My book launch!

The launch went very well on Sunday. I sold quite a few books and should be able to make back the cost of print copies very soon. My daughter Aidan and her fiance (both actors) read Chap.6 about Liza's and Dace's first meeting in "Maitland Penitentiary" and Julian Fauth (2009 Juno winner) played mostly prison songs, plus one of his best known songs "Liza." Somebody from our very small neighbourhood newspaper came and took my picture.

John did a great job of promoting the event, which was held at the Axis Gallery and Grill in the Junction. Our costs were for some flyers, posters and a bit of food. We also gave several free books to the local press etc., but that got us an announcement in the paper too. I think the total cost of the launch was less than $300.00. (Julian refused to accept any payment.) In restrospect, we probably wouldn't have spent $40.00 on flyers. What worked best was emailing everybody (friends, family, neighbours and music and church contacts) and then following up with some phone calls. (John is very good at getting people to buy the book. He chases down our neighbours, tells them his wife has written a great book and then practically hits them over the head with it until they buy one. I don't really have the nerve!)

It was a little nerve wracking having a reading with some of my more conservative relatives present, but people were very kind and some of them bought several books.

My oldest daughter (Caitlin) and her husband gave me an engraved pen for the signing, so that was very sweet. All my grandchildren came too, but it was hard to get near them and towards the end the babies became a little distraught. The place was packed. We managed to wrap things up just before the Grey Cup which of course the Argos have won, so big excitement here.

And more big excitement in Toronto because they kicked Mayor Rob Ford out of office for conflict of interest etc.

What a weekend!

It's the countdown to my book launch!

Sunday, November 25, 2012, 3:30 - 6:00 P.M. Book Launch! Come meet Karen Black and pick up a signed copy of her new novel,"From the Chrysalis." Aidan Black-Allen, superstar of "Famous Now What?" will read about Liza's and Dace's first meeting at the prison. And Julian Fauth, 2009 Juno winner will play everybody's favourite song, "Liza." Everybody is welcome!

Location:

Axis Gallery & Grill

3048 Dundas St W, Toronto, Ontario M6P1Z3

 

Smashwords

From the Chrysalis is now available at Smashwords, so I took their advice and created an electronic signature for my e-mail correspondence. Please see below and if you hate it, let me know.

Was uploading to Smashwords a piece of cake? Of course not. I had a Kindle file which was perfect, but Smashwords wanted a .doc file. In the end, I re-sized the cover because SW insisted on a larger one, but I paid Ray from The Fiction Works to format the interior.

I'm too distracted. The book launch is this weekend. My husband has drummed up quite a few attendees (via a flyer distribution to every neighbour in a three block radius and an e-mail and phone blitz to everybody else who crossed our threshold in the past 35 years), so I might sell a few books. He's already sold a dozen for me, partly because he has no shame, but mostly because he's convinced himself that the book is great. He even entered it in a couple of contests. He has a lot more nerve than I do--thank God!

Oh, Ray volunteered that From the Chrysalis is "very powerful" book too. 

Karen  E. Black

http://www.karenblackauthor.com

Author of From the Chrysalis

“a rough-and-tumble romance based on the Kingston Penitentiary Riot in 1971”

 

Paperback up on Amazon! Really!

The paperback version of From the Chrysalis is finally available for order on Amazon.com! I purchased some copies myself, so I know it looks good. What a relief. I don't think I'll make much more money per copy in paperback sales, but at least people who don't like ebooks have some choice.

Paperback version of "From the Chrysalis" still not available on Amazon.com !

The paperback version of From the Chrysalis is still not available on Amazon.com  Urggh!!! They (who ever they are) keep citing technology difficulties, but I'm starting to wonder. I haven't heard anybody else complaining about the same problem and there's nothing wrong with the version I uploaded because it's available in paperback on the Amazon UK

If anybody else has a similar problem, please let me know. It's a cliche, but it's true. Misery loves company.

"From the Chrysalis" in paperback!

Well, yes and no. I've ordered copies for the book launch here in Toronto on Nov 25, they arrived with the minimum of fuss and bother and guess what--From the Chrysalis really is a book! I don't know if it's my imagination or not, but my novel actually sounds better when I read it in print.

Lots of trouble getting the print version on Amazon, though. I uploaded a print file [provided by CreateSpace] on Oct 17, but it's still not available for purchase.

CreateSpace Member Services assures me I have not been forgotten and that they are investigating the matter. Whatever--CreateSpace has been great. I've used their templates to create a paperback version of From the Chrysalis at virtually no cost beyond the money I had already spent [for one thorough edit by Genevieve Graham, author of Under the Same Sky etc.]. The book is under my own imprint: Viceroy Power Press. Well, okay, I paid $80.00 for Tatiana Will's great cover too. I'm not an illustrator, or a promoter either, for that matter. Help--I would really like to get back to the business of writing! Retirement is not an option, nor do I want my children to stop getting married and having babies.