Bead Bai Published

What I liked most about the book was the journey of a young Indian bride in the deep African interior and how she adapts to life. It is an untold story of the the "Asian Africans", Sakina could have been my grandmother. These elders are now disappearing and with them their stories. The Bead Bai preserves their contribution and legacy. The Bead Bai is a poetic and artistic read as is weaves Sakina's historic East Africa.

I am pleased to announce that Bead Bai is now published after several proof prints, numerous edits, formatting changes and cover design work. Bead Bai is available in paperback (450 pages Approx 9x6 inches) on Amazon and CreateSpace via the author's blog.

The novel is a historical fiction about Sakina born in Nairobi, Kenya. Sakina brings many stories from her grandfather's memories of India as she settles deep into Maasai land in British East Africa. A blend of African and Indian cultures are incorporated into her bead work. Sakina settles on the African Savanna and weaves her experience into bead art. A creative escape for her from her daily chores as a daughter in law, mother and wife. Sakina learns cherishes her conversations with the Maasai elder Ole Lekakeny, who shares spiritual knowledge of the land and bead art.

The book is a story about people, cultures, art and lands. The author has published this after 9 years and many more years of walking among the people in East Africa. In 2001, the United Nations listed the author as one of the "Unsung Heroes of Dialogue among Civilizations"  

The cover design shows an Indian lady in a sari juxtaposed against the African landscape (Mount Kilimanjaro). More about the cover designer and graphic artist is available on his web site. 

 Bead Bai on the author's blog.

Infographic: Evolution of a Book Cover Design

This infographic shows a story of a book cover from concept to final design. The book cover design, concepts and revisions took  8 months, the book took many years and a life time of experience across cultures, continents and people. The Bead Bai novel by Sultan Somjee will be available on Amazon late 2012. Click on the picture for a larger view.

This will be the 4th book self published using the 7 Step eBook method. Since I first wrote the 7 step eBook, I have improved on many techniques and ideas, thanks to the authors I have worked with. 

For writers I have worked with, writing a book is an act of love, a passion and a journey, and not always for money. I hope to make time to work on a second edition of the 7 Step eBook someday and share what I have learned. 

Credits

Author - http://thebeadbai.blogspot.ca

Artist - http://maqsart.blogspot.ca

Graphic Designer - http://www.behance.net/ziasomjee

Book Formatting Tips for the Self Publisher

I am in the final stage of assisting an author self publish a 400 page novel on CreateSpace for a print copy, and on Amazon for the Kindle. 

I am no expert on print book formatting. A lot of my formatting experience has come from looking at popular books and trial and error.

The novel Bead Bai is almost complete and is now on its third print proof. I decided on the following formatting rules with the author. The book is based on 9 inch by 6 in template from CreateSpace.

General

• Garamond 12 for main body text 
• Using MS-Word 2010 to set paragraph spacing at Exactly 16 point
• All verses in italics
• All lines in capital are 9pt
• All Gujarati language letters are 9 pt
• Stories within stories are indented (for example when the sick hallucinating grandfather remembers his childhood days)

 Headings for Parts (Sections) and Chapters

•  “Part Headings” 26 Garamond
• “Chapter Headings” 20 Garamond
• “Part Heading” text italic Garamond 20

Special Text

• Poems and verses in italics Garamond 12 with Exactly 16 point formatting 

Page Numbering 

• Roman number page numbering on the footer for pre-amble stuff (e.g prologue)

• Main chapters and pages with regular numbering centered

• YouTube video on page section breaks

Margins

• Inside gutter .75” (inches), .25 for the top, bottom and outside gutters
• Setting up gutters in MS-Word 2010 gutters

eBooks

• Add to returns after the last line in each Chapter, so that the eBook will have a break between chapters

Note on Cover Design

• Do this as a parallel task as this process takes time. The graphic designer needs to work with you on the concept and it usually takes a few prototypes before you both agree on the final cover 
• Link to CreateSpace Book Inside Templates