MY BOOK IN PRINT // SQUEALS & PICTURES of GIFT OF THE SEA
10:39 AM
Everyone listening...I did it. I ordered Gift of the Sea in PRINT. All my work...nano, handwriting, notes, scribbles, thoughts, difficulties, writer's block...here it is. Embodied in this cover and full of English words.
LOOK AT THAT ^. Remember nano??? Remember early mornings writing with me? Remember the quotes/excerpts? All the thoughts, all the adventure...it all started on a balmy summer day in 2016, with a long sheet of paper and a calligraphy pen. Now it's a book. A real, honest-to-goodness book.
This is draft 1, so after I go through with a mechanical pencil and jot mistakes/thoughts/details and make an indirect but detailed enough plot for book 2 (YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT) I'll have a hint of draft 2. Who knows when it'll be ready. Maybe by draft 10 *smirks*. How can I finish my novel when every 3 months I look back at my writing and make this face like *BLAH*?
It's been quite a journey and I've only just begun.
For this first draft, I used LuLu.com and got two prints with a coupon code (from my dear coupon queen friend) for $8.00...something. That includes shipping.
The cover I made with canva, using a free image and using my own image of the ship, which I photographed only 15-20 minutes away from where I live.
The hardest part was definitely editing it with the LuLu system. GETTING THE SPINE TO LINE UP. You may not know now, but just you wait. You'll be making your spine title a whole lot smaller.
And then as you can see, there's little 'waves' below the chapters, that kept moving every time we uploaded it (and I say we because Mom got in on this ordeal). And then the cover, because I had saved it as jpeg and just uploaded it as that, it changed like I had used a filter (but actually it looked mystical so we just kept it).
FINALLY IT WAS ORDERED.
After a whole day on the computer, with tired and dry eyes, I knew my book was soon to be on its way.
It arrived at our local post office about 8-10 days after (okay so I don't remember now exactly when). Mom filled the post-lady completely in about my book, and how I had ordered it, and then
and then
I found the scissors and opened it up right then an' there.
I could not stop smiling for anything...like a kid who's just opened a toy on Christmas that's as big as he is. Mom had the post-lady read the back...or she asked to I honestly don't remember which. In the heat of this, another lady walked into the post office and got quite excited over the whole thing.
"No, it's not for sale now" *thoughts* > that'll take years if it ever is.
Well...that's the story. And now everyone who comes to the house has held it (and I'm blushing somewhere in some small corner). And I'm partially afraid they'll open to some dramatic scene or some grammar mistake, and then I'll be truly mortified.
For this first draft, I used LuLu.com and got two prints with a coupon code (from my dear coupon queen friend) for $8.00...something. That includes shipping.
The cover I made with canva, using a free image and using my own image of the ship, which I photographed only 15-20 minutes away from where I live.
The hardest part was definitely editing it with the LuLu system. GETTING THE SPINE TO LINE UP. You may not know now, but just you wait. You'll be making your spine title a whole lot smaller.
And then as you can see, there's little 'waves' below the chapters, that kept moving every time we uploaded it (and I say we because Mom got in on this ordeal). And then the cover, because I had saved it as jpeg and just uploaded it as that, it changed like I had used a filter (but actually it looked mystical so we just kept it).
FINALLY IT WAS ORDERED.
After a whole day on the computer, with tired and dry eyes, I knew my book was soon to be on its way.
It arrived at our local post office about 8-10 days after (okay so I don't remember now exactly when). Mom filled the post-lady completely in about my book, and how I had ordered it, and then
and then
I found the scissors and opened it up right then an' there.
I could not stop smiling for anything...like a kid who's just opened a toy on Christmas that's as big as he is. Mom had the post-lady read the back...or she asked to I honestly don't remember which. In the heat of this, another lady walked into the post office and got quite excited over the whole thing.
"No, it's not for sale now" *thoughts* > that'll take years if it ever is.
Well...that's the story. And now everyone who comes to the house has held it (and I'm blushing somewhere in some small corner). And I'm partially afraid they'll open to some dramatic scene or some grammar mistake, and then I'll be truly mortified.
(first collage for Gift of the Sea)
14 Sticky notes
MICHAILA. OMW. GIRL. THIS. IS. FAAAAAANTASTIC. like seriously!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!! And book two?! Go, girlie!!! Fab job...I'm serious. *confetti* *applause* *grins* *happy dances with you*
ReplyDeleteAHHH MICAIAH thank youuuuuuuuuuuu. Hahaha yeah wellllll in due time xD *hugs* *dances*
Delete-Mic
DUUDDEE. I MUST HAVE THIS IN MY POSSESSION LIKE, NOW. PLLLLZZZZZ. *begs*
ReplyDeletelegit tho I adore your new design so professional looking <33
BE PATIENT, AND ALL WILL COME. Aww thanky <333
Delete-Mic
MICHAILA OH MY GOSH THAT'S SO AWESOME. *tries to calm down* *but the cover* *it's so beautifullllll* and ALSO your new blog design!! it's so prettyyy! It reminds me of the one I have, except even better . . . XD
ReplyDelete*grins* Thank you Sarah!!! I'm so happy you liked it :D Really???? Thanks a bunch ;) it's not quite finished yet but we'll see....lol.
Delete-Mic
OH MY GOOD GRACIOUS, MICHAILA ! That is SO COOL - your book looks BEAUTIFUL! I'm so looking forward to printing a copy of my own book :D. And OH MY, that collage! <3 <3 <3 <3
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog, and it looks amazing! I'll definitely be sticking around ;).
~ Savannah
scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com
AHH THANK YOU SAVANNAH!!! Oh good; I fully recommend LuLu.com ;) if you have any questions, feel free to ask me and I'll see if I can help, btw. Thanks! A Pinterest collage, lol xD.
DeleteThank you for following and commenting *happy grins* <3
-Mic
Ahhh!! This is so cool. It is awesome that you actually have a book that you printed.
ReplyDeleteNabila // Hot Town Cool Girl
I KNOW isn't it just crazy??? The best feeling to hold all that hard work in your palms :D
Delete-Mic
AHH! CONGRATS MICHAILA! IT LOOKS SO COOL AND FOREBODING. =D And the wave thingies look cool. AND I THINK IT IS SO CUTE HOW THE LADIES AT THE POST OFFICE GOT IN ON THE ORDEAL. So great! :D
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU THANK YOU. LOL I never thought of it as foreboding but nice choice of words ;D thanks---just a simple Canva touch. IKR it was HILARIOUS.
DeleteThans for the all caps comment!!! <3
-Mic
Your own book? That's so amazing Michaila!!!! So proud of you!! ❤❤❤
ReplyDeleteThank you <3 <3 <3
Delete-Michaila
Have you been to Europe?
Thank you for your beautiful comments (I respond) <3333