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JennGM
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I love the color in the book. I thought it brought your product up to a more professional level. BUUUUUTT...it isn't completely necessary. The book covers aren't going to look as good in B/W becuase they are originally color, but the color is just for the parents' reference...the real color product for the children are the books you refer to...so B/W might be a better option for this book.
I had some ideas for volume 2 today...... 
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Cay Gibson
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Margot and I discussed this whole issue at length while working on the book. I originally approached her with the idea because I was so inspired by LM and Stories with a View and PLL that she has published and the colorful pictures inside all of them are SO beautiful and inspiring. Once again, I'm a visual person...part of the reason why illustrated books inspire me so much---enough to write a book about them.
I'm so glad we approached you all with this question. Great responses. Thank you. 
Kathryn UK wrote:
| Is offering both options viable? |
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Yes, this was another approach we discussed. When we found out the cost of printing it in color, we were flabbergasted.  Still, the color version went with the colorful Mosaic flavor we wanted parents and educators to capture through these books. I personally wanted parents to sense the beauty and elegance found in these books. Part of doing CM in color was to share this renissance of color.
But the fact is that this book is for the parent/educator. While color is a beautiful thing, the book's intent is to get the illustrated books into the hands of the child. CM is a reference/study guide for the parent. Color is not an issue with study/reference guides.
Color is certainly a beautiful, necessary part of the Mosaic though, but it is not the mortar holding it all together. The guide is the mortar; the illustrated books are the colored tiles placed in the mortar.
The points you have all made about the B/ W version allowing the extra $$$ to buy the illustrated books and to make it more accessible to Catholic parents are excellent.
MEBarrett wrote:
| I love my color version but had it only been available in black and white I would still love it. It is a great book no matter what and if making it B/W makes it available to more families then that is what you should do. |
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I'm hoping Margot will have time to address this, but I know she's swamped at the moment. I think offering both options is a hands-down winner and, yes, making it B/W would make it more available.
MEBarrett wrote:
| It must be maddening for authors and publishers to put so much hard work and love into a book project only to have the profit margins so tight. |
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Oh, yes.  The cost of publishing is outrageous. No wonder hardback picture books are going at $16-$20 a lick. I'm not looking at a huge profit off this project (though my dh would no longer fuss about me "doing stuff for free" ) but Margot went through a lot of trouble in producing it and brought into the production two illustrators, an editor and a lay-out person. They all did a great job  .
It was, and is, a labor of love and I'm happy to share it.
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margot helene
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Cay Gibson wrote:
I'm hoping Margot will have time to address this, but I know she's swamped at the moment. I think offering both options is a hands-down winner and, yes, making it B/W would make it more available.
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Offering both is definitely an option! For those of you in Chantilly this weekend I will have a few B&W if you want to take a look.
Thanks for all your responses!!
God bless
Margot
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momwise
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margot helene wrote:
| For those of you in Chantilly this weekend I will have a few B&W if you want to take a look |
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Any chance you will have a few to bring to Denver (oh please, please) 
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margot helene
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momwise wrote:
Any chance you will have a few to bring to Denver (oh please, please) |
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I'm sorry - I only sent the color ones there. Please go to my table, though, and meet MaryG! I will leave a message for you there.
Thanks
Margot
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Erin
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I have been following the discussion on B&W verses colour with great interest, thank you all so much for this ' food for thought.'
margot helene wrote:
| To answer Elizabeth, price difference is huge. The black and white version would be $24.99 and the color will only be at $38.95 for a short while longer. (Then I'm afaid it must go up. |
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I have smiled at the many comments regards price.  $25 here is soo cheap and $39 isn't too bad either. By the time we have to factor in currency conversion rates, postage etc the B&W copy will end up costing approx $45 AUS and the colour will be around $65 AUS. Fountain Resources are not too certain of the final price yet but it will be around this, maybe a little cheaper.
Thanks to Tim for setting up the Catholic Mosaic section, so pleased to have it
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Nina Murphy
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I think my colored copy is beautiful and in our homeschooling day, at certain times and in certain seasons, the aesthetics of our materials affects our moods and zeal and keeps motivation up. 
Having said that, two points: I think it is beautiful in layout and design so I don't think it's value is dependent on color; also, I will probably be the only one using it (I don't need the children to be delighted by it's visual appeal). And the price differential is dramatic...I would have purchased the B/W with no regrets.
Thank you again for this wonderful guide....just what I was desiring for use with the Catholic Picture Books available. I only hope for more materials like it.... because I am a beautiful-and-noble-children's-books glutton!
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Taffy
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I don't know if this is feasable or not but am wondering about having the book available as a paid download to purchase? That way, you avoid the printing fees, can keep the colour, and people who'd have high shipping fees for a "hard copy" could purchase it sooner
Like I said, it's just a thought but, I must admit, I could afford it a bit sooner this way
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mom3aut1not
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I love my color copy. However, I asked two other longtime hsing moms not on this forum their opinions. One has a very large family, and the other has limited means, to put it mildly. The first would be as happy to have a color copy, and although the other mom loves color, she would prefer B&W. So if this were a vote, their vores would cancel......
Althogh I actually found the color pages both appealing and somewhat helpful, I would vote for B&W if a choice for only one had to be made to make it more affordable for others.
I think that people with special needs children might find Catholic Mosaic especially helpful, and it would be good if it became a standard recommendation for special kids. The only difficulty with it that I can see is that some of the books will be too advanced. I just plan to use pieces of it over the years. i know that Joseph can appreciate the easiest books, and I will postpone the wordier books until future years. (It also gives me more time to get the books....)
In Christ,
Deborah
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Taffy
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mom3aut1not wrote:
| I think that people with special needs children might find Catholic Mosaic especially helpful, and it would be good if it became a standard recommendation for special kids. The only difficulty with it that I can see is that some of the books will be too advanced. I just plan to use pieces of it over the years. i know that Joseph can appreciate the easiest books, and I will postpone the wordier books until future years. (It also gives me more time to get the books....) |
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I was thinking the same thing, Deborah. I would have to simplify the language but it would be great for my oldest who's very language delayed. Maybe I'll purchase the book sooner than I'd planned...
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Susan
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JennGM
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Just came back from the IHM Conference, where Margot had both B/W and color. The B&W are beautiful! I don't see any less of a product. The pictures of the covers still look good, even in b/w.
I'd say just go for the B&W!
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margot helene
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JennGM wrote:
Just came back from the IHM Conference, where Margot had both B/W and color. The B&W are beautiful! I don't see any less of a product. The pictures of the covers still look good, even in b/w.
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Thanks Jenn and great to meet you!
For anyone who is looking for the B & W, they will be available on the website late this week (Thursday or Friday).
Margot
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time4tea
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I agreee with many of those who posted above regarding price: b&w is fine, especially since we couldn't afford to purchase the color version. Better a b&w copy than no copy at all!
Blessings,
Tea
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Becky Parker
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I'm so excited! I ordered my black and white copy at the Michigan HS conference last Saturday. I can't wait until it arrives. I have to admit, as beautiful as the color copy was, I wouldn't have been able to afford it. Having the b and w version made it easier for me to get it sooner!!
Becky
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Meredith
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My b & w copy is on it's way!! I can't wait for it to arrive Thanks for offering this option
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Meredith
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Cheryl
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I'm trying to decide which to order - B & W or color. It doesn't really matter to me if pictures of the book covers are colored or not. I would like to know if there are any colored pictures that the children are supposed to look at for activities? That would make it worth it for me to spend the extra dollars on color. If I'm the only one seeing the book, I'll probably get the B & W and use the savings to buy one of the books as others have said.
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Meredith
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Cheryl wrote:
| I'm trying to decide which to order - B & W or color. It doesn't really matter to me if pictures of the book covers are colored or not. I would like to know if there are any colored pictures that the children are supposed to look at for activities? |
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Cheryl, I have the b & w copy and I love it!! There are no colored pictures for activities within the Mosaic manual, just great ideas for the dc to do on their own. The manual is just for you I feel like the b/w if very usable as it is! HTH!!
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humanaevitae
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I have the colored version and wish I had known about the b&w sooner. Although I'm a color freak, the price difference is huge and I don't think the colored pics add a lot because I already know what the book covers look like in my mind.
I think b&w copies will definately sell better. Another homeschooler loved my copy but couldn't justify the price. However she was excited to find the b&w version to purchase.
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Cheryl
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Thank you ladies. I'm going to order the B & W version.
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Cheryl
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Elena
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Cay Gibson wrote:
Testing out the new forum.
Tim has the Mosaic forum up and running.
Being a visual person...especially one who advocates a picture book education... I love bright colors in my books. That was a particular in the printing of Catholic Mosaic. We wanted to offer the customer color and beauty. And so we did.
We debated about the affordability of a colored version but decided to test the waters. The first colored printing sold very well.
Hillside Education then brought some b & w copies of Catholic Mosaic to a conference this past weekend just to see how they would fare. They sold out.
My question is: which would you prefer? does it really matter?
Colored version?
Black and White version?
The colored version makes the product so much more appealing...and expensive.  The b & w version makes the product so much more affordable...thus accessible. We want to make this accessible to Catholic families. Is the color inside the book important to you? Is it worth the extra $$$ ?
If there is a large enough demand, Hillside Education will look into a b & w printing.
Please share your thoughts and opinions here.
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I love the colored version at the B&W price!
Seriously though I think the colored version is beautiful which is why I am waiting to order. I'm sure it will be worth the wait!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: B & W Copies?
