How NOT to Format an Ebook on Create Space and Kindle

So, when I decide to do something, I usually close my eyes and dive in. That's what I tried to do with my first two ebooks, but truth is, I BELLY FLOPPED!

Let me show you how my formatting turned out...

First, I used a simple word template on Three Kisses called filigree. I liked it.

Then I used the transfer tool on Kindle, and the preview made me think I was fabulous!

So it would seem I was ready to go, but NO! First of all, my cover page turned out to be two pages so my name was on the second page. Then I turned to my dedication. Here's the KDP preview...

 Looking good, huh? BUT, when my husband bought it, the dedication was on two pages and thrown off center. It looks soooo bad!!

If that's not bad enough, I had random filigree in addition to the graphics at the beginning of each chapter. Otherwise it was pretty good.

Then I uploaded book number two, He's Got Her Goat. Unlike the preview, my title page was also cut in half. I spent hours struggling with my little graphics. I never could get my scene change flower to stay centered so I abandoned it, but my little goat on the title page looked perfect on preview so I thought I was golden. Look at it. Sooo sad.

The worst was my formatting issues. My indents lost their minds. Though my word doc is great, look at this page. A normal indent, a triple AND a double ALL on the same page.

At my critique group I complained to my wonderful mentor and critique buddy, Liz Adair, and she told me that the answer was a combination of creating PDF's of your title page and other front pages, and then using a program called Jutoh that allows you to edit actively in the mobi format.

So I'm rolling up my sleeves and will try it. Has anyone else struggled with formatting ebooks?

We'll see how I do. I've got three more completed manuscripts to upload so I better get busy.