“It was one of those times you feel a sense of loss, even though you didn’t have something in the first place. I guess that’s what disappointment is- a sense of loss for something you never had.” ― Deb Caletti, The Nature of Jade
Well, that was a swift kick in the pants!
I received my package from Amazon a short time ago. I didn’t open it right away because I was still writing On Writing & Storytelling: Closely Watched Packages – Waiting for My Copy of ‘Reunion’, but I did fetch it from the front porch, and I’d set it down on the kitchenette table, thinking I’d open it around 5 PM.
If you know me, though, you are aware that patience is not one of my strong suits. I’m more patient now than I was, say, in my 20s, but there are times when curiosity and impatience overcome my defenses.
And, of course, impatience often results in frustration and disappointment.
Today was one of those times.
So, I got up from my office chair and walked over to the kitchenette table, where I had left my package with what I hoped would be the second revised edition of Reunion.
I figured that if Amazon showed me the cover art of the new edition on my order status page, that’s what I’d get, right?
Right?
Wrong.
Apparently, I ordered the book before Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) finished the process of updating it; I knew that it takes time for revisions to take hold (especially if you keep on sending new revisions every time you spot an error, which is what I did), but I – obviously – was overly optimistic when I saw the new cover design on my order’s tracking status (but not on the product page).
Anyway, I opened the envelope with what I thought would be the new version – only to see that I had received the original version instead.
Ugh.
Normally, I would return the book to Amazon. But that’s a hassle, especially now that I don’t have my laser printer (long story…don’t ask) and can’t create the proper Amazon-provided labels required for the process.
Besides, I need the royalties!
(Yep. I get royalties – 60% – every time someone buys a copy of either the Kindle or paperback edition. I’ll get at least most of my $6.99 back.)
But, still…ugh.
Guess I’ll wait till Amazon and KDP finish the update process before I try ordering Reunion again.
In the meantime, I’ll just put the newly arrived copy in my IKEA Billy bookcase.
Once more, with feeling….
Ugh!
A Certain Point of View, Too 
Was it the paperback version that was not updated? How about the ebook?
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The e-book is updating faster in Europe than in the States, but I think it has one more iteration of fixes to go. The print one should be ready by the weekend. KDP takes up to 72 hours to update books; the product page itself takes a bit longer before Amazon replaces the cover art and other product information.
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The version I got when I bought it a few days ago has the new cover. The other minor edition changes are going to be difficult for me to determine.
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Oh, cool! Can you do a quick cover reveal post?
I have not seen the cover in person. What did you think of it?
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Yes that was going to be my next post. I should say I bought the eBook version and it has the new cover on the first page. I am currently on a family vacation in Breckenridge Colorado and I end up not having a lot of time left over for blogging, but I’ll try tonight or tomorrow. Do you mind if I steal photos of you from your blog? For the author portion?
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Sure. Just make sure you put the image credit…just to be on the safe side.
Merci beaucoup, Thomas!
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Thank you Alex 👍
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The edits I made on Monday night were what I call housekeeping ones – fixing tiny errors I missed here and there. I didn’t rewrite the story to give it a different ending or add chapters that were not there before.
Oh, and the technical name of this book is “novella.” Longer than a short story, but not quite a novel.
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Reblogged this on The Writing Journey and commented:
“One cannot always tell what it is that keeps us shut in, confines us,
seems to bury us, but still one feels certain barriers, certain gates,
certain walls. is all this imagination, fantasy?”
https://craigsquotes.wordpress.com/category/andre-agassi/
https://craigsbooks.wordpress.com/2022/01/13/and-as-imagination-bodies-forth-the-forms-of-things-unknown-the-poets-pen/
https://craigsbooks.wordpress.com/2022/01/20/ernest-hemingway-quotes-goodreads-craigs-quotes/
Hi Alex
Thanks for the follow (+ the ‘likes'(s)
Happy blogging/writing and all the best with your blog
early bird sleepy-head craig (in “Sleepy Hollow”)
http://www.craigsblogs.wordpress.com
http://www.craigsbooks.wordpress.com
“It always seems impossible¦
until it gets done”
-Nelson Mandela
http://www.mandelamadiba.wordpress.com
http://www.craigsquotes.wordpress.com
You CAN…if you THINK you can
“Put your fears behind you and your dreams in front of you…always.”
Best wishes from the First City to see the light
PPS
Don’t worry about the world ending today
It’s already tomorrow in scenic and tranquil ˜little™ New Zealand
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Thanks, Craig!
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