My Book is finished!

Here is the big project I've been working on. I won't admit how long it took, but it took well over a week. Most of that time was me fussing with the paper and getting the folds just right. I love how it came out! I got the know how from Sea Lemon  on YouTube. She has some really great videos that are fun to watch.

All sewn up.

I used upholstery thread in three colors to sew the signatures together. It was soothing and the needle was dull so I couldn't hurt myself. I think that was my favorite part, although after sewing for a while my fingers were sore. 

I needed my husband to help me get it in the press (2 cutting boards with clamps) the first time. Paper can be slippery and I was afraid of popping my stitches.

Pretty ribbons!

In my usual fashion I went a bit overboard with the project. I watched the videos so many times I knew exactly where to stop it for the part I needed. I just wanted it to turn out well and not be like any other Book out there.

I love this fabric!

For the spine wrapping I chose a really pretty print. I wanted something better than an old sheet scrap to hold it together. My knowing that it's there makes me smile.

Super soft cover!

The blue leather I used to cover it was what set off this whole project. I originally got it to make power bags 10 or so years ago. I made the bags I needed then put the rest away, I had forgotten I even had it. 

Then I found it again when I was looking to re-cover my old Book. It's a 3-ring binder that I rarely use because it's hard to hold and bites me when I rearrange the pages. I wanted to breathe new life into it, or at least make peace with it. My poor husband said I should make a Book myself. That started the wheels turning and I was off!

The front paper is great!

On our anniversary weekend he took me to get the ribbons, glue and the end paper so I could finish it. He also got me the little corner caps. He's so sweet!

A little wrinkled, but that's ok.

I added a pen holder to both covers so it will always a pen when I need one. The back paper came out a bit wrinkled. I probably moved it getting it back in the press, but I think it adds character.

It opens well!

The real test was opening and shuffling the pages. The Book worked like a charm and nothing fell out. It even opens nice and flat for easy writing and reading. I was a little worried it would be stiff; I went a bit crazy with the glue.

The perfect touch of  bling.

I love the little brass corner protectors. They are pretty and functional. I want to try and emboss a swirly pattern on the cover to really finish it off. I hope it works, if not it still looks great!

It's a big Book!

I'm really proud of how it turned out, especially since this was my first time making a Book. It's around 500 leaves and is 11" x 8" x 3". It's the perfect size for recording a lot of info while still being manageable. I can comfortably hold it while standing if I want. 

I am very happy with my Book and now I need to find my ruler so I can start using it! 

I'm so excited!

So far 48 people have gotten the free kindle of my short story! It makes me feel really good that that many people are reading my work. I hope that you like it! Just remember to get it by Christmas Eve, that's when the free promotion ends and it goes back to costing. Also, please let me know what you think!
I really appreciate your support!
In other news, Sylvia is getting stickered up and will be sporting beautiful and shiny stickers! You can never have too much reflectivity. I'll get some shots posted soon. Riding her to work is fantastic, but I sometime wish it was longer. I'm allowed to park her in the break room so she is totally safe.
I am so grateful that I got this job and I really hope to keep it after the holidays. The hours are just what I need to get by and the people are Amazing! Keep your fingers crossed for me please!
Thanks and have fun!

I'm Published!

I finally got my short story published on CreateSpace! Thanks to the generosity of my brother and my in-laws I was able to get it done before the end of the year! I couldn't have done it without them and my wonderful husband! I'm so excited!!!! This is the best Christmas present ever!
It's a short story that is an intro to the world of Whyrde. A medieval world where literally anything is possible.

My first!

Now I'm just waiting for kindle to finish it's review and I'll be published there also! The cover photo is one my dear husband took and it looks great! I'm really happy with how it turned out! Yipee!!!!! It's real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm ordering a copy so I can start my shelf as soon as I get off work! 

This is the best feeling in the entire world. My dream is a reality! This is such a high! 

Thank you all for all the kind words and encouragement! You all rock!

I'm off to do a happy dance!

 

I finished "Blackout" by Mira Grant

I think I read this one the slowest of all three because I didn't want it to end. It had even more twists to the plot than the others and curiosity kept me going even when I was cringing from the words. It even has a zombie bear to keep it interesting.
    I liked the twist of bring in a character from the first book, but some of the story got lost in searching because of it. A lot of the book seemed trapped in character angst, but it worked for the story and there was still enough action to keep me going.
   The end of the story was really action packed with a jarring twist that almost made me cry. The very finally chapter was a bit of a let down though. Every thing was tied up to neatly for my tastes, but at least it got tied up.
    All in all I think it was a very good series and I hope she comes out with more set in that world. I definitely think everyone should check it out.
 

I finished "Deadline" by Mira Grant

I finished the book yesterday and it was as good as the first book. The whole "Newsflesh" series is really well written. I'm so glad my husband urged me to read it.
This one starts off with a bang. They pretty much blow up Oakland. It's the bloggers against the government round two and the CDC isn't playing fair. The introduction of some new characters helps keep the story fresh, and the zombies are still a nice background for all this. At the end of the book there was a twist that made me buy the third one right away from Kindle.
So far this is the most engaging series I've read in a long time and anyone who likes zombies, corporate intrigue, and action will like them too.
I'm about a third of the way through the last book and will let you know what I think soon.

Feed by Mira Grant is a Great Book!

I just finished the best book I've read in a while. It's "Feed" by Mira Grant, and it is definitely a book to get. Not very many books can have me laughing and crying, but this one does. It was so good I read the 2 novellas she has out in one go right afterward. They also rock.
"Feed" is a story about what happens after the Zombie Apocalypse and follows a group of bloggers around. The group gets the chance of a lifetime and hit the road to make their dreams come true. They run into trouble almost from the start and end up solving a mystery that has life changing results for everyone involved. The moral that I found in it is stay loyal to those who love and believe in you no matter what. Otherwise the results will be tragic.  
It's actually what got me back to blogging after such a long absence. Yes the book is that good. It also made me want to fortify my house and stock up on staples like toilet paper. It's a book that really makes you think about what we are doing here and where we are heading.
   The question is can we really change the future before it's to late? Do we want to?