Blog October 2025
The self-publishing process behind The Bunny Basket Collection...
As we near the end of The Bunny Basket Collection of books, I would like to share some of the process that goes into self-publishing them. Each of the 10 paperback books has 15 pictures, a front cover, a thank you and a back cover to create. Not forgetting, combining the words with the bunny blossom for the story pages.
Whether Pure of Heart, The Bunny Basket Collection or Shaggy Dog Stories, Spoonerisms and Silliness, Cody and I follow a step-by-step pattern towards paperback publication on KDP (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing). Here is a short guide of how we create The Bunny Basket Collection…
Step 1:
For each of the books I’ve created I have used Microsoft Word. Word documents for the content of a book can be easily uploaded onto KDP. However, they must be fully formatted first. When using continuous text in chapter books, page breaks are best so that each chapter begins on a new page. With picture books, no page breaks are needed as each page in a Word document represents a new page. For the Bunny Basket Collection we have used a template for each book because some of the words and formatting are similar per book. You can see how each of these books begin on this screenshot of the first 8 pages of Helpful Huey’s template…
"
"
Step 2:
As you can see on the template, the lines for the words on each page are already set and labelled into a text box (the outline of the box has been hidden). In order to keep consistency across the collection with the spacing of the lines, I highlight the relevant [Line] and replace it with the text, instead of pressing enter after each line. The completed text box is then centred to the page. Finally, the bunny blossom is made in Blender and placed behind the text.
Step 3:
With the pictures created (see September 2025 Blog) from Blender and Affinity, they are added to the blank pages on the template. At this time, Cody and I check the whole document for mistakes and continuity, there’s usually something to spot and correct!
Step 4:
Each of The Bunny Basket Collection of books has a unique ‘Thank You!’ at the end which is what we make next. This is fun as we try and match the character’s actions to their personality.
We’re then onto the task of creating the front and back covers. For book and advertising purposes, the front cover of each book from ‘Friendly Flynn and the Bunny Basket’ onwards has been created in advance. The front cover for the next book is made now, and is used for the next bunny to advertise their book on the back cover. This is followed by the creation of the back cover which also follows a template for consistency.
For each back cover we replace the title of the next book and the aforementioned picture to advertise it, and we replace the words for the next part of story 11 (The Enchanted Bunnies-their origin story). The front and back covers are then combined (KDP has a template you can use that you can adapt to the size of your book and its number of pages) to make a wraparound cover.
Step 5:
Now all the elements are prepared, the next step is KDP.
Once you have signed up and made an account for KDP, it is a simple process of filling out a 3 page form and uploading your documents to get your book published. I’ll guide you through this in the January 2026 Blog.
Once the content of your book is uploaded to one section and your wraparound cover is uploaded to another, you can see a preview of your whole book.
This is the time to triple check everything you’ve created and make sure it fits on the page how you want it to.
Step 6:
This bit is exciting, you can order a preview copy of your book!
It can take 1-2 weeks to arrive and will have a ‘Not for Resale’ grey banner across the front and back covers. I highly recommend getting a preview as it is the best way to make your final checks based on how your book looks in print.
Final note:
If you’re happy with everything then press the Publish button. Amazon will check your book for content according to the information you have given (it can take a few days for your first book, but subsequent books do tend to publish faster). Congratulations if you’ve taken the leap and got this far, don’t forget to share your book with us at r/EclecticTales on Reddit.
Find out more about these Bunny Basket characters’ adventures, and more at the Books page.
Find out more about The Bunny Basket Collection...
Next Blog: November 2025
Pure of Heart’s Anniversary – A year so far…
© All rights reserved