From time to time in this space, WestBow Press publishes articles written by our authors in which they share some aspect of their self-publishing journeys. The following are the words of Reuben Lachmansingh, author of two titles: “Road to Belwasa” and “A Dip at the Sangam.” For more information on Reuben, check out his website. To begin your self-publishing journey, get your free WestBow Press publishing guide today!
How it All Began
In the year, 2002, I found my roots in a small village called Belwasa, deep in the state of Bihar, India.
It was a serendipitous discovery because when I paid a visit to my cousin’s home in Brampton, Ontario, it was only supposed to be a courtesy call. By coincidence, he would be called out to the hospital, and I would be left chatting with my aunt, who showed me letters from an Indian relative, then working in Khartoum, Sudan. My own correspondence would start, culminating with a journey to that long forgotten village, a village that now takes a prominent place in my family history.
A Dip at the Sangam
What flowed next were words to describe that experience, words which had mushroomed into two books. That first book, “A Dip at the Sangam,” a historical novel, tells the tale of the protagonist—my great-grandfather, who ironically after a holy dip at the Sangam, the junction of the three holy rivers, was tricked into servile indentureship to toil in the cane fields of Demerara.
Road to Belwasa
The second book, “Road to Belwasa,” is part fiction, part memoir. Its early pages describe the suffering of the protagonist’s wife, left abandoned in India, then later, fiction leads to memoir, unfolding the author’s life story, packed with incidents and anecdotes. The book ends with the author coming face to face with his ancestral home, going back some 133 years. His joy is boundless.
Self-publishing with WestBow Press
Writing is so much easier when one is not burdened with the task of finding a publisher. I knew I had a publisher but the challenge was to find a working partnership that would endure. Many hurdles I faced, but with the right blend of talents, they were all overcome. In the end, I had two books, whose design and book cover matched the contents in quality and standard.
While writing both books, I never experienced writer’s block for it didn’t take me more than a few minutes to get the work
flowing again. However, make no mistake, the hours spent in writing a book are countless. Finding the right words which best express the writer’s thoughts can sometimes be a daunting task, but it is so much easier when one loves to write. First, there is the challenge of coming up with ideas for the work at hand, then the words, expressed in such a way as to touch the heartstrings of the reader, who become part of the story being told. The reader has to see himself as the protagonist and must feel the same emotions as he or she is
experiencing.
Creating a Masterpiece
Even though, I had a publisher, getting the book published was a huge task. Many revisions had to be made, while weeks became months, which could become years. With the final manuscript in place, the task of finding little errors and typographical mistakes is again time-consuming. When the manuscript with its book cover is submitted for final printing, the writer expectantly awaits his “masterpiece.” The satisfaction and the congratulations that ensue from prospective readers make the journey of writing and publishing a book a worthwhile one. Bravo WestBow Press!
– WBP –
WestBow Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books are invited to do so by submitting their blog on the Blog Guidelines Page. WestBow Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar, punctuation, and length.
I’ve read A Dip at the Sangam and Road to Belwasa by Reuben Lachmansingh. Both books are worth reading and I recommend them to all.