Behind the Quill: Final Updates

We’re finally in the last stretch before my first books officially launch. Technically, my prequel story has already been out as a free download, but it’s going live on Amazon this Saturday. That version’s all cleaned up and finalized — eBook uploaded, checked, and ready.

As for Refined and Returned, Volume 1 — that one’s been a journey. I got it back from my editor, finished all the corrections, and uploaded the final eBook last week. The past two weeks have been all about formatting for print. And let me tell you — formatting is a special kind of torture.

I even paid for an online course that was supposed to teach me how to format properly. It cost about $150, and it was a total waste. The instructor didn’t even know what she was doing — just the most basic, unreliable method imaginable. Honestly? YouTube videos were more useful. And ChatGPT helped more than the course I paid for, especially since I had to translate everything into Korean just to use Word on my work computer here.

Because yes — my version of Microsoft Word is in Korean. Trying to figure out what to click in another language while learning formatting is a level of pain I do not recommend.

To make matters worse, Microsoft recently announced they’re ending support for Windows 10. Apparently, “no more updates” actually means “let’s sabotage it so people must upgrade.” Word and other Office programs have been acting up for months. I thought it was just me, but no — turns out it’s happening everywhere.

Luckily, I still have my ancient laptop — sixteen years old and somehow still going. I spent an entire day cleaning it out, defragging, deleting files, and coaxing it back to life. But it worked. That old thing still has Word in English and doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi, so it’s safe from Microsoft’s meddling.

And finally — finally — I managed to format the print edition properly. The fonts stay where they’re supposed to, the headers look great, the page numbers are showing up (even if they’re only even -_-), and the table of contents behaves itself. The manuscript is uploaded and looking good.

I’m still waiting for the LCCN from the Library of Congress, but everything else is ready. The paperback is already in pre-order review and should be live within the next 72 hours. Once I get that number, I’ll update the final version before the deadline on the 11th — just in time.

Wish me luck. I’m too tired to be excited right now, but give me a day or two — I’m sure it’ll hit me soon.

P.S. If you’re planning to grab my book, now’s the time! The pre-order price is a dollar lower than the final price will be once it goes live. I might keep the sale running through the end of November for the holiday season and Black Friday deals, but to get the best price, order during pre-order or early next month.

Next