Shameless self-promotion: I just published my debut novel - at the age of 67!

[LanguedocFox]

It's actually not much of a boast because anyone can do it these days, but I'm a bit chuffed because I just published my first novel on Kindle - https://www.amazon.c...p/B00CD32RYE .

I've been writing marketing communications (ads, websites, brochures etc) for nearly 45 years, but this is the first time I've written fiction (well, apart from the ads, websites, brochures etc). You can have a look at an extract on that page - click the "Look inside" link just above the cover picture top left - and even download it if you like it. Costs less than half a pint (or, if you're down here, a glass of red). I'd be interested in comments - good or bad. And please pass the link on to your friends, family, and anyone else you know, including that bloke down the pub who thinks you're a bit odd for supporting City.

Have any other Forum members done something similar? And do any members have the old "Novel in the bottom drawer"? If the latter, why not do the same as I did? It's not that difficult.

Up the City.

[Babylon]

It's actually not much of a boast because anyone can do it these days, but I'm a bit chuffed because I just published my first novel on Kindle - https://www.amazon.c...p/B00CD32RYE .

I've been writing marketing communications (ads, websites, brochures etc) for nearly 45 years, but this is the first time I've written fiction (well, apart from the ads, websites, brochures etc). You can have a look at an extract on that page - click the "Look inside" link just above the cover picture top left - and even download it if you like it. Costs less than half a pint (or, if you're down here, a glass of red). I'd be interested in comments - good or bad. And please pass the link on to your friends, family, and anyone else you know, including that bloke down the pub who thinks you're a bit odd for supporting City.

Have any other Forum members done something similar? And do any members have the old "Novel in the bottom drawer"? If the latter, why not do the same as I did? It's not that difficult.

Up the City.

Come on own up, who did you pay to write those reviews?

Always fancied having a crack at writing a book, unfortunately I can't write or spell.

[LanguedocFox]

Come on own up, who did you pay to write those reviews?

No money changed hands, but I know both of them. Good though, aren't they?

[Babylon]

No money changed hands, but I know both of them. Good though, aren't they?

Is it based on your experiences of foxestalk?

"James King is a fairly ordinary man doing a fairly ordinary job, fairly well.

Then he’s fired and without exactly looking for trouble he finds himself embroiled in drug smuggling, industrial espionage, and armed insurrection.

In the process, he's shouted at, pushed around, beaten up, thumped, kicked, shot at, and – in his own words – ‘smacked about the head and shoulders with enough blunt instruments to last a lifetime.’

He can't quite work out how it all happened, or how to get out of the situation he’s in. He just knows that nothing makes sense any more, and no-one can be trusted - apart from a 13-year-old computer prodigy and a sad, lonely and rather beautiful woman."

[LanguedocFox]

Is it based on your experiences of foxestalk?

"James King is a fairly ordinary man doing a fairly ordinary job, fairly well.

Then he’s fired and without exactly looking for trouble he finds himself embroiled in drug smuggling, industrial espionage, and armed insurrection.

In the process, he's shouted at, pushed around, beaten up, thumped, kicked, shot at, and – in his own words – ‘smacked about the head and shoulders with enough blunt instruments to last a lifetime.’

He can't quite work out how it all happened, or how to get out of the situation he’s in. He just knows that nothing makes sense any more, and no-one can be trusted - apart from a 13-year-old computer prodigy and a sad, lonely and rather beautiful woman."

Apart from the beautiful woman bit, yes exactly..

[Babylon]

Apart from the beautiful woman bit, yes exactly..

[Alexikokopops]

I've just bought it!

[Captain...]

Good work, it is a self published effort I take it.

How did you go about it, first writing the thing and then publishing it?

[Babylon]

How did you go about it, first writing the thing and then publishing it?

No he published it and then will write it if anyone buys it!

[Captain...]

No he published it and then will write it if anyone buys it!

I meant... oh forget it...

[LanguedocFox]

I've just bought it!

Thanks a lot. I hope you enjoy it, and as I said, would be very interested in your comments, good or bad.

[LanguedocFox]

I meant... oh forget it...

I understood the question...

The writing was quite a long process that actually started about 20 years ago when I read a really crappy paperback while I was on holiday and thought "I must be able to do better than that". I came up with the basic plot idea fairly quickly, wrote the book, and got some encouragement from family and friends. But I also got enough rejection slips from publishers to paper a small bedroom. So it went in the bottom drawer (literally and figuratively) until last year, when my son sent me a link to a guide on how to publish on Kindle. In fact, it was a few months before the old digital files turned up, and when they did I spent a few more months revising it - so much has changed in that time - before I got it ready.

The publishing process is a bit complicated to explain. I had to have several goes, but in essence the document (I used Word 2010) has to be set up in a specific way - I can explain if you are really interested - and then converted to HTML using a separate program: I used Kindle Previewer, which I found very simple. The title page was created as an image because I wanted to use underlining, and the front cover I made using Photoshop on a photograph that I took myself.

Uploading the whole thing to Kindle was fairly straightforward, but as I said, I had to do it a few times before I got it right.

Hope that helps.

[Captain...]

I understood the question...

The writing was quite a long process that actually started about 20 years ago when I read a really crappy paperback while I was on holiday and thought "I must be able to do better than that". I came up with the basic plot idea fairly quickly, wrote the book, and got some encouragement from family and friends. But I also got enough rejection slips from publishers to paper a small bedroom. So it went in the bottom drawer (literally and figuratively) until last year, when my son sent me a link to a guide on how to publish on Kindle. In fact, it was a few months before the old digital files turned up, and when they did I spent a few more months revising it - so much has changed in that time - before I got it ready.

The publishing process is a bit complicated to explain. I had to have several goes, but in essence the document (I used Word 2010) has to be set up in a specific way - I can explain if you are really interested - and then converted to HTML using a separate program: I used Kindle Previewer, which I found very simple. The title page was created as an image because I wanted to use underlining, and the front cover I made using Photoshop on a photograph that I took myself.

Uploading the whole thing to Kindle was fairly straightforward, but as I said, I had to do it a few times before I got it right.

Hope that helps.

Very much so, I wasn't sure if it was a case of just saving it as a pdf file, which I assume all e-readers can read, or whether you needed a specific piece of software for a more professional look.

As for the writing process, I have started a lot more things than I have finished, I go through phases of writing and I am hoping to have a little period of unemployment coming up soon and will try and get back into it.

It is always encouraging to see the fruits of other people's work.

[LanguedocFox]

Very much so, I wasn't sure if it was a case of just saving it as a pdf file, which I assume all e-readers can read, or whether you needed a specific piece of software for a more professional look.

As for the writing process, I have started a lot more things than I have finished, I go through phases of writing and I am hoping to have a little period of unemployment coming up soon and will try and get back into it.

It is always encouraging to see the fruits of other people's work.

I tried the PDF route as one of my many failed attempts to get the thing right. The issue seems to be that the files need to be formatted in a specific way so that on Kindle (and the other platforms that can be used using Kindle Reading apps) the reader can do things like changing font size and also the viewing aspect - portrait to landscape and back again. As I say, it took a while, but if I had to do it again now, it would be very easy. There's also a really good site called Smashwords.com, which I didn't find until the book was online, which offers guidance and free software.

As far as actually writing it is concerned, you just need to do it, which I know is easy to say. The one strong recommendation I would make is that you get friends to read what you write, and give honest opinions. King's Ransom, my book, was read by three people, none of whom particularly likes that kind of potboiler (sorry, masterpiece of modern fiction) and they all came up with really useful and constructive criticism.

Best of luck!

[marko]

I've just bought it so I'll start after I've finished Casino Royale.

I had a look at your bio page too - living in France with a "big blond"! You're the envy of many a man

[Babylon]

I've just bought it so I'll start after I've finished Casino Royale.

I had a look at your bio page too - living in France with a "big blond"! You're the envy of many a man

[purpleronnie]

I've just bought it so I'll start after I've finished Casino Royale.

I had a look at your bio page too - living in France with a "big blond"! You're the envy of many a man

france? really?

[marko]

france? really?

Yeah, who'd have thought that with Languedoc in his username. I was making a poor joke about him living with a big blond, but added the France bit to make it sound even more glamourous you sarcastic jeb.

[LanguedocFox]

I've just bought it so I'll start after I've finished Casino Royale.

I had a look at your bio page too - living in France with a "big blond"! You're the envy of many a man

Thanks Marko: I hope you enjoy it, and I'll be interested in your comments. You might have misread my biog: my wife is blonde, but the big blond I mention is a Labrador called Barney, who's also a City fan. Honestly.

[LanguedocFox]

Thanks Marko: I hope you enjoy it, and I'll be interested in your comments. You might have misread my biog: my wife is blonde, but the big blond I mention is a Labrador called Barney, who's also a City fan. Honestly.

On the other hand, I think I might have had a temporary irony bypass!

[marko]

Thanks Marko: I hope you enjoy it, and I'll be interested in your comments. You might have misread my biog: my wife is blonde, but the big blond I mention is a Labrador called Barney, who's also a City fan. Honestly.

No, I understood it was your dog, but it was my poor attempt at a joke to glamourise you

[LanguedocFox]

No, I understood it was your dog, but it was my poor attempt at a joke to glamourise you

You calling my wife a dog?

You'll doubtless have seen my picture, so you must realise that any attempt to glamorise me is definitely flogging a dead horse.

Up the City!

[Guest]

I'll buy yours if you buy (one of) mine.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/strad-ford/sol-the-battle-for-jonzark-3rd-edition/paperback/product-10271513.html

Available through Amazon and other retail outlets but I get more royalties from this link.

[Trav Le Bleu]

It's actually not much of a boast because anyone can do it these days, but I'm a bit chuffed because I just published my first novel on Kindle - https://www.amazon.c...p/B00CD32RYE .

I've been writing marketing communications (ads, websites, brochures etc) for nearly 45 years, but this is the first time I've written fiction (well, apart from the ads, websites, brochures etc). You can have a look at an extract on that page - click the "Look inside" link just above the cover picture top left - and even download it if you like it. Costs less than half a pint (or, if you're down here, a glass of red). I'd be interested in comments - good or bad. And please pass the link on to your friends, family, and anyone else you know, including that bloke down the pub who thinks you're a bit odd for supporting City.

Have any other Forum members done something similar? And do any members have the old "Novel in the bottom drawer"? If the latter, why not do the same as I did? It's not that difficult.

Up the City.

I've submitted a couple of novels for publication to publishers in the past without success. I've thought of brushing them up and trying the Kindle route too.

All the best with your maximum octopus!

[LanguedocFox]

I'll buy yours if you buy (one of) mine.

http://www.lulu.com/...t-10271513.html

Available through Amazon and other retail outlets but I get more royalties from this link.

That's an impressive range of work - puts me to shame.

I'm not at my own computer at the moment but will definitely download something on Friday when I get back online.

Good to meet you.