Now available for iBooks (no, really, check the iBookstore!)

Well, that was an interesting 7 weeks. I submitted BarringMechanicals to Apple's iBookstore, having spent a few days marshalling it into ePub format, adding a further reading section, and neatening up the HTML formatting. I got a mail back saying it would be reviewed for acceptance, and that submission was not a guarantee of placement.

Nothing heard. Weeks pass.

Then today, I get a mail from lulu summarising the month's royalties, which I note includes 2 copies for the iPad. Without an iPhone (iOS4) or iPad, there's no way I can check this, but if its been plucked from the digital shelves, presumably it must be up for grabs.

So, go have a look. You should be able to browse direct from your device.

ID	Name	Quantity	Royalties
8923487	Barring Mechanicals - From London to Edinburgh and back, on a recumbent bicycle -- Apple iPad	2	£2.16

Andy.

Now available for iBooks

Good news for all you apple fans.

Barring Mechanicals is now readable on your iPhone 3G/3GS/4, iPad, and 2nd/3rd gen iPod touch. Simply install iBooks from Apple (for free) then download the ePub edition of Barring Mechanicals from lulu, and sync via iTunes.

Screenshots from an iPhone, courtesy of my good friend D.

EPUB: Previewed on an iPhone

Thanks to some excellent assistance from HWMBO and my buddy D, I've finally seen Barring Mechanicals running inside Stanza on an iPhone OS. Ok, not the same version as runs on the Pad, but I've seen it on the iPhone itself, and can report, it looks good.

HWMBO has given the greenlight to the ePub version authored just prior to this one, which has now been submitted through Lulu to Apple.

...and now we wait...

EPUB: One step closer

Got dragged into the whole Apple marketing machine last week, and started trying to produce an eBook version of Barring Mechanicals for distribution in their new iBookstore.


The result? Well, currently approval, and an estimated 6 week wait whilst they scurry through the text checking I'm not saying anything nasty about deitys, prophets, boobs or Steve Jobs.


The release of the iPad has seen a serious attempt to get iBookstore up and running with a wider set of content, and its a privilege to be part of that. Lulu makes the process relatively painless, once you've got a compliant ePub file for submission.


What the world doesn't tell you is that getting a 'compliant' ePub is a bit of a rollercoaster, and the guidance isn't really mature enough to get you through using anything other than trial and error.
For those looking to follow suit, here's the broad process I followed:

• Find your market (in my case, someone with an iPad who wanted a copy and was prepared to help me make it.)
• Lift all the text out of your original files, and put them into individual HTML files, validated as XHTML1.1. 
• Import them all into your (nascent) editor of choice. (I used eCub on the PC).
• Battle with what passes for Unicode on the PC until everything is in UTF-8.
• Run a validator against the source, and remove all the 'bold' and 'strong' tags.
• Double check every opening p tag ends with a corresponding slash p tag.
• Move all the formatting into CSS.
• Add alt-tags for every image.
• Build, and mail a copy across for approval.

That gets you to stage 1, whereupon you'll find everything compiles nicely, but the text flow is a bit odd. It'll work on Adobe Digital Editions, but not so on all devices. Adobe Editions will report some 'issues', but won't tell you what they are.

Anyway, once your friendly iPad owner has had a run through, you'll find yourself going back through the text of each chapter, removing all the extended characters that Dreamweaver helpfully pasted, and replacing them with their HTML equivalents. Then you'll swap all the apostrophes and double quotes. Then the dashes. Then the ellipses. Then go back through and realise the PDF export you based the whole thing on gets confused about the numbers 1 and 3, and sometimes omits or replaces them with random characters.

The result will work better, but you'll then want to do the below:

• Learn about ePubCheck and the command line.
• Learn about validation, link checking, case sensitivity, character sets.
• Resample all the images so that they're max 760px on a side.
• Go through a few more revisions, moving footnotes into javascript alerts, then back into the main text (as not all readers handle the script) then into a glossary, then into individual files with 'back' links appended to each.
• Lose a few days to arrive at a ePubCheck 1.0.5 compliant file, that passes all checks with no warnings, no flags, no errors.
• Publish the file to Lulu, build new cover art, buy the 'iBookstore' distribution package.
• Submit it to Apple and wait.

Net result for me was that although the file is fully compliant with the ePub standard and recommended validators, it doesn't meet the 'apple' standard, as the table of contents references filenames that have 'spaces' in. Next step is pretty simple...

• start over with all new files.

Its an interesting process, and only marginally more challenging than, say, riding to Edinburgh and back.

Takes a touch longer too. :)


Hopefully it'll be worth it though. Then we have to DRM or not to DRM...

Interviewed by The Loop 365

Got interviewed by the editor of TheLoop365 today, who are doing a season on 'new writers'. The transcript is over at their blog.

Take a look around for some inspiration. Its an interesting community, brought together by a love of artisan crafts, ecology, fashion, haiku and cake.

Barring Mechanicals Charts!

Well,

Seems Lulu is keeping tabs on things. I've just been pointed at the categorised 'top 100' for May, and suddenly find Barring Mechanicals at Number 18. Considering Lulu published around 8,000 new titles each month in 2009, I'm calling 18th a very good place. :)

More annoyingly, the graphic arrow suggests it was higher ranked last month, and I'm willing to bet higher again the month before. Sales seemed to peak in March, so I'd love to be able to roll back and see where i was then.

Oh well... 

Got some possible news coming up about a new distribution channel too, but more on that later.

Arrivée review spotted in the wild

Arrivée magazine calls Barring Mechanicals "A remarkably fresh and accurate account", going on to endorse it as "a gripping tale, told with honesty and humour."

Spotted in the month's edition, the magazine features a synopsis of the book, recommending it to readers but inadvertently revealing a few plot points. If you don't know the story, you might want to skip to full extract below.

Thanks go to LadyJulian who brought it to my eye.

"In 2008, Andy was diagnosed with a degenerative spinal condition and, following surgery, was told that he would not be able to ride a bicycle again.  Within days he had ordered a recumbent and was training for his first audax ride, the London-Edinburgh-London 1400km, which was to take place from 26 to 31 July 2009.

The result of his 107 hours cycling epic is a remarkably fresh and accurate account of our longest randonnee.  Andy faces, and overcomes, all the familiar trials of the long distance rider.  His wife recovers his mislaid cycling shoes but then he is on his way, and on his own, with 500 riders from 28 countries and a small army of volunteers, who are only available to help at control points.  Immediately Andy falls victim to mechanical failure, which requires endless supplies of cable ties.

The milder effects of sleeplessness kick in early on.  Severe storms and resulting hypothermia take their toll but a kindly villager with a bed and several bin liners restores our lucky rider.  Rolling home, Andy's gears refuse to change, he falls victim to a wheelsucker and finally, confused by road closures he runs the gauntlet of A10 sliproads at night.

Whether you are a seasoned randonneur or an armchair rider, it's a gripping tale, told with honesty and humour."

Arrivee is Audax UK's quarterly magazine, with over 50 pages of articles, photos, letters, news and information, available to members of Audax UK, the long distance cyclists' association.

It's published each February, May, August and November.

Amazon! New distribution options for UK and France

Morning all.

Just a quick note to say that UK readers can now buy Barring Mechanicals through amazon.co.uk. If you're fortunate enough to live in France, amazon.fr carries it too.

Of course, if you do live in France, you're more than welcome to send a plane ticket, and I'll bring a copy down with me. One of the bike friendly airlines, please :)

Free shipping at LULU until 5/5/2010

Morning all,

Just got a note from Lulu to say they're offering a £2.99 discount on shipping costs until 5th May 2010. Redemption is via a coupon code 'FREEMAILUK305'
For anyone who's not yet got a copy, this is your chance to own Barring Mechanicals for only £5.99.

Cheers!

Andy.

Reviewed in Velo Vision

I've just received the March edition of the quarterly cycle magazine Velo Vision, with a cover note drawing my eye to their review of Barring Mechanicals.

For those without images, the text reads as follows:

Andy Allsopp had overcome a degenerative spinal condition and surgery, and was averaging 10 miles a week commuting on his HPV Streetmachine GTe recumbent, when he and a friend decided to sign up for the 2009 London-Edinburgh-London audax ride - appoximately 1400 km with a maximum time limit of just under five days. Although his friend had to drop out aftern an accident, Andy continued training with help from fellow www.cyclechat.co.uk forum members, swapped to a Challenge Furai SL-II, and made it to the start.

This book, originally posted in episodes on Cyclechat, charts those next five days - the literal ups and downs, as well as the metaphorical ones. Weather, exhaustion and cable ties all play important parts in the story, and the author weaves practical detail, philosophical musings and humour together in an amazing inspiring account. Beware - several people who've read this book have closed it and thought "Hmm, maybe I could do that..."

I must acknowledge a connection - I was one of those who waited for each installment and urged the author to publish. I heartily recommend it!

ISBN 978-1-4452-5510-1, self-published via www.lulu.com. £5.99. Soft cover, 140 pages, around A5 format.

Velo Vision covers cycling as a fun and effective transport solution. Published quarterly since 2000, it’s a unique forum for new cycling ideas and innovations from around the world. Discover folding bikes which fit easily onto public transport, recumbents which go faster in comfort, family bikes to carry children safely, workbikes and trailers to haul loads for car-free living or business, adapted cycles offering true mobility for the disabled, and streamlined velomobiles for all-weather comfort. Showcasing positive examples of cycling pioneers, designers and cultures, Velo Vision is a quarterly dose of cycle inspiration.

20% Easter discount at Lulu

Heads up, if you've been hankering after a copy of Barring Mechanicals, but are holding back on cash, there's a 20% discount running over at Lulu until 23:59hrs, 6 April. Use the coupon code EASTER at the checkout to claim your copy for only £4.80.

Full details here

Now available at Amazon.com

Landmark progress today. Barring Mechanicals has just been sighted on Amazon.com. Ok, its probably  quicker for US customers to order direct from Lulu, but being listed at Amazon does lend a certain credibility to the project.

To date, there have only been a handful of US sales. Here's hoping this is a turning point.

See the amazon page here.

Feedback from VC167 Rider

Just got a nice mail from a fellow LELer, saying he'd read a borrowed copy of Barring Mechanicals and had been very entertained. Infact, he went on to say he'd ordered a copy to send to another rider. Looks like the word is spreading. Cheers all!

The story that almost never was...

The Challenge website lists some 'small improvements on the model line' for 2010, including a new 'Chain-idler for most models. For the race-bikes these idlers even slide with the chain-line.'


Its great to see the Dutch manufacturer continue to improve an (already great) product line, and I can't help but think its come at exactly the right time. Any later, and I'd have chewed through the current replacement. Any earlier and I might have never written barring mechanicals.

News from Arrivée

The very lovely Sheila Simpson, editor of Arrivée says of Barring Mechanicals:

"...it’s a gripping tale, told with honesty and humour."

The full review should surface in the next edition of the magazine, so keep an eye out.

Arrivee is Audax UK's quarterly magazine, with over 50 pages of articles, photos, letters, news and information, available to members of Audax UK, the long distance cyclists' association.

It's published each February, May, August and November.

Kindle edition...?

Hmmm... Got a request for a 'Kindle' edition of Barring Mechanicals last night. Going to have to look into this. It'd be good to have the book available on other platforms (is paper a platform these days?) but e-selling to America, via Amazon, through Lulu puts waaay to many fingers in the (already slim) pie.

Going to have a look around for a self publishing option...

Velovision?

Just got heads up from a friend at Velovision to say there might be review of Barring Mechanicals in the next edition.

Velo Vision covers cycling as a fun and effective transport solution. Published quarterly since 2000, it’s a unique forum for new cycling ideas and innovations from around the world. Discover folding bikes which fit easily onto public transport, recumbents which go faster in comfort, family bikes to carry children safely, workbikes and trailers to haul loads for car-free living or business, adapted cycles offering true mobility for the disabled, and streamlined velomobiles for all-weather comfort. Showcasing positive examples of cycling pioneers, designers and cultures, Velo Vision is a quarterly dose of cycle inspiration.

Averaging 2 copies a day

Hey, thanks everyone.

Through lulu's international marketplace, the paperback is now selling an average two copies a day!

Feels great to be giving something back to the communities and riders that have helped me over the last 18 months.

Andy.

Audax Oz

Just been forwarded this review, which was posted to Audax-Oz last night:

Looking for a good read?

If you've been on a long and/or "weather-challenged" Audax - think S-M 1200 or PBP 2007 (or by the sound of it Three Peaks) - or are considering PBP, PAP, LEL or any other Audax collection of letters, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading Barring Mechanicals, Andy Allsopp's account of LEL 2009 as much as I did.

It tells his story of riding a recumbent with mechanical "issues" 1400kms from London to Edinburgh and back and does a great job of evoking the atmosphere and experience of LEL.

Available for download on-line at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/barring-mechanicals---from-london-to-edinburgh-and-back-on-a-re/6302388 at the bargain price of US$4.71 - that's less than 0.4 cents a km!

Of course, its only fair to mention that a second hand copy of 'Eighty Days Around the World' would give a better distance to cents ratio, but there's not so many bikes in that one.

Paper reigns!

Pleased to note that the paperback edition of Barring Mechanicals is outselling the digital edition 14:1. Better than this even, I've sold more than one digital copy :)

Thanks all,

Andy.

Arrivée?

Submitted a copy of Barring Mechanicals to the editors of Arrivée today. Keep an eye out for a review in the next edition!

Arrivee is Audax UK's quarterly magazine, with over 50 pages of articles, photos, letters, news and information, available to members of Audax UK, the long distance cyclists' association.

It's published each February, May, August and November.

Australia

Got a lovely mail from a lady in Brisbane this morning, who wrote to say how much she enjoyed the book. Left for work feeling great!

Thanks Sandy.

Front page news!

Hey! We made the front page!

Laid Back Bikes have featured Barring Mechanicals on their home page. Have a look now, 'cos I expect we'll make our way from there to the 'Your Road Trips' sub-section as soon as the next edition of Velovision is announced. :)

  

Laid Back is a car free business, offering Edinburgh based cycle tours and UK wide sales of recumbent bikes and trikes.

Non cyclist perspective

The book has been getting great reviews from the cycling community, and its all very encouraging.

Today, I got my first feedback from a non-cyclist, and am pleased to note she also got something from it.

"An amazing ride. A brilliant read. You do not have to be remotely interested in cycling to enjoy this great book. If you have a bike in the garage it is a must."

Perhaps she'll take even the bike out of the garage when the weather warms up! :)

Thanks again for all your support.

game changer

Well, just had an email from my father to say how proud he is of my book. Sounds daft, but I hadn't realised until then just how much this matters to me.

Note to self: Always tell Ted how proud I am of him.

Inspiration

Well, just received about the biggest positive feedback I could hope for, with a bunch of likeminded souls signing up for the 2013 LEL, seemingly on the back of Barring Mechanicals.

Watch the activity unfold over at cyclechat in these threads:

http://www.cyclechat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55281
http://www.cyclechat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49515
http://www.cyclechat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55437

Oh goodness. Thanks!

Review from VantageCreative

Nice review from 'vantagecreative' today, saying

If you haven't the time or energy to ride a bike from London to Edinburgh and back, 'Barring Mechanicals' can do it for you.

Andy's account is manic stuff written in a style that captures the 'race' up to Edinburgh and back and the people he meets on the way. If you like 'against the odds' surreal humour this is a great read. I found myself drawn in and cheering him on. This is a race against the clock and the book paces it very well.

Sleep deprivation... Strange food... Scottish water torture... it's all there.

Also great graphics that lets you follow his progress and set backs.

Thanks friend!

America!

Sold my first (digital) copy of Barring Mechanicals to The States today. Looks like this is getting legs!

Thanks all!

In the wild

Well, the book has finally been seen 'in the wild' with copies being bought by people outside of my immediate family.

Lulu doesn't have an option for "exclude copies bought by the author's mother" but it looks like its selling pretty well. Looking forward to hearing how people get on with it.

Thanks,

Andy.

On Sale!

Barring Mechanicals is now On Sale at lulu.com.

Check http://tinyurl.com/lelbook for details.

Sincere thanks to all who had a hand in bringing this to print, getting me around the course, or simply encouraging me to write it down. Couldn't do it without you.

Andy.

Cover art finalised