The Shunammite Woman proofing

My son constructed the front and back covers of my short story The Shunammite Woman.  I didn't have much of a clue as to how to start that and I wasn't going to pay big bucks for a program such as AdobeInDesign which would be required to import the two photos into CreateSpace's required format for a print ready cover.  The two photos came from istockphoto.com which I purchased.  I have ordered a proof copy by mail rather than trying to proof it on screen.  So sometime in early March this title will be available both in print and Kindle.  It only numbers 19,000 words which includes a poem by a preacher friend who gave me verbal permission to use it.  His poem is entitled Just Like That Shunammite.
See the attached cover and I invite any comments on that.  I don't know the price yet but my proof print copy cost me six bucks including shipping. I hope I get a price break when I order a bunch of copies for myself.

Self Publishing woes

I have started the process via Createspace to self-publish The Shunammite Woman.  I had very little trouble when I used Createspace to publish my first manuscript with them entitled In Remembrance of Me.  Unfortunately, the procedure for creating the front and back cover has changed.  It is now much more difficult for me at least to construct the cover.  The JPEG photos must be converted to PDF files.  I was able to do that with a free download of Soda which I was able to make the conversion.  To take those PDF files of the front and back cover over to a template for the covers is quite difficult.  It appears I will have to purchase software to get that done.  I've checked for literally hours to find a way without success.
I have attached what I hope will eventually be the back cover of the new publication.  It was purchased from istockphoto.com for the view of Mt. Carmel on the Mediterranean Sea.  Of course this actual photo is actually on the coastline of California.
I hope some interest will be shown for my next post which will have the photo I selected for the Shunammite woman.

The Shunammite Woman

I have gone through the 19,000 word story about the Old Testament character, The Shunammite Woman and since I never heard from the publisher I submitted it to I'm pursuing self-publishing it via Create Space at Amazon.  I have an ISBN number already and am trying to decide which woman photo to use from istockphoto.com.  It is now a matter of making that decision and also for the back cover.  I have several photos of eastern women and am leaning toward one in particular.
I awarded the free copies of A Change of Heart, digital versions to Linore Burkard, Regina Andrews and Diane Craver.  I mailed a print copy to Miss Mae.  I have received constructive remarks from one of the winners and hope to have reviews from two of the other winners.
No word yet from Avon on my submitted novel The Vanishing Shed.

My Recent writings and submissions

I have been terribly negligent in posting and must make amends.  I have not heard from my religious character short story submission, The Shunammite Woman.  This is a disappointment in that I submitted it to a publisher who put out my science fiction novel, print version of The Silver Dart.  The Shunammite Woman story is fiction, except when she meets the prophet, Elisha and King Joram, those portions remaining accurate according to the Bible references in 2 Kings 4 and 2 Kings 8 concerning this wonderful Old Testament woman.  I also remain as true as my research has allowed in the towns, countries and lay of the land.  I may self-publish this story via Create Space so that it will be in print form.  Since it is only 18,000 words long I'd predict a price of four or five dollars, which is about what my religious book In Remembrance of Me cost.
I submitted my older novel, The Vanishing Shed, to Avon Books and am anxiously awaiting word on that.  This is the novel I received a personal comment hand-written by a reputable agent on her form rejection.  I should hear something on that sometime next month.
I have finished editing an older novel, A Reason for Rescue, but have not submitted it yet.  I had received several rejections on these two novels some years back.  I still believe in these novels and have polished them as best I can.
I am thinking of doing an Amazon giveaway on my romance novel, A Change of Heart.  If anyone out there is interested in me doing that let me know.  I've not had any comments forever on my blog.  The way this works is I purchase my own book from Amazon, offer it as a giveaway to my groups and then Amazon ships the book directly to the winner.  I am willing to do that just to get a little visibility for this novel, my first published novel.  I will probably email my romance author's group I am in and see what they say too.

Waiting and editing

Tomorrow will mark four weeks since submitting a query on The Shunammite Woman and still no reply which surprises me.  In the meantime I have finished editing my The Vanishing Shed novel by eliminating most all of the words "now" and "then" which I did because of an article in my RWR (Romance Writers Report) magazine.  This magazine comes from RWA (Romance Writers of America) of which I am a member.  They have an option where I as a debut author can submit my first novel information and appear in RWR.  Also RWA will be requiring members upon renewing to prove they are pursuing a career in romance writing.  One way of doing that is to submit proof of a novel which has an ISBN number and I can do that late next year when my membership is up for renewal.  If not accepted I'll lose full membership status which will result in not being able to vote.  I can submit my Change of Heart information and hopefully that will fill the bill.  I am once again going to seek an agent for The Vanishing Shed.
That is my update for now.

Sales Track Stats

Today marks two weeks since I submitted a query on The Shunammite Woman.  I have revised my novel The Vanishing Shed and now it numbers 84,400 words, not much reduced from 85,000 words.  After another read through I'll decide where I'll submit it.  I have given away two more copies of my religious publication which I did via CreateSpace to two folks in our congregation.  Its title is In Remembrance Of Me.  I only paid a bit under four bucks for each print copy of that and am selling it for five dollars.  I wanted to show you the stats of my novels/anthology below.  I don't have the figures on the actual sales via the publisher, only my own efforts at selling them.
The Silver Dart                                      seven copies
In Remembrance of Me                        four copies
2014 Summer Anthology                       three copies
A Change of Heart                                twenty-one copies
Actually, I do have records of some of the sales beyond the above numbers.  Some kind folks downloaded the ebook version of A Change of Heart.
My mother, Stella Hammersley, passed away almost eleven years ago and I have her book on which she worked fifteen years gathering information and photos for it.  Its title is White River Memories.  It has gone through numerous printings via a copying shop in nearby Bloomington, Indiana.  She sold it down through the years and now I'm selling it.  This is a non fiction book about Williams, Indiana.  It covers the local school at Williams which I attended grades two through twelve.  The school burned down and was rebuilt in 1944.  The school's first graduating class was 1911 and the last class was 1963, my sister-in-law, Brenda graduating that year.  My wife graduated in 1957 and I graduated in 1956.  The book contains all the available class photos and information about the small town of Williams where I grew up.  It is available from me and the local museum in Bedford, Indiana.  I have copies if anyone is interested.

Shunammite Woman query submitted

I have submitted a query of the Shunammite Woman to a publisher who published my science fiction novel The Silver Dart.  That was about a week and a half ago.  I've not heard anything yet.  The poem by my preacher friend, Fred McKinney I had decided not to include because I didn't think he would want his poem to be under a copyright of my story in case it sees publication.  I've since received word from him not to worry about that and go ahead and include it.
If I don't hear anything or it is rejected I'll probably go with CreateSpace like I did with my religious publication In Remembrance Of Me.  That way it would go into print.  Otherwise, a publisher might not put it into print because at just over 18,000 words it doesn't even reach novella status.
I have read through my old novel The Vanishing Shed with the intentions of resubmitting it in hopes to gain an agent or publisher.  I've noticed some of my segments are "over the top" in Nina's response to Buddy and so will shorten that part.  I estimate that will probably drop it from 85,000 to 84,000 words.  This is the novel which I received a rejection but a handwritten note from the agent that I was on the right track.  She wanted me to revise it a certain way.  I refused to do that but later decided to and resubmitted it to her.  I never heard back from her.  After putting the finishing touches on this and submitting it probably several times I'll probably start revising another novel that suffered numerous rejections.  Its name is A Reason For Rescue.  There will need to be some changes to it as well.
My poor blog needs some comments and I'd welcome that, even negative ones. If that happens, positive or negative please do me the courtesy of reading my answers.  I would appreciate it.