At the same time, it’s getting easier to publish to eReader platforms and the numbers of devices are growing. Distribution is getting wider all the time and the royalities – especially from Amazon’s 70% program – can’t be matched by traditional publishers.

While I’ll always offer a paperback version of any future books, these will be available online only…unless someone makes me an offer I just can’t refuse!

John

I’ve been doing a fair amount of book promotion online and I’m delighted to see it’s starting to pay off. High Road To Tibet is ranked # 9 in the Nepal travel category on Amazon.co.uk which is great. A hugh thanks to all those who purchased it.

Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing! This is what travel writing is all about. Adventurous and honest, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in what overland travel was like before Ryanair and backpacker hotels. She prepares for her epic journey from Ireland to India by buying a pistol and practicing in a near-by wood! And she needed it too! Thankfully, not something I packed for my own overland journey. Dervla Murphy sets the standard for other travel writers to follow.

View all my reviews

http://www.independent.ie/and-finally/amazon-ebooks-overtake-print-sales-2652665.html

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On the eve of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Cork, I came across an article on the internet describing the last visit of a British monarch to Beara in 1903.  The piece is extracted from an article in the Southern Star:

While travelling through Connemara, the car carrying the Royal Party broke down, and they then continued on to Kenmare by train, from where they went by car to Dereen, the residence of the Marquis of Lansdowne. After launching with Lord Lansdowne, the King proceeded to Castletownberehaven on August 1, where the royal yacht ‘Victoria and Albert’ was anchored.

There was great excitement in Castletown for the visit and the crowds were arriving from early morning. Over two hundred members of the constabulary were on duty in the town, and the world renowned Constabulary Band entertained the crowds. Five naval ships were anchored in the harbour to salute the royal presence. The Constabulary Guard of honour was lined up, and at 7.30 p.m. in the evening, with a light drizzle falling, the royal carriage arrived into the town.

There was a great cheering as the King alighted from his vehicle at the pier, accompanied by Admiral Poe, Lord Shelbourne, and followed by the Queen and Princess Victoria. As the King passed a number of children in shawls, he said to them, “Oh children, ye must be all wet, and I’m so sorry for you”. Two of the children, Miss Mary R. Harrington, daughter of Mr. Michael R. Harrington, J.P. Castletown, and Miss Julia O’Shea, daughter of Mr. Denis M. O’Shea, Castletown, then went forward and presented the Queen and Princess Victoria with two bouquets, and kissed the ladies’ hands.

The other children’s names were Kathleen Hanley, Gerty Flanagan, Maude Kelly, Kathleen O’Shea, Florence Dobbyn, Julia O’Sullivan, Mary O’Neill, Teresa Moriarty, Belinda Harrington, Agnes Harrington, Mary J. Harrington, Bella Murphy, Ada Curry and Ada Collins. An Address of welcome was then presented by Rev. J.P.Mc Donnell and Mr. Denis F.McCarthy, who were introduced to the King by Lord Shelbourne. The address read: “We the people of Castletownberehaven, beg respectively to offer your Majesties a cordial welcome to our port.We gratefully recognise and appreciate the kindly interest your Majesty has taken in our country, and we gladly avail ourselves of this opportunity of expressing our earnest wish that your visit may be a pleasant one, and that you and Her Majesty may long be spared to draw closer still the bonds that band the scattered portions of your Empire”.

A REPLY
The King then gave his reply: “Gentlemen, I think you for your cordial welcome and good wishes. The Queen and myself have derived much pleasure from our stay in Ireland, and amongst the warm-hearted people of the south, we count, upon a repetition of our happy experiences in other parts of the country.

In the welfare of Ireland, I have a deep interest, which the warmth of our reception will certainly not diminish. It will be a great happiness to me if any effort of mine should help to promote the contentment and prosperity of Ireland, and to strengthen the ties that bind in unity and concord the scattered people of my empire.” As he handed the address to Canon McDonnell there was great applause and three cheers were then called for Princess Victoria.

The King bowed to the crowd, which as almost entirely composed of townspeople, with some others from Milcovee, Waterfall, Rossmacowen an Derrymihin. The Royals then departed by boat for the ‘Victoria and Albert’ and after boarding, a royal salute was fired by by the fleet.

The yacht left the harbour at 3.30 a.m. on the following morning and proceeded to Queenstown for the last stop of the tour. A bronze commemorative medal was issued to every member of the Constabulary on duty for the King’s visit. Constable William Ruth, who lived in The Rock, West End, was on duty at Castletown, and his medal was discovered in an attic a number of years ago.

Sean O’Sullivan of Droum, writing in the 1970’s tells us that not everyone in Beara was so enthusiastic about the royal visitors however. He wrote that as the carriage was passing through the townland of Inches, on its way to Castletown, one old woman was heard to remark: “Twelve years ago they would not have dared to pass this way!”.

Colonel Gaddafi of Libya. Photographed while visiting Swaziland in 2002

He’s a man so much in the news at present that I almost forgot the day I came face to face with him in 2002. I was on a year long trip around the world and was visiting the African Kingdom of Swaziland, a country landlocked by South Africa. As I walked around the capital of Mbabane, I spotted posters declaring “Gaddafi to meet the King today!” Could this be the same Colonel Gaddafi made famous by Ronald Regan as ”the mad dog of the middle east”? I made some inquiries and found out that it was the same man and he was due to appear at a stadium outside the city later that day. Gaddafi fancied himself as a leading force in Africa and was touring the continent to impress regional leaders. This is a man I had to see.

I caught a bus to the football stadium and watched as the crowds gathered. Hundreds of women decorated in colourful traditional clothing carried tall reeds on their way there. I was told that the King was going to select a wife from these eligible young women. She would be his thirteenth.

Along with hundreds others, I waited impatiently for any sign of Gaddafi. Suddenly, there was a murmur of excitement and things began to happen. The Queen entered the stadium along with her entourage. She was soon followed by members of the government. I had taken up a good spot near the viewing podium along where all the dignitaries were passing. A man stood before me and asked me if I could move over. I wasn’t about to give up my prime position so I told him that he could stand behind me if he wished. “I am the foreign minister of Swaziland and you are standing in my place!” he explained. A little red-faced, I moved off the podium and joined the crowd below.

Shortly after, a shout went up from the people at the entrance to the stadium and the King walked in with Colonel Gaddafi by his side. He gave his signature fist-pump to the crowds and everybody was waving and cheering loudly. I was standing close to where he was passing by and got some good photos of Gaddafi and the King.

The bloody civil war in Libya have shown what kind of a man he really is and not the Lion of Africa that he tried to portray himself as.

http://www.publishyourownebooks.com/how-to-publish-an-ebook/

Click to see the article “BookExpo America 2010: The Changing DIY Ethos”

Image via Wikipedia

When I first published High Road To Tibet, I also wanted to have it available on the Kindle – Amazon’s ebook reading device. When I tried to create an account on their Digital Text Platform site however, I discovered that you needed a American bank account and tax number. This effectively blocked international writers from publishing their content to the Kindle. That was until I checked it again last month. Amazon have now added the option to be paid by cheque for international users and so anyone can now publish to the Kindle. Even better news was that they also have a new 70% royalty payout for Kindle books that meet certain guidelines. I’m currently in the process of formatting my book for the Kindle s expect some more posts about this process in the near future.

John

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