is able to observe, so it’s still his POV.) Otherwise, thoughts, wondering, and observations should be his, and most of the good ideas can come from him with a few thrown in by sister, his supporting character. For instance, after his sister tells him about the wreath for Advent, perhaps it can be HIS idea to have the celebration at HIS fort, and to make the wreath out of things in the woods, then SHE can suggest to add some acorns for decoration (since after all, the kids are sharing their peanuts so it’s the least the squirrels can do)—and she can suggest also that some small pine cones be added?  

I have a suspicion, however—based on the photo on your website—that these are your grandchildren, and you want to give them equal billing. If so, I get that, though I’ll still provide my professional feedback without taking that into account, though you can then ignore it!

DIALOGUE: Dialogue tags should be invisible and not call attention to themselves. Don't say “inquired” or “quizzed” when “asked” will do, or “explained” when “said” works, etc.

You have a good balance between dialogue and narration.

VOCAB/WORDING/PUNCTUATION:

I don't think that shepherds, angels, kings or baby are capitalized.

Thoughts are italicized, not put in quotation marks.

INTRO: The writing is beautiful but I suggested cutting it to move more quickly to the theme of advent. Most of the parts that should be cut are things that will be shown by the illustrations so you will not be losing any information. Also, there is the scene with them sledding in the snow which is quite nice in terms of the writing, but since the story is about the fort, why not consider revising the winter activity to something about the fort--maybe Eli and his sister decorating the fort for Christmas? It seems as much more relevant than them playing in the snow, delays the story-related action.

CONFLICT/PROBLEM: typically even a themed story like this has some sort of struggle, conflict, or problem to work out. Can Eli struggle a bit to figure out a way to make the wreath without candles because of a recent fire? Maybe after deciding to make an Advent wreath, they agonize about the idea of candles and remember the fire—add a line or 2 of detail about the fire in which, perhaps, no one got hurt for the grace of God…that sort of thing. I don’t believe that the parents’ getting mad should be their motivation for deciding against the candles. Instead, it should be the potential dire consequences of a fire in the woods. Maybe they consider no lights at all, but then that’s nothing but a Christmas wreath, right? What if they capture fireflies and use them as lights? No, they don’t want to imprison wildlife. So, finally, Eli remembers the lanterns in the shed, and the story continues. Maybe you can even come up with a bible verse that addresses the idea of will/motivation/determination that you can add during the conflict part of the story. All of this would increase the excitement and show Eli’s strong motivation and creativity.

CONCLUSION: Lovely, simple.

My Life in the Neck Christmas

By Diane Davies

Word Count:  987

Dianedavies48@yahoo.com

651-436-7234

Add back the deleted opening

(Gorgeous writing, but you should probably cut much of it since the illustrations will show the snow covered pines.)

Eli and his squirrel pals new pals from the squirrel family Illustrations will show they are squirrels)), Chatter, Whistle and Squeak had come to an agreement for sharing the fort for the time being, at least until spring.  Eli delivered peanut treats to them daily (active voice is stronger, as opposed to passive “were delivered”) The peanuts and peanut butter treats were delivered daily by Eli.  Mr. & Mrs. Red The Squirrel and family had it made for what looked like the long winter ahead.

The cold of winter settled in with the first snowfall.  All of the animals who lived in the Neck((,))—Delaney, Rocket, Red, Old Coyote and others more,  —were prepared for the long freezing stretch.

Elsie, Eli’s big sister, and had school until the long awaited Christmas ((V))vacation.  When Christmas vacation arrived, Eli and his big sister Elsie loved to sled down the driveway Sledding down the driveway and over the mound of snow piled up at the end. became the after school activity for the two of them.  Wet jackets, mittens, scarves, snow pants and boot liners were daily added to the clothes dryer to make ready for the next day. Most of this doesn’t add anything to your story. Images will only show the sledding, not the shedding (of clothing) anyway, so leave out that unimportant detail! Great detail for a novel when you have a large word count to work with, but not a PB. I recommend cutting to get more quickly to the heart of your story.

As Elsie and Eli walked up the hill and through the forest to decorate Eli’s Fort to deliver the daily peanut treats to the squirrel family, Elsie had an idea.  “Eli, let’s celebrate Advent this year at your fort.” 

“Sure!  What’s advent (Advent—capital A)?” questioned asked Eli. (I don't think he'd agree before asking the question and getting the answer)

“Well Advent is celebrated at Church.  Remember?  “It’s the four weeks leading up to Christmas when we are getting ready for Jesus’ birthday on Christmas Day,” explained said Elsie.

 “Oh, is that when we light a special candle each Sunday on a wreath and read from the Bible?”((,)asked EliBeing the older sister and twelve Elsie explained that evergreen branches placed in a circle make up the Advent Wreath. “A circle has no beginning and no end, just like God’s love for his creations,” she said Elsie.

“Does God love the birds and animals, too?” ((quizzed))asked Eli. (Birds are animals, so they don't need a separate category. Though this question makes Eli sound much younger than intended. I have a feeling he is old enough to know the answer to that, so personally I’d leave this question and Elsie’s answer out.)

“Even the birds and the animals,” responded Elsie.)) “Yes, all of them,” said Elsie.

The kids used Google to research Advent. Using Remembering their Sunday School lessons and information from online, they began collecting items they would use for their celebration.  First they found evergreen branches and fashioned a wreath.

“We clearly can’t use real candles!  Mom and Dad would be so mad. “Let's not use real candles,” said Eli. “We don’t need another fire in the Neck,” said Eli. (I think you can expand on the fire history, and have them struggle here to figure out what to use instead. It ups the drama a bit, as I describe in my notes)

“Papa has lanterns in the shop that use batteries.  They will take the place of candles,” ((answered)) said Elsie.

The animals of the Neck watched the children build the wreath on the porch of Eli’s Fort. On The first Sunday of Advent, all was ready.  Gathering around the wreath, Eli turned on the first lantern while Elsie read from her Bible, Isaiah 9:  “For a child has been born for us.”  Then she turned on the first lantern and explained, “The first This lantern represents the Prophets that told of a Savior’s coming,” announced said Elsie.  “What’s a Savior?”((,))  Eli asked wanted to know.

 “Someone who saves us from our sins - Jesus,” explained Elsie.  Delany and Rocket looked on in astonishment.  “What is going on?” they wondered. This sort of comes out of nowhere. What exactly are they astonished about? From their point of view, the kids are reading a book with a lantern on. Perhaps it would be more powerful to have the illustrator draw the animals circled around them listening peacefully—no text needed!

On Advent’s second Sunday,  Elsie turned on two lanterns and Eli read Matthew 1:  “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus.” He turned on the second lantern and said, “This lantern represents the angels. They talked with Mary, Joseph and the shepherds about Jesus’ birth.” explained Eli.  ((Art note:Delany and Rocket were joined by Cardinal Red and Old Coyote as they began to experience the coming of the light into the forest.)) Again, let the illustration alone show this without you telling it.

The kids found an old wooden manger upstairs in Papa’s shop and took it out to the fort placing   placed it in  front of the Advent (W)wreath for the third Sunday. “When Jesus was born, a feed manger like this was used for his bed,” said Elsie.  Elsie and Eli were amazed at the number of (art note: still more animals joining them.)  Eli turned on three lanterns. Elsie read from Luke 2: “You will find the babe wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” She added, “This third light represents the Shepherds who were told by the Aangels where to find the Bbaby in a manger.   The manger was used long ago for feeding farm animals(still is) and was used for the baby’s bed,” said Elsie. (move this part about the bed up a few lines) The animals no longer feared the growing light . (There was no indication they ever feared it. Maybe an art note that just have the illustrations showing the animals moving closer to the children and manger, and therefore it is clear that they are not afraid, and are also moved by and engaged with the event)

The fourth Sunday arrived. Once again the kids came to the fort to turn on all four lanterns.  It was Eli’s turn to read Matthew 2: “They followed the star until it stopped over where the child was.”  He clicked on the fourth light. “This lantern is for the Kkings who came bringing the first Christmas Gifts gifts to the Bbaby – gold, frankincense and myrrh. Very carefully straw was added to the manger making it a warm nest (lovely phrasing!) for the new baby.” Eli crawled to the roof and added climbed up to add the star he’d made. (My reason for this last suggestion is the significant danger of a small child climbing on a roof. Perhaps have your illustrator show him on a stepstool placing it over the door of the fort rather than on the roof.

Christmas Day dawned with bright sunshine.  As the kids made their way to the fort, they were followed by((,)) Mom and Dad, Papa and Grandma, and the forest animals.  All came to experience the love and joy present in this Christmas morning.  Elsie had carefully wrapped a baby doll in a blanket while (let illustration show—you then write it in the next line anyway) Eli carried the last of the lanterns to the fort. Elsie placed a doll swaddled in a blanket into  The doll was placed in the manger.((,) As Eli turned on the first four lanterns, all five lanterns were turned on while Elsie read John Chapter 1: “And the word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen his glory, the glory of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

As she switched on the fifth light, both children read together,  “This final lantern bringing the light into the world represents Jesus coming to save us from our sins,” declared Elsie and Eli together.

Delaney looked over to her friend Rocket asking, “Do you know who that child is in the straw?” (this is the first time am animal actually speaks, so it's a bit jarring so late in the story. But mostly, I wonder whether the question needs to be asked at all. You would show their engagement by their proximity via the art. The fact that they  have followed the family, and are so engaged and interested in the goings-on, seem to imply that they intuitively  understand who the child is, or at least that he is someone very important.)

(Illustration note: As the animals placed their natural treasures around the manger,) (I’m suggestion leaving out this text and have it shown beautifully via the illustrations) Rocket answered Delaney question, “He is Jesus,!  C come to bring light, hope, joy and love to our world.” Do the humans hear  him? I don’t know how you handle the talking animals in your other books. Unless you truly feel it’s necessary, I’d leave this out here, since the lines before and after reflect the full sentiment of the quote. But I do have an interesting “compromise” (since it’s very rare to have animals talking in a book where there are also humans): remove the quotes from the main text but have the illustrator let the animals say things in speech bubbles over their heads in the art! That will more clearly imply that only the animals hear each other, and it’s not something the humans are privy to.  

And right there in the middle of the Neck in front of Fort Eli, the peace and love of Christmas Day settled on all present and the light came into the world once again for one and all indeed! “once again” implies the light was out. How about something like:

And a bright light shone at Fort Eli, in the middle of the Neck, as the peace and love of Christmas Day settled on all present. (or something like that).

(Art note: All characters together say in a speech bubble: Merry Christmas, Eeveryone!) 

Part 4  -  Hiring and Working with the Printer:

It is important to begin your search for a printing company early on in the process as it can be a daunting task with much for you as an author to learn.  Your designer is the person who puts the pages together for the printing of the book and will need to know the requirements of the printer before their work can begin.  The designer maybe able to help you make many of the decisions ask of you by the printer.

I found a very helpful article on Incredible Planet (https://incredibleplanet.net/10-tips-for-choosing-a-printer-for-your-first-published-book/) entitled 10 Tips for Choosing a Printer for Your First Published Book.

1.      Consider Price – The best way to do this is to request a quote.  Be sure to comparison shop between 2 – 3 different services.  High price does not necessarily mean quality service.  An understanding of materials, bindings, color options and the quality of their work is what is most important.

2.     Printing Equipment – The condition of their printer and how they maintain it is important for the quality of their product.  Request to see a sample of their work.

3.     Specialization for Self-Publishers – They will take the time to answer your questions and make suggestions and offer the best options for your printing needs.

4.     Length of Time in Business – Services that have been in business for a lengthy period have consistent quality and output.

5.     Printing Options – Do they offer hardcover, paperback and ebook?

6.     ISBN Number - identifies the registrant, specific title, edition, and format. Remember each format requires a different ISBN number.  The printer does not supply these numbers.

7.     Before You Format – You must choose your printing company before you format.

8.     Book Size - You will need to know your book’s overall dimensions before printing. The book size (trim size) you select determines the internal specifications and cover template of your book.

9.     Paper, Binding, Laminate – The company website or representative can help you make these decisions according to what you want for your end product.

10.   Book Distribution – Is usually not a part of the printers job.  However be sure to have this conversation.

Conversations between you the author, your designer and the printing service representative will be helpful in figuring out your needs.  I’ve included a copy of my Printing Spec Sheet to help you get an idea of the decisions you will need to make.

When deciding on a printer I took into consideration where they were located.  I had made the decision not to use a warehouse distribution center but to do the shipping of orders from my home.  The printer I decided on was in 50 miles of my home so I would be able to pick up my books myself and save a considerable amount of money on having the books shipped to my home for storage.  Another decision for you think about for yourself.

Printing Spec Sheet

Date:     June 24, 2021

Diane Davies

8481 Quant Ave. S.

Hastings, MN  55033

651-436-7234

Dianedavies48@yahoo.com

www.dianedavies.com

                                                            Title of Book:   Life in the Neck Christmas – Book 3 in the Life in the Neck Series

  Author:  Diane Davies

  Illustrator:  Margarita Sikorskaia

  Type of Printer:  offset

  Trim Size:                      8’ X 10” with double page spreads

  Format:             hardcover

  Paper Weight:                100 lb. high gloss

  Binding:            perfect binding/adhesive case

  Page Count:                   32 pages

  Number of Copies:         1000

Part 5 -  ISBN Numbers:

An International Standard Book Number, or ISBN, is a 13-digit code used as a unique identifier for a book. An ISBN is assigned to each edition of a book, enabling publishers, bookstores, libraries, and readers to find individual titles.

The number identifies the registrant, specific title, edition, and format. 

The internet does a great job of detailing for you how to obtain an ISBN number.  Here is an article that I found helpful:  https://selfpublishing.com/isbn-number-self-published-book/

I used Bowker Identifier Service to purchase my ISBN numbers.

Part 6 -  Copyright:

Copyrighting is when a creator establishes a public record of their intellectual property.

A copyright can protect your book by providing proof of creation and can strengthen the defense against copyright infringement by another entity. For example, a copyright can prevent a bookstore from making and selling its own copies of your writing for profit. A copyright can also keep another author from plagiarizing your work.

The internet does a great job of detailing for you how to obtain a copyright for your book.  Here is an article that I found helpful: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-copyright-a-book#what-is-a-copyright

Part 7 -  Hiring and working with a designer:

Book designers work on the entire physical appearance of your book. This includes designing the interior of the book along with the exterior. As a result, book designers outline the font and layout of your book's text and choose the type of paper for your book. Here is a short explanation of the job of the designer:  https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/publishing/design/w/cover/1812/what-does-a-freelance-book-designer-do---article

In order to find a professional designer, I relied on the recommendations’ of author friends that were self-publishing as well as professional organizations like SCBWI searching for members who also did designing.  Be sure to check for experience in design in your genre.  Make phone calls, ask questions and let you gut lead you.

Part 8 -  My Publishing Timeline for Life in the Neck Advent of Christmas.

This timeline details my process for publishing Life in the Neck Advent of
Christmas in 2021.  Every book follows its own process.  Some books take more time and others take less.  This is just to give you an idea of how the process flows.

Early Spring 2021                    Began the manuscript writing process

May 12, 2021                           Finished manuscript 1st draft

May 2021                                  Hired Margarita Sikorskaia, illustrator

May 30, 2021                           Sent Manuscript to M. Sikorskaia

June 9, 2021                             Hired Rachelle Burk as editor

June 10, 2021                           Began search for printer

June 22, 2021                           1st Edit from R.B.

June 24, 2021                           Received rough sketch of storyline from M.S.

June 29, 2021                           Storyboard conversation with M.S.

July 2, 2021                               Final rewrite sent to  M.S. and R.B.

July 6, 2021                               Received 1st finished drawing for approval

July 6, 2021                               Began search for designer

September 19, 2021                Completed files from MS. – sent to P.K. designer

September 23, 2021                Hired Patricia Krebs as designer

September 30, 2021                 ISBN – Bowker Identifier Service

October 13, 2021                      Applied for Library of Congress Control Number

October 26, 2021                      Applied for copyright - $65.00

October 29, 2021                      Completed files sent to the printer by designer

November 5, 2021                    Cover and signatures ready for assembly

So there you have it my friends.  My self-publishing journey!  Now that I have accomplished the task and compared prices between paying someone to publish a book and actually doing it myself, I found only a slight difference in price.  Printing right now is extremely expensive due to shortage of materials because of  the pandemic.  So perhaps it is not a good time to try and measure apples for apples.  I also did not want to cut any corners on the quality of my finished product.

I hope this helps you with your own decision making as you move into self-publishing.

Diane Davies

After having published my first three children’s books with Beaver’s Pond Press, I decided once again to try the self-publishing route to prove once and for all that I could either do it or not.  I read quite a bit about the process online through blogs and other articles, talked to several authors one of which even provided a cheat sheet with names of people to contact to hire for different processes, and I made a number of phone calls always ready to ask questions that would help give me answers and get me started.

I’m proud to say that I actually self-published my newest children’s book, Life in the Neck Advent of Christmas.  I kept numerous notes as I moved forward. This article is my attempt to help other authors on their way to self-publishing their own books. 

Part 1  -  Writing the Manuscript:

 When making author visits to schools, one of the questions I usually am asked by the children is how long does it take to write a book?  What they are asking is how long does it take to write a book and have the finished product, the actual printed book ready to sell, in your hands?  As you can see, these are two very different questions with very different answers for each and every book written. 
As you well know, there are a myriad of factors effecting the answer.

In the case of Life in the Neck Advent of Christmas, a children’s picture book, the actual writing time from first draft to final print ready draft was four and a half months.  The time until finished book in hand was six months.  In my experience that was an extremely short amount of time.

In this case the writing time included:

·       Many rewrites on my part before I was ready for editing.

·       The editing process with Rachelle Burk and three rewrites.

·       The back and forth progression working with illustrator, Margarita Sikorskaia.

·       And finally, working with Patricia Krebs, the designer, to get it ready to send the print ready files to the printer.

Every author has their own method for getting that manuscript written.  For me a story usually starts on one of my walks around what we call the loop of our driveway through the neck.  Ideas appear as I enjoy the natural world near my home.  Upon arriving home, I turn my ideas into notes trying to capture as much as I can on paper or the computer before it escapes me.  My notes gel into somewhat of an outline and I’m on my way filling in the gaps in the story.  This part usually takes me several weeks of walks with the story and its details filling my mind.

I write best in the morning.  My cup of coffee and a glass of water at hand by my computer on the desk.  I may write for an hour or several hours depending on how it flows.  At times I just get up and walk away.  Returning later with a cleared head ready to go again.

I’m writing children’s books so the length is much shorter than a novel.  My stories demand language and vocabulary tailored for my audience.  When I feel that my story is complete, I put it away for a number of days – perhaps even a week or so.  When I pick it up again, I feel that I have fresh eyes to begin rereading and rewriting. 

I go through this process several times.  I may invite my grandchildren down to listen to the story.  They are generally eager to add their own ideas and comments which I do take into consideration. 

Part 2  -  Working with the Illustrator:

My initial conversation with Margarita Sikorskaia regarding Life in the Neck Advent of Christmas took place before I had the first draft even finished in early May of 2021.  Margarita worked with me on two previous Life in the Neck books, New Friends and Squirrel Trouble.  I knew I wanted her to illustrate this third book for me as well and was willing to wait for her availability.  Projects she had ahead of me would be finished in early October of 2021.   She agreed to start on my project at that time.  My planning was that Life in the Neck Advent of Christmas would be published in 2022 and be available for the holiday season.

A few weeks later, Margarita contacted me to tell me that one of her projects had been canceled and that she could start on mine immediately!  I sent her the manuscript and we were off and running with our discussions on what I wanted for illustrations. 

In my manuscript there are Bible verses quoted telling the Christmas Story.  The question became how would we depict those in the illustrations?  Margarita’s creativity kicked in and she sent me this sketch showing an image overlay for the Bible verses as shown below:

For more on Self-Publishing? Who Me? by Diane Davies come back for Part 2 on tomorrow’s blog.

 Self-Publishing? Who Me?