IS SELF-PUBLISHING RIGHT FOR YOU?

Posted in creativity, writing

To be published, first you must write. As E.B. White said: “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” The same can be said of publishing. It is work and you must work at it, whether you are going the indie (self-publishing) or traditional route. Your creative muse may not like to hear this, but taking your book to market is a business, and as with any business, you are in charge of its success.

Indie Publishing means you take on the multifaceted role of getting your book before the eyes of readers. If you’re ready to do that, then self-publishing may be right for you. In self-publishing, you, the writer, control every stage of the process.

indie-publishingDownload

Traditional publishing is the Gold Standard for most – but not all – writers. The focus of this article is on self-publishing but it also looks at traditional publishing. Click the download button for a PDF of my recent Las Vegas Lit presentation, Is indie publishing right for you?

Sources for parts of this content include Kindle Direct Publishing, selfpublishing.com, nybookeditors.com, and xlibris.com.

Traditional Publishers Reality Check – First you write the book and then…

The work of traditional publishing includes knowing your target audience, getting an agent, writing a query letter.

On the plus side – the author gets help with editing, marketing and distribution. Note the emphasis on help. Traditional publishers don’t do everything especially when it comes to marketing and distribution.

Indie Publishing Reality Check – First you write the book and then…

The work of indie publishing includes knowing your target audience, hiring a qualified editor, hiring a cover designer, hiring an interior format designer, deciding which publishing platform to use, managing your book’s marketing and distribution, getting readers to review your book and post to appropriate sites, vie for the attention of readers in a saturated market, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. With Kindle Direct Publishing, if you have the background and skill sets, you may want to do most of this yourself. KDP has many free tools for you to use. The one service you want to consider paying for is a reputable editor. Even the most self-critical writer will inadvertently turn a blind eyes to his/her/their mistakes.

On the plus side, you control how your book will be managed and in most cases, you get 100% of royalties

In the attached presentation I show a sample self-publishing package from a company called Xlibris, with which I have had some experience. The bad news is that in the basic package, $1,999, the printing cost per book can be pricey, $11 to $13 per 280 page book, not including shipping cost. That would mean selling your book at a markup of 100 percent ($22 to $26) in hopes of making back your initial investment. That doesn’t take into consideration paying an editor, cover creator and interior book designer, marketing, and distribution costs. The good news, if you can pay the price, is that self-publishing companies have packages that cover a lot of these services. In the case of Xlibris packages range from $1,999 with limited services to $14,999. The goal of these companies is not to sell your book, but to sell you services. Not all companies are alike, so do your research before choosing one.

KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing, is a more affordable option with printing costs for a 250-page book at about $3.65 per copy, not including shipping costs. Some KDP advantages include Amazon Kindle exclusive, your book is available quickly, you have absolute control of the final product, the price for resale is more in line with the market, interior design is more flexible, and updating the file is easy. So, yes, printing costs are less, but you will still need to invest in paying an editor, cover creator and interior book designer, plus marketing and distribution costs.

The really good news is that as a self-published author you are in good company. Notable indie authors include Mark Twain, John Grisham, L. Ron Hubbard, Walt Whitman, Richard Paul Evans, Beatrix Potter, T.S. Elliot, Upton Sinclair, Margaret Atwood… just to name a few. Some of these writers elected to self-publish after becoming established. A few were self-published right out of the gate.

Potential red flags when selecting a self-publisher

1. No contact details.​ You should be able to pick up the phone and call, or at least send an email and get a personalized response within 24-48 hours.

2. No testimonials.​ There should be plenty of social proof of other authors who’ve worked with the service.

3. A hard sell. ​If the sales team is pushing you to upgrade your package, it’s a warning sign that they only care about getting your money and not about getting results.

4. Cryptic or unclear pricing. ​Reputable services explain exactly how much they charge. They don’t require that you email them first for pricing.

5. Required purchases.​ Avoid companies that force you to buy a specific number of copies as part of your contract.

6. Asks you to sign over your rights.​ The service is an assistant, not a publisher. You should retain all material rights.

7. Guarantees that you will become a bestseller.​ No one, not even a traditional publisher, can fulfill such a promise.

Helpful Links

Kindle Direct Publishing https://kdp.amazon.com

selfpublishing.com https://selfpublishing.com

Lulu https://www.lulu.com/

IngramSpark https://www.ingramspark.com

Good luck on your self (indie) publishing journey. It is not for the faint of heart. Determination, knowing your technical limitations, understanding your target market, having persistence and discipline, these are among the skills you need or will want to acquire. Anyone can write a book. Anyone can self-publish a book. Finding people to buy and read your book, that’s a whole new ballgame. That’s what makes it challenging, engaging and fun!

For more information about Las Vegas Lit go to www.lvlitnm.org

PHOTO CREDIT: BOB HENSSLER

SEASONAL SILLY

Posted in creativity, Halloween, Holidays, Photography, poetry, writing8 Comments

GHOST
(An acrostic poem)

Goulies grumble,
howlers mumble,
other worldly sounds a jumble,
sighing, crying, wailing, all around
talking, talking their eerie sound!

BOO TO YOU
Hootie tunes and shrieking screams
scary thingies in your dreams.
On this haunted, hunted night
what next on tap will give you fright?
Creeping, leaping, jumping, sneaking
is that a ghost at whom you’re peeking?

Tiptoe back, slither down the hall
when spooky phantoms on you call.
Get into a warm and comfy bed,
pull the covers o’er your head.

Sweet visions conjure into being,
ignore the specter on the ceiling.
Come out and play, he moans,
Halloween lasts but a day, he groans.

Laugh, laugh away your silly fear,
the pumpkin grin will bring you cheer.
Gliding ghouls are hosts to you
waiting, waiting, and then – BOO!

WALKING IN OCTOBER
There, clouds riding high
in a brilliant blue, blue sky.
Further along blackbirds cluster,
feathers flap with wicked bluster.
A shedding tree bares its limbs,
dropping leaves like floating gems.

A pumpkin here, scarecrow there,
a ghostly presence to give a scare!
The air is fresh with a little bite,
woodsmoke smell of fireplace alight.
Oh, the joy of an October walk,
listening to Mother Nature squawk and talk.

HAUNTED HOUSE
The sorry sounds of ghostly howls
run down the walls like blood
from cuts deep into the weary hearts
of any who tread the halls
of the empty house left to dead dreams.

Once filled with flash and fun,
now memories cluster in corners
left to rot like abandoned meat
nibbled at by rats and brindled cats
prowling the creaking floors where human feet tread no more.

CROW DOWN
The crow cawed its eerie cry,
people shuddered as they hurried by
until the second settled in
bringing luck with its wings tucked in.
A third arrived, a sign of health,
and brought one more, the fourth for wealth.
No, no! here comes number five, does illness loom?
Yes, yes the sixth arrives bringing death and doom.

WHISTLING WIND
The sound abounds and sighs around,
growing soft then shrill as a broken wheel
crawling up my back in a fright attack.
From where does that sound whirl
making hearts cringe and toes curl?
Why it’s nothing more than a piece of tin,
whistling, whistling in the wind.

Halloween 2023. The photo is the resilient flower box by our front door. Seemed fitting for my Halloween-themed poetry. Enjoy!

The Las Vegas Arts Council needs you

Posted in Arts, Enrichment, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, New Mexico, My Town

The years of pandemic, drought, fire, and floods have not been kind to the Las Vegas Arts Council.

Las Vegas Arts Council

Although the facility on Bridge Street was not damaged, much of the area served by the Council was devastated. The pain and loss carried over into the business and nonprofit communities of the Las Vegas and Mora areas.

Richard Lindeborg, the current president of the organization, points out that during these hard times, the Council presented as many online art shows as it could.

“There were fewer shows overall,” he said. “Without the usual level of excitement.” The Council was not able to put on the traditional People’s Faire for three years or host the Missoula Children’s Theatre for two years.

“The number of members in the Arts Council shrank from well over 100 to the high 30s, he said, “and other sources of funding declined as well. Programs are back, but the organization continues to struggle financially,”

The Arts Council has been in operation since 1976 and is the only community art gallery dedicated to presenting contemporary and traditional art.

“We’ve called a couple of retired board officers back into service and are planning fundraising activities to help us exit 2023 in the black and build a foundation for 2024,” Lindeborg said.

The Arts Council has already launched a Go Fund Me campaign to raise $2,500 or more to meet expenses through the holidays. To contribute, go to this GoFundMe.com link. Former Arts Council President Bob Henssler set up the campaign, “Pandemic, Drought, Fire, Floods.”

The Council’s ability to operate into the coming year will depend on memberships and sponsorships among individuals and businesses.

Henssler is heading up the drive among individuals and families with a goal of signing up 100 members before the new year. Regular memberships are $50, with hopes of attracting some $100, $250, and even $1,000 members. There are also discounted memberships at $25 and artist memberships at $20.

Former Council Vice President Jim Hunyadi is heading up the drive for business members and supporters. The organization is looking for at least 25 businesses to sign up. Regular business memberships are $100, with higher level memberships for $250, $500 $1,000 or more.

“A vibrant arts scene in Las Vegas is good for business, Hunyadi emphasized. “The arts attract tourists and new residents to our community.”  

“Local individuals, families and businesses contribute the largest single share of our budget,” Lindeborg said. “Raising $15,000 locally will give us a chance to sponsor student art shows during the winter and begin planning for summer programs.

Article provided by the Las Vegas Arts Council. Please share with your network.

BLANKETFLOWER

Posted in essay, Poetry4 Comments

Is it true, gaillardia,
you amazing bit of flora,
that your common name
springs from the bright
and beautiful blankets
made by Native Americans,
pulling inspiration from
Mother Nature’s palette?
Oh! I do hope so!
I’m drawn even more
to your astounding blossoms,
and think of the unparalleled artistry
of Native American weavers
leaving threads of history and beauty
in the tapestry of life.

Photo – Sharon Vander Meer (c)

This and That

Posted in essay, Poetry6 Comments

It must be the weather. Scorpions (or vinegarroons?) have invaded our home. Yeah, I know, right? Terrifying to a squeamish hater of all things creepy crawly. I know, I know, every creature on earth has its place in the greater scheme of things, but not in my house, thank you very much. And, yes, the exterminator has been here – twice – and the residual effect of the spraying has slowed the creatures down, and in most cases brought about their demise. And yet, even the dead ones give me the willies.

On a related note, my poor husband has the lasting evidence of a brown recluse spider bite on his leg. The reason I called the exterminator in the first place about three weeks ago. The ER doc said the purple-black spot will likely never go away as the spider’s poison killed the cells in that area. Yikes. All the more reason for me to be unwilling to make friends with the creepy crawly world. Strangely, Bob never experienced pain or itching in the small, affected area but it is not a pretty sight.

Curiously, when I mentioned the bite in the company of several women, three said they had been bitten by a brown recluse or knew someone who had been bitten. In a separate conversation on a different day, I got similar responses. So, the buggers (no pun intended) must be on the move. To be clear, these reports didn’t happen recently but spread over time. Still scary to my way of thinking.

Whether the heat has caused robust insect activity is a matter of speculation on my part, but the heat is definitely affecting all of us in one way or another. The day Las Vegas broke the record with a 100-degree temperature is the day I briefly considered getting an air conditioner of some kind. But the question of what kind stymied me. And then it cooled off, kind of, and we had a burst of rain, which really helped. And then… nothing. And it’s heating up again. We have fans going all over the house to move the air around. Insufficient but it works… sort of, more or less. I took the photo at right the day a mix of hail and rain came crashing down. The hail drummed on the roof, knocked branches off the trees and stripped my potted plants. They’re springing back, despite monster grasshoppers taking nips and rips from everything!

Yes, it has been a weird, weird summer.  Despite it all, I’ve managed to find time to be creative. Here’s some recent poetry.

TEACUP
Floral swirls
in colors bright
you hold
the musings of my heart
in each sip
of warm tea,
taking me down
the path of memory.

STAR
Set in the heavens
twinkling a winking glow
alight with your brilliance
ruling the night, star of the show.

PAIN / LOVE
Pain and love,
four letter words
filled with angst.

FLOWERS
Gardens flourish and flowers bloom,
growing hearts and making room
for joy to fill us up,
an ever overflowing cup.

IN THE STILLNESS
Silence beckons;
walk into its solitude
to find peace.

Time stops.
Welcome the comfort
of quiet meditation
full of light

Breathe deep,
slow your mind,
attune your self
to the stillness.

TREES
Trees are said
to come from a single root
that weaves
throughout the world,
feeding, nurturing, sustaining
the forests, maintaining
the beauty we all need.
Did it come from a single seed?
Did it spring from Eden
in the long ago?
Is the root instead
the Root of humanity,
the progenitor of us all?
God, our protector.

SANTOS
Art emerges under the deft hands
of a skilled crafter of retablos and bultos,
images sometimes simple and plain,
other times brilliantly carved,
striking in color and execution.
The artisan chooses; God inspires.

Photo of spider – UC Riverside website archive
Photo of storm – Sharon Vander Meer (c)

MOTHER TONGUE

Posted in Poetry

I come from a
mixed marriage,
a brown mom,
a whiter than white dad.
We never thought
we were different
until we went to school,
me whiter than white,
my older brother
browner than brown
in a most amazing and beautiful way.
We never learned
Mom’s mother tongue,
I wish we had.
Spanish is a lovely language,
filled with nuance
and passion
and an element of story
rich in days gone by
and hope for better tomorrows.

Dear Mom

Posted in essay

Mona Peralta Conkle

Dear Mom:

Mona Peralta ConkleWhen you died in 1986 at the age of 62, it was a blow to all of us. Despite a diagnosis of cancer, we all kept hoping against hope you would pull through and get back to normal, to being Mom, the woman who had an answer for everything.

I remember the trip we took to visit your Concho, Ariz., roots in July 1969, which happened to coincide with Neil Armstrong landing on the moon. What I recall most about that trip was going to the adobe house you grew up in, a crumbling ruin that was hardly big enough to accommodate two people, yet you lived there with several siblings and your dad after your mother died. What remained were a few exterior walls with a yellow climbing rose growing up the side. A burbling stream meandered behind what was left of the house and enormous trees shaded the property as though keeping it safe for whoever would someday decide to build a life there. I’m sure that experience was colored by romanticism based on stories you told us about your childhood. I plucked a yellow rose from the vine and pressed it between the pages of my Bible. I kept the rose for many years until life intervened and I lost it somewhere along the way. I still feel the loss of that rose, as I feel the loss of you.

I’m sorry I never knew your mom and dad, Pete and Ruth Nunez Peralta, but as it turns out, you hardly knew them either. Grandmother Ruth died when you were barely four, and Grandpa Pete, nine years later. You were left to be raised by older siblings. Why did I never ask you how that affected you growing up?

Dad loved telling stories about your first year as a (very) young married couple. I especially liked the one about him “accidentally” dropping the casserole dish of macaroni, cheese and hamburger on the floor after having been served the same thing almost every night for the first month of your marriage. Dad never was a subtle kind of guy. You may not have started out as a great cook, but that changed by the time I was born. No one could cook like you.

You did not have it easy. When Dad was in the Navy you were a “Rosie the Riveter” until I was born, and then you moved with my older brother and me to live with Dad’s folks in Arizona until he came home from the service. When we were older, you worked at a number of low-paying jobs while Dad worked in the oilfields. Over the years, three more kiddos came along. I must say I was horribly embarrassed when at thirteen I learned you were PREGNANT! Let it be said that I didn’t exactly know what happened between moms and dads in their bedrooms, but what I did know sounded downright icky and I was sure my mother and father didn’t do those things. Until along came my baby sister.

Your beloved oldest child, my wonderful brother, Don, died of some horrifying version of cancer when he was twenty. It wounded us all to the heart, but especially you. He was so like you, more than the rest of us. He had tea-colored skin like yours, coal black hair like yours, warm chocolate brown eyes like yours, and innate charm, like you. A light went out in all our lives when he was gone.

You had plenty on your plate to keep you going. Your third child, my sweet, sweet sister Patty, was a fragile flower, a child whose mind never quite matured. You and Dad didn’t institutionalize her, as some might do, you kept her at home and loved her as deeply as you did the rest of us. Perhaps that is why you spent most of your professional career working with the mentally ill and others who needed treatment that combined understanding, compassion and firm boundaries. You were honored many times in your career by your peers and your patients. No one honored or held you in as high regard as did Don, Marc, Melissa, Patty who loved you with the brightness of a fallen star, and I. So many in our family are gone now, but I have no doubt they are dancing with you in heaven.

Your deep faith and your limitless love inspired me to be a better person. I confess I have not measured up in many ways, but I try.

I miss you, Mom. You packed a lot of living into your 62 years. You had a big laugh. You had a great capacity for love. Thank you, for the gift of your amazing self you shared with so many.

–Your daughter…

Professional Coaches Highlights of Renewal Program

Posted in Enrichment, Inspiration, Lifestyle1 Comment

Thanks to a grant awarded in 2022 from the National Clergy Renewal Program funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., the First United Presbyterian Church, Las Vegas, planned an ambitious program of congregational renewal while its pastor, Rev. Katie Palmer took a three-month sabbatical for clergy renewal. And then the hills erupted in a fast-moving fire that consumed more than three hundred thousand acres of land, countless properties, and the livelihoods of many. Pastor Katie, as she is known by her congregation, knew immediately her place was with her church family and community, not going on sabbatical. The grantor organization agreed and allowed the church to reschedule the renewal plans and sabbatical to 2023. On May 6, FUPC will begin Tracking the Word: Embodying the Spirit in a period of renewal and exploration. At no cost to participants, the summer-long activities include –

• five professional coaches offering Saturday in-depth workshops and Sunday worship;

• three Saturdays of Try Something New Workshops led by practitioners in the arts of writing, journaling, poetry, music, drama, woodworking, glass painting, zentangle, and American sign language;

• and on Sundays not covered by professional coaches, lay leaders will provide alternative worship experiences that include movement, writing, Quaker practices, music, painting, drama, biology, and Taoist philosophy.

For a brochure and more information about Tracking the Word: Embodying the Spirit, go to www.lvpresbyterian.org. Note there will be complimentary meals provided on the Sundays featuring professional coaches.

“Tracking the Word: Embodying the Spirit,” speaks to our desire to follow Christ’s tracks and to embody the Spirit not only in our work, but in the deepest part of our beings,” said Rev. Katie Palmer, FUPC pastor. “We never know where those tracks might lead, but we can commit to follow them faithfully.”

Activities begin on May 6 with the first professional coach workshop featuring John Stokes, and run through August.

Stokes, founder and director of The Tracking Project, Inc.,in Corrales, N. M., is a well-known musician, performer, writer, and teacher of tracking. Since 1980 he has worked and traveled extensively to bring awareness of the natural world and the integrity of indigenous peoples to interested people around the world. He will conduct two Saturday workshops. One on the riverwalk beginning at 1 p.m., and a second at the Presbyterian Church, 1000 Douglas Ave., beginning at 3 p.m.

In these workshops, Stokes will explore how The Tracking Project’s programs of natural and cultural awareness incorporate a wide range of skills—from traditional tracking and survival skills to music, storytelling, dance, peacemaking, and martial arts training. The name Arts of Life ® was chosen to describe these programs, which emphasize indigenous knowledge, the lessons of nature and the power of dreams and art.

Stokes will lead worship on May 7, and further expand on the topic of tracking and its spiritual applications. Call 505 425-7763 to make reservations for the meal following worship.

On Saturday, June 10, Jen Friedman, M.Div., will lead The Body’s Wisdom: The Art of Facing Change with Embodiment Practice beginning at 1 p.m., at Old Town Mission Community Center, 301 Socorro Street.Friedman, hospital chaplain and Leader of Dances of Universal Peace is an interfaith minister, chaplain and spiritual leader serving the growing community of seekers and practitioners identified as spiritual but not religious. She is known for sharing a deeply sacred presence and creates an authentic spiritual atmosphere to any ceremony or event she facilitates. She holds a Master of Divinity from The Iliff School of Theology and has a depth of spiritual understanding unique to her. Freidman has engaged rigorous study and practice in many faith traditions including Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. She is the executive director for Dances of Universal Peace, North America.

For the workshop, Friedman asks that participants embody their commitment to justice, non-violence, and peace with meditation and body prayer practice that honors the beauty and truth immanent in all beings. The Dances of Universal Peace are meditative, joyous, multi-cultural circle dances using sacred phrases from the world’s spiritual traditions and beloved songs from the peace movement. These are joined with live music and movement, to create embodied prayers that allow participants to touch the spiritual essence within and recognize it in others. Worship on Sunday, June 11 will continue the theme of The Body’s Wisdom.

On Saturday, July 8 at 1 p.m., M. Roger Holland II will present a workshop on Negro Spirituals: Songs of Freedom and Songs of Justice and continue the topic during worship July 9. Holland is a teaching Assistant Professor in Music and Religion and Director of The Spirituals Project at the Lamont School of Music, University of Denver. A graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York City where he received his Master of Divinity degree, Holland also served as Artist-in-Residence and director of the Union Gospel Choir for over 13 years. In 2015 Union awarded him the Trailblazers Distinguished Alumni Award, the first given to a graduate whose ministry is music, for his contributions to the legacy of African American music. He received a master’s degree in Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, also in New York, and completed his undergraduate work at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, where he majored in Music Education with a concentration in piano and voice.

In the Saturday workshop, Holland will explore how the music and the history of Negro Spirituals served to sustain and inspire an enslaved community, and later become the bedrock of the Civil Rights Movement. Through a sociohistorical lens, not only will participants become acquainted with the history of slavery in America but will discover how Black Americans persevered and overcame oppression. Participants will discover how this historical music became the essence of the freedom songs that fueled a social justice movement and transformed a nation. 

Rev. Linda Loving’s Saturday July 29 workshop is designed to deepen understanding of biblical passages and breathe life and Spirit into readings of God’s word. Her sermon topic on July 30 will be For Such a Time at This. Loving has a BA in Theatre, University of Michigan, and Master of Divinity, McCormick Theological Seminary. In addition to serving many parishes around the country, she has also performed for more than 33 years JULIAN, a one-woman drama by J. Janda, which she has filmed in Julian’s cell in England. Loving has performed in professional theatre companies in the Midwest and Santa Fe and owns a business, http://www.Spirited-Voices.com.

Loving said disciples and actors share a similar desire to embody truth and offer transformation to others. The workshop gives simple disciplines from a trained actor/preacher. “Delight in your own gifts – we all play ‘leading roles’ in God’s continually unfolding drama of Life and Love,” Loving said. Individual and choral readings as well as Reader’s Theatre will all be explored. “Some may choose to simply observe; all will find new ways to receive and love God’s word,” she said.

Rev. Seth Finch has been a pastoral leader at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque since 2008. He received his Master’s of Divinity from McCormick Seminary and a Master’s of Interfaith Action from Claremont Lincoln University. In 2018 he did his sabbatical focused on storytelling. His travels took him to New York to learn storytelling at “The Moth” mainstage; to Scotland where he participated in events at the Scottish Storytelling Center, and did research into his family story; to Northern Ireland to work with Padraig O’Tuama and Corymeela on how storytelling can help us work for peace; and across the Southwest to look at the story of the area’s culture.

Finch says of his Saturday, Aug. 12 workshop, “One of the things that most deeply binds us together as people and as communities is our shared stories. Stories guide our lives, who we think we are, who we think we relate to, how we live as people of faith. Learning to share our story and receiving the stories of others is a skill that helps us to build beloved Christian community.” In this seminar Finch will talk about what makes for a good story, how we tell our story, and reflect a little on what our shared stories look like. His Sunday, Aug. 13 sermon is entitled The Stories we tell Ourselves.

The FUPC season of exploration workshops and activates are free and open to everyone. For more information go to www.lvpresbyterian.org.