A few months ago I met up with a group of friends. While we caught up Steve told us he had written a book. I nearly fell off my chair.
I was amazed because it was such an achievement. We chatted about how he had managed to find the time to write it, the subject matter etc.
We then talked about how to get it published. At this point I started waxing on about self-publishing. Having read Jeff Jarvis' book What Would Google Do? I felt evangelical about new publishing models and how the barriers to entry had all but disappeared.
So my advice was self-publish. Fast forward a few weeks and I get a message from Steve to say his book had just been published and that it could be bought on Amazon.
The book is Exile in the Promised Land - all about Steve's obsession that is Stoke City and his season following the premiership newbies in their first season in the top flight for 23 years.
I haven't had a chance to talk to Steve about how much it cost to produce but he used a UK based company Author House.
I'm reading the book and think it is great. Steve is not at all self-conscious in the way he writes and I'm finding myself gripped by the matches and the the potential results.
We have also had a chat about marketing - my view was engage with the Stoke City fans wherever they are - blogs, twitter, forums. Steve says he is getting interest in Stoke, so even the marketing (self-marketing) is going well.
I'm proud of him for doing it, and very sorry for his wife for being a football widow.
These reviews say it all.
If you think you have abook in you then just write it and publish.