Celeste
asked
Eliza Crewe:
So I haven't started reading this series yet, but that last cover with the door is gorgeous! So pretty I want to touch it!Also I do have a question that is probably silly but how come the Indian one is coming out first? Couldn't people just order it from India instead of waiting till August then.
Eliza Crewe
Hi Celeste,
I'm so glad you like the cover! And your question isn't silly at all. The short answer is that the Indian version is coming out first, frankly, because I have editorial and marketing teams over there handling all the details whereas here I have to do it myself. The long answer....well for starters, once the Indian editors are done, I will need to do my own copy-editing (the Indian version will be copy-edited using Indian grammar and spelling, which is a little different). Then I will need to format it for all the different ebook platforms. Kindle, Nook, and ibooks all have different formatting requirements (and it. is. so. tedious. formatting each of them!). Then I need to upload them to all the individual sites (plus GooglePlay and Kobo, which fortunately, use the same formatting as Nook, if I'm remembering correctly), and each site requires a page or so of metadata. It's not hard, but it just takes a bit of time.
Once the e-version is done, I will need to format it for print. I use a program called InDesign, which lays out each individual page. I'm getting a little faster at it, but it's a complicated program (at least for me!) and I'm still learning.Then I will need to order a proof and make sure I didn't make any stupid mistakes (which I always do). Then I'll have to fix those and order another proof (each proof takes about a week to print and ship), until I get one I can live with.
After all that, I'll need to start marketing. I'll schedule a blog tour and write guest posts and answer interview questions. I can't get started too early on all of this because leading up to the release in India, I have tasks I need to do for Penguin, too. At each stage in their editorial process (copy-edits, pdf proof, then print-proof) I review it (again, again, again) as well as write any interviews/blog posts they would like from me.
Then there's all that regular life stuff--a job, a house that won't clean itself no matter how much I beg, and a hubs and tot that like to see me occasionally, so I have to be realistic about how fast I can get it all done.Two months sounds like a long time, but when you can only count week-day lunch hours, weekend toddler nap times, and the hours of sleep you're willing to give up each night, trust me, it doesn't feel long at all! Plus, I like to sneak in a little reading of my own :-D.
As for your other question, I guess readers could order it from India, but it's more hassle than it's worth. The e-versions are limited by territory (I think the sites use the location of your credit card), so that really only leaves the print version. Shipping's crazy pricey and/or slow (it takes about a month for me to receive anything from Penguin that they don't rush), so it's really just makes more sense to wait.
WHEW, that is probably more information than you bargained for, but there it is! Thanks for your question, and I hope you enjoy Cracked.
E.
I'm so glad you like the cover! And your question isn't silly at all. The short answer is that the Indian version is coming out first, frankly, because I have editorial and marketing teams over there handling all the details whereas here I have to do it myself. The long answer....well for starters, once the Indian editors are done, I will need to do my own copy-editing (the Indian version will be copy-edited using Indian grammar and spelling, which is a little different). Then I will need to format it for all the different ebook platforms. Kindle, Nook, and ibooks all have different formatting requirements (and it. is. so. tedious. formatting each of them!). Then I need to upload them to all the individual sites (plus GooglePlay and Kobo, which fortunately, use the same formatting as Nook, if I'm remembering correctly), and each site requires a page or so of metadata. It's not hard, but it just takes a bit of time.
Once the e-version is done, I will need to format it for print. I use a program called InDesign, which lays out each individual page. I'm getting a little faster at it, but it's a complicated program (at least for me!) and I'm still learning.Then I will need to order a proof and make sure I didn't make any stupid mistakes (which I always do). Then I'll have to fix those and order another proof (each proof takes about a week to print and ship), until I get one I can live with.
After all that, I'll need to start marketing. I'll schedule a blog tour and write guest posts and answer interview questions. I can't get started too early on all of this because leading up to the release in India, I have tasks I need to do for Penguin, too. At each stage in their editorial process (copy-edits, pdf proof, then print-proof) I review it (again, again, again) as well as write any interviews/blog posts they would like from me.
Then there's all that regular life stuff--a job, a house that won't clean itself no matter how much I beg, and a hubs and tot that like to see me occasionally, so I have to be realistic about how fast I can get it all done.Two months sounds like a long time, but when you can only count week-day lunch hours, weekend toddler nap times, and the hours of sleep you're willing to give up each night, trust me, it doesn't feel long at all! Plus, I like to sneak in a little reading of my own :-D.
As for your other question, I guess readers could order it from India, but it's more hassle than it's worth. The e-versions are limited by territory (I think the sites use the location of your credit card), so that really only leaves the print version. Shipping's crazy pricey and/or slow (it takes about a month for me to receive anything from Penguin that they don't rush), so it's really just makes more sense to wait.
WHEW, that is probably more information than you bargained for, but there it is! Thanks for your question, and I hope you enjoy Cracked.
E.
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