Hitting the Button!

The release date for my debut novel, "The Last Independence Day," is rapidly approaching - November 23, 2023, and with a last-minute title change!

Over a year ago, when I began writing this novel, I had no idea about the logistical challenges of self-publishing a book. I've previously discussed the marketing aspect, which has been quite a hassle. Tonight, I want to share my experience with the actual book launch for my self-published novel.

When I first sat down to research the process, I had no clue where to start. Should I upload it to Amazon's Kindle Publishing, go with Barnes and Noble, explore other platforms, or hire a paid service to handle it? Ultimately, I decided to use a service to launch my novel across multiple platforms simultaneously as an e-book in EPUB format (MOBI for Kindle). It made sense, even though there was still a learning curve to overcome. During this process, I pressed the button and realized a glaring error in the manuscript had gone unnoticed, even by the proofreader. I took a final look and found several more tiny errors that some readers could have overlooked, but I wasn't willing to take that chance! While I don't want the drive for perfection to become the enemy of the good, I want it to be as perfect as possible. I also decided to tweak the title slightly to make it more descriptive. So, I hit the "upload" button for the final time Sunday night (November 19), and I knew that my chosen service, "draft2digital.com," would handle the rest. According to them, it will find its way onto several platforms, including Amazon/Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, and many others.

Writing and creating have been lifelong aspirations, and now I wait to see if what I've written has value beyond my perspective. Colonel Gwen Robbins, to whom I dedicated the book, emphasized the bravery required of writers in her Senior English classes at military school. I'm about to experience that bravery as reviews start to come in. I hope they'll be positive, but I understand not everyone will share the same opinion.

After this stage, I'll work on a print version and an audiobook narration. Meanwhile, I'll write blogs about the characters in the story to introduce them and their roles. To those who have read this blog, thank you for your support. I hope you'll consider buying my book and sharing it with friends. Above all, I had a great time writing it and addressing some of the issues that inspired me to write it in the first place. I hope it not only entertains but also teaches a lesson for us all. Thanks for reading.