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| My baby and best buddy, Chance |
Well, it’s been a long time coming for me. I wrote this manuscript quite a few years back, well actually I wrote many manuscripts, but one in particular called “Paws for a Cause” was sent to a traditional publisher. They liked it, edited it, and made some suggestions for me in the way of changes, but in the end much to my dismay they went with another author’s book to publish.
For those of you who do not deal with traditional publishers here’s how they operate. They may pick only one or two titles a year to put out, and many larger outfits will express that they do not take new authors at all, or they don’t deal with the author, only agents. Very difficult to say the least. It feels like you, as the author, are stuck in that large recycle receptacle that loops round and round. When you submit a manuscript to a publishing company it can take up to 6 weeks or more before you ever hear back from them, and most do not get back to you unless you send a self addressed, stamped envelope to which they can send you their rejection letter in! Let’s face it, if they really want you, they call or email you. Nothing says rejection faster then a self addressed stamped envelope! Many traditional publishers do not allow multiple submissions either so you are stuck having to wait for that rejection letter before you submit your manuscript to another publisher!
Fast Forward:
It is now years later, late 2011, and this same publisher has gotten back in touch with me and asked if I had changed the manuscript at all, and although I had started to change it previously when first asked, life got busy and I put the manuscript on hold, then forgot about it. Sometimes you can only read and reread your own manuscript so many times before your eyes pop out of their sockets and you need a break! Truth be told, it is suggested that once you write something you should put it aside for a day or two and then come back and reread it aloud, then start making your corrections. My wise instructor from the Institute of Children
So, when this publishing company contacted me again recently, I quickly put some chapters together with only what they wanted to see in the book. Omitted were the chapters of picking the perfect puppy or dog for therapy work, the dog/puppy training, the supplies needed for your dog/puppy, training a deaf dog, training human sign language, and a multitude of other chapters which to me made the book a complete guide for any dog owner! To the publisher however, I was seen as unfocused! So in the book went exactly what the publisher wanted and after all was said and done, the publisher came back and said with the economy the way it was today, the book was too short for traditional publishing! OMG! I thought. You told me what you wanted!
Yep, rejected again! But the publisher did suggest Amazon Kindle would be a good fit! Something I never even knew existed as far as publishing goes.
Sometimes I just want to shout..
HELLO! ARE YOU IN THERE? I DID WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO DO! But I digress.
Pick yer boot straps up ..move up and move on!
Hmm, I thought. I knew nothing about putting a book on Kindle! A Kindle book was way out of my league and far too intimidating to try on my own so I enlisted the help of covearesrus, paid their fee to make my book’s cover and for another fee (separate from the cover fee) they would format my book to fit kindle. The traditional way you send a manuscript to a publisher which is double spaced, indents, yadda, yadda, is very different than how kindle would format it. This company also helped me with the upload to kindle. I was very pleased with all of their help and the continuous contact that was kept with me. Some say it is easy to upload a book to kindle, but I suspect they are of today’s computer generation, not the, I still have my old typewriter sitting on my desk, generation!
Tap, tap tap, slide. Tap, tap, tap, slide. Tap, tap tap, slide, ding! For you youngin’s that’s the sound of an old typewriter!
Once the book is uploaded, Kindle tells you that the book is under review and they will let you know within 24 hours if they approve it. Keep in mind that the time the book was uploaded it was late at night and staying up late the following night as well anticipating its arrival like one would the birth of a new born baby, was out of the question for me! I figured I’d find out eventually come moon or sun. Hey, I don’t function well in late night for anything more than drinking and dancing!
Before Kindle had a chance to notify me, I opened my email and there was an email from Brian at ‘coversrus’ telling me the book was published and ready for purchase!
“The sneak peek will take another few days” Brian wrote.
“The sneak peek will take another few days” Brian wrote.
The sneak peek is when Kindle will show you a few pages for free! So I hope if you get there you like what you see!
Had I known that this was all possible I may have revamped my old manuscript with all the other teachings in it and submitted that to Kindle. But, as they say live and learn. The original publisher was probably right, I needed to focus more on how to train one’s own dog for therapy work and not lose focus by adding all the other stuff, but as you can tell I have the gift of gab and my mind wanders!
Below is the Kindle link if you would like to download the book at the very reasonable cost of $7.99 and I am thrilled to say I sold at least one copy the same day it was listed! Hopefully it will be a trend that will continue! Inside the book you will find what basics you need to train you dog to become a therapy dog team, reasons why as an evaluator that I fail as many therapy teams as I do, reasons which cause immediate dismissal, (meaning when you and your dog walk through that door for testing my eyes are on you before you even take the test to see the teams actions), as well as a few tips to try and make it easier on you when you are going to be tested. Also listed are several groups you may want to consider joining not all are the same and have the same requirements.
If you know me, sometimes you might think I can be a bit blunt. Generally when I test dogs I test with one of my very dear friends and co trainers Marjean, who is a bit more easy going, has more patience, is more relaxed, and definitely has more tact than I do! She and I are often called to test one particular training group and I can just hear the whispers as soon as we enter the room, “Better hope that the blonde one does your test, she’s nicer!”
And for those that know me as a friend, a therapy dog handler, Chance’s mom, or who are members of the Susquehanna Trail Dog Training Club, you know to whom I owe my gratitude to and it is put forth in the dedication.
Link to book
Don’t own a Kindle?
If you do not own a Kindle, don’t fret! You can download free kindle apps for your computer, mac, Iphone, Ipad, BlackBerry and Android here! Wow, the way of the future! What will happen to all the bookmarks of the world?
Covers are Us
And lastly, for authors who are tired of waiting for the USPS to deliver that letter in the self addressed stamped envelope and who may want to try the kindle route, check out the sites below. I was very satisfied with both of their services and the time they dedicated to answering my questions daily! Thanks Brian!
Until next time, happy training!
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