Scott Lupo

Your plans sound interesting and exciting. I for one want to thank you for creating this site. It has been great fun for me, and I have enjoyed very much reading the posts of others. In seeing my writing being compared to others, it has given me more confidence in my writing, as have the comments and compliments people have made on my work.

Fred Wickert

Scott, the more we find out about you, the more fascinating you become! Your conception of and vision for OurEcho is truly inspired. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating this forum to facilitate recording the stories of our past and present. In the final assessment, the stories of our lives are all we will leave. Carol

I too am interested in that publishing machine which can print a 300 page book with a color cover for pennies a page and in less than 3-minutes. Can't even comprehend how this is done nor if Our Echo will go into the publishing business and buy one. Obviously, whoever has the machine gets the book(s)and sends them to the author. Thst way some of us who are writing our vignette stories, may want to publish OurEcho stories in book form for family and friends. Sound feasible? If so obviously, those with pictures have a leg up on the rest of us. And those who are writing novels at your site will certainly benefit.
I would like to publish my 353 book
without having to go through a publisher each time I want my few copies which of course is expensive this way.

I was very pleased to read this material and learn of the history and future plans for OurEcho. I was glad to see your picture and I feel well acquainted with you now. Posting on OE and reading the entries have given me much pleasure. Wanda

Suzana, you can do this yourself today through several means. The technology is called print on demand (POD), and the kiosks Scott's talking about have been in development for about five or ten years.

You can sell your own book through Amazon right now if you purchase a block of ISBN numbers (do a search -- I don't remember the site, but google "buy ISBN numbers"). You have to purchase five or six at a time and it'll cost you around two or three hundred dollars. But if you partner with others to do it, you can create your own umbrella publishing company, split the costs, and each get a number. You may also be able to find them for sale on eBay, though that's not strictly legal by the ISBN rules.

Anyway, if you have a book with an ISBN, Amazon has a program to publish your books on demand. I don't think there's a fee, but you will have to prepare your book for press yourself -- that means lining up your cover art and everything -- and provide the ISBN, as well as send them the info. I think they want books in PDF, but you can save to PDF format with Open Office, a free online office software program. I'm sure there's more about this in my head, but I can't remember all the questions.

No, I've never done this. I have researched and written about it. Very interesting how the publishing world is moving closer and closer to easy self-publication.

Oops, wasn't logged in w/ the last comment! Sorry!

Jamie Wilson

Hi Scott,
It's so nice to have a face to connect to your name. You look much younger than I thought you were.
Thank-you is so inadequate for expressing my grateful appreciation to you for developing Our Echo. Several hours a week I visit the site just to read and get lost in the stories or poems here. It's an inexpensive form of relaxation and therapy in many ways!
Scott, take a bow for the splendid job you do that benefits readers and authors alike.
Blessings,
Sandi in FL.