Building a book

That's right, I'm finally at the building stage of my book - well when I'm not getting distracted by social media, books that everyone else has already written and, well life in general...

So... as soon as I've written this post I'm off into a world of my own making, where I may or may not be in charge, depending on what my characters have in mind.

And what do I mean by building a book? Well I have the illustrations and I've written the story, they just need melding together.

Building a book

The scanning went well, and even the picture editing didn't give me too many problems - mainly just removing backgrounds from the illustrations.

Book building has begun, inserting pictures and playing around with formatting, then the words will be added - let the magic begin...

#LostinaBook 

Building a book... construction has begun.

Scanning of artwork has begun ready to format into a book. 

When I'm at book signings I often look at my book display and think back to these early stages when I had artwork strewn around the kitchen table - happy times.

Editing... it should be a quiet activity... but not with a house full of furry hooligans...

I had a quiet morning planned, sat on the sofa editing my manuscript... but the stars of my story - a house full of cats had other ideas. They say never work with children or animals - well what about when your animal has children...?

So, there I was reading through my story about the antics of a litter of kittens, while the cats they grew into start a running battle around the house. I blame the weather, not just because it's a very British thing to do, but because if the weather hadn't been cold, wet and windy, then the cats would have run all their energies off in the garden, and not around the house.

In the end several doors were closed, thus separating cats who just wanted a nap, from the ones who wanted to pick a fight. The situation was defused, and I managed to get some work done, shut in the sitting room with Bumble who just wanted a nap.  zzz

Progress on the cat book v being cats' doorkeeper

There was definite progress this morning, despite having to keep getting up to play doorkeeper to the cats. The cat flap is currently blocked - yes that's right blocked, not locked, the locks have proved inadequate on previous occasions and we currently have a cat confined to the house until his stitches have a chance to mend an injury caused by a recent fight.

But between answering the door, and other never ending 'stuff to do' I have moved on to the extras such as insert pages for the beginning of the book. Tomorrow, cats, horses and cars permitting I'll be printing out a draft copy  - oh yes I should have added home printer permitting, as that is the most likely hiccup to try my patience tomorrow...

Then I should be able to decide exactly where the colour pics are going to fit into the book, so that I can get a print quote from the professionals -   they're the guys with the big printers that turn out beautiful books.

Leisurely start...?

It seems that getting to a computer earlier than 11am just alludes me...

This morning it's true I did have a bit of a lie in, followed by a leisurely sit down with a cup of tea - jumping up between gulps to pursued cats that they really shouldn't be wondering about behind the TV and threatening to chew wires...

But yesterday I did make some headway on my next book, and it's shaping up nicely. This is my first book aimed at adults and consequently it's going to be a thicker book - my first one that's going to be fat enough to put the title on the spine. I'm not sure I can talk about my book shaping up and then say it's fat in the same post - but I don't think it's listening...