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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.

the WEB

I have had a short tutorial today on how to do the website.
It seems massive, but if I take a bite at a time maybe it is doable. I am sure it is. It needs a complete overhaul. I also need to get familiar with all the interconnecting communications, like Facebook, Twitter etc, and get those links up.
And then there is the selling machine that has to be installed, PayPal etc.
This is all a gigantic learning curve. I wonder when I shall get back into the studio?  Good question, no?
But what is the point of making lovely stuff and writing lovely books if no-one knows?
Have a lovely day!

we have a cover, folks.

This is the cover. The book is being set up this week, then it will be proofed, indexed and then.... printed. Since I this is all new to me, it is step by baby step,  so far so good.  The cover is how I imagined it would be, I think it will jump off the shelves.
Plans: (this is great, I am tingly as I write)   In a few minutes a lady, Vicky, will come and we will discuss making a series of videos. I plan to have the Project, which is in the book, video- ed and available on Youtube. Easy steps, cleaning the glass, laying the gold, etc.  I am teaming up with Gold Leaf Supplies, www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk (already pushing them!)
Video lady here.... more soon.

Publication date

We have a date for publication, August. Just ready for the autumn rush.

(Producing this book is the closest thing I can think of to producing a baby. Maybe it, too, will support me in my old age.)

I am sending off to the book producer, Patrick Armstrong, www.bookproductionservices.co.uk, for him to start designing and typesetting the book; I have the ISBN number; indexer and proof reader are all in place, editing (thank you Jane), is all done. It looks good.

Next to do is the marketing and now I have to learn all about publishing it by e-books. I am told this is the way to go. Also, I am planning a series of videos. There is very little on You Tube as yet, on gilding on glass.  I am having some trouble downloading i movie hd, which would be a good tool.
I cant figure it out.   Never mind!

Gold: Power and Allure

I am delighted to have been asked to contribute to the free Summer exhibition at Goldsmiths' Hall, 1 June to 28th July 2012.  There will be 4500 years of gold treasures from across Britain, including  a mirror from me!
I made it using a variety of leaf, which will show its versatility on glass.
www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk

Do come.

Swamped

I have been swamped with replies to the mailout re the book... thank you all.
I have just discovered the page where you can see your comments. I thought they would just appear, somewhere, and since they didnt, I assumed no comments, no readers. So that's ok.  Then there they were.
There are messages from a Nichole, a Michelle and a Trillium. Who are you? I could not see how to find out who you are so I could reply.
This technology is moving so fast I am running all day to keep up. Just getting a new post on the website was enough to take a lie down. It is some time since I had done anything on it, and it was way overdue. I had forgotten how to get the pictures up, and to resize them, and the rest. Then the type went very strange and that was it for me.

Laying silver leaf for a mirror

There is a huge market in the US for gilding, loads of interested people who do it, commission it, collect it.  The book will do well there, but I need help with its distribution. If anyone reading this has any idea how to find some help for me, please say!  But directly, francesfederer@gmail.com, please.

Thats it for today, have a good one, f

Gold Leaf etc

Update....

Every day I creep inexorably towards the completion of this book. It is a steep learning curve, nearly every aspect is new and unchartered territory.
For instance, who knew that indexing is a serious, accredited profession?
I have an indexer in place; I still need a proof reader; I have a date for completion of the production and presentation to the printers (end June) ; I have the price settled, £19.99, a little more than the handbooks out there, but still under the magic £20; the Foreword is coming, from Bill Gudenrath, (Corning Museum of Glass, USA) good man.   I also nearly have the cover.... pink and gold!  Yeh.

What else? Yes, a little thing, the publicity machine.
I will have to rejig the website, dreading that part. And figure out how to get known and talked about. (No point doing all this work and having no-one know). So I will have to contact a zillion organizations, (e.g society of gilders) dealers, students, customers, collectors... and then get it reviewed!

I think the book will be well received. There are a lot of students waiting for it, and Sue Govani, who manages  the online store, http://www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/, who recently came on the course and had loads of pics done for her, and my site, assures me the interest in glass gilding is stronger than ever. She expects to sell plenty. Lets hope that will be repeated in all the other gilding supplies stores, and there are many!

People have been extraordinarily supportive.... so many current and former students have steeped up and helped in some way or another.  I have still to write the Acknowledgments page.

Thank you all, have a lovely day, f