And the mountain starts moving.

[jpskewedthrone]

Got an email from my editor today saying she's rereading the book and we should be able to discuss revisions next week. Yah!!!!

She also needed an author bio, so I went through the awkward process of writing about myself in the third person. I would have spent more time on it, but she needed it "yesterday" so I rushed it off. I think it hit all the salient points. She needed it for a sales meeting. The whole thought that everything is starting to be put in motion just sends chills down my back. BRRRRRR!!!! But in a good way.

In an interesting note, she also wanted a picture. I don't have a picture of myself. Why would I have a picture of myself? I know what I look like. So now I need to find a friend who has a digital camera who's willing to take a picture of me (a GOOD picture) and email it to me. *sigh* And what do they want a picture of me FOR, I ask myself. I doubt my face is going to sell anything, so it can't be for the sales meeting (I don't think). I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Right now though I'm starting to get nervous about what my editor might want me to "revise" in the book.

Comments

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Isn't this fun?

The picture can be for lots of things. Mine wound up on the Bantam website along with an essay I wrote when they were publicizing my first book. I suggest that you either a) have this professionally done (and get a signed release stating that you can reproduce the photo for promotional purposes) or b) have a friend with a good digital camera spend time with you taking posed shots, casual shots, indoor / outdoor settings. Think about what you want your picture to convey, and what kind of background you want (if any).

Or, as an alternative, if you already have a photo of yourself that you really like, this can be scanned and digitized. You can't use a photo that was professionally done (i.e. graduation photo) unless you get permission of the copyright owner, but if you have a photo that a friend or family member took, you can use that.

Maybe George knows someone who does headshots that might be willing to help you out?

Pictures

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Ach! This sounds more serious than I thought. Which suggests I should go the professional route. I'll have to ask George and see if he has a suggestion for someone who would be good. Plus I can still play around with the friend's digital camera without it costing anything more. I don't have a picture of myself that I could scan, so that's out.

Webpages huh. Promo stuff. Ach! And I say Ach! again!

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

There are people that specialize in doing author publicity photos, that give you all the rights to the photos from your photo shoot. (For $300, you get a CD containing 6 raw photos, 3 color and 3 b&w, with one color and one b&w also digitally retouched) Then you can use the photos for anything you want, and print out copies to include with press kits, as well as including on your web page, as part of the author bio at the back of the book, or for online interviews. Otherwise, you'll buy the prints of your photo, but if you want copies made, you have to get them from the studio where you got your original photo.

In general, outdoor photos and "action shots" are considered less professional than staged photos, unless they are somehow relevant to your bio/book material. (For example, a western rider who was a competitive barrel racer had an action photo of her riding through a barrel racing course.)