The copyright clearance file is done, and the past two months have been spent getting more quotes on printing/distribution options. 2022 is an unfortunate time to be doing this, as paper is in short supply, shipping costs have skyrocketed, and pricing has increased accordingly. Cemetery Reflections is above all a photography book. Color printing is expensive, and I am coming to terms with the quality/pricing compromise. The proposed book price met with reality and moved from $39.95 to $44.95. Even with this higher price ceiling, the printing costs were too high to allow for traditional distribution..
It seems the best option now is with a company named Book Baby. This is one of the few POD (Print-on-Demand) companies using coated paper, which produces a better print—the ink doesn’t absorb into the paper, avoiding muddy-looking images. The company uses a color profile unique to their printer. This is key to keeping colors consistent from the original image on the photographer’s screen to the final paper print. This company’s books are printed in-house as opposed to sending them out to various other printing locations. This ensures a consistent quality print for each copy, something I haven’t found at some of the larger companies. I’ve been working with Christina Ellis, BookBaby Publishing Specialist. Thank you, Christina!
Book Baby distributes through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powell Books, Ingram, and other major outlets, as well as selling directly through their online store BookBaby Book Shop.