About to wrap up the Conflict chapter. I could probably end it where it is, but if I'm honest with myself, it needs a big fully-worked example to cap it off, so that's the last remaining hurdle for Chapter 4.
After that only the Play Advice chapter remains, which I anticipate being breezy and quick to write. I thus anticipate having a finished PDF by the middle of the week (tomorrow if I can), which I can send out to editors for feedback and upload to Lulu for creation of a proof copy. I may have to shell out some cash to get the shipping expedited, because--fingers crossed that the proof looks OK--I want to then immediately turn around a print run I can sell at the convention that starts April 10. Not a lot of room for error.
If Lulu's turnaround times aren't sufficient, my fallback is to run off a stack of coil-bound copies at the FedEx Office around the corner, and have those on hand for the convention. But it'd be really, really nice to have actual perfect-bound books, so that's what I'm going to fight for.
Hmm. Idea: order a proof NOW, just to see what happens. If it's all good, then I should safely be able to order a print run as soon as the text is complete.
Nah, scratch those prior thoughts. There's not enough time for me to pull off a non-rush proof order, and paying rush job + expedited shipping for a single book is like using $20 bills to blow my nose.
Uploading the work-in-progress and looking at it through all of Lulu's preview tools, it seems OK. I may just chance it and order the convention print run without a proof, HORRIBLE IDEA though that is. If there are minor problems, well, oh no. It's an ashcan, that's how it rolls. If there are major problems, I'll be out some money (hmm, to what creative uses could I put ~25 badly misprinted A5-size RPG books?), but still have enough time to fall back to the FedEx option. These are the sacrifices one makes for a deadline.
When I get to publishing the final edition this summer, though, there's no reason to take such wild chances. Proof copy in advance, or stick with the ashcan for Gen Con.
It's a good thing I'm not in this for the money, or I'd be a horrible failure already. ^.^;