Still busy, but things should slow down after Christmas.
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
Midland, Michigan
December 10, 2023 7:32am CST
I'm still pretty busy right now. We're not doing many window jobs what with the colder temps but I'm still working my cashiering job. I decided to make my retirement date two days after Christmas on the 27th.
I wanted to go earlier but that would mean I wouldn't have any insurance until the first of January. This way I'm closer to that date and I'll have one more pay check after the first.
I have nine titles up on Amazon now. If I have time before church I'll take pictures of the more recent ones and add them to this post.
Yesterday we got my husband's ebook uploaded to kdp. I learned a lot trying to format his book correctly. He now has hardcover, paperwork and ebook. We're may do an audible version too. The ebook hasn't been cleared yet.
It took more time than I expected to do all of that. The weird part is we made it as perfect as we knew how on our word doc but when we uploaded it to kdp the whole manuscript didn't stay put. Very annoying.
I did purchase a program for my desktop where your can write right in it and it helps with the formatting. But I realized that is have to learn how to use it and my husband was in a hurry to get his books online as he'd promised people that it would be ready near the first of November.
I know I missed a few notifications and if I don't get back to you all right away I'll look you up as soon as I can.
12 people like this
12 responses
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Dec 23
I was doing better the last few months until recently. I'm not guaranteeing anything until later in the month, but I'll see what I can do.
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Dec 23
I even tried using their Kindle create program but oddly enough kdp said it didn't recognize the extension even though it was there own product. Eventually, I'll let them know.
Our hope is that if enough people but the book is my husband's that another publisher will pick it up.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (473770)
• Switzerland
10 Dec 23
@MarshaMusselman I wish you good luck for your books and the book of your husband.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (473770)
• Switzerland
11 Dec 23
@MarshaMusselman - It is a shame, surely some people would like to receive the books before Christmas.
Facebook is surely a good platform to share without having to pay.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (163362)
• United States
11 Dec 23
This process will be interesting to follow. I do not know what KDP is.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 23
Kdp is a part of Amazon. It stands for Kindle direct publishing. They print on demand for hardcover, paperback and Kindle which are purchased in Amazon. I only found out about this, this past September.
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Dec 23
I still might not have much time for the next year while I get my new business off the ground. I'm hoping to do well enough that I will make passive income until I die.
But, the good thing is that I'll be able to visit my kids and grandkids more.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
14 Dec 23
@AmbiePam I totally agree.
I'm hoping we don't get a major snow storm the beginning of January so I can spend time with the new baby before his mommy(my daughter) had to go back to work.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (173971)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Dec 23
Congratulations on your retirement and your books. I bet there are all kinds of formats for writers nowadays.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (173971)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Dec 23
@MarshaMusselman .........I do love a good journal. Used to do a lot of that.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 23
Eventually I hope to find my books I began writing years ago. What I'm doing now is journals for others to write in.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
15 Dec 23
@celticeagle I've been thinking of putting my author link on my profile here. Maybe I can do that later today. Then people can at least see how I'm doing with my designs even if they never order.
1 person likes this
@just4him (318816)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
11 Dec 23
The first time I used KDP, they sent me a template to use when I upload a book to them. I only use that format now for all my writing, so I never have a problem anymore with uploading my work to KDP.
Congratulations on having four books ready on Amazon.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
14 Dec 23
Are you books published on kdp then? Did your utilize their author page there? If so I'll try to find it.
I actually have ten different journals published now. All but one is in both hardcover and paperback. Once I start making something from them I can take time and try to find all the stories I wrote years back to see if they're worth continuing. I may need to find someone to co-author with me, but not sure either. Maybe once I'm ready to work on those the ideas will flow better.
Btw, I did get your card and yours has been mailed but you may not get it until after Christmas.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
15 Dec 23
@just4him I've been told that it's always worth doing the hard cover too because your never know when readers would prefer that.
I'm going to look you up there.
1 person likes this
@just4him (318816)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
14 Dec 23
@MarshaMusselman Yes, they're published through KDP. I have an author page set up on Amazon.
That's great you have ten different journals now. I don't have my books in hard cover. I hope you can find and work on your past stories.
I'm glad you got it. Thank you. I'll look for it.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (188970)
• United States
10 Dec 23
Yay! Hope everything goes well with the retirement.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Dec 23
That's the easy part of I can manage working until then.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (94538)
• Arvada, Colorado
10 Dec 23
Here's wishing you Happy Holidays.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Dec 23
Thank your, Rebecca. And the same to your too.
@RasmaSandra (84651)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Dec 23
Congratulations on you books, I hope you have a good beginning to the new week,
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38837)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 23
I definitely will enjoy my retirement and the making of my books.
1 person likes this
