I’m not getting younger and it was time to acknowledge that some things on the bucket list were never going to happen but that some could, if I stepped up to do them myself. I have always enjoyed writing, even in elementary school I’d write my own stories and poems. Mum encouraged me and sent some of my poems off to The Western Producer. One of those poems was published and she kept a copy in one of her scrapbooks.
Then it was a long time before I published anything else. Once the kids were away to university, you’d have thought, here was my perfect chance. I even retired early but somehow the idea of having written something was more fun than actually sitting down and doing it. The world tour didn’t happen, and I did a lot of substitute teaching. Then came my grandchildren and I imagine they took up a lot of my time (not true).
I’ve been in a local writing group for thirty years, maybe more. Its members changed as people’s interests changed but a couple of us became good friends as a result. We meet once a month, but not in summer and the main focus is to support and offer mild criticism, if it’s asked for. I owe them thanks for ideas, catching obvious bloopers, and grammar errors.
I finally sent an edited manuscript, as good as I could get it (I thought) to some publishers. Not the big names and still I had only one editor express any interest. I think she really wanted me to sign into the division of their company that was “hybrid”, meaning I would be responsible for expenses in publishing. No thanks. The manuscript sat for a year or two. Then I gave copies to a couple of good friends to read.
Two things happened. Someone who had been a part of the writing group for a while, asked me to do some amateur editing. Then the author published it himself through a “do-it-yourself” site. I liked the look of the book. Then when one of the friends returned the “perfect” manuscript with discreet line edits, I knew it was time to take advantage of these things, and to try to publish Prairie Bend Secrets myself.
It turned out to be easier than I thought and I found a free lance graphic artist to design a cover for a very reasonable price. There were a few glitches and I’m still waiting for the printers who have a contract with Amazon.ca to enable printing of my book and to not have the paperback available only to third party distributors (the UK) for a ridiculous price. (The e-books available for Kindle, Kobo, Apple, etc. have no issues.)
It’s done! When the author copies came, I was very satisfied and having done it once, I may just publish another book. One thing more from the bucket list. And the truth is there, in print, on my birth certificate. Time is marching on.
themildsidelinda 