My book of poetry, including some photos, was published about two months ago, but I kept it under wraps until the publisher dropped the price of the printed copy as promised. It is now available in Xlibris Bookstore at $US20.16, and hopefully Amazon and Barnes & Noble will soon update their price to reflect the change.
It took me two and a half months to prepare the manuscript for submission, as I was doing this for the first time and found formatting to be quite a tricky business since I wanted my poem and the photo to appear on the same page. There was some toing and froing the following two weeks regarding the formatting and minor corrections, but Xlibris representatives were at all times co-operative and willing to make the necessary changes according to my wishes.
It was a very intensive learning process, not without occasional swearing at my computer or the program that didn’t allow me to do things in a simpler way. Big sigh.
But Xlibris designers have done a great job! When the sample copy arrived, I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled to bits to be holding in my hands the first book of my poetry, accompanied by a photo here and there – a book in full colour on glossy paper! ’Yippee!’ I exclaimed. ‘It’s beautiful’, my husband said. ‘I’m very proud of you.’ My late mother would have been proud too.
This book is very much a tribute to my Facebook and Gather friends, who inspired me to write poetry on a regular basis, providing challenges and mentoring. The title of the book is the title of the poem on Page 28, which was written as a response to a challenge ‘write a poem about winter’. But in the hot Sydney summer I could only dream of winter, remembering my childhood white winters in the Northern Hemisphere.
When Gather.com crashed at the end of April last year, I started blogging on WordPress. Many of my Gather friends regrouped on Facebook and some joined WordPress. So I’ve dedicated my book not only to my family, but also to both my friends in the flesh and my cyber friends. I’ve met many talented bloggers on WordPress and I’m so happy to be able to interact with you, dear bloggers from all over the world, and to continue to learn through your interesting posts.
“Dreams On My Pillow” is also available in e-book format. If you look it up online, you’ll learn more about the content. And if you decide to buy it, I hope you’ll enjoy it. Many of the poems can be read to your kids or grandkids.
E-Book link:
http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/SKU-000930797/Dreams-On-My-Pillow.aspx
Softcover link:
http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/SKU-000930798/Dreams-On-My-Pillow.aspx
Cheers 🙂 Irina
Copyright © 2014 Irina Dimitric
Irina's Poetry Corner 
Wow…congratulations!
(Wonder how much they charged you, though.)
I was wondering the same thing.
Pam, you might like to direct Ashok to your posts about self-publishing using Create Space. I just mentioned to him he could look up Create Space up on Google.
It wasn’t cheap! I took the basic package for full colour because I wanted to add some photos. A black and white package is cheaper. If you look up Xlibris online, you’ll get the idea.
Thanks, shall do so. Wish you the very best!
My pleasure. You might like to look up Create Space where you can get do-it-yourself software for free. Next time I’ll try Create Space, but with this book I was in a hurry to get it out. I don’t think I would have been able to do it myself. Some of my friends are very happy with Create Space.
Hi, Ashok. Irene suggested I give you a WP link to how I helped Elsie publish through CreateSpace. It’s here: http://pambrittain.wordpress.com/2014/06/28/muddling-through-published-part-one/
Hopefully, if this is helpful, you’ll find the rest of the posts. This link is for part one.
Irina, next time you want to publish, feel free to ask me to help.
Thanks, Pam. That’s very kind of you. I’m thinking of publishing my dad’s memoir if I think it’s worth publishing when I finish writing it. Your help would be much appreciated.
Thank you. Appreciate your kind gesture. Shall surely make use of it!
Congratulations dear Irina… I will purchase it … Just wondering if It is compulsory to fill in the personal information … Well, anyway, I will give it a shot later on!!!.
Best wishes and hugs to you, Aquileana 😀
Thanks, Aquileana, that’s kind of you. 🙂
Seems lovely!
Thank you, Elizabeth. The cover photo is mine and Xlibris designers have done a great job with it.
Irina, I’m so excited for you. I was able to view a sample and the e-book is available. I’ll be buying it later on today. Right now, lots of catchup and company coming over.
I am sooooo proud of you.
Thanks, Pam. You’ll find yourself in there. 🙂 Thanks again for letting me use your icon.
Cool and you’re welcome.
congratulations Irina – that is great news! I’m glad that your time on Gather has led you to this fine achievement!
Thank you so much, Boris.
And who led me to Gather? You, of course, that is your writing I admired on Facebook, and then I wanted to become your fan on Gather. Your name is mentioned in the Preface with these words:
“In addition, without Boris Glikman, whose outstanding writings I greatly admired on Facebook, I would never have known about Gather.com and these poems would never have been written.”
So thank you, Boris, for being the first inspiration.
much honoured Irina. I look forward to receiving the book. Perhaps you could autograph it for me one day.
Sure. With pleasure.
Irina! Congratulations on your new poetry book! What an amazing achievement, my friend! I am thrilled to start reading it soon xoxo
Thank you so much, Christy. Hugs xoxo
Irina, I love your book, so I posted a review on Amazon, and here: http://pambrittain.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/dreams-on-my-pillow-by-irina-dimitric-a-book-review/
You rock, Pam. Yours is the very first review, and what an amazing review it is. I’m so glad you like my book. I shared it on Facebook. Thanks a million. 🙂
Cool, I don’t do FB, but I’m happy to know my friends know I’m still around. Wish they’d join us here on WP. I should mention, it’s the osteo that makes me rock. That’s okay, but when I roll, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up. 😀
Well, we’re in the same boat as far as rocking goes. I’ve got artificial hips and if I want to dance , I can only walk the steps. But we both rock here on WordPress! 🙂
Toutes mes félicitations Irina, tu dois être heureuse d’être arrivée au bout de ton projet avec succès. Je te souhaite de nombreuses ventes en récompense de ton travail. J’irai voir.
Bon week-end mon amie , bisous de coeur
Merci bien, Lucia. Oui, je suis tres contente. J’ai travaille tres dur pour que ce soit un petit livre a mon gout. Je ne compte pas sur de nombreuses ventes; ce n’est pas tres impotant.
Je voulais juste laisser un souvenir pour ma famille et mes amis.
Bon weekend a toi, chere Lucia. Bisous.
Congratulations! Thank you so much for your very kind and touching comments on my blog. As you said, I’m sure your mother is very proud of you! Amitiés, Frédéric.
Merci beaucoup, Frédéric. 🙂 I also thank you for the tour of my blog and for your nice comments. 🙂
Pingback: Anzac Centenary ~ 1915-2015 | Irina's Poetry Corner