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| My Published Journal Memoir |
Recently, I read an article about legal actions against my publisher, Tate Publishing. The case will be heard in a court of law in a few months. The publishing company was owned by individuals who claimed to be of the Catholic faith. Two male individuals or owners have committed some very serious crimes, allegedly, according to the newsprint article that was shared with me.
As a former Tate author, who didn't receive fair publishing services, I tried to accomplish the tasks involved in writing my (first!) book. I had to edit my own work, within two days, to be on the publishing deadline provided to me because most of the staff quit and there was no replacements available. I had even inquired about job opportunities with the company. Due to all the work that I was doing on my own, one staff member even suggested that I pursue applying to the company. When I did so, I was told that they were not accepting virtual staff. They invited me to move closer to the company for such opportunities (Oklahoma). I am so glad that I didn't.
What publishing skills I have now obtained:
- I selected a cardboard-box image for the cover because I had to move so frequently after separation and divorce actions, through no fault of my own. The marketing staff had a challenge in finding such an image: Such visual symbol is actually my emotional expression to the culture shock that I felt when having to pack up my belongings from one place to the next (i.e., the moving truck rentals, light items in strong black trash bags, and arranging heavy items to fit inside of labeled medium-brown cardboard boxes);
- I have learned the actions of a homeless person because I was homeless. I couldn't live in any of my vehicles (a grey van or brown Nissan Altima) because they both were taken away from me from the dysfunctions of my local society. During my political-campaign run (and being a part of the former middle-class social class), I express the importance of understanding the dysfunctions of housing opportunities in our country. I truly believe in my statement that I shared with you at that time "Housing is a need and not a want." Without stable-housing situations, can we really, as American citizens, achieve in real financial productivity? After such experiences of being homeless, it is my opinion or reality that you must have a stable and verifiable address to even participate as an American citizen;
- I have learned the copyright process of how to change an initial book title;
- The staff would not schedule book events for my written work in New York City as requested by me. I had to do the marketing work of contacting book stores, and other venues.No marketing staff available;
- I have learned the necessity of having a literary agent. Unfortunately, the publishing company was my literary agent, too. I discussed my aspirations of being a talk-show host with my literary agent with a vision of a national TV talk show where I would openly discuss such mishaps and provide an opportunity for others to share their experiences of American culture shock; such experiences that we believe happens across the pond or internationally: an emotional attitude of "No, such things don't happen here in America." The publishing company stated I would have to find an entertainment agent to pursue such endeavors. I reached out to talk-host casting agents, but no such considerations yet;
- I have learned the importance of having enough written work to even create an official book-style format. After receiving a sample copy of my written work, before official production, I was told by a new editing staff member that my book was challenging to print because of the selected book cover: I had chosen such a unique image cover, and the company had never used it before. The measurements of a book is actually created from the cover image. The company stated that I couldn't add additional pages to make the book-format thicker because they didn't have an editing team to meet such production-deadline efforts; And, unfortunately,
- I have learned the actions of a published work when its publishing company closes abruptly and such civil and criminal matters. I have been told that to even produce more copies of my work, it would have to be first assigned to another publishing company (and more money out to another publishing company)! Such book action is a considered a second edition.
In any event, even with such challenges, if given the opportunity, I sure would write another book. Except this time, I know what I am writing about. During the writing of book pictured, I had no idea what was going on: a teacher college student who had worked full-time at a local schooling district in my hometown (same school teachers were there that had taught me. They knew me.), a homeschooling mom, a wife of so many years: a straight, non-drinking and non-smoking Christian female. No idea. None. If given the opportunity, again, I would write a book of motivating or self-help phrases or quotes to families and individuals.
Lastly, I have learned that if you put it in a book-format --- (Complete the thought.). Smiles.