OTR Publications ®
OTR Publications ®
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A message from James W. Stanfield ("Jim") - dba: OTR Publications®
The following is a brief synopsis about my books. This is NOT a sales pitch! I lived on the island of Crete (Greece), in the vilage of Kato Arhanes, circa 2005-2006. I bartered room and board for photography work, for website Greek Food @ About.com. (Note: I'm not sure how long my food photographs will remain on that website because its author resigned about a month ago.) During non-work time I photographed whatever caught my attention - buildings, flora, landscapes, people, historical/archaeological sites - and read extensively about Crete and Hellenic history, mythology, foods, and herbs/spices. The Crete villagers accepted me as both welcomed guest and acquaintance; as such, I participated in everyday and special local events. The villagers allowed me to photograph whatever and whenever I chose. For several reasons I humbly thank the people of Crete and Greece for sharing their life with me; most of all, for allowing me to photograph their lifestyles, society, and environments. As an American born and raised in the Bible-belt region, my brief visits to Israel and to the cities of Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem were, continue to be, significant spiritual events, as were my tours of the Galilee area, of the possible location of Christ's baptism at the river Jordan, of the Dead Sea area with stops at the sacred Jweish site Masada and the popular tourist site Ein Gedi spa. At the end of my Crete residency, I returned to America, to my sister's home in Graham, North Carolina. My bank accounts were severely anemic. I needed a place to live. I needed work. I needed an income. A week or so after my return, I took a 21-hour bus ride from Graham to Newport Arkansas, to attend a three-week, university-accredited course in 'Professional Truck Driving', which began my brief career as an over-the-road truck driver. My collection of 4,000+ color digital photographs - a legacy of my Crete residency - is a principle tangible asset. Because of my immediate needs (circa 2006), this asset remained undeveloped for more than two years. In October 2008, a request from my sister to assist with caring for Mom during Mom's final months, motivated my decision to 'get off the truck'. After a CNA was hired to assist with Mom's care, I realized that I had opportunity, time and resources to develop my asset into a series of travel books. For the next two months, I researched book publishing options and self-publishing methodologies. I formulated and implemented a work plan and methods, a 'cookie cutter' approach, to convert the best of my photographs into eight books. Like many other periods of my life, I was 'cash poor'; for this reason, I did all of the pre-print book development. I taught myself how to use various software programs, how to layout the covers and book block (interior pages of a book); how to register trademarks, copyrights and ISBNs; how to qualify for and complete contractual arrangements for on-demand publication of my books; how to utilize both land-based and Internet-based resources to convey my books to the buying public and to book resellers. I continue to develop and refine my skills as a copyrighter, publisher and marketer of books and other consumer products. My books, photography and artwork are currently available for purchase at numerous Internet-based retailers. As a publisher, my primary goal is to develop books of the highest quality - materials, binding, printed content. The primary focus of each book is provision of large-format (eg: 8-inch by 10-inch), perfectly balanced, color photographs; the secondary focus, equally important, is inclusion of succintly stated prose about each photograph and other (eg: setting, environment, relevant) information. BTW: The OTR in OTR Publications® means On The Road. I chose my dba name one very cold, windy and starry night while bouncing along a rough section of I-10, a few miles west of El Paso, Texas. Though no longer a truck driver, the dba name continues to be apropos. Thanks for reading the above! Respectfully, James W. Stanfield ("Jim") |
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| This website and all content © 2009 by Jim Stanfield. |
