Almost published.. At last
Wow, this dream of publishing my memoir has taken a while. For those of you who have followed my story of publishing, thank you. Your support has pushed me on. Here is the next episode and it’s an exciting one.
After working for over six months with Melinda Ferguson as a mentor on Coming Out Coming Home, it was rejected by the publishers that she works with. The disappointment was crushing. After three years of writing, rewriting a few times, and editing I was devastated. I allowed myself to wallow in my misery for a night, and wallow I did.
However, the morning light always gives a new perspective. I am not a morning person, so I didn’t leap out of bed, but slowly climbed out of bed, with a new resolve. After all this hard work I was determined to get myself published.
Over the next few weeks, I sent my manuscript to five different publishers. All of them let you know that you may have to wait for up to six months for any response and to this point, I’ve heard nothing.
I grew impatient and then lockdown slammed into us. I am one of the people who is working from home during the lockdown and I envy all those posting on social media about how bored they are. I haven’t had a minute to spare. However, there’s something about being stuck indoors for a period of time that has got me more productive than normal. So, not only are we making huge changes to the business that I’m a partner in, but I decided that now is the time to get published.
With the help of an author friend, I contacted a self-publishing company, negotiated and tweaked his packages, and we’re ready to roll. One problem remained. The cost of self-publishing. Although his rates are competitive, in a season where salaries are being reduced and the future is so uncertain, I don’t have the money up-front.
I decided to crowdfund the project. So, here’s the deal. If you would like to pre-order my book, I am taking 100 orders at R185 or US$10. It will be available initially in paperback or a PDF copy once ready. The paperback offer is initially only available in South Africa. Once the cover design is complete, it will also be available to pre-order on Amazon and paperback will then be available beyond South Africa. Payments are currently via PayPal or EFT. If interested, please email me for the details at karidbn@gmail.com.
I’m delighted to say that we have already sold over 25 books. I’ll keep you updated on the progress. Thanks again for all your support.