First Blurb Book!

I'm celebrating because I received my first 'Blurb' book back from the Blurb Corp the other day.  It's a record of our trip to Shenandoah and the Great Smokies that I featured here on the blog a few weeks ago, largely using the same photos.  It's just a small and simple first book, but right now it feels like a big step toward the more writing I want to do.

The Blurb software was easy to download, and intuitively easy to use.  Not only do they have numerous on-line formats you can choose from, you can edit those formats and layouts to adjust size, spacing and number of photos and text.  When you finish you just proof-read it three times and send it off; it arrives back by mail about 3 weeks later, and at what I thought was a moderate price.

I have to give credit to my sister for originally inspiring me toward this.  She's done several of these, much longer and more complex than this one, including wedding albums done in this format.  I've been very impressed, and have wanted to try it for a long time.  Had to screw up my courage to start first, but once I did to be honest it was easy, and only a few days work for this size book.

The biggest chunk of work to be done is having your photos chosen, edited and ready for uploading.  Since I'd already done that for my blog posts, the rest fell into place quickly.  I think it's a great way to be able to sit and look at your favourite photos, and leave something tangible for your kids - there's no way they will  ever look at my thousands of computer files!  I'm certainly not thinking of selling these, but it will be a great way to have a nice record of our trips.

A few of you who have written books or set big goals and worked through all the little steps to get there also deserve credit for helping inspire me, so thanks - you know who you are.  Now, on to the next one.  Maybe I'll eventually do one on 'Seasons in the Valley'!