An Unapologetic Plug for Blurb Publishing

I am on my eighth or maybe tenth Blurb book. This is the first one that I have started from scratch since Blurb incorporated the ability to physically change their templates and to design your own custom templates.

I do not claim to be a graphic designer in any sense of the term, but I am particular about where elements go on my book pages; where they go and how they line up. In the past I have either compromised or designed a page in Microsoft Publisher, mostly compromised. Truthfully the only pages that I thought looked the least bit professional were done in Publisher. But that is a hassle as much as I enjoy using Publisher.

Every year I do a book of the photographs that I take of my wife, Janet. I just got around to starting the one for 2009. I am blown away by the new Blurb software. I can put pictures exactly where I want them on the page. The same thing goes for text. I can still go with a very simple single photo per page or I can use the filler photos that I frequently shoot when I am photographing. Books will never look the same after this.

I am thinking of starting back with 2002 when I originally started this Many Faces of Janet series and doing one book combining all the years because it can be so much better now. As you can tell, I am sold on the new Blurb software. My mind is racing with new book projects.

THANK YOU BLURB. YOU DID GOOD; REALLY, REALLY GOOD!

It is so easy to lay a photograph across pages. That has always been available but now the photograph can be the exact size that you want and lining it up between the two pages is extremely easy. The up down and sideways arrow keys move the image .01 of an inch, very precise. Sizing image and text boxes can be done to .01 inch accuracy and positioned to that same accuracy.


A single full bleed page but with the ability to position the small photo and the text exactly where I wanted them to be, no compromising.

A double page spread with very precisely positioned text on the left and photo on the right. Oh so easy to do.

Notice the five 1"x 1.5" images across the top and below it a single photograph sized to be the exact same width. Again, no compromising.

I am very excited about making books again.