I was going to write about other lessons learned, but I'm a little tired of that train of thought.  Suffice it to say, I have learned you cannot take shortcuts on editing, proofreading, book covers, or anything else having to do with the actual, physical book.  It's just the way it is.  Any good publishing site will tell you that over and over.  I've wondered before how Harold and the Purple Crayon would have fared in this day and age with it's saddle-stitched cover.  But that is in the past, and we can only cooperate with the rules of today, when we have to.
 
I decided instead to talk about Motorcycle Rider (tentative title), since the actual, real motorcycle rider has finished his around-the-world journey and is in Amsterdam, waiting to ship the motorcycle and head back to his home and family.  Motorcycle Rider is a departure from our original idea, which was international stories for children.  But what a story!  How many people, at the age of 66, fly to South Korea, take an overnight ferry to Russia and proceed to travel on a motorcycle through Russia and Mongolia, all the way to Amsterdam.  Sometimes riding all day in 40 degree weather in the pouring rain, sleeping on the ground night after night, most days without the most basic modern-day conveniences, including, sometimes, food.  It's a unique and fascinating journey through different countries and cultures, seeing the world the way it is, rather than through the filter of hotels, taxis, tv's and other connections to daily life.  Arriving in Amsterdam, though, the last stop in his travels, it's a different story.

When I decided to start a publishing company, I really knew nothing about the profession.  All I knew was that I loved to read, I loved books, and I had a Ph.D. in literature.  At the time, there were no college teaching positions available where I lived, at least none that seemed right for me.  And, besides, as I said in my earlier blog, I had really had enough of following other people's rules.  So, I just jumped right in.  I really wouldn't have wanted to do it any other way, but it would have been helpful to have the business knowledge that I have now.  Our first book was Doctor Ouch.  Thanks to Jan Seabaugh's expertise as a Russian translator and her ability to create beautiful illustrations, we seemed to be set for a bestseller.  I was advised to print 5000 copies, and that seemed reasonable to me.  After all, the small city where I live had 70,000 people at the time.  I thought I could easily sell 5000 copies in my own town.  To sum up what happened, I ended up donating 3600 copies to Feed the Children!  I hope they all enjoyed the story, because it really is a wonderful book.

We had planned to exhibit the book with the Independent Book Publishers Association at Book Expo in Chicago.  This was in early June, and by mid-May the book had still not been printed.  Then, the real complication came in.  My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was scheduled for surgery at the time the proof was ready for approval.  I was literally sitting in the waiting room during the surgery when my printer called and said if I wanted the book in time for Book Expo, it had to be approved and returned that very day.  Well, that was impossible.  I had to wait until the following morning even to get it from my mailbox.  I brought it home, already thinking I needed to be at the hospital.  I ran through the pages in record time, asked my mother to glance through it, approved it, sent it back overnight, and headed to the hospital.  Imagine my dismay when I realized I had printed 5000 copies of a book with multiple errors!  This could not be undone!  It is still a beautiful book, and most of the errors would not be noticed by people reading the book to children.  But it was definitely noticed by the publishing industry.  I submitted it to Barnes and Noble, and in return, I received a letter with a list of reasons why they would not display it.

My frustration was that it is truly a wonderful book.  The illustrations are remarkable, and the story is great.  It seemed so superficial to me that people would ignore content for what seemed to me to be minor infractions of publishing rules.  After all, I did have an ISBN number, and spine with a title, and an overall great book.  I would still hold that book up as one of the best children's stories available today.  I did almost learn my lesson though.  You can't just ignore everybody's rules.  You have to use professionals for editing and proofreading.  There is no getting around that rule.  It is true that I'm a professional, when it comes to reading and writing.  But I learned you cannot proofread your own books.

I said I almost learned my lesson.  I still had a few lessons to learn after A Dog Called Leka.  But I maintain once again that A Dog Called Leka  is an absolutely wonderful Young Adult novel.  We even won awards for this one.  I absolutely love this book!  More about that next time.  I am slowly learning that sometimes, you really, really have to follow the rules, even if they seem superficial.   Especially in an industry that has existed for many years before your own company! This unbreakable rule is Use Professionals for Almost Everything! I should add that my husband, six years later, is completely fine.

I started Viveca Smith Publishing because I love books, and I have always loved books.  I love to read, and I am especially happy when a book allows me to enter a world I would otherwise not have known.  I received a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2001. My degree is in Studies in Literature, and my area of specialization is ancient Greek.  I love the language itself, but I also love the stories.  Hercules, Achilles, Zeus, Aphrodite, Athena!  There are no better stories!  After years of fulfilling the requirements and obligations of graduate school, I was ready for some independence, and as the mother of four children,  I believe I have a good insight into what kinds of stories children enjoy. I sometimes feel  that  if I stacked all of the children’s books I have read, the stack would reach to the sky or even the stars!  I have always wanted my own children to be able to see beyond their world and find other worlds to explore, and I believe most parents feel the same way. This is how Viveca Smith Publishing began.  Explore different worlds! Read the books children around the world are reading.   Our future plans include expanding Viveca Smith Publishing into literature for adults, as well as into poetry.  Until we actually publish these books, I am adding a poetry page to our website.  I will publish poems and translations of poems that poets and translators have sent me, as well as poems that I have selected.  Feel free to add suggestions for poetry through our Contact Us page.  We are also working on a project about a motorcycle adventure that spans the globe.  Riding across the world on a motorcycle puts you in touch with other cultures in a manner than can’t be replicated in a trip that includes tour guides, or even the shelter of hotels, buses, and trains.  And we continue to looks for great international children’s stories.  We would love to hear any ideas or read any manuscripts that have an international theme. Explore the World!

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