Independent Publisher Chooses Lulu.com as Preferred Publication Channel

"The Cycle Calendar" is a 5-year monthly minder for women experiencing (peri)menopause. Developed as the result of the creator's years of body-changes experience, it was produced and published in three weeks on Lulu.com. "I had this idea for a perimenopause calendar... one that would let me, and other women, keep track of the different symptoms we experiencing during 'the change of life' over the course of five years," says creator Kay Stoner. "I had the idea and immediately knew how I wanted to create it. I also knew about Lulu.com, since I published a novella with them about a year ago, and I was sure I could produce a quality product with them."

On February 14th, 2005, Stoner sat down with her notes and her sketches of her layout. Two weeks later, she had a proof copy in hand, and by the first week in March, her final product was ready for sale and distribution. "The Cycle Calendar" is can be ordered at www.cyclecalendar.net, which links to Lulu.com for ordering.

Lulu.com allowed Stoner to not only produce her "Cycle Calendar," but they also take care of the ordering. Major credit cards and Paypal are accepted, so the publisher doesn't need to set up a shopping cart -- they need only link to their Lulu.com product page. Lulu.com takes care of the rest. Multiple shipping options are available, within the USA and internationally.

"I've been publishing independently, on and off, for nearly 20 years," says Stoner, "and Lulu.com is the first company I've found which really puts everything I need at my disposal. I could even produce a book at a public computer at my local library, if I wanted to. They make it that easy, so long as you have a computer that's connected to the Internet. I've got plenty of professional book design and production experience, and Lulu lets me put all that to good use, in a very easy and intuitive online process. I have total control over the book content and layout, unlike other independent publishing outlets. I've found other companies force me to work with their staff, who may or may not understand my vision and priorities. And Lulu's print quality is better than what I've seen other POD folks (and many traditional small presses) produce. Their cover stock is double-coated so it won't curl in humid weather, their paper weight is substantial, and their inks are clear and have good contrast. I can even produce my own cover art -- or have one of their staffers assist me. Lulu.com makes it easy to publish quality books for almost no up-front cost. Plus, their people are always knowledgeable, and they clearly have a commitment to helping people like me produce the kinds of books I want to see in the world. And I never get bogged down in inventory or ordering mechanisms. After searching high and low for print-on-demand services like theirs, and being disappointed time and again, they're a dream come true for me."

"The Cycle Calendar" is available for $9.96 (plus shipping and handling) at www.cyclecalendar.net. Coil-bound, 100pages, black and white, with line drawings of everyday women and classic goddesses. 5-years (2004-2008, for accurate recording of valuable (peri)menopausal information that's unique to each woman.