Yesterday was a great day for Calon Wyrdd. With the drafts of the next two publications ready to be proof printed, I headed to Powlsons in Colwyn Bay to talk paper thickness, cover design and spine widths with Mark.
One of the absolute best bits of using a small independent printing company is the interpersonal connection. Mark was brilliant and patiently showed me the stages of layering that takes place with colour, the complex issue of wanting a black and white design with a colour logo…and the intricacies of wanting the titles printed on a really, tiny spine.
I came away not only understanding more about the technical side of the printing process, but also with an appreciation of how the construction of the books is in itself an art.
After a quick check in with the sea before the rain came and smudged the horizon, I heading back eastwards and picked up some books from Berwyn Bookshop. Discussing sales with the owner, again, I felt such an overwhelming sense of connection with having the best people behind this dream. Emma explained how they were fulfilling their own dream by owning the bookshop and so they vowed to do anything they could to support others realising theirs. 42 and subsequent shelfmates would be sold without the shop making a profit from them because seeing others chasing down dreams was payment enough.
As I have said so many times, there is no self in self publishing.
The saying goes it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a tapestry of selfless, generous souls to raise a book.
💚