Me: Weren’t you bothered by The Hunger Games?
Thing 1: No, it’s fiction. If it was real and happened to me or my friends, then yeah, that would be bad.
Me: OK.
Thing 1: You should put some blood in  your book. Maybe somebody should die.
Me: OK …
Thing 1: Who? Who’s going to die?
Me: Graupel?
Thing 1: No! I like him!

“One of the first things I noticed about old Granny Trill was that she always seemed to be chewing, sliding her gums together in a daylong ruminative cud. I took this to be one of the tricks of age, a kind of slowed-up but protracted feasting. I imagined her being delivered a quartern loaf — say, on a Friday night — then packing the lot into her rubbery cheeks and chewing them slowly through the week.”
— “Cider with Rosie” by Laurie Lee

Lowest cost of proof: AmazonMy book comes in at 244 pages, black and white interior with a color cover, and a proof is $3.77. Blurb and Lulu proofs cost more (these are regular books, not proofs), and while Blurb is a couple of dollars higher than Lulu, their shipping cost is prohibitive for single books. They also charge per book for the removal of their logo. Best color on interior pages: Lulu For all three companies, white is a bleached white. Lulu has the best cream, and Amazon’s is the darkest. Best cover: Blurb
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Lowest cost of proof: Amazon
My book comes in at 244 pages, black and white interior with a color cover, and a proof is $3.77. Blurb and Lulu proofs cost more (these are regular books, not proofs), and while Blurb is a couple of dollars higher than Lulu, their shipping cost is prohibitive for single books. They also charge per book for the removal of their logo.

Best color on interior pages: Lulu
For all three companies, white is a bleached white. Lulu has the best cream, and Amazon’s is the darkest.

Best cover: Blurb