"Tourmaline" - The Book

[louisev]

It's Happening!  The opening book of the Greenlea Tales, original title "Taking Chances" is now being published in e-book form - AND YES IN PRINT - in a limited edition, as "Tourmaline."  The print book is available by pre-order, first come, first served.

Here's the official Livejournal announcement:

http://louisev.livejournal.com/336517.html

to my two most loyal, devoted, and fanatical fans, I have reserved copies 2 and 3, and Marie, you are one of them, so whoever is first of the two can have copy #2, and the other gets copy #3.  I am deeply grateful and humbled by your continued fascination and ongoing comment, commentary and feedback, and while I can't just hand the book to you (money is very tight after my accident), the best I can do is give you the first and second publically available first edition of the first book in print!

[mariez]

Oh, wow! Congrats, Louise! And thank you! This is exciting! I'm on the run today, hardly a minute to spare (I haven't even had time to read the Ellery chapter carefully  but I skim!!) but I'll jump over to lj as soon as I get a chance!

[louisev]

I can tell you must be horribly busy, Marie because you wouldn't SKIM Ellery!

HOLY COW!

More to come - and VERY VERY SOON! i.e. after my nap.

[belbbmfan]

Wow, has it really been four years since you introduced us to Ellery? Time flies huh?

Congratulations Louise, this has been long overdue. I'm going to order one (the printed version). Did I read it correctly on your livejournal that a printed version comes with an e-book as well? I love reading stories on my e-reader but I wouldn't want to miss a printed version either.

Gosh, this will be the first book I own written by an author I've actually met. I'm looking forward to rereading! 

Well done Louise. 

[louisev]

Wow, has it really been four years since you introduced us to Ellery? Time flies huh?

Congratulations Louise, this has been long overdue. I'm going to order one (the printed version). Did I read it correctly on your livejournal that a printed version comes with an e-book as well? I love reading stories on my e-reader but I wouldn't want to miss a printed version either.

Gosh, this will be the first book I own written by an author I've actually met. I'm looking forward to rereading!  

Well done Louise.  

Yes you are correct, everyone who buys a book will get a free ebook in whatever format they desire - my publishing program has the capability to produce most all formats, and that will be available very shortly.

and you have the earlier versions as well!  You may be relieved to know that I have made minimal content revisions - only that which is necessary to distinguish it as a work that is not related to nor derived from Brokeback.  I agonized over whether to revise it for "general consumption" and hemmed and hawed for literally months over it, and after getting stern talkings-to by a mostly gay fan base I realized that I needed to stand by my first instinct.  I did shorten a lot of run-on sentences though!

And this is only the first ... as you know, there's a whole lot more books to go!
Many thanks, Fabienne... and if you have an interest in my other original book, " The Erotic Etudes" - that is also available on ebook and in printed form, and I still have copies of the first limited edition, because it has sold but not very briskly.





some discussion of the book is here:

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,10746.0.html

[mariez]

SPOILERS







Yay! I'm all caught up and WOW, WOW, WOW! This is fantastic, Louise! So many threads going at once and they're all intertwining now and it has me totally hooked. I'd almost forgotten about poor (but maddening!) Wayne.  And poor Pam, I'm really worried for her.  I don't like that she's alone right now, but I don't think the nurse would've allowed her to enter with Colson.  And, of course, back at the station, Ellery's about to do ....something, whether it will help or not, I don't know.

And poor Nicky.  I want his Sweet Thing to be there to help him! But now I can't remember if Jeremy knows yet? Must go back and read again, lol!  Thanks, Louise - this story is just going gangbusters!

[louisev]

and just think, i've got nothing better to do than to write tomorrow!!!

[louisev]

For anyone who was initially confused, the preorder page is now up and simplified with the book cover all done!

The final edits should be complete this next weekend and then the e-book will be delivered to anyone who has preordered it, and the print book should be printed and delivered by the end of April.

http://www.zebratta.com/Books/preorderpage.html

Please spread the word  - pimping myself is so unclassy...!!!

[louisev]

The book is done with the final final final edits!

And the PDF is available for mailing.  I will be contacting those who have purchased it to send them an advance ebook, and sending the books out.

If anyone would like an ebook you may order it at the Preorder link, and I'll be making another announcement.

It is - in PDF form, 402 pages.  YIKES!!!

[louisev]

For those looking for a better order page, I have set up the print edition and it should be out by end of month, or a week or so later, depending on how fast I turn around the draft copy.  I got a bit derailed there by the whole losing my job thing.

http://www.zebratta.com/Books/preorderpage.html

The print edition will be 8 1/2 x 11" and 420 pages.  IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT.

Oh I guess you can!

[louisev]

I have it all in camera ready print-ready format now, and managed to get it trimmed to 344 pages through creative use of margins.

Unfortunately, however, I have had a rather poor sales showing on the print book and will have to severely restrict the number of print copies in the first run simply due to a lack of sales.  And I do mean severely.

If anyone is waiting for the book to be printed before buying it, now would be the time, because the number of paid pre-orders will determine the size of the print run.  And it's silly to print only 10.

[belbbmfan]

I have it all in camera ready print-ready format now, and managed to get it trimmed to 344 pages through creative use of margins.

Unfortunately, however, I have had a rather poor sales showing on the print book and will have to severely restrict the number of print copies in the first run simply due to a lack of sales.  And I do mean severely.

If anyone is waiting for the book to be printed before buying it, now would be the time, because the number of paid pre-orders will determine the size of the print run.  And it's silly to print only 10.

344 pages, that's still a very nice number!

I love reading 'big' books. 

Sorry to hear about the poor sales, it ain't right. 

[louisev]

344 pages, that's still a very nice number!

I love reading 'big' books. 

Sorry to hear about the poor sales, it ain't right. 

I know, I know.  At this point I have to decide if I am really going to make a 10 copy press run or not.  I need to print books for those who have bought them, but since no one has really said anything about it in the fandom, and I am not going to go around blowing my own horn, then very few people know about it.

[louisev]

Okay I am making a 50 copy press run.

I'm toying with the idea of making 10 hardcovers as well.  But those COST $25 to print.  So I'm going to hold off for now.  And it is going to press FRIDAY.

[louisev]

Here are the covers!  This thing is going to press today.

[louisev]

And "Tourmaline" has gone to press with a limited press run for those who have preordered it.

For everyone else, there's the Order Page!

http://www.zebratta.com/Books/preorderpage.html

[louisev]

The Book has Shipped!!! yay!

And me at work at 8:30 p.m.  *groan*

[louisev]

The books are in my hot (literally feverish) little hands, and look marvellous.  I'm going to be autographing them and shipping them today, priority mail.

I've got a couple of more copies for people who haven't yet bought it, in this press run.  And as soon as I've got another 10 sales I'm going to run 10 more!  hee.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Congratulations, Louise! The covers look fabulous!

[louisev]

Congratulations, Louise! The covers look fabulous!

yeah but you didn't get one Jeff....!  Unless I don't recognize your name? hahah. O.o.!!!

[Marina]

Wow, that's great!  Congratulations!   I love the cover art too. 

[louisev]

This painting is the reason why I went back and edited Ellery's car, because the painting was done long before the first book was written - it was painted in 2000 by the visionary painter who has illustrated most of my other works.  When I connected the painting up with the stories, I realized - "OH I GOT THE CAR WRONG"  which isn't really so wrong because the reason I originally wrote Ellery's car as an El Camino is because I couldn't remember the model I was looking for: the Monte Carlo.

[Jeff Wrangler]

The reason I originally wrote Ellery's car as an El Camino is because I couldn't remember the model I was looking for: the Monte Carlo.

Oi!    There's a big difference between an El Camino and a Monte Carlo. ... 

[Jeff Wrangler]

yeah but you didn't get one Jeff....!  Unless I don't recognize your name? hahah. O.o.!!!

No, no I didn't. But I don't seem to have any time for reading anymore, anyway. 

[louisev]

No, no I didn't. But I don't seem to have any time for reading anymore, anyway. 

thanks for the encouraging words though!  so are you going to make it to New York for the big September gig?  I hope you've got enough time for THAT!

[louisev]

Oi!    There's a big difference between an El Camino and a Monte Carlo. ... 

yeah but they are spanish names so I just transposed em because I couldn't think of Monte Carlo.

[Jeff Wrangler]

thanks for the encouraging words though!  so are you going to make it to New York for the big September gig?  I hope you've got enough time for THAT!

I don't know. Right now September is too far away to tell. I probably shouldn't be writing this publicly, but truth to tell I'm sort of over big gigs. The big gigs that I've attended have been fun, and all, in their own way, but I feel I really prefer smaller get-togethers, where you actually have time to really visit with people. 

yeah but they are spanish names so I just transposed em because I couldn't think of Monte Carlo.

Isn't the El Camino the pickup that looks like a car? Or am I confused? I never was very good at cars. 

[louisev]

I don't know. Right now September is too far away to tell. I probably shouldn't be writing this publicly, but truth to tell I'm sort of over big gigs. The big gigs that I've attended have been fun, and all, in their own way, but I feel I really prefer smaller get-togethers, where you actually have time to really visit with people. 

Isn't the El Camino the pickup that looks like a car? Or am I confused? I never was very good at cars. 

oh dear!  *sob* - does that means I won't get to meet you ?  bleah! I haven't met many people at ALL and this is my big chance, because I'm never where everyone else is!  Maybe I'll just have to sneak up to Philly and beard you in your den! snerk.

And the El Camino has a cutout back yes.

[Jeff Wrangler]

oh dear!  *sob* - does that means I won't get to meet you?

Not necessarily. I haven't been following Kelda's plans that closely. Time for me to start thinking about September will be after my summer vacation in August (see "Wrangler's Rambles").

And the El Camino has a cutout back yes.

I thought so! It's what the title character drove on My Name is Earl. ... 

[louisev]

Not necessarily. I haven't been following Kelda's plans that closely. Time for me to start thinking about September will be after my summer vacation in August (see "Wrangler's Rambles").

I thought so! It's what the title character drove on My Name is Earl. ... 

ah ah okay.  Since I am returning to DC it'll be great to get up to Philly, and if you prefer small get-togethers then who knows?  there's lots of time!

[Jeff Wrangler]

ah ah okay.  Since I am returning to DC it'll be great to get up to Philly, and if you prefer small get-togethers then who knows?  there's lots of time!

Actually, I don't see how you do it. Washington, Idaho, Germany (?), back to Washington?

But it is what it is, and time will tell.

[louisev]

How do I do it?  I'm completely insane is how I do it!!!

[Jeff Wrangler]

How do I do it?  I'm completely insane is how I do it!!!

I'm sure that helps! 

[louisev]

I'm sure that helps! 

actually it's all done with inventory files.  I live my life entirely on the internet, and everything I do is net-enabled.  So moving physically from place to place is not the challenge it is for land-based humans.