Rachel Caldecott

Rachel Caldecott

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From Lodeve, France
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  • Rachel Caldecott
    I feel vaguely guilty about having opted to self publish. I just convinced myself that if I ever wanted to see the 'damn' book published in my life time, I'd better do it myself. It has been - to put it mildly - a steep learning curve. Just wish I was younger so I could add all these new skills to my cv. But, at least, it should now hit the stores early next week.
    Rachel Caldecott
    First session of physiotherapy... I survived (just). Now hand is wrapped in a compression bandage with instructions to take it off quickly should it start to resemble the Union Jack. French Brexit joke or medical advice? Who can tell?
    Rachel Caldecott
    They removed my brain when they removed my thumb joint! Never before have I been so stumped by my computer. So many hours wasted messing up Mailchimp yesterday, and screwing up my KDP upload today (file gone into the ether). So many tears shed. If I had 2 hands I'd throw the computer out of the window.
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    Katie-Ellen
    Katie-Ellen
    Go easy, Rachel. It is a BIG DEAL, having bits removed, and people can say it is "only" a thumb-joint or call it routine till they are blue in the face. Doesn't make it so. Doesn't make it usual or normal. Go easy on yourself.
    L
    Leonora
    Husband went for an examination in Ear Nose and Throat yesterday. He was fine when he went in. Passed out, thumped his head and bashed his knee. Limped home an invalid.
    Emily
    Emily
    I was awake around 4am last night and was thinking of you, but desisted from sending you a message in case I woke you :) Do take extra care and be gentle with yourself :heart:
    Rachel Caldecott
    Back home with additional metal work. Typing one handed. :D
    RK Wallis
    Australia
    Best of luck with your op, I hope you have a speedy recovery
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    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    After a week her brother came to help her. One dark night they took the body to a cliff and chucked it over, but it got stuck on a tree sticking out from the rocks about halfway down. They were arrested, but released eventually and asked to leave the country. I laughed a lot at that story.
    RK Wallis
    RK Wallis
    Oh gosh, the mess people get themselves into!
    Steve C
    Steve C
    Ha, the Greeks can get emotional. The men think it fine to bed tourist girls but if a Greek girl looks at tourist shotguns appear!!
    How it used to be, not sure since the Euro came to dominate their lives:)
    Rachel Caldecott
    Sad news for me. I've just been informed by the Penguin Collectors Society people that Dieter Pevsner (son of Nicholas Pevsner the architectural historian and writer) and my father's old colleague from Penguin Books, and his partner at Wildwood House, has passed away. The old school of publishing just lost another great, and I've lost another connection to my past and my parents.
    Rachel Caldecott
    I'm feeling generally guilty. The state of the world is clearly my fault. Over the last couple of years, as I have been receiving rejection after rejection, I could often be heard saying, "It'll be the end of the bloody world before I get this published". So there you have it. The end of the world will happen the day before I self-publish. I am so sorry. Mea Culpa :(
    Rachel Caldecott
    Trawling my way through cover artists' websites and fiverr... also trying to paint a huge wooden cart shaped like a pirate ship for a small boy with cerebral palsy. Then must make jewellery stock before my hand is chopped and do the final corrections for m/s for the same reason... at least it stops me fretting about the UK.
    Rachel Caldecott
    So, Chris was arrested by the gendarmes today... Prize to the person who can give the most entertaining reason why. (No friends of mine from Facebook need apply).
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    Steve C
    Steve C
    Did he refuse to pay the fine for riding his bicycle the wrong way up a one-way street?
    Did he laugh at the size of the onions strung around the neck of the son of some local bigwig?
    No Idea. Please do tell :)
    Barbara
    Barbara
    Was he wandering the streets, reciting your book backwards?
    C
    CageSage
    What if he was using big words in English and the person who heard them was insulted at not understanding - a case of 'I'm trying to explain to an idiot,' and 'I'm trying to understand a language with too many words!'

    Or, as has happened, being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, even if said vehicle is a horse or a donkey or a bicycle ... oh, hang on - do they have drink-driving rules?
    Rachel Caldecott
    Surgeon confirmed thumb joint replacement and carpal tunnel surgery scheduled for 11 Sept, (hence need to get corrections to m/s done asap) I think I'll be in plaster a couple of months.
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    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    How the hell do they replace a wrist? I shudder to think.
    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    Bugger. A friend had her carpal tunnel done, which got infected and she lost a finger and part of her hand. I imagine the same goes for whatever metal joint they stick in me.
    Katie-Ellen
    Katie-Ellen
    Keep colloidal silver handy if you have it or can get it. That's what they used in hosp before antibiotics and it's coming back into use now. I decided against wrist replacement because they cut the lot out, and you get a straight bit of titanium put in. And if it gets infected you could lose your hand. I'm very mistrustful and preferred a ruined wrist to that tiny risk.
    Rachel Caldecott
    Just had 2/3s of manuscript back from professional copy editor... OMG!
    Rachel Caldecott
    Thank you for the birthday greetings.
    Rachel Caldecott
    I've recently joined the Facebook group 20booksto50k because it seems full of good advice for self publishers. But is any one else stunned by the speed some of these writers are churning books out... and the sort of figures they are earning? I'm feeling slow, poor and inadequate. What sort of books/genres are they working in? (haven't found that out yet)
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    Robinne Weiss
    Robinne Weiss
    There are writers out there who are cranking out a book every couple of weeks, and they have managed their marketing well. I listened to a talk by one author who has become quite wealthy--he writes action/thrillers. He writes a book and bangs it out there every couple of weeks with no editing.
    Robinne Weiss
    Robinne Weiss
    Not really my style, to be honest. I'd cringe if I sent work out into the world without editing.
    RK Wallis
    RK Wallis
    yes, I agree, Robinne, I'm not that confident!
    Rachel Caldecott
    Over 45 degrees here, it is hard to do anything. Sitting quaffing iced water and dreaming of storms. The filming was completed yesterday (when it was only 41) but today they called off striking the set. Next week it's dropping to 37, they'll do it then.
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    Emily
    Emily
    Oh, Rachel, that's insufferable heat. Take care and keep the fluids up :cocktail-glass:(sensible fluids of course ;) )
    RK Wallis
    RK Wallis
    Find some air conditioning!
    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    I've always been against it. But, at this point... Although if I could, I'd sell up and join my daughter in Brittany. It sounds lovely. Although I suspect after this heat, everyone in France will be scrabbling to get there.
    Rachel Caldecott
    The local museum just ordered another 15 copies of my history book. It must be selling. Quite chuffed. (Of course it is pretty much guaranteed to sell as it is the only book about our town in English). But for years they wouldn't stock it and now they do, AND treat me with respect. :) WOW! (Now if only the family would).
    Rachel Caldecott
    Filming glassblowing will be interesting. The set is being built in a glass sided hall hanging over a cliff. It is already more than 30c, next week, during filming, it will reach over 40. Our furnace and glory hole have combined temperatures of nearly 3000 degrees c. I predict cameramen falling like Horse Guards. (FYI no aircon) :)
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    Cianz
    Cianz
    Thanks for the link Rachel. Yes, I've heard some say it's a good way to get out there. You can only do a 5 day free giveaway once every 3 months if you sign exclusively with KDP.
    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    I'm just skimming the article now (I'll read it properly in a minute) but it seems if you are just starting out it can be a good thing.
    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    "Note: I would NOT use Select if I only had one book. You might see increased sales but once readers read that title where are they going to go next?" Well, that answers me then.
    Rachel Caldecott
    I am finally considering self-publishing... I have no idea where to start... I've just looked at the (quite scary) facebook group 20BooksTo50K as well as things like Googling 'How to self publish a book' and I'm more daunted and depressed than before. I'm not even sure I understand all the terms being used. I just don't know where to begin and have no money to begin it.
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    C
    Carol Rose
    As for covers, if you can't make your own, you'll need to pay someone to make one for you. Readers will be put off by amateurish-looking or bad covers.

    And of course, editing. There are already enough self-pubbed books out there that read like a five-year-old wrote them. Pay a good editor so there are no glaring mistakes in it. They're easy to miss because we're too close to our own work.
    C
    Carol Rose
    Self publishing seems a daunting task at first, but tens of thousands of authors do it all the time, so there's no reason you can't as well. But bear in mind without some type of marketing, the book isn't going to sell.
    C
    Carol Rose
    You're competing with a lot of books already out there by marketing savvy authors who spend big bucks to get the word out. I'd strongly suggest you also research the marketing side of this. Good luck.
    Rachel Caldecott
    I've finally impressed my son. I told him about the time I served tea to the then Prince Akihito during my time working for a Japanese company based in the Swiss Centre in London in the early 80s.
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    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    He was terribly nice and polite. Bowing at that time for me was second nature. I'd spent time in Japan and had already worked for another Japanese firm by that time. Anyway, it was a long time ago, but my memory is that he was delightful (of course I didn't get involved too much, he was there to see my boss, not me :D )
    Katie-Ellen
    Katie-Ellen
    Was watching a mini series of documentary recently, Made In Japan. Artisans. Sumurai swords, pottery and silk kimonos. Really interesting. I am pleased the prince was a proper gentleman.
    Rachel Caldecott
    Rachel Caldecott
    I saw Hirohito at a sumo wrestling match but from very far away in about 1978.
    And caught some of that series too, excellent.
    Rachel Caldecott
    Our fellow Litopian Barbara has been having trouble getting into the colony over the last couple of days. Anyone else having similar problems? Or has she been sent to the naughty chair on her own?
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    Emily
    Emily
    cough::impendingfullmoon::cough
    S
    Susan
    Just seen this. Me as well. I posted in the technical forum.
    D
    Deleted member 604
    Same here.
    Rachel Caldecott
    Feeling mighty sorry for myself. According to the physiotherapist who looked at my new x-rays, Lumbar decompression surgery is the only treatment. He also didn't hold up much hope for my neck, and my doctor tut-tutted when she looked at xrays of my hands and recommended a surgeon.
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