A short month.   On 18th, Christmas took over!

PUBLISHING

Most of my mental energy went on trying to get my books published and available.  I wrestled with Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Print) and managed to get the e-book out on Kindle on 14th, but the book version has proved harder, with Amazon frequently asking for better specification, especially for the cover.  I now have only one tiny hurdle to get over: 

“Reduce the size of your spine text in your cover file. Spine text needs at least 0.0625″ (1.6 mm) space on either side so that it doesn’t wrap onto the front or back cover.”

At the beginning of the month I got Filament to order a supply of all my titles so I have some in stock.  They arrived just as I was setting out for Christmas in Plympton.  I opened them on my return and was horribly shocked.  All fifty of the ‘Daily Prayers from the Worlds Faiths’ were the same as at 19th October – no barcode, no price and no updated inner pages!  

However, I got five proof copies from Amazon and at a lower price.

MARKETING

Not a lot of point in promoting ‘Daily Prayers’ in the run-up to Christmas.  What I did do was to cycle round Kensington and Chelsea delivering unsaleable copies to all the Headteachers in the borough.  I made one useful contact, a sixth form college five minutes from my flat.  My main achievement was cycling from Ladbroke Grove straight to Kensington – there are some very steep hills!

WRITING

No writing this month apart from the Newsletter.  Publishing and marketing absorbed all my energies.  

I had planned to write a blog about Advent, but I just could not get my head round it.

As Christmas drew nearer, my thoughts and ideas kept changing.  Advent does not make a lot of sense in today’s world, but Christmas does spark off a lot of creativity, beauty and generosity.

CHRISTMAS

I did something new this year.  Instead of sending cards to everyone on my Christmas card list, I sent a Jacqui Lawson e-card to everyone whom I had an email address for.  It was an excellent move.  I sent an e-card to two thirds of the people I normally send to, accompanied by an e-letter with lots of photos of last year.  What was brilliant was the number of message I got back and the conversations that followed.  I shall definitely do it again next year! 

I spent Christmas at Linda’s family home and helped her with the cooking – including discovering white icing in the local Co-op after it had disappeared from all other outlets.  Afterwards I spent three days with my brother and his wife, and enjoyed the company of two nephews, a niece and their spouses, as well as three great-nieces and three great-nephews.  We all went ten-pin bowling, and I very nearly came bottom!

FILM ETC

The best film Linda and I saw was ‘Fallen Leaves’ – a bone-dry Finnish rom-com about two unemployed people.  Very different was the showing of the Hollywood rom-com ’The Holiday’ at the Hammersmith Apollo with a live orchestra – great fun.  We also went to see the 18th century comedy ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ with two neighbours, very enjoyable.

I have finally succumbed to age –  I got hearing aids and had an eye test for new glasses.  It’s such a shame that ‘Time’s wingéd chariot’ does not have a reverse gear!

Happy New Year

Andy

“Christmas is about God lighting a candle.”

from Midnight Mass, St Mary’s Plympton.