What is special about Bound in a Book?
Bound in a Book is a completely bespoke service. The books that I create are made to reflect the energy and tone of the material you provide me with. For this reason, your book will be completely individual. These are not books that can be created via an app, or "whipped up" quickly. They take time and a lot of dedication, and as a result, each book boasts its own creative style and voice to make those memories and the sentiment last forever.

Help! I want to create a memory book but don't know where to start!
Have a look at my "Where Do I Start?" series of blog posts.

How many photos can I include in my memory book?
The minimum amount of photos that can be included in a book is 20 and the maximum is 300. It is not my style to cram photos into a book just for the sake of it, and when it comes to memory books, I feel that less is definitely more in order to allow the book to work its magic. 

Are photos taken with my phone ok to use? What about photos saved off Facebook and WhatsApp?
Ideally, photos should to be in high resolution for print. Full size phone photos are great but photos saved off Facebook and WhatsApp will not be full size files. A few of these are fine to include but you do want to have a good number of high resolution images as these make the truly impressive pages in your book. These photos are taken with a camera, or your phone. (For this reason, if you are compiling a gift book with several contributors, do encourage them to email their photos rather than WhatsApp them to you, as this drastically reduces the file quality.)

Can you help me choose the photos that will go into my memory book?
Yes, if you would like me to, I can choose the photos for you. Photos can be very personal and some people might prefer to have the final say in which photos are included in their book (see this blog post), but I am more than happy to help out. It is important to note that if you opt for me to select photos for your memory book, there can be no changes once the book is designed. The charge for this service is 200aed. 

What if I need to scan in older, printed photos?
Not a problem. Please scan them in on a high resolution. Alternatively, I can scan them in for you. Let me know if you need my help. 

My photos aren't in the right order. How can I organise them?
Folders are your friend. The easiest way to organise your photos into an order that is clear is to use numbered folders. Alternatively, if you need a more specific order, I recommend Adobe Bridge (download free here). Watch this video for a tutorial as to how to go about organising and renaming your files in Adobe Bridge to ensure they are in the right sequence. This does require a certain amount of technical knowledge however and it is not necessary if your book isn't completely dependent on things being in a specific order. Please discuss this with me.

I'm not very good with computers - could I avoid using DropBox?
Of course! Google Drive is also an option if you find that easier, or you could drop off a USB flash drive of your photos if you are local. I am located in DIP. Let me know if you have any concerns, I can try to help.

Can I add extra photos once the book has been designed?
This will involve redesigning several pages and therefore a redesign charge will apply. As a general rule, adding extra photos once a book has been designed is discouraged. 

How long does it take for my memory book to be ready?
You should allow for about 3 weeks from when you submit your images, if you are in the UAE. This includes design, printing, and delivery. Delivery times to other countries may differ. Please do remember that Bound in a Book is a one-woman-company and I design all your memory books myself. Sometimes it does get quite busy and there may be a wait list, in which case I will inform you up front. Priority is given to gift books with specific deadlines, and as always my recommendation is to plan ahead to avoid disappointment. For orders that are needed by a specific date that falls within less than one month of confirmation, a 50aed charge is added to upgrade shipping to ensure the book is with you by the required date. 

Can I place an order for a book that I need next week?
Sadly, no. Please see the paragraph above for an explanation on timescales.

How will my memory book be delivered to me?
By courier.

Can I order a memory book from Bound in a Book if myself or my recipient is based outside the UAE?
Yes - let me know when you place your order and we will ensure your book ships directly to its new home from the printers. The only limitation would be if your location is not covered by the printers, but this has not happened to date. Please note that these books will not be wrapped in Bound in a Book style.

What will my memory book be called?
That's up to you, and I can make suggestions if you would like me to. (I do love coming up with names for books!)

Can I order more than one copy of my book?
Most certainly, and as long as you order them with the original, I can also offer discounted prices on copies. Speak to me about this.

Where are my memory books printed?
Bound in a Book uses Blurb to print your memory books. I choose to use this company for a variety of reasons. I have used Blurb for several years and because of this I know that the quality of the books is excellent. They are sturdy and can handle little hands eagerly leafing through them. I also know the software well and can therefore get the very best out of it. On top of all this, Blurb customer care is top notch and, because things do sometimes go wrong, I value this immensely as they are always on hand to help out.