The Ending of One Chapter

I am (ultimately) excited to be writing this blog post, because it's been a year in the making - I have, last Saturday, January 2nd, sent out all pre-ordered print copies of Leather, Lace, Grit and Grace. I cannot tell you how thrilling that was for me.

I say "ultimately" above, because I see all the minor problems that still exist with the print copy of this publication. I am, in this instance, my own harshest critic, and this freshman self-published title was absolutely riddled with internal process issues, not the least of which was my beginner's learning curve. And boy, was it steep and long. I know I tested the patience of those who had faith enough to purchase the title prior to publication, and while everyone received their electronic version many months ago, the print copy was my undoing at every turn. 

To each of you, all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you.

Self-publishing is a deeply personal and, in the end, transformative experience. I know what I did absolutely right with Leather, Lace, Grit and Grace. The palette, artwork and slightly grainy quality of the photos (thanks to a conscious decision to go with slightly lower-than-recommended resolution) captures the spirit and flavor of memory. I am still seriously crushing on the designs, several of which I plan on making for myself with what little free making time I have. I am confident of the research and stories contained in the book. Most importantly, I am so proud that I listened to my gut and decided to push forward with this project, when all rational thought pointed in the opposite direction.

The biggest thing I am taking away from this first foray in self-publishing is that it is not right for me to offer any sort of pre-print sale. In future, I won't offer any print book for public consumption until I have the printed copies, proofed to my ultimate satisfaction, in my hot little hands. Full stop.

Finally, it's the ending of the making chapter of Leather, Lace, Grit and Grace, but not its last chapter. This book still deserves its full and complete day in the sun, and I'm hoping it will get just that in the coming months.