It has been a little quiet on the blog for a while now hasn't it?
Could that be that the 'all consuming' journey of self publishing a book, has indeed completely consumed me? Well yes!
After 12 months of much hard work with my team producing 'the book', we launched NAKED FOOD Cookbook in October 2012 (RRP $49.95)
An intensive marketing, sales and distribution campaign (done pretty much by me) followed! This involved cooking classes, market tours, cooking demos and book signings, driving anywhere people would have me!
Many early morning starts, resulting in long days, working at local farmers markets selling and signing copies of the book. Things sometimes saw me go just a little crazy!
In between I was gradually building up a network of retail stores, who took a chance on me and the book, selling it in their local area and a handful of places a little beyond.
Well now it is 17 months on, since I began this journey, and a hard working 5 months after launching the cookbook to the market place....an amazing thing has happened just last week! I am thrilled to share with you, that having now sold 1100 copies of 'the book', we have recovered our funds, initially invested in producing the book! (for those of you who can do maths, yes it did cost 'that much' to produce 'the book'!)
Yes people we have 'broken even' and my husband Paul, 'the financial backer!' is smiling big!
It is a moment for me to pause, to shed a few tears of both relief and exhaustion, to laugh out loud and to be ever so thankful, to the many people, who have either invested in a copy of NAKED FOOD or have helped us in some way to sell the book.
It was a step of faith for us this whole journey, 'faith is simply being willing to go further, than the eye can see!' and so it is deeply humbling and very satisfying to reach this point and say it worked out OK after all! My daughter Molly said to me one day recently 'mum the harder you work, the luckier you get' and that felt very real to me.
So I'd like to acknowledge all those who have gone the extra mile with me, created opportunities for me to retail the book, bought a copy and others who have sent amazing feedback to me of how much they are loving the book and cooking from it. The list of names is of course too long, for me to mention each person individually and after the journey I have been on, it is more than possible I'll forget someone. Instead I am trusting you know who you are and you hear me as I say to you... I do THANK YOU xx jane
Naked Food Cookbook by Jane Grover is available online at www.janecooks.com.au or at a variety of local stockists.
6 comments:
Congratulations! Such gladness and relief when the hard work pays off... this is so wonderful and inspiring.
Congratulations Jane. You deserve all your success and more. I'm sure you have never worked harder on anything in your life xx
Congrats! It must be a wonderful feeling to see your hard work paying off!
Thank you for such a wonderful book! Even though I own a copy I always find I pick it up when I spy it in bookstores to have a casual flick through as well :D
Thank you leaf(the indolent cook)for your encouragement.
Oh thank you Charlotte (Hotly Spiced)only running after three small children years back compares to self publishing xx
Thank you Ally (Ally @ Om Nom Ally) I am so glad you have loved the book, relief, exhaustion and elation all in one for me just now!
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