In case you’ve not yet seen it, I’ve recently (belatedly) added a new post about my marketing of The Secret Lake. This covers how I’ve taken the print copy into bookshops and online – as well as Kindle sales. What has astounded me has been the Kindle sales – especially in the UK! I somehow assumed the Kindle rush was a grown-up thing – how wrong I was! Read my marketing diary for The Secret Lake – including sales stats – here.
Best wishes
Karen
Self-publishing adventures 
Hi Sue
First of thanks very much for your very kind comments 🙂 I’m really glad you’ve found the blog useful.
Yes – my illustrator did use digital files – in fact he works totally digitally! As far as I understand it all traditional illustrations can get scanned to create digital files – it’s something I’m sure your friend would find out about very easily. I’ve just quickly Googled and found this http://www.instructables.com/id/Hand-Drawn-to-Digital-Illustrations/ – but there are probably better links. I am guessing that even somewhere like prontaprint could do it (I should know more, but since it’s not come up I’ve not had to research it, I’m afraid…).
I’m also really glad you enjoyed Eeek! If you get a moment and would be able to leave a review on Amazon I would really appreciate it! Every little helps!
Good luck with your book!
Karen
Hi Karen,
I am full of admiration for all that you have achieved!
A friend told me about you and your books in February and I have been using your blog as a kind of self-publishing bible ever since! I bought your very entertaining book, Eeek! becuaes of this–and to learn from it. I intend to self-publish a book for 8-11 year olds, Rafi Brown and the Candy Floss Kid, (many times revised and read by many children) and I do have a question or two, if I may.
Did your illustrator for Eeek! use digital files to upload to Amazon? I am in contact with a very talented children’s book illustrator, but she doesn’t use digital files. Would this be a problem?
Perhaps one question will siffice for the moment.
Thank you, and congratulations on your success!!
Sue
Hi Karen, May I wish you continued good fortune with your career as a writer. Whilst I am much older than your target audience (factor of six needs to be applied), I found your ‘Secret Lake’ excerpts to be charming and well written. I read your comments about self-publishing with interest. Like most writers I have suffered the pain of rejection, and for my stories and novels am now considering following the route you chose. (I have had five ‘football history books published by Tempus/The History Press).
What I wanted to ask is: When you wrote the story, were you able to get the syntax down in one go, or did you constantly revise what you had written? I worry that my writing could be improved – every time I read a sentence, I feel an almost uncontrollable urge to make an alteration! Did/does that happen to you? And, did CreateSpace help you with editing?
Regards John
Hi John – The Secret Lake went through many iterations – not just refining and improving the language, but also refining and improving the plot! I think I was up to v20 by the time I was eventually happy with it! I know what you mean about constantly want to refine/edit the text. Probably the best thing to do is leave it in a drawer for 2 weeks and come back to it: that way you get to look at it with fresh eyes and are more likely to focus on what really needs changing. In my case the story sat in a drawer for 10 years! But it was up to v15 when I hauled it out again…! No help from CreateSpace with editing – but I’m a professional copywriter so am reasonably confident on that front. Plus my 87 year-old mother did a proof-read and I have a friend/colleague who acted as a reader and further editor. You do need to find someone to read it for you etc – either a friend/acquaintance who knows their grammar, or find a freelance editor/proofreader or perhaps Google/trawl blogs to find one. Best of luck. Karen