Update: Book Two is a Go!

No, sorry … it’s not officially released yet, but Kindle Direct Publishing has FINALLY accepted my submitted manuscript(s) for Wyldling Trials. I ordered author copies and should receive them on October 17th. Just in time for an author event on the 21st, a day after book release. If you happen to be in the Milwaukee/Kenosha area that day—and you like comic books—then head on over to Studio Moonfall and visit me. It’s a cozy shop and the owner’s a really nice guy.

With regards to formatting, the e-book version wasn’t the problem. It was the paperback. You see, I formatted the book myself this time. And I don’t have a fancy typesetting program like Vellum or Atticus. I didn’t even go through Reedsy, which has a free, albeit limited, typesetting app that I made use of for the Advance Reader Copies. The ARCs were “clean” manuscripts that had been through the revision and editing wringers, but I made minor tweaks to the final version being published through KDP and eventually Ingram Spark. I did end up using the Kindle Create program for the ebook after doing most of the formatting in the word processor, but the paperback version was completely formatted in Microsoft Word. By me … after some mentoring. 

Formatting was definitely a learning experience. It involved a lot of trial and error. And … for the most part, I actually enjoyed it. There are a lot of nitpicky details involved in formatting, and I am a detail-oriented person—in spades. I figured out how to set the margins, line spacing, heading styles, and fonts. Did you know that there’s a box you can check under “save” options to embed the fonts? I didn’t realize that until KDP had a conniption about it. Luckily, my friend Huckleberry, who also formats her own books, guided me through the process. I also discovered the joy of drop caps and section breaks. Depositphotos supplied dragon images and tribal designs for my chapter header art and I had fun lining up everything just so. Even with the limitations, I could still accomplish a lot on the word processing level.

And then there was the map …

Every high or epic fantasy series needs at least one map, you know? The readers expect it. Using Inkarnate, I created a map (see above,) just like I did for the first book—and this is what caused all the problems. I figured I could drop that bad boy into the Word doc, stretch it out across two pages, print it to PDF, and end up with something similar to the Wyldling Snare experience. Everything was formatted correctly, the PDF was set to “bleed,” so it should all work out fine.

Right?

Wrong! KDP did NOT like my file. I kept tweaking the margins and the image size. No dice. Talk about frustration! Long story short, there IS a new map in Wyldling Trials, but the image isn’t spread out to bleed across two pages like the one in Wyldling Snare. I just couldn’t make it work within the limited time frame I had available to experiment. I ended up cropping the map and inserting halves on facing pages within the allotted margins. If I ever figure out how to do the image spread, then I’ll revise the file accordingly and try again. And I have a creeping suspicion the drop caps might not have worked …

Moving on.

Now, I hired someone to format Wyldling Snare, and they did an excellent job for a decent price—and the map actually turned out great. Choosing to format my own books is no criticism of them or their work. Quite simply, I decided to format book two myself to save some money and work within my own timeline.

As an indie author on a tight budget, if there are tasks I can complete myself, then I’m jolly well going to take the time to learn how to do them. I also want to broaden my horizons, acquire a new skill set, and possibly add another service to my repertoire that I can offer to other authors. I already edit my author friends’ books, but it’s strictly on an amateur basis.

Eventually, I hope to learn graphic design. Create my own covers and character art. This means that someday I could be a very dangerous person. Er … not really. But it may mean opening up business opportunities, so I can leave my day job without placing undue financial burden on my family. My dream, like every author, is to write full time.

Well, I’ve jabbered more than my fair share for this week. Here’s some reading recommendations and free books:

Featured Fantasy

The Choosing by Teresa Holman

Finding Truth In The Dark

The Choosing is the vivid first tale in the Chronicles of Shadows Christian fiction series. If you like spiritual warfare, relentless strength, and destined love, then you’ll adore Teresa Holman’s heart-wrenching story.

A diabolical government has labeled him “defective.” Can he find his voice before they silence him forever?

Britton Donovan feels like he’s drowning. Rendered mute as a child, he lives in a wordless prison with glimpses into the dark beings of the spiritual plane. But when he recognizes a new therapist from the world before birth, he’s desperate to make a connection.

Relishing the attention of the kind-hearted girl, he finally puts words to his thoughts through her therapeutic techniques. But with the government rounding up defectives like him in droves, he faces a race against time to save their intertwined spirits.

Can he speak the truth in a society determined to keep him silent?

Caged Butterfly by Raven O’Shay

“Let me out of this cage!” I raged and rattled the bars.

I can’t believe I got caught after a short-lived taste of freedom from my royal duties of palace life.

My captors have a hidden agenda to annihilate my home. I must fight… too bad my Fae shifter power only turns me into a kaleidoscope of butterflies. SO not intimidating.

I find help from some unpredictable sources, and my heart flutters at the sight of one strong man.

We watch desperately as the armies start marching towards my forest.

On one hand, I am free with a budding love forming; on the other, the destruction of my Fae colony.

Can I warn my family in time to prevent a war? Will I find my own happy ending before my wings are plucked?

Free on Kindle Unlimited:

Dark Flights of Fantasy – Kindle Unlimited Promo

MORE FREE BOOKS

Strong Women & Magical Worlds: Fantasy Fiction For Women

Free Science Fiction & Fantasy eBooks

SciFi and Fantasy MegaGiveaway 

FREE Legendary Fantasy

I admit that I have not read or vetted all of the above books. If you are dissatisfied, then I sincerely apologize. Please do not send the brute squad after me.

Have you read Wyldling Snare?

A knight’s first duty is to his realm. When another world calls, will he answer? The wrong choice might destroy all he loves.

Apprentice knight Enoch Northward isn’t ready to lead. But when he returns home to find his mentor dead and the heir-apparent missing, he knows he must rise to the challenge.

But the horrifying truth of his guardian’s death and disappearance of his friends leaves the grieving knight with no time to mourn. In search of answers, he ventures into the forbidden forest. There he discovers a portal leading to another world – and a girl who shares his faith and dreams.

The realm hangs in the balance as a mysterious enemy schemes to destroy it, but not all peril comes from the outside. Enoch himself harbors a secret that could destroy all he loves …

Obligatory Cat Photo