Pre-orders open for The Muse

Well, here we are. Today I've set up the pre-order facility over at the Splashdown Books homepage, (preview at left) along with a dedicated page for each new release. The addition of shopping cart buttons drives in the fact that this is for real - and very soon, there's going to be real books to show for it. To reward those who buy before release date, we're going to offer a special electronic bonus as incentive. Fred's working on that right now.

In fact, Fred has been nothing but patient as I've gotten more and more frantic this week. Maybe he can't tell from halfway around the world. You see, I'm headed away on another two-month trek (blame that travelbug) and there's been a lot of stuff we needed to get done before that. I'm glad to say it's pretty much all done and in the can. What remains can be done from underway, or rather, en route in the back country of France.

It's been a busy week, all right - but I've loved every minute of it. Seriously, there's nothing I like better than to publish books and sink my teeth into marketing projects. Says she, the career-hopper. Heh.

Here's a video blog I just recorded today, including a bunch of stuff on Splashdown and upcoming projects. Talk to you later!

What's your line of work?

Since Thursday I've been answering that question like this: "I'm a publisher." It's quite electrifying. While I haven't actually published anything yet - at least not under the name of Splashdown Books - I have now shifted the focus of my full-time attention to the necessary preparations to do so.

I suppose I could be called a "voluntary" publisher, since it's not making any money. My bills get paid by doing one day a week of largely boring translations of German technical manuals. So if you look at the proportions of my time, oh yeah, I'm definitely a publisher as of last week.

Days on the job so far: Three. I've been delving into the maze of printers and distributors and online shopping carts and ISBNs. I'm also very happy to report that the author I made an offer to last week has given his approval to a business partnership. That will all be announced in due course, after we've nailed a contract.

Also check out the new blog for Splashdown Reviews. I get to read a lot of new sci-fi and fantasy novels in my line of work, and often write reviews of them. So it makes sense to gather those reviews and post them since they're eminently related to this other stuff I'm doing. The link is at the top right - whoops, I better go and post something there!

So it begins...

This was some day all right. After some dithering I've bought the domain splashdownbooks.com and begun the laborious process of constructing the necessary business administration for my company. I spent some time working on the look for the site, which is reproduced in part on this blog.

Also today I've made my first offer to an author. I hadn't planned on doing this so soon, I've hardly begun yet - but this guy's story has got to be read to be believed. Or not believed, depending on your imagination. It was like the tale reached out and wrapped itself around me. I'm waiting to hear back from the author before I make any announcements on that front.

I talked to friends in Ireland and Colorado this morning - one not involved with publishing, but would dearly love to be if it means she can come to live in New Zealand... (sigh). The other, an agent-in-training, gave me some valuable positive feedback on my rather unusual methods of acquiring authors.

Clank got back to me about the cover design for Legendary Space Pilgrims, too - he's doing a great job on the rocketship with Mario and Caitlin inside, peering out into the unknown.

Now that I'm in the swing, I'd rather like to keep building that website. But I should really go to homegroup. Meet some people, all that. You know...I think I will.