My Maya Angelou Angel

When trying to publish your book, you really have to be aware of the add-on costs of e-book/on-demand publishers. They lure you with the promise of publishing your book for a certain package deal, $900, $1,600, $3,500, or more. They list everything that you will get in the particular package, for example, editorial support. The editorial support consists of a cursory review with comments "purposed" to make you feel that you may not have done a good job and perhaps you do need more help. Then they recommend a more comprehensive editorial review for an additional $3,500. The add-ons can increase the total publishing costs to well over $10,000.

It just so happened that Dr. Maya Angelou's call to me came shortly before the e-book/on-demand publisher's editorial review. It was like the good angel was whispering in one ear and the bad angel was whispering in the other. If it had not been for Dr. Angelou's comments, this is the point that I would have faltered on the project because I did not have the $10,000. The battle in my mind had begun. The bad angel was really talking, "Dr. Angelou said that your book was fetching, she didn't say that it was well-written." The e-book/on-demand publisher wanted to know what qualified me to write the book. The bad angel asked, "Yeah, what really does qualify you?" At one point, I had to scream to myself that whether the book was well-written or not (from an editorial perspective), there was something about the book, that first of all, caused Dr. Angelou to pick the book up to read and to continue to read it; to put it down and pick it back up again and again; and, most importantly, to personally call me to tell me that she found the book to be fetching! This "phenomenal" woman is a world renowned accomplished author. Imagine the many books she has read in her life. Imagine the many people who have sent her their manuscripts.

That was more than enough to shut the bad angel's mouth even though I had one final phone conversation with the "editor" for the e-book/on-demand publisher. He questioned whether the call really came from Dr. Angelou because he said there are so many on-line scams. He wanted to know how she even got a copy of the book. (I sent it to her.) I detected some aggression in his voice. What I was really witnessing was "intent." Now, in the process of trying to publish the book, I take a moment to think about "intent" before I make a decision to use a certain vendor or supplier. Doing business on-line can be quite treacherous. The intent of the editor was to sell me the more expensive editorial package. Dr. Angelou's intent was angelically pure. She called to compliment and to encourage—a perfect stranger. Can you imagine a life like that(?)—where you are able to help so many others and the intent of your heart is so pure. wow!