HELP !!

Warnigel · 01-26-2011, 11:14 AM

Hi all,

I recently had a book published in paperback in the UK - The Great Satan, under the pen name of David Black.

The deal let me retain eBook publishing rights, and I'm waiting for the Kindle version to appear on Amazon.

The problem is however, that I'm getting a few (5) error messages on the finished? .epub file, and haven't a clue how to fix them.

Is there any clever young thing that can help out there? It will be worth a named credit in TGS's sequel - Dark Empire when it comes out later this year.

I have the epub file, so I need someone who can read html, and knows how to fix things.

Hope someone can help...

Best

DB (AKA Warnigel

GeoffC · 01-26-2011, 11:36 AM

and Welcome to Mobileread ...

I'll see if I can get this positioned to a forum where an answer may be found, rather than in here ....

Dr. Drib · 01-26-2011, 12:22 PM

Hello and welcome to MobileRead.

Since this is the Introduce Yourself, you might wish to take a moment to tell us a little bit about yourself.

Don
(Moderator)

Warnigel · 01-26-2011, 02:49 PM

Thanks Don,

I've got a military background, with more information on Amazon's David Black's Author page. It's a little unusual, but I won't bore you with that now.

I live in Hertfordshire - England, and have been writing for fun for about three years. It all got serious when a Literary Agent picked up on some of my work, and suggested that I write some military/espionage fiction, based on my past. That's how The Great Satan and the Shadow Squadron series was first born.

I have another book - Siege of Faith recently finished, and my Agent is now actively seeking a publisher. It concerned the horrific and savage five month invasion of Malta in 1565, and the stowic defence by the Knights of St John.

I'm working on Shadow Squadron #2 - Dark Empire at the moment.

I'm keen to explore the EPUB world, as I have some knowledge of software and computers, but alas, I know zip about html and all the bits associated with it!

Cheers

David

Warnigel · 01-26-2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

and Welcome to Mobileread ...

I'll see if I can get this positioned to a forum where an answer may be found, rather than in here ....

Thanks Geoff,

I'm sure that will be a great help!

Best

David

neilmarr · 01-26-2011, 03:08 PM

Good to have your company, David. One wee thing we now know is that you are UK-based. Kindle (unless its new UK site makes a difference) used to insist on some kind of 'official' US presence for publishers and self-publishing authors. There are ways around this by using an aggregator like www.smashwords.com.

If that ain't the hitch, though, I'd follow GeoffC's advice above (he's also in the UK) and post the specific question in a dedicated sub forum here; maybe Kindle or Writer's Corner. I'm sure you'd soon get sound advice.

Good luck and best wishes. Neil

desertblues · 01-26-2011, 03:37 PM

Hi, welcome to MR from the Netherlands.

Warnigel · 01-27-2011, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Good to have your company, David. One wee thing we now know is that you are UK-based. Kindle (unless its new UK site makes a difference) used to insist on some kind of 'official' US presence for publishers and self-publishing authors. There are ways around this by using an aggregator like www.smashwords.com.

If that ain't the hitch, though, I'd follow GeoffC's advice above (he's also in the UK) and post the specific question in a dedicated sub forum here; maybe Kindle or Writer's Corner. I'm sure you'd soon get sound advice.

Good luck and best wishes. Neil

Hi Niel,

Many thanks for your reply.

My interest in expanding the eBook aspect of my work has come about due to my Publisher - Pennant Books - becoming embroiled in severe cash flow difficulties, and going into receivership recently. It blew the contract, and all rights have reverted back to me. The unfortunate irony is that it happened BEFORE any royalties were paid to me, and when Smiths finally pay up, the money will be disbursed by the Receivers to all creditors. If I'm very lucky, I'll see a penny in the pound.

I'm sure you'll understand that the joyous bubble of being published for the first time has burst somewhat! - The morale of this story is... Don't be a writer if you can't take a joke!

Ah well, back to being a free man for now, until my Agent - Humfrey Hunter snags a new publisher to pick up The Great Satan, and the rest of the forthcoming Shadow Squadron Series and another adventure story I finished writing recently concerning the great siege of Malta in 1565.

By the by, I thought you web site looked excellent. Having done some research recently, I hadn't realised the growing scale of eBooks! Like a flower beginning to open?

Let's hope I can fix those damned error messages in my EPUB quickly!

Very best

David

neilmarr · 01-27-2011, 04:45 AM

Hya David: Sorry to hear about that hitch ... it needn't be a disaster, though. Now that all rights are back with you (do you also hold rights to publisher input -- editorial, text and cover design, etc? -- be sure!), there are a few options open to you:

*You can pitch to another publisher or agent (wish my own indie publishing house could help, but we have a strict policy against re-issuing work previously published in any form unless it's an ebook rights-only deal on an existing title where treebook rights are still held by a bona fide selective house).

*You can go it alone on ebook-only. This can work well if you can handle perfect file conversion and distribution yourself (though you could cut a corner by using www.smashwords.com.

*You can open an account with Ingram/Lightning Source in the UK. Setting the print version just once will gain you simultaneous set-up at LS print-and-dispatch bases in the UK, US and (in June) Australia. Ingram distribution (they're the biggest book distributors on the planet) will get that paperback in all online stores and on order from pretty well all brick-and-mortar stores on the planet.

*If you go Ingram/LS (original set up is well under £100), you can opt-in for Ingram to distribute your ebook version, too. The slight hitch with this is that Ingram will only distribute PDF (limiting its reach) unless you pay its technical arm for conversion to ePub and Mobi. The upside is that, with only one title to consider, the conversion cost won't send you to the poor house.

If you think I can help you with more detail, just drop me a line. Good luck and best wishes. Neil -- ntmarrATbewrite.net (use the @ sign, of course)

Valmore Daniels · 01-27-2011, 09:16 AM

welcome

Lots of ultra-intelligent people here; I'm sure one will stop by and help you out

Latinandgreek · 01-27-2011, 09:32 AM

Hello, and welcome to MR! Best of luck with your writing.

Javed · 01-28-2011, 05:10 AM

Hello Warnigel and welcome to MobileRead.

Warnigel · 01-28-2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valmore Daniels

welcome

Lots of ultra-intelligent people here; I'm sure one will stop by and help you out

Thanks Val,

It's a rocky road, but if it was easy....

Best wishes

David

Warnigel · 01-28-2011, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

Hello, and welcome to MR! Best of luck with your writing.

Many thanks for your best wishes...same to you!

David

Warnigel · 01-28-2011, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javed

Hello Warnigel and welcome to MobileRead.

Thanks Javid, nice to know there are good people out there !!

Best

David

01-26-2011, 11:14 AM	#1
Warnigel Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: None	HELP !! Hi all, I recently had a book published in paperback in the UK - The Great Satan, under the pen name of David Black. The deal let me retain eBook publishing rights, and I'm waiting for the Kindle version to appear on Amazon. The problem is however, that I'm getting a few (5) error messages on the finished? .epub file, and haven't a clue how to fix them. Is there any clever young thing that can help out there? It will be worth a named credit in TGS's sequel - Dark Empire when it comes out later this year. I have the epub file, so I need someone who can read html, and knows how to fix things. Hope someone can help... Best DB (AKA Warnigel

01-26-2011, 11:36 AM	#2
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	and Welcome to Mobileread ... I'll see if I can get this positioned to a forum where an answer may be found, rather than in here ....

01-26-2011, 12:22 PM	#3
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,438 Karma: 59592133 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	Hello and welcome to MobileRead. Since this is the Introduce Yourself, you might wish to take a moment to tell us a little bit about yourself. Don (Moderator)

01-26-2011, 02:49 PM	#4
Warnigel Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: None	Thanks Don, I've got a military background, with more information on Amazon's David Black's Author page. It's a little unusual, but I won't bore you with that now. I live in Hertfordshire - England, and have been writing for fun for about three years. It all got serious when a Literary Agent picked up on some of my work, and suggested that I write some military/espionage fiction, based on my past. That's how The Great Satan and the Shadow Squadron series was first born. I have another book - Siege of Faith recently finished, and my Agent is now actively seeking a publisher. It concerned the horrific and savage five month invasion of Malta in 1565, and the stowic defence by the Knights of St John. I'm working on Shadow Squadron #2 - Dark Empire at the moment. I'm keen to explore the EPUB world, as I have some knowledge of software and computers, but alas, I know zip about html and all the bits associated with it! Cheers David

01-26-2011, 03:08 PM	#6
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your company, David. One wee thing we now know is that you are UK-based. Kindle (unless its new UK site makes a difference) used to insist on some kind of 'official' US presence for publishers and self-publishing authors. There are ways around this by using an aggregator like www.smashwords.com. If that ain't the hitch, though, I'd follow GeoffC's advice above (he's also in the UK) and post the specific question in a dedicated sub forum here; maybe Kindle or Writer's Corner. I'm sure you'd soon get sound advice. Good luck and best wishes. Neil

01-26-2011, 03:37 PM	#7
desertblues Home for the moment Posts: 5,127 Karma: 27718936 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: travelling Device: various	Hi, welcome to MR from the Netherlands.

01-27-2011, 04:45 AM	#9
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Hya David: Sorry to hear about that hitch ... it needn't be a disaster, though. Now that all rights are back with you (do you also hold rights to publisher input -- editorial, text and cover design, etc? -- be sure!), there are a few options open to you: You can pitch to another publisher or agent (wish my own indie publishing house could help, but we have a strict policy against re-issuing work previously published in any form unless it's an ebook rights-only deal on an existing title where treebook rights are still held by a bona fide selective house). You can go it alone on ebook-only. This can work well if you can handle perfect file conversion and distribution yourself (though you could cut a corner by using www.smashwords.com. You can open an account with Ingram/Lightning Source in the UK. Setting the print version just once will gain you simultaneous set-up at LS print-and-dispatch bases in the UK, US and (in June) Australia. Ingram distribution (they're the biggest book distributors on the planet) will get that paperback in all online stores and on order from pretty well all brick-and-mortar stores on the planet. If you go Ingram/LS (original set up is well under £100), you can opt-in for Ingram to distribute your ebook version, too. The slight hitch with this is that Ingram will only distribute PDF (limiting its reach) unless you pay its technical arm for conversion to ePub and Mobi. The upside is that, with only one title to consider, the conversion cost won't send you to the poor house. If you think I can help you with more detail, just drop me a line. Good luck and best wishes. Neil -- ntmarrATbewrite.net (use the @ sign, of course)

01-27-2011, 09:16 AM	#10
Valmore Daniels Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,592 Karma: 2822668 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle	welcome Lots of ultra-intelligent people here; I'm sure one will stop by and help you out

01-27-2011, 09:32 AM	#11
Latinandgreek Warrior Princess Posts: 5,038 Karma: 9724231 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505; PRS-350, PRS-T1, iPad, Aura HD	Hello, and welcome to MR! Best of luck with your writing.

01-28-2011, 05:10 AM	#12
Javed Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,270 Karma: 1126878541 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Astak Pocket PRO, iPod Touch, PRS-650	Hello Warnigel and welcome to MobileRead.

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