Also from fnc, edited by yt: Caroline and Isabel Bercaw started Da Bomb Bath Fizzers in their parents’ kitchen when they were 10 and 11 years old respectively. Six years later the products can be found in over 15,000 stores nationwide. They are packed mixtures of dry ingredients that bubble and hiss when wet, used to add oils, bubbles, scent or colors to bathwater. Da Bomb had more than $10 million in revenue in 2017 and is expected to hit $20 million this year. Caroline said: "... we wanted to make our own because a lot of times it would stain the tub.” All together: "Now why didn't I think of that?"
I thought getting a book to market this year would be easier than in the past, as everything in the manuscript file seemed in order. Amazon suggests that it be converted to PDF, which is more compatible with their printer. Fortunately, there are sites that allow one to do it for free, and its simple. I us ilovepdf.com. I also add page numbers there, as it is so easy compared to the process in Word. One aspect worried me this time. Amazon's requirements seem stricter than in the past. For some reason, ilovepdf.com places the page number way at the bottom. In the past it wasn't a problem. This year Amazon wouldn't accept the file because the numbers were deemed outside the margin, which meant I had to wrestle with doing the task in Word. I cursed up a storm during the first fall before my morning walk, and the second after I'd read the newspaper. I was so juiced I knew playing the guitar was out of the question this day. After a break, I went back at it. I divided the manuscript into two sections, hoping I'd be able to begin the numbering at the start of the second. It worked to a degree. The numbering would not start with page one. No matter what I did I couldn't make it work. By some fluke, I inadvertently divided the file into three sections - I don't even know how - and that did the trick. To illustrate how silly the Word system is - the first section was three pages, the second one, the third about 260. I've ordered the first proof copy. Now I'll have to guard against mucking up the page numbers if corrections are needed. I'm sure they will be. I don't understand why the eggheads at Microsoft don't look into the PDF method.
My mood really lifted after that, so much so that I decided to open the floating book shop despite the cold and drizzle, the latter of which was kept out by the scaffold. I was hoping to snag someone interested in books in Russian or the impressive inventory of DVD's. None of those sold, but several books did. My thanks to Ira, who bought two Time-Life instructionals on Kitchens and Bathrooms; and to Barry, who purchased Imperial Ambitions: Conversations on the Post-9/11 World by Noam Chomsky & David Barsamian; and to Maria, who selected A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber; and to the young man who settled his tab.
My Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Vic-Fortezza/e/B002M4NLJE
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
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