Estevan Vega's Blog, page 6

Start a Revolution…Like, Now…Josh Olds Gives Us the Skinny on Storytelling

The Power of Story by Josh Olds

They're just words.

That's the biggest understatement I've ever heard. Just words…that's like saying someone is just human. Like words don't have power. Like Story isn't a means of revolution. Like life isn't poetry lived out in the flesh.

It's absurd because life is story. And when we flimsy humans settle in as Storytellers and create our own universes with words and ideas and paragraphs and paradigms, we flip the mantra. Life is Story…but Story is Life. To engage with Story is to engage with the thoughts and ideas and themes confronting those fictional characters, to discover a life we probably wouldn't be able to explore anywhere else, and to open ourselves to being changed by the narratives we encounter.

The best teachers are those who teach in Story. There was a Jewish carpenter from Nazareth especially good at it and he confirmed the message of the parables he told through the Story of his life. That's not to say that all Storytellers make teaching a moral or lesson the primary objective of their story. In fact, writers that do that often end up with stories that suck. The message has to come out naturally from the narrative. It has to be imbedded into the story as the background theme, just as one's worldview runs as the background framework to one's life. And just like one's worldview, the message of a story manifests itself even if the author's not paying attention.

For those of us who are Storytellers, this imposes upon us a solemn responsibility. We are the leaders of an exploration. We are the creators of a drama or a thriller or a mystery or a romance or any other type of novel that inevitably reflects something of life. Even if we write just to entertain, our writing has a message. Readers follow us into the world we've created and—if we've done our job well—become the characters we've created. They feel the tensions and the questions and the elations and the sorrow and the pure emotion of the Story. Story has the power to change people. It can give them a fresh perspective, take them to extremes that reality will not allow, offer them new experiences, challenge their thinking, or upset the status quo. Stories take facts or statements or questions and present them in the context of life, even if it be fictional. Which sentence below holds more power?

Statement: As many as one in four girls will be sexually abused before age 18.

Story: Eight year old Jenna learns in Sunday School that God is a Father, but is he like Jenna's father who molests her every night?

Didactic teaching can give a clear and true message but it takes a Story to get to the heart of the matter and pull at the reader's heart as well. The fact we as Storytellers can make a few abstract marks on a page and potentially leave such an impression on those who read it is almost magical. Story is power and as such the Storyteller should wield it with responsibility. So go, tell your story, entertain those readers, change those lives, start a revolution. The world belongs to the Storyteller.

EV: I've known Josh for a few years, and I asked him to write a post about something he's passionate about, about story. His website is Lifeisstory.com, and there he reviews books and goes a little deeper than the cursory…he explores them fully. What's amazing about story is that, like he said, they truly can make a difference to a people, a society, a generation. A story really can start a revolution of the soul, and that is a gift. Writers have influence, and that's so freaking cool. So, I'll let Josh be Morpheus, I'll be Neo (because bending backward like a supafreak is awesome and stopping bullets with his hand is just so legit), and um…you can be Trinity. Hey, she is kinda Bad-A if you think about it. Go start a revolution on the page, like, now. And thanks, Josh, for dropping in and feeding us some wisdom.

Spread fuego!

evega

twitter: @estevanvega

facebook: we are arson

Josh Olds mini-bio:

Josh Olds is a student of Story, a character in the narrative of Life, and a creator of his own stories. Some call him the Madman. You can find him prowling about at Facebook (facebook.com/lifeisstoryreviews), Twitter (@JoshOlds), and even (God help him) Pinterest (pinterest.com/lifeisstory).

Music Box, the new short story by Estevan Vega

Okay, I have been waiting to share this with all of you for a bit, but it's time. Last year, I wrote a short story called MUSIC BOX. I love this story, love it's eerie mood, it's fragility, and yes, it's ultimate hope. Esther and Jacob are two very cool, very unique characters who are about to be met with terrifying truth, and so are you. I give you Music Box, a story about…well, you'll just have to read it. Coming very soon. Below is the synopsis. Hope you like it.

MUSIC BOX:

Esther is getting old. No, she is old. Aging with every blink, with every breath.

After a life full of power and purpose, she is met with the harsh reality that she is now obsolete, and her fragile moments are short. On the eve of the last night in the city she has called home for years, Esther and her lover Jacob share their fears and their romance for this world over one last meal, as they wait in fearful unrest for what is coming.

 

Burn Something,

Evega

www.estevanvega.com

twitter: @estevanvega

facebook: we are arson

From Fact to Fiction by J.R. Chartrand

Jason Chatraw is a veteran journalist with more than 20 years of experience and has written, co-authored or ghost-written more than a dozen books. He has written for The New York Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, San Diego Union-Tribune, the Fort Worth Telegram, The Sporting News and many other publications. However, he started writing fiction last year under the name J.R. Chartrand and released his first novel late this fall entitled, "Under Your Skin." Jason talks about making the switch from writing about fact to fiction.

Growing up in our home, my dad was an elaborate storyteller. He would make up stories to put us to bed at night, leaving the protagonist on death's doorstep before he would abruptly get up, kiss the tops of me and my brother's head, and tell us that he will share more of the story the following night. Despite our groans and protests, he would always leave us wanting more. While his cliff-hanger endings were a slick parenting trick to get us to easily climb into bed each night, he later admitted to me it was also so he could dream up the next sequence in the story.

Despite my love for good stories, it was true stories that arrested my attention when I was younger, particularly sports stories. When I found out I could get paid to watch sports and all I had to do was write about it, I was all in. I started writing a column for my local daily newspaper at age 16 and then eventually attended the University of Georgia, earning a degree in newspaper journalism.

But the mundane task of reporting statistics began to bore me. Every game had a story, but I wanted to tell people stories. What I discovered is that there were plenty to tell. I once interviewed a girl who hid under the bed as she watched her father murder her mother. I interviewed a beast of a high school football player whose real passion was illustrations (he's now a pro-bowl star in the NFL). I interviewed a coach whose father had seen him play or coach in every football game he'd ever participated in during his lifetime—and it was an hour before kickoff for the first game he wouldn't make after passing away a few weeks earlier. I've asked probing questions that made pro athletes tear up, not out of anger but out of how much the pressure of the game was getting to them.

These were all fantastic stories to tell but they never really allowed me to plunge deep into the soul of the subject. What makes them react the way they do? What past hurts have influenced them to turn out this way?

I still enjoy telling true stories, but there's something about fiction that's deeper than fact. Fiction makes us think more about our humanity in ways that very few true stories can. Fiction makes us examine our souls and we ride along with a character through bizarre twists and turns. Fiction makes us see things about ourselves that we never noticed. And that's why I am slowly making the switch from the genre of truth to the genre of fiction. Neither one is less true than the other nor any stranger. But fiction can tell a story that sticks with us and challenges us to be better people. That's what I want my craft of writing to do—make people think deeply and hopefully become better as a result of pondering what they read.

EV: First off, Jason's cover is excellent for his thriller target market, and he was wise to use a pen name for his fiction as a way of differentiating between his genres. Also, I love Jason's perspective. Fiction can sometimes be (and often is) just as true, if not truer than fact. It's fun. It's free. There are no rules in excavating human emotion, human truth. It has a power to it that is unquestionable. Granted, fact is cool, but in my opinion…fiction be cooler!

Spread the fire, and go snag a copy of UNDER YOUR SKIN, and be sure to check out the official book trailer for his novel below…I hear it features Bumblebee, or Bumblebee's cousin.

Under Your Skin Book Trailer

evega

twitter: @estevanvega

facebook: we are arson

THE WRITING GAMES: May The Odds May Be Ever in Your Favor!

Just copy and paste, just copy and paste. It seems like a pretty easy solution to the writing game, right? Well, writing is more complicated than that, and that's sorta the point. It's part of the madness, part of the fun.

Since the ridiculously popular THE HUNGER GAMES is releasing this week, I thought I'd write a post about the art of not copying. I know it sounds a little pedantic, but once you look up what pedantic means, give yourself a few seconds, and return to this post, you'll likely be engaged in what I have to say. I was thinking today about how we compare items, products, even people to other things we know. That chick looks just like what's her face. That restaurant is another Chili's. And so on. For whatever it's worth, I think it attempts to give us perspective on whatever current situation we're in and whatever we're trying to figure out. If we pay ten bucks to see Real Steel (a remake of a Matheson story, btw), we need to know it's basically Rocky with robots, or we'll likely leave the theater ticked off. If we're gonna fork over 15 bucks on a trade paperback, we read the reviews and see what critics and bloggers compared the series to, and if we like that series, chances are we'll give this new one a shot. Bands do this too. You kind of have to in a society where we people now have the attention spans of miniature Chihuahuas.

But if you're a writer of a series, how do you get by? Well, if you have written anything remotely close to a supernatural romance with otherworldly creatures or beings, you're comparing your book to Twilight, without a doubt. If you've written a YA novel with tons of action and a controversial topic, you're shouting that your book is just like The Hunger Games. If you've written a creepy book, you're gonna go balls out and say you're the next Stephen King. Well, hopefully not, but you may.

And the odds may or may not be in your favor.

It's crazy to think that you could spend a month, a year, two or three years maybe writing a book and getting it published, and all the reader wants is a bottom line: What's it about? and Is it like something I've read and enjoyed? While you do want to keep your potential readers in mind, you don't wanna just copy and paste a concept. I eavesdropped on a conversation today where a kid my age said he hasn't been to the movies in about a year because he's frustrated that so much of what is being released is either a remake, a sequel, or a rehashing of a past film. And to a point, he's right. Hollywood likes safe. They like movies that they know will draw people in. The risky stuff usually gets pushed to the sidelines. Publishers are like this. Readers can be like this. So what do you do? Do you cave? Do you embrace the assembly line philosophy and just become another replica? Or do you seek a new path, attempt to stand out? Do you do battle against your counterparts, and hope to God you make it out of the games alive?

It's a tough call, and it's one that should be wrestled with. Personally, I believe there is no truly unique idea left. That being said, I do believe that there are angles of ideas that haven't been explored.  This is where you should create your universe. This is your Eden, to do with what you choose. Before Harry Potter there was Merlin. Before Twilight, there was Interview with the Vampire and Dracula. Before The Hunger Games there was The Running Man, The Most Dangerous Game, Death Race, basically a ton a movies about a society or location that condoned murdering a fellow human being for sport or entertainment. Before Inception (which is one of my favorite films, no question) there was The Matrix. All of these films/stories are in a way a replica of what came before, but they didn't just copy and paste. They extended certain limbs. They redesigned the frame and inserted new lines. They adjusted the target demographic. They told a similar story from a unique or different perspective. That's what you gotta do. I wrote ARSON, which has been compared to Firestarter and X-Men. I'm cool with that, because I know my story, though it may have some similarities, is different and unique. Don't just attempt to write the next Hunger Games or the next Potter or Twilight; write your own book and let others make the comparison if they choose. Is there a story you have in your mind about dreams or dragons or superpowers? Cool, just find a way to make your story stand out…and you just might survive The Writing Games.

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!

EVEGA

p.s. The movie graphics are so much cooler than the original book cover.

www.estevanvega.com

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5 Ways to Build Great Relationships with Book Bloggers by K.C. Neal, author of PYXIS

EV: I am  super stoked to have K.C. Neal on the site today. She's this really cool chick from Idaho, and she's written a rockin YA novel called PYXIS. If you haven't picked it up yet, you gotta do so soon. What's amazing about K.C. Neal is that she wrote her debut novel in about a month…pretty quick, right? Well, quick seems to be her M.O. She's also building a fan base quickly as well. In just a few months, her blog has spiked in followers. She's pushing nearly 800 followers, which is crazy awesome. In addition, she's been teaching webinars on the art of getting in good with bloggers, participating in blog tours, etc. In short, she knows what she's doing. So, without further rambling, lend her your eyes…you might learn something.

5 Ways to Build Great Relationships with Book Bloggers

by K.C. Neal

1. Understand What They Do

Most book bloggers are hobbyists, meaning that they blog about books because it's something they love to do, not because they make money doing it. And as a group they are some of the hardest-working people I've ever met. A lot of them post multiple times a week, and they're continuously communicating with authors and publishers, and participating in blog tours, memes, hops, Goodreads groups, and all kinds of other things. Running a great book blog is a major time investment. When you ask a blogger to review your book, you're asking a commitment of 10-15 hours to read your book, write up a review for the post, format the post with images and links and info about you and your book, and then promote the post. Bloggers have families, homework, jobs, friends, dentist appointments, TV shows to watch… well, you know, all those things we have, too. If a blogger agrees to review your book, he or she is devoting a major chunk of time from their busy lives to promote your book for free.

2. Respect Their Review Policies

Last year I put out a book blogger survey, and over 70 bloggers responded. One of the survey questions was: List some things authors or publishers have done that really turned you off and made you NOT want to work with those authors/publishers. The response that came up over and over – it was mentioned by over 80% of the bloggers – was ignoring the review policy. One of my most popular blog posts came from that bit of data: The One Thing Book Bloggers Hate Most, and there was some great discussion in the comments of that post. Bottom line: always, always read the blogger's review policy before contacting him or her.

3. Promote Their Blogs

Bloggers love to get traffic and comments on their blog. In my survey, I asked book bloggers about their goals, and increasing readership was mentioned frequently. Help them out by promoting their posts. Re-tweet their tweets, give them shoutouts on Twitter and Facebook, especially (dare I say ALWAYS?) on the posts where they're featuring you or your book. One blogger I adore emailed to tell me that hosting a stop on one of my blog tours DOUBLED her blog's followers. She was thrilled! And so was I! But it didn't happen by magic. I promoted her post over my network and helped drive traffic to her blog. And you think she might jump at the chance to host me again?

4. Follow, Friend, and Chat them Up

Comment on their blog posts, say hey on Twitter, and friend them on Facebook. In the survey, several bloggers mentioned that they love it when authors talk to them online. And book bloggers are great fun to talk to. Don't forget – talk about things other than your book!

5. Be Appreciative

Leave a thank-you comment on their reviews of your book. Ask for their mailing addresses and send a signed bookmark or an old-fashioned thank-you note. These small gestures truly make a big impression. Everyone loves sincere appreciation!

For more info about building connections with book bloggers, please check out my blog. I've taught two webinars on blog tours and working with book bloggers, Blog Tours Part 1: 10 Steps to a Successful Tour and Blog Tours Part 2: Advanced Tips and Tricks. Recordings of these webinars are available for purchase – contact me at kcneal.author@gmail.com

Thank you, Estevan, for hosting me on your blog!

EV: You're so welcome. Thanks for dropping in and sharing some knowledge!

The Art of Getting in Good with Bloggers by Angeline Kace, author of Descended by Blood

Go Deep: The Art of Getting in Good with Bloggers

 

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I talk to a lot of bloggers.  Some might say I'm "in good with bloggers," but I just see it as having friends who blog.  I'm a social person, so Twitter is the perfect platform for me. I pretty much just follow writers, book bloggers, and fans I talk with. Oh, and Ian Somerhalder, but that's a given, right? Now… where was I? Oh, right! So it's natural for me to carry on conversations with people who enjoy the same things I do: books.

I guess it started when I was planning the release of my book, Descended by Blood. I contacted bloggers for review and to host me on my tour, and the more you talk to people to plan things, the more, I guess, you get to know them. So when the tour ended and the reviews were posted and done with, I still talked with them.

I love bloggers. I get how busy they are, and I respect what they do for authors and their books.  If I wasn't spending all my extra time as a writer, I would have started a book review blog.

Any advice I could give would be to follow book bloggers' review policies. They post them for a reason, and the least you can do is read it and follow it if you want something from them. Respect that they are people too and they're busy.  Recognize that their blog is important to them. They take it seriously and it's a big part of their life. Support them and what they do. I show my support by reading their blog posts, commenting, rewteeting their tweets, and basically letting them know I care about them and appreciate what they do. And I ALWAYS make sure to thank each one for their retweets too. They don't have to retweet anything I post, so I want them to know I recognize that they have and I appreciate it.

When you work with bloggers, you get to know them. You know if they work a job outside of blogging, if they have kids, when they're sick, what makes their day, etc. Twitter really does give you a way to find people and get to know them.

And respect all bloggers, not just the ones you're friends with. Thank each one for their time, even if they didn't like your book. You may not have to like their review, but you can at least thank them for the time they took to read your book and write something up for it.  And remember that most bloggers don't like to write bad reviews, so even writing something up for you probably caused them a lot of stress. So definitely don't be a douche about it and argue with them over it, or call them names. That all seems very self-explanatory to me, but I see it all the time.

There is one thing that gets kind of sticky when you're friends with bloggers.  What happens if they don't like your book? You really have to find a balance of the business side and the friend side. You basically have to realize that not everyone is going to like your book and you CANNOT have your relationship with people based on whether they liked your book or not. So now that I'm friends with all these people, when my next book comes out, there might be some awkwardness with bloggers not liking the book, but I loved these people before the book came out and I'll keep loving them. My love for them is not conditional on whether they liked my book or not.

And I guess that's why I can make it work with bloggers. Sure, I give them my book and they read and review it, but our connections go much deeper than that.

EV: I want to thank Angeline Kace for dropping in and giving us a little bit of insight into how she made it into the top 1000 on Amazon Kindle, and how she still manages to hit three bestselling categories. Pretty cool. Her book, Descended by Blood, is a cool vampire story that bloggers and reviewers are just eating up. After all, Twilight's over, so now you have something new to fill the void. Go pick it up, check out her site (www.angelinekace.com), and follow her on the twitta! And remember, if you're an author, and you want to make an impact in the blogosphere, you gotta grab life by the balls and go deep. 

Spread the fuego!

Evega

www.estevanvega.com

twitter: @estevanvega

facebook: we are arson

Cool Story, eh? A Dose of Perspective from Fantasy Author M.R. Merrick

 

EV:I've been trying to keep the guest posts diverse around these parts, and it's been working so far, eh? Today, I have the pleasure of hosting M.R. Merrick, author of the fantasy novels EXILED and SHIFT. His books have been all over the blogs, and he's been getting rave reviews, and interestingly enough, a lot of the peeps who are digging his books are chicks. Also, he has some cool covers, eh? Okay, enough of my attempts at humor regarding this Canadian. Let's just have him talk to you for a bit about what makes him stand out. I asked him to write a post, and here's what I gave him for a topic. Hopefully, you dig it.

A lot of the big YA writers are women, and a lot of the YA readers are women. But you're a guy, and your books have been labeled awesome by women yet you don't have to settle for having shirtless guys on your covers to sell your fantasy books. I'd like you to write about keeping your audience and yourself happy while writing, writing for guys and for chicks, and keeping your Canadian edge while you do it. 

Merrick: When I started writing, the only thing that mattered was me. Telling the story I wanted to tell, the way I wanted to tell it. I was the only person I had to please, and I wanted to create a story that combined everything I loved about Fantasy. I took Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, and my addiction to the paranormal and combined it into one. I had no idea how people would react to a mash-up like this, but in writing it, I did try to appeal to everyone.

The Protector Series has a fair size cast, with characters from all walks of life. There are tough hunters, sexy and snarky half-breeds, stuttering and insecure demons, trolls, ogres, giants, shifters, monsters you've never heard of, and a completely new version of the vampire. I wanted to reach men and women of all ages, so I tried to take everything I wanted, and spin it so there was something everyone could enjoy.

My mindset changed a little while I wrote Shift, because I had readers contacting me with what they wanted to see. Different characters, relationships, etc. Of course I wanted to give them what they wanted, but I had to continually remind myself to stay true to the process I was creating. I did rework something's appeal to some of the more constant request, but I created Exiled based solely on my vision, and they enjoyed it, so I had to have faith the same theory would apply for Shift. So far it seems to be working.

When it came to the covers, I wanted something different. I wanted them to be eye catching, but at the same time, tell a story of their own. The images might not make sense at first, but once you read the books, you see how perfectly they represent the story, and they do catch reader's attention all on their own.

The whole badass Canadian writer thing sort of fell in my lap, but it does make me stand out. Plus, I have awesome pants. That pretty much makes me quintuplet threat in this game. You know, not one to be messed with. It's one thing to have a snowball thrown at you by an incredibly handsome, Canadian writer. It's completely another to have it thrown by that same handsome Canadian while he wears his awesome pants. True story.

EV: Basic sum-up: Write what you want (within reason), fans will come, and then you curb your likes to theirs somewhat, while wearing awesome pants. And if at all possible, be Canadian. Ha. Jk.

Do yourself a favor and go pick up books 1 and 2 in Merrick's Protector series…or the MIB will scramble your brains. Don't think so? Just you wait…

 

Burn Something,

Evega

www.estevanvega.com

Twitter: @estevanvega

Facebook: we are arson

 

aNIA AHLBORN LIKES THE DARK, THE SUPERNATURAL, AND AMAZON

In the vine-twisted swamps of Louisiana, the shadows have teeth.

Jack Winter has spent his entire life running from something no one else can see. His childhood is his darkest secret, but after a near fatal accident along a deserted road, the darkness he was sure he'd escaped rears its ugly head… and smiles.

But this time, he isn't the only one who sees the soulless eyes of his past. This time, his six-year-old daughter Charlie leans into his ear and whispers: "Daddy, I saw it too."

And then she begins to change.

Faced with reliving the nightmares of his childhood, Jack watches his daughter spiral into the shadows that had nearly consumed him twenty years before.

But Charlie isn't the only one who's changing.

Jack never outran the darkness. It's been with him all along.

And it's hungrier than ever. A new breed of dark fiction: the subtlety of Seed will haunt you, and the end will wickedly satisfy.

EV: So, on the blog today, I have a really cool chick who's only been published, oh, let's see…less than a year. From the time she released her wildly popular debut, she has managed to score just under 200 reviews on Amazon.com (and keep an impressive 4-star rating), get compliments and mentions from bestselling authors, hit the bestseller ranks (currently at #10 and #52 in two different categories), and stay ever so modest about her success. But…it would appear the Mayan calendar got something wrong, because evil and darkness isn't coming in December, it's coming AGAIN this summer. July, to be exact. Oh, yeah, try not to let your jaw smack the floor…this debut, self-pubbed chica caught Amazon's attention, and they will be re-releasing her novel in the summer of  2012. It sounds to me like Ania Ahlborn's had one hell of a ride…pun very much intended, and if I had my guess, I'd say the roller coaster shows no signs of slowing down.

So, without any more hesitation, I give you a cool, honest guest post about how she made it, from none other than Ania Ahlborn, the author of SEED.

Hi Estevan. First off, thanks for having me. It's always an honor to share my publishing experience with people. I, like everyone else, have been writing for quite a while. My first experience with writing at length was when I was around ten years old; I hand-wrote a tandem story with my cousin during a summer break and haven't shaken the writing bug since.

But as we all know, scoring a publishing deal is hard. I fought that battle for a decade before trying my hand at self-publishing. That isn't to say that self-publishing is easy—far from it. If you want to do it right it's a lot of work, a lot of hours, a lot of frustration, especially if you haven't done it before. Those who are interested in self-publishing have inevitably read many a blog on the topic, so I won't go into the 'how to' of that here. Rather, I'd like to address the question almost every writer asks me when they see SEED's rank, or know that it hit #1 on Amazon's horror list and #138 in all of the Kindle Paid Store.

There's no simple answer to success. If there was, we'd all be rich and famous. The closest answer I can give is one that's shrouded in mystery: write a good book. There are a lot of people out there right now that will tell you that anyone can make it as an author these days—you just write something and put it out there and voila, you're a published author. Okay, fair enough. But that doesn't mean your work is going to sell.

A professional and compelling cover helps, but the cover isn't going to sell your book. A kickass product description is key, but once you hook your reader they're going to check out a sample of your work before hitting that 'buy' button. And that's where the magic is, or isn't. Content: it's the secret to success. It always has been. It always will be.

Why has SEED done so well? It's a good story—a story that I've wanted to read for years but couldn't find, so I wrote it myself. It looks like I wasn't the only one who's been waiting for it. On top of that, it's risky. It's dangerous. It treads into territory that a lot of writers avoid. Why didn't I avoid it? Because I didn't know SEED was going to be a hit. Had I known, I wouldn't have been so reckless. Thank God for my lack of foresight.

The key is this: write with passion, write what you want to read, and write well. As an author, you're your own worst critic and your own best audience. Be hard on yourself, but make yourself happy with your craft. Fate will take care of the rest.

EV: Pretty cool stuff, huh? I asked Ania to drop in and to share her story because it just goes to show that in this industry, like in love, relationships, and a lot of stuff in this life…you never know. If she'd kept bashing her head up against the wall, waiting for a publisher to think she was "worth it," she probably wouldn't have hit bestseller status, she wouldn't have been posting on this site, and chances are Amazon never would've known her name. Now, because she took a risk, the publisher hunted her down. The landscape is changing. All you gotta do is adapt with it and be ready for your time to strike. Write a good book, get a cool cover, and take a shot.

Now, it'd be totally awesome if you hopped on amazon and showed Ania some love by getting her book SEED. It's sure to creep you out in all the right places. Come on, you know you wanna get it. Like, seriously…get it or giant anacondas will eat you. Besides, she's way too cute of an author for you not to at least give it a shot.

'Til next time…burn something,

E

www.estevanvega.com

twitter: @estevanvega

facebook: we are arson

Cover me curious…Regina from Mae I Design invades estevanvega.com

 

EV: So, I heard about Regina a few months ago, and I checked out her site. I thought her work was pretty tight, so I asked her if she wouldn't mind invading my website and talking about what it is that she does creatively. I love creative minds, and here at www.estevanvega.com, I want to feature creative minds: writers, bloggers, artists, musicians…creative spirits. So, prepare yourself. Get amped. Get creative. I introduce to you…the cool, the rockin, the most dank Regina!

Regina: Helloooooo!! (every time I write that, I think of Mrs. Doubtfire!) Thanks for having me here! This is actually my first "Guest Post" so bare with me as a DESIGNER turns Writer for about 2.5 seconds! (writing OBVIOUSLY isn't my forte!!)

Well, I guess some people want to know a little bit about me!? Well, basically, I'm pretty average. I'm a mother, and a wife… I am married to a French speaking Cameroonian, and I can understand most spoken French, but I have really bad "broken French" when I speak.

I am an artist in almost all realms you can think of.. I like to draw, paint, photograph, and design. I LOVE to cook, is that an art? I don't

know. Funny thing is, I can't bake for nothin! EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I burn, I undercook, I don't use enough sugar, etc… I am

HORRIBLE at baking!

I love coffee, chocolate and dancing to music.

 

Me. anything else you want to know? You can email me! regina@maeidesign.com!

Here are some common questions I get as a designer:

Do I need to read a book in its entirety or is a very detailed summary all that is needed?

Usually all that is needed is a good description of what the book is about or the character you want portrayed on the cover. Each author and client have different views on what's to be seen on the cover, therefore conveying those ideas to the artist is important. Some authors say here is my book, I give you free range to come up with something, and others are very detailed in EXACTLY how they want the cover to look right down to pose, clothing, and scenery. I can swing both! But nowadays, if you want me to read your book first, it may take a bit longer to get to your cover! I love a few detailed chapters!

How did I get started with cover design?

Well, I studied visual communications at Brown College here in Minnesota and that is where I learned the basics of the programs I use. However, I got started doing covers by chance. I was just enjoying art on DeviantArt one day and decided I wanted to give that a try! So I did, and I mixed my "artist" skills with my "professional" graphic design skills, and Voila! You have awesome cover designs!! I just love what I do, from memoirs to romance and paranormal… I love design and art, so there isn't anything I won't try!

Side note: If you want to do this as a profession.. DO IT! But first learn the basics of design. Learn about positive and negative space, typography, balance, color theory, and you can definitely bring that up a notch to provide an awesome service!

One thing I cringe on the most is bad design. If the balance isn't right or the typography isn't right, it really can throw off a cover. It needs to be studied, and re-studied, and studied again. It's a process to get it just right, and usually can take me (if I'm super woman, drinking creative juice) 3 hours to 2 months! That is also why I charge what I do. I'm not the most expensive, but I am definitely not the cheapest either. The reason is because I have background in design. I know what it takes to create balance, color theory and typography. I WORK until the author is satisfied. I am passionate about creating the most appealing cover for your story. That's it! If you want to know more about my services email me at regina@maeidesign.com or fan my pages on facebook Here and Here. One is for art and covers and one is for ALL THE ABOVE!

Do I only design book covers?

I don't just work on covers, but it is a passion of mine. I love the creativity and story you get to portray on the cover. It's challenging,  and I love a good challenge! I actually do a lot of branding, logo design, bookmark design, website design and photography among other things. A complete list of my services can be found on my website at www.maeidesign.com or www.maeicreateart.com.

EV: So, I hope you all enjoyed this little piece. What do you think? Did she wear the writer hat pretty legit or what? Mrs. Doubtfire ain't got nothin' on this chick. She's got talent too. Her photos are lively and she's ready to help you rock out your story. Hit her up if you think you guys will make a good fit!

 

Spread the fire,

Evega

www.estevanvega.com

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