Betty

My Ebook Journey

Desk with lamp and chromebook on it. A picture of a snowy scene hangs on the wall over the desk.

It all began, in Octobr 2022, when I wrote a blog post about FHU (full hook up) campgrounds with paved bike trails. The post was wildly popular, and I got many responses, including a number of emails listing more campgrounds which fit the bill. I added all the suggestions to my original post with the final number of campgrounds in the blog post numbering about 30. That post is still available on my blog.

It seemed to me there were many more campgrounds that would fit this narrow niche of a full hook up campground where one could ride his or her bike to a paved bike trail. It also seemed to me there was an interest in having this information centralized, in one place. However, this was a project which could take a lot of time. And such a project could also be an ongoing endeavor with the continual addition of FHU campgrounds along with the continual expansion of trails.

I also felt like a blog post wasn’t the best home for such info. And to be honest, if I were to undertake this opportunity, I wasn’t going to do it without any compensation. I just wasn’t. So, I decided I would try. To see what I could do. At the very least, I would create a list of locations where Dan and I would like to camp and ride. At the most, this project would be beneficial to many others.

I decided an ebook was the way to go. I had thought before about publishing an ebook. The posts I enjoy writing the most are the humorous ones, and I have thought numerous times about turning these into an ebook. However, the practical utility of a guide of FHU campgrounds with bike trails seemed like a good first project to self-publish as an ebook.

The first thing I did was take a free, online course through our library entitled, “Publish and Sell Your E-book.” This course was offered through Gale Courses, and even though it was free, it was a very well developed course. The course had 12 online lessons, with 2 being released each week. I learned so much!

I learned about copyright (which I eventually received.) I learned about images and how to find copyright free images. I learned about disclaimers. I learned about letters written by others to me and when I could legally publish these. I learned about formats and sellers and distribution channels and reviews. There was much more in the course than I could absorb. But I learned enough to start the journey and to make mistakes.

The next thing I did was to purchase some software called, Designrr, for $29. I kept getting Facebook ads for Designrr, and it seemed to be a good – and inexpensive – tool to use. I could use Designrr and input a blog post or several blog posts and fully customize from there. If I were to do it over, I would just use Google Docs to create my ebook. More about why later.

And I kept researching. I was looking to find full hook up campgrounds with easy access to trails. My focus was narrow. I was looking for full hook ups. The trails had to be paved or a hard surface, not mountain biking. And not a bike lane on a road. I’ve seen how many people text and drive, and no way am I riding my bike on a road.

Also, the trail had to be accessed easily. No riding on busy roads to get to it from the campground. Even if the trail was 1/3 mile away, if it had to be accessed by riding on a busy highway, it was out. And if the trail was dirt, like the state parks in Texas, it was out, too. I don’t want any men to bump tree roots and blame me, if you know what I mean.

I set a goal of having 100 such locations for the first version of the ebook. Eventually, when I published, I had 107. I also added 45 campgrounds with partial hook ups with easy access to trails. I did this mostly to add content to the book, so there would be about 150 locations in all. Also, some of these locations with partial hook ups had fantastic trails, so I wanted to include them. I know many campers are fine with partial hook ups.

It seemed I was ready to publish. However, I found out that my $29 version of Designrr didn’t allow me to publish in the epub format – which is the format for Amazon Kindle. I could either pay more money or start from scratch with Google Docs.

I decided to pony up for the $97 annual fee version. I could decide at the end of the first year if I should continue for another year. The thought of retyping everything seemed like a really big task. I had already done so much – taking the online course, researching the campgrounds/trails, learning Designrr, and the main task of writing the ebook.

Once I paid the $97, things went fairly smoothly. My ebook was generated, and I worked with Designrr to correct any formatting errors. The software worked pretty well – except it did things like double my graphics (for no apparent reason) or if I started a link with a number, the text would go a bit bonkers. Their support was helpful.

As I was going through the process on Amazon, I was given the option to create a print version of the book. Now in my ebook, which is the format I had envisioned in my mind all along, each campground and each trail was hyperlinked to its respective website. There, current information could be found, and I would not have to reinvent or duplicate the wheel, including more detailed descriptions and reviews. To me, an online ebook was the way to go.

But when Amazon asked me about a print version, I thought, why not. This was a big mistake, and one which had really bad consequences. Of course, the campgrounds and trails weren’t hyperlinked in the print version- which, of course, I knew going in. I thought people would use the print version in conjunction with being online. But, boy was I wrong.

I also hadn’t realized Designrr prints in 300 dpi – which is no good for print versions. This is another reason why I wish I would have gone with Google docs to start with. I didn’t realize if something looked fine on the screen, that it was possible it wouldn’t look so good on paper. And though it passed Amazon’s quality tests, the print wasn’t up to the standards expected by buyers.

I also thought most would buy the ebook version. But again, I was wrong! When I first published – after an article in an RV travel newsletter, the print sales were 2 to 1 versus the ebook version.

I quickly got poor reviews and was devastated. Believe me, I know the value of a dollar, and I certainly don’t want anyone who purchased my book to feel it was a waste of money. So, I acted quickly.

I removed the option to purchase the print version. But it takes Amazon several days to shut down this option completely. More bad reviews came in, and while you can delete an ebook and its reviews, you can never delete a print offering. And the reviews never go away. Ever.

There are strategies I read about in the online course which can be used to get reviews. I haven’t bothered, nor do I plan to do this. It’s likely getting more positive reviews would help the ebook. I am really just hoping to get organic reviews. I’m probably pretty naive about how this all works; just don’t try to sell me some swamp land in Florida. Unless there’s a FHU campground and a paved bike trail on it.

The next thing I did was to donate money to three different charities. I felt bad that people paid me for something, and then they were unhappy. Frankly, I was beating myself up, and this was a way I could make something good come out of my mistakes.

At this point, I felt like giving up on the project. I failed. But after a few days, deep down, I still believed in the project. I thought I can give up, or I can try to make the ebook better. I decided to keep trying. I couldn’t control what had already happened, but I could be solution-focused. Some of the reviews weren’t quite fair I thought, but I decided to look for the nuggets of truth and address those issues.

Regarding the poor print quality. I had stopped offering the print version already. A hard copy of the book seems to be a very popular choice; however, I will have to make major changes before I offer this again. For now, it’s on the far back burner. I think the higher cost of a print copy also factored into the poor reviews. There’s printing and additional shipping costs for a print version that an ebook does not have, thus the higher cost. (Though an ebook does have some minimal shipping costs.)

In the book’s description, I listed there were 100 campgrounds with FHU, and I listed that there were 45 with partial hook ups. This information was right there, up front. Yet, the reviews complained the book had low content. Now that could be because the campground and trails weren’t hyperlinked, so all that information wasn’t there in the print version.

And it could be because the book only listed 100, well actually 107, FHU campgrounds. People did not see all the campgrounds not listed because the campgrounds didn’t meet the requirements for the book. Now, I did get some supportive emails from buyers, and I appreciate those very much. One of these emails made me realize, some may have thought mountain bike trails were included.

With these new insights, I decided to add more listings to the ebook (though this was the plan all along). But I also added the word “paved” to the ebook’s title, so mountain bikers wouldn’t infer their preferred type of trail – the same way I had inferred mine. And in the book’s description and opening pages (which you can see in the “Look Inside” preview on Amazon), I beefed up the description of the type of trails and what I meant by “easy access.”

I also bolded the number of FHU campgrounds which the ebook lists. And just as an FYI, I am continually adding to the ebook since it can be updated easily.

A few reviewers said something along the lines that this info can be found online. This is true. But there is a difference between researching one locale – and being given a list of 100 plus locations where you can go and camp and ride your bike to the trail. I’ve spent months and I don’t know how many hours congregating this information. It wasn’t easy. The value in this ebook is the listing; it’s a set of choices.

At the beginning of each new state listed in the ebook, there is an outline of that state with dots to indicate the locations of the campgrounds listed. This graphic is meant to give a general sense of where the campgrounds are located. The dots are not correlated with the listing. Perhaps they should be. If I do designate these connections, I am thinking I need to be more exact – which makes it an even bigger project.

On the other hand, I’ve also been thinking, as the number of listings expands, of just having an outline of the state without any dots. People are probably going to use Google maps or something similar anyway.

At this point, the ebook is for sale. It has 180 FHU campground/trail locations listed. It’s $2.99, but free for those who have Kindle Unlimited. This is just information; it’s not a sales pitch to you, my dear readers. I’m just sharing my story, my experience.

I know some of you have published ebooks, so I welcome any insight you may have. Actually, I welcome any feedback which are constructive suggestions. What would you want in a print version? Would you prefer print or ebook format? Do you care what the state graphic looks like at the beginning of each chapter? Other thoughts?

Another challenge is the marketing. The best book or ebook in the world could be self-published on Amazon, but if it is not marketed, it may – or likely may never be found. I don’t really want to market my ebook. I’m not a sales person, but I have done a few things to get the word out there.

First, I bought the domain, “RVingwithBikes.com.” Here, I link to my Amazon Affliate link to purchase the ebook. (Becoming an Amazon Affiliate was a suggestion in the online course I took.) I’m not really interested in developing another blog, but I wanted this domain name. So I bought it, and signed it up for a year of WordPress.

Setting up this site seemed really complicated as I was forced into full site editing. I never really did learn it. I sometimes think full site editing was all a ploy by WordPress to force us into hiring them to create our websites. I also wanted a stagnant front page which presented another learning curve to me. Bottom line, I settled on setting up one page to assist in selling the ebook.

Before I renew the domain name with WordPress, I may reconsider this setup. For example, I may keep the domain name but have it point to ChambersontheRoad.com – where I will have a link to purchase the ebook. I promise this blog will not turn into a marketplace for this – or any future ebooks/book which I write. Although, I do see a small role, maybe a heading at the top, to direct potential buyers. This blog is where I write and will remain mainly so.

Another thing I did was to create business cards with my ebook’s title and website. I plan to put these on bulletin boards in campgrounds.

I did have another marketing opportunity present itself. We had to get a new rear tire cover for our travel trailer, so I had “RVingwithBikes.com” printed on it. Instead of “word of mouth” advertising, it’s back of the travel trailer reading.

And lastly, I took the profits I had made so far and used it to hire someone to run Facebook ads for me. Of course, to continue this effort, I need to sell more ebooks than the campaign costs. I’m only one week in, but my guess is the campaign will end after its initial one month. There is a lot of interest in the ebook. The ads have excellent reach and engagement, and while it translates into some sales, it’s not enough – at least so far.

I am currently taking another free online course through our library called, “Using Social Media in Business.” It’s not that I want to do my own marketing. It’s just that I had to set up a Facebook business account, and though I did it, I didn’t have any idea what I was really doing. The course is six weeks, and I am finding it to be really informative.

I’m not sure what it would take to make more sales happen. More listings? An improved print version? After this, my strategy may be to continue to improve the ebook and keep marketing to free or very low costs. I’ll consider this whole project a success if I’m in the green. At all. Which right now I am not; although, it’s pretty close.

So, that’s the abbreviated version of the trail I’ve been on lo, these past six months. It’s taken me a while to get here, and the story isn’t finished yet. If you’re still with me, which you must be, thank you for reading this long post. I hope you’ll comment below with any suggestions and comments from whatever perspective or perspectives you have – whether you’re a camper, a bike rider, a Kindle reader, a self-published author, a wanna be self-published author, or someone who just likes to read this blog. You’s is my peeps, and I sincerely thank you for that.

If you’d like to check out the ebook, click here or check out RVingwithBikes.com.

Finally, I’ll leave you with a quote that I find encouraging.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

67 comments

  1. Great, congratulations! I have a few ebooks published already as pdf’s trying to figure out how to get them on Kindle. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for your notes on Designrr, was thinking of trying it, now I know better. Good Luck!

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  2. I enjoyed your post, Betty—and I’m not even a RV or bicycle person. I am, however, a big fan of your writing and perpetual optimism. The Teddy Roosevelt quote is a great way to end your post. I applaud your tenacity, Betty. You are just getting started in your ebook adventures, and look how much you’ve already learned and done! Someone famous (I forget who) said, “I’ve never seen a statue in honor of a critic.”

    More power to you, big sister! Keeping going!

    One more line: “Freight trains don’t stop for barking dogs.”

    As you say, “Enjoy your day!”

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    • Thank you, David. I always appreciate your support and encouragement. This experience has made me value those who are encouraging even more than I already did – and it instilled in me the desire to be encouraging to others. I’ve always valued that and tried to be that way, but now even more so. I have not ever heard that line about freight trains and barking dogs, but it’s a good one, too. That line made me think of another. And even though I try to always be optimistic, this line makes me smile – “The light at the end of the tunnel is really just another freight train headed your way.” Thank you again, David, and I hope you enjoy your day, too!

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  3. You’ve enjoyed a lot of learning opportunities and are serving up useful information for those interested!! This is also a very helpful post…thank you & good luck as your publishing journey continues!

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    • Thank you, Ray. I think it is important to keep learning in life. It’s good for us, and it adds joy. I am stubborn, too, so I don’t like to give up when something is hard. There were a few things that I found really difficult through this and didn’t master – like the full site editing and the Facebook business page. I hope to make more progress in time – and to keep learning other things. I appreciate your comment and your good wishes. Hope you have a great day!

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  4. Wow Betty, I am most impressed! I have been wondering what big project you have been working on since last fall and I must say you have exceeded my expectations. You really put the time and effort into what is obviously a labor of love and I applaud you for sticking with it. Accomplishing what you did given all the challenges and difficulties you encountered is a true motivation for us and your ending quote is most apropos!

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    • Thank you, David. I sincerely appreciate your kind words. And yes, this was my secret project I mentioned a while back. This project is truly a labor of love. I love to travel, and I have always loved bike riding. These activities have added so much joy to my life. I hope my project can help others to do the same – even if just a bit. It took a while before I could write this post even though I knew my readers would be very encouraging. And if my post motivates others to try something new, then I am really happy to have written it. I really like that quote at the end, too. Thank you again for your wonderful comment, and I hope you have a great day!

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    • Thank you! I don’t know if I would qualify this as a “wonderful achievement” yet. In my mind, I am still working towards that goal. But I do appreciate your very kind words, and I will continue my efforts to create something which is good and helpful to others. Enjoy your day!

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  6. Brava, Betty, Brava! First, as this is most important to me, I enjoyed reading this tale of your adventure. I always appreciate your well-written posts, and the humor that is present. The learning and reflection aspects always speak to my heart and head as well: It’s ok to make mistakes while learning…and we are always learning [if we are doing it right!]. I suspect those who preferred the print book want something in their hand (or in their camper) that they can have with them. And, there are still those of us who do prefer a print copy for many reasons. The thing with a print copy in this type of book as you already know is that it ages quickly. If there was a website URL that identified the parks or sites with your information, that would likely be beneficial in the print book, but of course, it could change.

    Thank you for sharing the story, sharing what worked and what did not work, and for the encouragement to others to attempt things we’ve not done before and most importantly, to learn from them. Now I am going to follow the link to check out your book, even though I do not camp or ride bikes, unless being at Camp Betty and along for the virtual ride counts–they sure do for me!

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    • Thank you, Suz! As I mentioned in another comment, this experience has made me value those who are encouraging even more than I already did. You are one such person. You’re always kind and encouraging. For example, why are you even checking out my ebook when you don’t camp or bike ride? 🙂 But that’s just how you are, and I’m lucky that you are one of my readers. As far as print versus ebook goes, I kind of like print, too. I even printed off the ebook at the library, so I could refer to it while I was working on the ebook. It’s a quandary. For now, I am going to focus on the ebook since I believe there are still many campgrounds to add. I do enjoy learning, and what is life if we never attempt to do things we haven’t done before! We’re all gonna make mistakes, so we might as well learn and laugh from them! Thank you again for your kind words, and I hope you have a great day!

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    • You’re welcome, Terry. As I was writing this, it felt more therapeutic than anything. I am glad it turned out to be informative and maybe even helpful to others. Thank you for your comment, and enjoy your day!

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  8. I published a print and e-book on Amazon. However, I worked with a woman who runs a business as an editor. She helped with the formatting and whatnot. She was worth every cent. I give you a lot of credit for going it alone. Good luck!

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    • Congrats to you! You are welcome to post a link to your book here in the comments. I have heard that a professional editor can be really helpful. I’ve been trying to keep my costs to a minimum since I wasn’t sure how well the book would sell. I’m glad it worked for you. Thanks for your comment and good wishes! Enjoy your day!

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      • I attended a zoom session that a local library held during the pandemic. The speaker was a local, professional writer who also offered editing/marketing services. I submitted my book to her, and she provided some great insight. Through her and the Wisconsin Writers Association, I located several other people who helped, such as a professional proofreader, and a woman who ran a business offering services such as book formatting, editing, etc. Just as a FYI, none of these were free, and I was very careful about who I dealt with. I did a lot of research prior to hiring anyone, but in the end, I decided that I needed the help. And I never expected to earn a lot of money with my writing. So, I wasn’t focused on cost vs. profit. I have ordered some copies of my book from Amazon to give family and friends, and I feel that the quality of the books was very good. However, the woman that I hired did the formatting, and I only uploaded the finish book and cover to Amazon. So, I cannot give any advice on doing it alone. But overall, I have been pleased with Amazon. I get royalties paid directly into my checking account. If your area has anything like a writer’s association, I recommend starting there. Also, you might be able to trim some costs if you know friends who can help with things like proofreading, etc. Good luck with your book.

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  9. Wow, what a journey Betty. Your experience is vary helpful to those of us who have not gone through that door yet. It’s one thing to “count the cost” ahead of time and quite another to know what needs to be counted in the first place. Daunting but doable. I might be tempted to change the book version including the title so it’s actually a different book. I have thought about writing a book using a “pen name” being my last name is Fultz and people might think it’s False.

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    • Thanks, Gary. I am glad you found the post helpful. I have thought about changing the title if I offer the print version again. I wondered if adding “Second Edition New and Improved” would be enough. Maybe not – but I like my title! I had also thought about using a pen name. Doing so adds another level of complication – I think with regards to taxes. But it’s probably easy once you go that route. I never equated your last name with “false.” Maybe because I know a St. Louis Scrabble player with that same last name, and he is a very skilled and talented player. If you do decide to self-publish, I wish you all the best. I just bet it would be a very moving and inspiring publication.

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    • Thank you! It’s nice to “see” you again. I think I am more stubborn than amazing, but I do appreciate your kind comment. I do miss your blog. Your posts were about women who truly were amazing. I hope you are doing well, and have a great day!

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  11. First of all, Betty, I truly admire your bravery in publishing an e-book. Second of all, I previewed it on Amazon, and I think it’s great! When we plan our trips, we usually find sources of information online and click on them. We don’t carry around a hard copy of anything except a paper atlas. I like that your e-book has links to the sites. I have written five novels, three of which I believe are worthy of publishing, but I can’t seem to pull the trigger to self-publish them. There is just so much I don’t know. I wish I had your tenacity and ambition, and I wish you good luck with the book.

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    • Thank you so much. I hope someday you will publish your novels. Taking the course through the library was very useful for me. And only two lessons are released each week, so it’s paced and manageable. When we plan trips, our research is almost exclusively online. Having the links in the ebook allows the reader to see current information. I also did not want to reinvent the wheel – such as reviews and detailed information about each trail. In any case, I do hope people find it useful. I appreciate your kind words and wishes for the book. And I look forward to maybe someday reading your novels. 🙂 Enjoy your day!

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  12. This is all very interesting! I just bought a copy of your ebook, as we are interested in full hookup campgrounds and also biking. And I also helped my mom publish her memoir, The Red Cottage. Her path to publication was different since she started with a paper version first, and then later I took that and got it published for Kindle. I did not take any classes, I just fumbled my way through. She hired someone to format the book for print publication, which became a big PDF file of the book ready for printing. I was able to take the file for the print version and edit that for an ebook…removing a lot of formatting and reducing the numbers of photo by half and other things. You mentioned that having a book look good in eformat does not mean it will look good or the same on paper. The same goes for converting from paper to eformat. And the eformat can look different depending on which device you are looking at. Not sure I want to do another book, but if I did, it would be a good idea to take a class. Back to camping, we have only used our RV at a full service 55+ RV resort in Arizona, but we have visions of doing some other trips. Since we live on a lake and my extended family cabin is nearby (the red cottage!), and other reasons, we won’t be going on as many camping trips as you the info in your ebook will be useful for us!

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    • First, Meg, thank you for purchasing the ebook. I hope you find it useful, and if you have any suggestions please let me know. And just so you know, I did buy “The Red Cottage” awhile back. It has been sitting on my nightstand in the pile of books to be read. I was really glad I took the class. I even plan to take it again because there was just so much information I couldn’t absorb it all. Plus, I think information can make more sense once you’ve tried something. I admire you for fumbling your way through it all. That’s tenacity! Again, thank you for purchasing. I hope it will lead to some great campgrounds and bike rides!

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    • Hi Meg. We haven’t met. Just wanted to tell you I read your comments and I bought your mom’s memoir. I looked it up on Kindle, read the sample pages, and just purchased it. Love the pictures in it, too.

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  13. I agree that once you have worked with something, the information will make more sense. So taking the class again will be very useful. Good luck with your book sales! And thank you for buying The Red Cottage. I personally like reading most any memoir even if the writing is not that great (although I think the writing is good in my mom’s book). However when my son read The Red Cottage, he found some of the info at the beginning that was more focused on our family history less interesting than when my mom was writing about her own memories. I will be interested to hear your comments after you get through your pile of books. This summer we will be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the red cottage!

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    • Well, with this summer being the 100th anniversary, it seems the perfect time to move the book to the top of the pile. I will bring it along on our next RV trip. I look forward to reading it and will share my thoughts with you. Congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the red cottage. How wonderful that it has endured and still in your family!

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  14. Oh Betty! This is such an accomplishment. You put so much work into this project. I’m so sorry about the negative reviews on the printed version. I think you’re right, people probably would have preferred the e-book version with the hyperlinks. But it’s just impossible to know some of these things before you try. Good for you for putting yourself out there and trying something new! I have been wondering about your big project and I was glad to read about it! I admire your tenacity and adventurous spirit! Don’t give up! Everyone here is rooting for you! 🥰

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    • Thank you for your kind comments! Yes, this was my secret project. Even though it has had its ups and downs, I am still excited about it, and I still believe in it. It’s nice to know people are rooting for me. I just want the project to be useful – to help others enjoy what I love to do so much. It was a lot of work, but I did learn so much. And now I know I have more to learn. 🙂 But hey, home school mom, isn’t the love of learning one of the most important things someone can learn? It benefits us our whole life long! Thank you again for your support, and I hope you have a great weekend!

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  16. Well done. You have accomplished a lot in so little time. You set a goal, threw yourself into it, and stuck with it even when the going got rough. I wish I had even half of the ambition that you have. Even though I don’t have an ebike, I intend on purchasing your book. I’m absolutely convinced I can learn some wonderful information from it. Thanks for the quote at the end of your post, it was so right on. Have a great week.

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    • Thank you , Bill! But you don’t need to buy the ebook! But if you do, and you probably are going to anyway, I do hope you find something useful in it. I would also mention you don’t have to have an ebike. You can ride a traditional bike on these trails, too. I like the quote at the end of the post, too. Of course, it applies to all of life. I know you are one who wants to be out there, in the ring, trying new things! That makes life fun – even if there are bumps! I hope you and Barb are doing well, and I hope you have a great week ahead!

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  17. What a project! I send congratulations! Although my husband and I stopped camping in the early 80s when we bought our cottage, your posts always bring good memories. I’m sure many will use and benefit from your publications! You are truly an inspiration as you embark on ‘hard things’ and see them through to the end!

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    • Thank you! I’m glad my posts bring back good memories for you. Sometimes when I read blogs, it’ll bring back a memory for me, too. It happened this morning, in fact. And I really enjoyed remembering something from long ago. Thank you for your congratulations, and I do hope others will benefit from my efforts. Hope you have a great week ahead!

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  18. It was a quiet Sunday (or Saturday?) morning in the RV. I was reading my RV newsletter, when I came across an article about an e-book written by Betty Chambers. What??! I almost spilled my tea. So exciting, and I purchased the book right then! Big, grand kudos to you for all you had to do and learn to bring this to fruition. I will be contacting you privately soon, we have much to discuss!

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    • Well, now you have me curious! I’m hoping you purchased the ebook version and not the print version with all its issues. Either way, I hope you found the book useful. I’ve worked to add more locations, and I hope to add even more – although it’s getting harder and harder to find them. Thank you for being excited about my project. That is really nice! I appreciate your kind words, and I look forward to our discussions!

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    • Cathy! What on earth? You live on a TROPICAL ISLAND, and you bought my ebook about bike trails in the US? LOL You are a kind soul, but honestly, I know you support me even without you buying the book. I do hope in some way your purchase will benefit someone. In any case, I do believe in Karma or the law of the universe or whatever it is called – what you give out, comes back to you. I know good things will continue to come to you, kind soul!

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  20. Oh, Betty. I know we’ve never met and likely won’t, but I feel like you are my friend. And friends support each other. Moreso, I’m interested in what you’ve been up to. I love how you guys travel the USA, and I love reading about places I haven’t been to. So, for you and me, this is a win-win! Onward we go!

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    • I don’t think we’ll ever meet either, but we are definitely friends! And I love seeing those pictures of the sunset you post which are glorious beyond measure and feed my soul even though I am not there in person. Yes, win-win in so many ways. 🙂

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    • Thank you for purchasing the book. Jessica, you don’t even camp! But I do appreciate your support. If you ever do write an ebook, if you have any questions and I can help, I am happy to do so.

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      • Wow, that’s very kind, thank you. A friend of my husband’s said we can borrow his camper anytime! Isn’t that great? Maybe we’ll go to a site that you recommend. That would be fun!

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        • Yes, that is great about the camper! What a nice friend! We are back to Greenville and Redman Creek in the second half of June if you wanted to meet up. I can also make suggestions based on what you all like to do, also. There are so many great places to camp. Feel free to text or email.

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  23. Betty, wow, you have learned so much! I think it is great how you kept at it. I am sure many people will benefit greatly from all your research and hard work. Good for you!

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  24. Wow, this is a lot of work. I am so grateful to have my novel accepted by Barringer Publishing as they take care of many of these details. I am going to return and read yours, again. That is wonderful that you were able to learn so much through the library course.

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  25. Congratulations Betty! Self-publishing is not for the faint of heart. I don’t think I have paper copies of any of my books available now. I did at one time and may do so again in the future, but for now, it’s not worth the extra hassle. I too suck at marketing so I feel your pain.

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    • Thank you. The marketing is huge, and frankly, I’d just rather write – or add locations to the ebook. While I have debated the paper version, I tend to agree with you – it’s not worth the extra hassle. Especially for the RVing with Bikes book – because so much of it is the links. Thanks for reading and your comment. Hope you have a great rest of the weekend!

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