There is something magical about holding a book in your hands. Running your fingers over the cover, flipping through the pages, pausing at a random line, even breathing in that new book smell— it never gets old. And when the book happens to be one that you have written, the feeling is on a whole different level.
My book on Peru, Perambulating in Peru, has lived as an ebook for more than a year now. For the longest time, I never thought of turning it into a paperback. But these past few weeks I found myself returning to it—polishing the text, working on a layout that would feel good in print, and even adding QR codes that connect to the online albums. And the images in those albums are in addition to the 100+ photos featured in the book itself.
KDP provided detailed specifications and was quite particular about formatting. The cover design took the most effort, and I owe a big thank you to my brother, Hariharan Sankaran, who patiently sent me draft after draft until I was happy and KDP gave its approval.
After a couple of proof rounds, the final version finally made it through. And today, I opened a box to see the first set of printed copies. It felt wonderful to hold them, to see the book come alive on paper.
Along the way, I have picked up so many lessons that are already helping me with the Spanish and Portuguese editions. What makes it even more special is that the Spanish version has been translated by someone from Lima, Peru, and the Portuguese edition is being edited there as well. Their kind feedback feels like a true validation of what I have written. I will share more as those versions get closer to release.
For now, I should mention that Amazon’s print-on-demand is not yet available in India, but the paperback can be ordered in the US, UK, and several other countries. For those who were waiting for it in print, I have added the link in the comments.
The ebook and audiobook formats are available in India and other countries.
