Becoming real...like a Velveteen Rabbit.

I submitted the interior pages and the cover design to CreateSpace, both in .pdf format as required. In just a couple of hours I received an email which stated that both files had been checked and found suitable for printing. Now all I had to do was request a proof copy be printed. Actually, I ordered five copies of the proof, just because I wanted a few to show off. It was about 4:30pm when I received an email saying they had received my request. Less than five hours later, I received another email which said my proof copies had been printed and shipped!
This is one of the blessings of living in our tech-savvy world of 2010. Just imagine that you can go online, order a book which does not even exist as a physical object yet, and within a couple of hours it is printed and bound and packaged and on its way to you. Wow!
I paid for medium-fast shipping, which meant that I would have to wait from Thursday night until Tuesday to get the books. I was restless during that time.
Well, today is Tuesday. The box arrived just before noon. I tore it open and there were five beautiful copies of the book I had created. What a great feeling! And what an easy and sensible way to publish!
I looked over the copies. Each one has the word "PROOF" on the final page, but they are otherwise exactly like the finished copies will be. I went back online and clicked the "Approve proof" button on my account page...and that was it! My book instantly became available for sale on CreateSpace's site and it will pop up on Amazon within a few days.
I ordered a few boxes of books to have on hand. Now it's time to start planning the release party.