From our incredibly talented Angela Lanyon

IMAGES OF ELSEWHERE

Book 1

THE SWORDSMAN’S REEL

`Far away is close at hand in images of elsewhere'. This graffiti from outside Paddington Station has haunted me for years. Every time the train pulled in or out of the station it was there, prodding me to take notice. Photographs, maps, travel books all kept niggling me. I didn't set out to write a trilogy, just the story of a boy, ejected from his home and going off in search of an unknown father. Slowly it grew; things I had read, objects in museums, with somehow Central Asia predominating. Perhaps because of my love of China. The book took ten years to write and was finished just short of my 70<sup>th</sup> birthday. Made redundant, I had felt exiled - and needed to reinvent myself. My hero, Per is forced to use his skills and self reliance, as I was, and not expect a magic wand to solve his problems. He also has to look within himself for answers and learn how to control himself if he is to save others and achieve his quest. When I read it now I am surprised by what I wrote. Attempts at main stream publication failed. `Lovely’ `Neat ideas’ but always: `not for us’. In the end, like Per, I had to go it alone (with a little help from my friends) And now, at eighty, this is the right time. There are plenty of young boys who don’t know their fathers, we all need to look within to find self mastery and we all need a good story that comes to a satisfactory conclusion as a result of the hero’s own effort. Not `One bound and he was out’ but achievement as a result of perseverance, ingenuity and courage. I have drawn on many philosophies and belief systems as Per uses his skills as a smith and a ropemaker to fulfil his quest. Book 2 and 3 THE ROPEMAN’S WALK and THE WEAVER’S CLEW complete the story in which he learns the unity of all things and realises that this is the thread which has run through all his experiences and that `In his end in his beginning.’ Angela Lanyon.

`A fascinating narrative’ Lionel Fanthorpe

The Swordsman’s Reel IBSN 978-07552-1300-9 9/99 Available from Amazon. or as ebook from www.authorsonline.co.uk

Apologies

An apology for the lack of blog posts this week. A family health issue demanded foremost attention. This may be an on going issue through this coming week, but hopefully it will not affect regular posts being made.

Meeting on March 1st

This week's topic is 'There's a lion at the door'

Some sunday humor

used with permission from inkygirl - thank you

Directory of ePublishers

Originally, I had planned to give a complete list of ebook publishers. A W&A yearbook style collection, in truth this webpage has done an incredible job. Thus, I will give a link and bow to their incredible efforts.

http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/epublishers.html

Your ebook, Your way

1. Self-Publish Your Ebook

You can self-publish your eBook. By simply compiling the written pages into an eBook (software can be obtained free http://www.ebookcompiler.com/, http://www.exebook.com/,http://download.cnet.com/windows/e-book-software/)

Then simply register to obtain an ISBN number, and sell your ebook through your own web site.

2. Ebook Publishers that will hand hold

There are eBook publishers who will meet you half way.

An example publisher is BookLocker. You to deliver the eBook in your best finished and edited form, and they sell it in their store, and provide payment processing etc.

The author maintains control over the eBook's price, and the rights to sell it elsewhere. Royalties are good at up to 70%.

3. A Traditional Publisher

There are numerous print publishers who are vastly expanding their ebook catalogues. Print publishers will require relinquishing control as they set price, and will hopefully be playing an active role in marketing. It’s also important to be aware of just which, often all, of your books rights you are selling.

4. How do you decide?

So, where will see you make the most, and will set your ebook become a household name? That is going to depend on how much time and motivation you have. If you are currently working two full time jobs just to fund your writing habit, well maybe a traditional publisher might suit your time constraints best. If you are newly retired and have spent the last 30 years in marketing, well why hand over half your profits, right?

Not convinced ebooks are worth it?

According to http://www.publishyourownebooks.com/’s news section:

• Random House UK Ebook Sales up 800% (Dec 2010)

• iBooks more popular than Facebook and Twitter (Sep 2010)

• Amazon's CEO Bezos Predicts Ebooks Will Overtake Paperbacks Within 12 Months (Jul 2010)

• Sony Predicts Ebooks Will Overtake Print Within 5 Years (Jun 2010)

• US Publishers Experiencing Strong Sales on the iPad (May 2010)

• Ebook Marketing Exploding (March 2010)