JB Smiths Blog – Author @ books4free.com

So after two years, writing, editing and wrangling with the book printer and publisher http://www.books4fee.com we have finally accomplished what I initially thought would take two weeks, sending the proof out.

Such details as creating the PDF to fit 5.5 x 8.5 when everything is defaulted to 8.5 x 11 and of course changing the cover size to fit the exact lightning source template, are hoops of fire books4free.com and myself wouldn’t have known about unless we had jumped through them. No we know, and next time, I’ll be able to approach with much more accuracy, as this time we were flying blind. But ultimately, Hippopotamus Sea, My Viral Sobriety, by Jared Bryan Smith was proofed, and shipped out on July 22, 2010. This is significant because, my mom who died in 2004, and plays  a very central role in much of the memoir, also shares this date as her birthday. As I’ve heard in the rooms of Alcoholic Anonymous, “Coincidence is a miracle, in which God chooses to remain anonymous.” Also I’ve heard it said “Coincidence is God winking at you.” God’s timing of the proof shipping, on my mom’s birthday, is not lost on me. I don’t believe for a second that it was a coincidence.

I just hope the book is good and doesn’t alienate anyone, or boast, or ramble on, I am now just concerned with it’s quality. Smashwords.com, books4free.com, lightningsource.com, Sharline Bramucci, the Book Cover designer and amazing artist, and Barton Wright, the very technical editor and encourager, have all been amazing over these past two years, but if the book sucks, nothing can make it fly off the shelves, or in this case, the Print on Demand.

Now, I have to wait, sit in my own insecurities, and wonder why 17 samples have been downloaded on smashwords.com, and only 1 person has bought the book… for less than 2 bucks… mine as well up the price to 10 bucks if the only sales area going to come from cold calls and relatives. The knot in my stomach is telling me it’s because my writing sucks, and if that’s the case, God help me when the reviews start coming in…

Why did I, high school drop out, and brain cell genocide perpetrator ever believe I could write in the first place. Am I not a complete burn out? Don’t I have problems enough just doing my day job of being a headhunter, since being sober. Is not my memory completely decimated since getting sober 3.5 years ago, and didn’t I think that would affect my writing at all. Only an alcoholic could spend two years writing about himself, jeez I hope it doesn’t suck.

Oh well, thus is the struggle and journey of all writers I guess, once you launch the ship, all you  can do is hope it sails true, and stays off the rocks. Also, if you’re a literary critic… you better not have a traceable address online if you plan on being critical… because well, I may have to hunt you down and murder you.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/19066

-JB Smith