next update

This is quite a journey, the whole self publishing thing, and trying to keep a handle on it all.
I imagine if you are lucky enough to have a publisher for your book, all you have to do it write the thing, then hand it over.
They do the pricing, pay you your fee (never mind if it is a best seller), edit it, set it up, proof it, index it, get it printed, get it reviewed, throw a launch maybe AND get it distributed. Internationally, too. Then they take the money, market it, distribute it, get it reprinted if necessary and finally send it to the 'Remainder' shelves.
I am doing all of that.  So, you ask, where are we up to?
The book producer, Patrick, who I mentioned earlier,  set the whole thing up and sent me the entire manuscript to proofread. I printed it all out, marked up each page with funny little symbols that indicate, cut; add; move; indent etc. and stet, which means kindly ignore my scribbling - as you were.
Then he has it back, via post, and does all the corrections, (this is where we are up to, since you ask) sends it back, electronically, for me to approve.  I approve, hopefully electronically this time, and he does final corrections.
Then we move to next and final (?) stage before PRINTING. It goes out to two professionals, an Indexer for the very important indexing (really important this is good: who wants to look up 'eglomise' and find it not there?) and to the proof reader, who is outside the process and has a fresh eye.
Once this is done, the final bits are added, like a pic of me, my bio, Acknowledgments (thank you ALL) and short bios of the contributors.
THEN, chaps, we get it printed. No going back now.
Someone tells me how to establish the publication date, as I need to send out (free) copies to reviewers, one month previously.  I have to compile a list of likely reviewers, as near to the top of the tree as I can (not my friend down the road, I think). Museum people, scholars, etc.
If we can we will launch the videos and DVD at the same time, so it will hit the shelves all at once and the world will grind to a stop while the gobsmacked public gasp in amazement.

For further installments on this birthing process, keep checking back!

If you have been, thanks for reading. Have a good day.