Release Date announcement!
“Silent Sentinel, the story of a redgum” is set for release on Wednesday, 26th March. That’s three weeks away today! This means that the book will be available for sale online as print-on-demand* (POD) at various retailers. In fact, it can already be pre-ordered from online sites worldwide, at varying prices.
For example
Sweden (kr. 324,95, less if you’re a member!)
Taiwan (NT$ 1140 元)
Korea (45,490원)
USA (Massachusets) $29.99
Australia $43.68
Order now:
I have also ordered a consignment of hardcover books to be traditionally printed*. These will take a little longer to arrive but can be pre-ordered from the bookshop now for the special price of $30.
This offer will be available until the 25th of April.
*A note on POD vs traditional print:
<My Mum enjoying an advance proof copy of the POD in hardcover.
POD Print-on-demand services print your book from digital files as they are ordered. Using digital printing technology similar to laser printing, this method allows for small quantities or individual books to be printed and shipped as they are ordered.
Silent Sentinel is set to be printed at the highest quality possible for this service but POD colour printing quality is limited, as are the options for paper weight and finish. I would describe the quality of the author copies I ordered for preview as “definitely acceptable.” Advantages of POD include that the books can be printed locally and shipped quickly to almost any location worldwide. This may also save on shipping costs if you are not in Australia.
Traditional Printing The hardcover copies of Silent Sentinel in my shop are produced using offset printing, on heavier, coated paper. In this technique individual plates are produced for each page. The inked image is then transferred to a rubber blanket and from there to the paper. Once the plates have been made, this process is a more economical option for large numbers of books. I am still waiting for the print books to be shipped to me so I can’t give a first hand comparison yet, but have been advised that offset printing produces higher quality colour images. This is important for a book in which the artwork is the key feature.
The look and feel of the hardcover print books will be superior to POD. I am also able to offer them at a lower price through direct sales. Overseas shipping costs are quite expensive, however and would add significantly to this cost. Paperback versions of Silent Sentinel are not available as print copies at this stage.