your time's up, jim...

***

here's that information on the auxiliary files
required to create an .epub or a .mobi file...

first, get yourself the appropriate tool to zip an .epub...

windows tool to zip a folder up into an .epub:
>   http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84675

mac tool to zip a folder up into an .epub:
>   http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55681

next, get yourself the kindle previewer, which gives you
the ability to convert .epub into .mobi via drag-n-drop...

>   http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000234621

now download this .zip file, which contains the folder of
files needed for the "jungle" example we've been using...
all of these files (except obviously the cover-image) were
generated automatically from the z.m.l. "master-format".

>   http://z-m-l.com/go/jjngl/jjngl.zip

unzip the file.  inside the folder, you will find the auxiliary files
i've been talking about, specifically an .opf file and an .ncx file.
you can use these files as "templates" for other books as well...

i do not understand every wrinkle in these files, but they work.
the .epub "validates", and the generated .mobi file is complete.

the requirements for these files are extremely obtuse and crazy,
but these examples work, so i believe in them like superstition.
(anyone who enlightens me, or improves them, will be thanked.
and, obviously, i have not done this process on the p.c. myself.)

so drop the folder of files on your .epub-zipper, and you will
get an .epub file out.  (on the p.c. side, you might have to run
the zipper program.)  then run the kindle previewer and drop
the .epub file inside it, and it will auto-generate a .mobi file...

now you know how to make e-books.  congratulations.

believe me, there are a _lot_ of humans out there _right_now,_
struggling with the problem of doing this, banging their heads
against the wall, because nobody made it easy for them to do...

-bowerbird