Delay message

I wanted to delay the below until the books were shipping, but Barnes & Noble sent out an apology, so now's the time :)

***
Just a quick update...

Some of you may have received notification from Barnes & Noble that the book is not yet available. This is true. The books are being shipped to me now. They should be available and shipping from Barnes and Noble within 2 weeks. For more updates on the nature of the delay, check out my publishing blog at http://suckerfish.blogspot.com/

I will send out one more message after this when the book is shipping and when it is available on special order through your local book store.

I apologize for the delay, I am new to this business.

Thank you for your patience,

Joseph Cox

Ups and Downs, but generally up!

Okay. So, the book is now done (July 25th). I don't have it yet. But it is being shipped. A lot of the delay from the last guess (July 6th) is mine. I was in Gibralter when they wanted to ship me proofs, and so I delayed getting them their proofs back by a week. That wasn't good.

I discovered another problem with the book - but hardly one worth a toss. The book wasn't full justified like most books. But as I peer back into the many decisions I made on this project I'm pretty sure that was entirely intentional. I thought the left justification was just more in tune with Short Eddy, the main character.

Anyways, I got the sample book back (after photocopying the blue-lines they sent me) and it does indeed look very good. I am excited. Kinda waiting though, for the opportunity to get things rolling. It has been a while, but I have learned a lot.

The printer has been paid, the books are on the way - and I am both scared and excited. On the plane back from a business trip I met a woman with a few target aged kids. She read and liked the first chapter and I wasn't exactly modest. I said I knew the book was good or I wouldn't have bothered publishing it. Perhaps not to be perceived as my most shining moment - but I do know it is good, very very good, and there's no reason to be lie just to be modest :)

I am debating, for book two, which printer to use. On the one hand these guys were cheap and did a good job. On the other they missed obvious things like the missing quotes and the left justification. I might go with a printer who pays a bit more attention to small jobs like my own... Still debating. If they hadn't done round two at cost, I wouldn't have given them a second thought.

On the bad front, all of these delays are starting to cause problems. I've run out of time to do in-store readings. All I'll be able to do is visit stores with the book in tow. In addition, Barnes and Noble promised shipment by the 28th, but they still haven't communicated to me their orders from the book.

We shall see what's up - and when I know, I'll email my promotional list and apologize for the delay.

Happiness!