Sky Purington's Blog, page 58

MONDAY COVERS IT. Caroline Clemmons, Save Your Heart For Me. Win an Ecopy!

Happy Monday Morn! I hope you all enjoyed a fantastic weekend. As many of you know, May 9th marks the first day of A Writer's Mind's new blog criteria. Mondays will always be about the latest book covers out there. Today, we're kicking it off right with Caroline Clemmon's
cover for Save Your Heart For Me. It really is quite stunning.

Leave a comment for a chance to win an Ecopy of SAVE YOUR HEART FOR ME!

Here's what Caroline had to say about Save Your Heart For Me's cover...

I requested Rae Monet design the cover and asked for a person in the design. I described the boarding house the heroine and her mom operate, the heroine, and the locale in Central Texas. Rae did an amazing job with just the right whimsical atmosphere for a woman torn between duty and desire. I usually like blues and greens, but the gold field is perfect for this book. I hope it speaks to others as much as it does to me.

BLURB:

After fleeing an abusive husband six years ago, Beth Jeffers wants nothing more than to protect her son Davey and to help her mother operate a boarding house. The women in her family have had no luck with men, and she has no intention of letting any man influence her son. Not even Matt Petrov, no matter how much her lonely heart urges otherwise.

Federal Marshall Matt Petrov, also known as Lone Wolf Peters, fell in love with Beth the first time he saw her. Then she was another man's wife, so he kept his longing a secret he's saved his love for her for six horrific years. Now, the lovely widow and he have crossed paths again. This time, he intends to risk all for a chance at happiness. First he must rescue his distant kinsman from an assassin's clutches. Will Matt succeed before his kin is killed? And will his secrets shatter the love he and Beth share?

5 Hearts from Vicky at Sizzling Hot Reviews excerpt:

"Save Your Heart for Me is a good western historical (not really cowboys this time). The 'adventure' aspect is light (so it doesn't take away from the character story) but still very entertaining. Caroline Clemmons has written rich characters with issues we can relate to even today. With a full cast of supporting characters adding detail and humor, I was pulled in and didn't want to put Save Your Heart for Me down until finished."

Can't wait to read  Save Your Heart For Me? Purchase now at The Wild Rose Press.

Learn more about Caroline Clemmons and read an excerpt from Save Your Heart for Me. Visit her Website. 

Love to blog? Join Caroline at her Blogspot. Join Clemmons at Facebook. Follow her on Twitter.

Check out Caroline's backlist and current at Smashwords and Amazon.
 
Thanks so much for joining us!
 
Be sure to pop over to The Write Life next to meet another fantastic author and perhaps win a prize.
 
~Sky

Happy Mother's Day Weekend. Four Fabulous Authors Visit This Week!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Mother's Day weekend!
Be sure to pop in throughout the week as I launch A Writer's Mind's new blog criteria. Here's who you can expect to see...
MONDAY COVERS IT- Carolyn Clemmons shares the details behind her latest book cover.
MIDWEEK MEET & GREET. CRAWL INSIDE A WRITER'S MIND- Tuesday and Wednesday we'll be chatting with author Cynthia Vespia about her latest paranormal, LIFE, DEATH and BACK.
END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT- Skhye Moncrief's, FERAL FLAW characters are over to play! Thursday, I'll be grilling heroine, Darla. Friday, her hero, Commander Goro.
BOOK TRAILER BREATHER- Be sure to swing in Saturday as Romy Sommer 'wows' us with her latest book trailer.
Enjoy your weekend. See you Monday!
Cheers~Sky

Alan Nayes chats about Barbary Point. Romance from a Man's Perspective!

Welcome! Wow, can you believe it's already the first week in May? One week until this blog shifts into a whole new gear with author promotions. Be sure to pop back in over the next several months to enjoy a variety of Book Trailer Breathers, Monday Covers It features, Midweek Meet and Greets and of course, End of Week Character Blowouts.

This week it's my pleasure to welcome talented author Alan Nayes. A man of many genres, Alan writes thrillers, horrors and romance. I decided to interview Nayes about his latest romantic release, BARBARY POINT. While this post is designed to share more about Barbary Point, I couldn't help but add Alan's other covers. Yes, I love romance but I also like reading other genres. Horrors and thrillers amongst them.

SKY: Welcome, Alan. Great to have you over to A Writer's Mind!

ALAN: Thank you for having me, Sky. Hopefully, I can provide some interesting insight into this writer's mind.

SKY: *Smiles* I'm going to start this interview off by slamming out with your introduction at Author's Den. You say, "If I knew then what I know now about how difficult it is to get my work published--would I do it again?" Actually, that's a good question... your answer?

ALAN: When I first started writing, I recall thinking, hey, how difficult can it be to get published? You write a story, send it out, and wait to see it published. And wait. And wait. And…Yup, I waited a long time and accumulated plenty of rejections before I sold my first work. It is difficult to get published, for me anyway. So because of the challenges I've experienced in seeing my work go to print, and continue to experience, I sometimes find myself asking would I do it all again. I keep writing so I guess that means the answer is a yes, but some days I vacillate for sure. Yet with each success, I'm reenergized to move on to my next project. So bottom line, yeah I'd do it again. Of course, I'm a writer, right?

SKY: So true, Alan. Guess it's in our 'writer's' blood to keep moving forward. I remember the rejections. But they definitely made the letter of acceptance all that much sweeter. Share more. When did you first know writing might be your thing? Was there a moment that you'll never forget or did you simply ease into it all?

ALAN: I think I eased into it. I used to write some music in college, but when I realized I couldn't sing I gave that up and for several decades didn't write any fiction. Then I tried a creating writing course at a local community college and this was my transition back into the realm of writing. There are many moments I'd like to forget—passes by agents, editors—but the one moment I won't ever forget was the call from my then agent that I'd sold my first novel to a publishing house—GARGOYLES to Tor/Forge. Hey, moments like that are priceless!

SKY: Tor/Forge is a great way to kick off your writing career! Little jealous…okay, very jealous. *Grins* Makes me want to get around to writing that fantasy fiction series I've put on the back burner. What genres do you typically write and what have you published?

ALAN:   My first two novels—GARGOYLES and THE UNNATURAL—are biomedical thrillers. BARBARY POINT is a love story and I'm currently shopping around HEMLOCK POND, a horror story. So I guess I can say there is no typical genre that I write—it depends entirely on the story that grabs me.

SKY:   Totally get that. Hard to sit still in one genre. What makes your characters unique? Let's crawl inside the minds of some of your all-time favorites. Something a woman said…something a man said. And from which of your stories did these quotes come?

ALAN:   That's a close call, but I think my favorite character overall is Amoreena Daniels, the protagonist from GARGOYLES. Amoreena is not necessarily unique, though she is beautiful, brilliant and determined, but she is placed in a very unique situation when she becomes a pawn in a high stakes game of biomedical experimentation. Kelly English from BARBARY POINT is a favorite as well. Here's her thoughts upon falling for Mitch the male protagonist. "Inexorably, from that first moment I'd gazed into the depths of his eyes, I'd known it would come to this. He'd appeared in my life like some mysterious magician, casting his spells, sprinkling his potions, seducing my emotions until they no longer felt like my own. Love started out that way, deep within your soul first, long before any true awareness of its presence is manifested.." Wow. I think Kelly is Mitch's favorite character, too.

SKY:   Love it, Alan! Can tell already you get deep with your characters. That's what it's all about. Now, you're sitting down. Ready to write a book. What's your first thought? A few months have passed. You just finished the book. What's your last thought?

ALAN: My first thought—what the hell am I going to write? Seriously, my first thoughts always revolve around major plot points and what is going to happen when. A few months pass and I've finished the book—man, I wish I could write that fast. In reality, a few months pass and I'm still wondering why I haven't arrived at the first plot point yet. Can definitely be frustrating, but it feels so damn good when I finally do crank out that initial first draft.

SKY: Ha! You're not alone on either point. I've been three months in, looked at my word count and thought… huh? Why am I only this far? And that last sentence of the manuscript. Hallelujah! Want to throw a bloody party! Talking shop again, you regret one thing when it comes to all you've done since entering the wild world of writing. What?

ALAN: Not writing that "bestseller." But don't give up on me yet!
SKY:   Your agent suggested you write a romance and you did, Barbary Point. Fantastic! What was it like for you writing this? Did it throw you off balance or did you dive in head first and love every minute of it? Truth!
ALAN:    It was real easy—wrong. Now for the honest answer. I thought it would be easier. You have to realize that I'm a male writing a love story from the female's point of view—sort of weird I guess. But I think it worked out well, but I had some good woman friends who provided some nice critiques—"you dumbass, Kelly wouldn't say that!"—like I said nice gentle critiques. I know some don't like the ending in BARBARY POINT, but I do because it's real. I hope this doesn't mean I'm not a happily-ever-after kind of guy. Oh well…
SKY:   OMG, you just made me laugh. Funny, never thought about the fact you were writing a romance from a woman's perspective. Too cool. Then again, I love writing from my heroes POV (Point of View) so I guess I'm just as weird! It was a blast having you over, Alan. Now it's definitely 'you' time. Mind sharing your favorite excerpt from BARBARY POINT? As sexual as you like minus a full on sex scene! (Don't have the 'permissions' set to this blog post for that. *winks*)

ALAN: Let me think—okay here goes. It's from page 1 and sets the theme for the entire story I think.

PROLOGUE

Mother always reminded me, ―Kelly, love from the mind is nothing more than a pleasurable arrangement, whereas love from the heart lasts forever.

I had listened to these same exact words beginning in junior high, again in high school, and throughout college. And it always worried me I might not be able to tell the difference.

A man I deeply loved once told me that a fish lunges after an artificial lure solely on instinct. He sees it, wants it, and zappo, he's hooked.

Love is a lot like that. You see someone you want, the chemistry is there, and zappo, you're hooked.

BLURB

When Kelly English flies back to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to close out her father's estate, the last thing on her mind is falling in love. Again. Kelly is twenty-eight and engaged to an older man who is quite wealthy. She's happy, and only desires to make the trip back brief, sell her deceased father's place, and return to her stable life in Los Angeles. However, while taking care of business in Oshkosh, Kelly meets a fishing guide, launching her on an emotional journey she never could have predicted or foreseen. BARBARY POINT is Kelly's story of what happened that one magical week in May on the shores of Lake Winnebago when the ducklings hatch and the walleye run.

What they're saying...

"Barbary Point is one of the most beautifully written love stories I've read. It will make you laugh and cry. It's so well written that you will feel the pain that Kelly, and I'm sure her father too, felt throughout their lives. But you will also feel the joy and love that Kelly feels as she spends more and more time on Barbary Point. I loved this heartwarming story of love."

~Martha Cheves's Review
Goodreads

"Sometimes you read something and it changes you. You appreciate your life so much more and thank the heavens for the wonderful life you have. I finished this beautiful piece of fiction and then dreamed about it. How cool is that? I fell in love with the characters.

Congratulations, Mr. Nayes on receiving the special Five and a Half Blue Roses! I'm so thrilled to have found Barbary Point."

~Rebecca Rose's Review
Goodreads

"Having come from a similar situation with my own father, this touching novella really hit home with me. I felt I could relate to it in a way that I can't relate to most books I read. Kelly has felt one way about her father all her life and if afforded the opportunity to experience a new outlook on who her father really was. Solid characters and an intricately wound love story will leave you wishing this book had been longer. Mr. Nayes writes with intellectual flair that leaves you wanting to read more."

~Val Pearson's Review
Goodreads

I'll bet you're eager to read this story. Keep your eyes peeled. BARBARY POINT will be available for purchase SOON! (Rumor has it within a week)

Already know Alan's your kind of writer? Head over to Amazon now to purchase GARGOYLES and THE UNNATURAL.

Learn more about Alan Nayes at his Website.

Alan Nayes Facebook Page.

Alan loves to hear from readers. Click HERE to 'drop a line.'

Interested in meeting another fantastic author? Perhaps win a prize? Head over to The Write Life now!

Best Always,
~Sky

Happy Birthday TWRP!!! Tamra Westberry's Contest Winner Drawn.

I'd like to begin this post by saying... HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY, The Wild Rose Press!!!

What can I say about my publisher except.... YOU ROCK!!! Fantastic company to work for. Rhonda & RJ, you're the best!

Also, while I have you, there's a contest winner to be announced from Tamra Westberry's cover article post last week. Drum roll please... Bessieinthewell@yahoo.com, you won! Congratulations!

Be sure to pop in tomorrow morn as I welcome author Alan Nayes to A Writer's Mind.

Cheers
~Sky

Tamra Westberry Shares How To Get The Most Out Of Your Cover Artist. Win a Digi Books Voucher!

Welcome! This week I have a special treat for you. My cover artist, Tamra Westberry is visiting A Writer's Mind. Tamra has designed nearly all of my covers. In each case she was easy to work with and delivered exactly what I asked for. 100% pure talent!

As an added bonus to this post, I'd like to host a contest. My treat. A way to thank Tamra for all her hard work over the years. The prize? A $15 voucher to Digi Books Cafe. How do you enter to win? Pretty easy.

First, leave a brief comment here. Perhaps about how fantastic you think Tamra's work is. *Grins* Next, head over to Tamra's Cover Page. Once there, pick one cover that you find simply fabulous and email Tamra with the title of the book (shown on the cover) at tara@tarawest.com. The catch? You cannot email her with one of the titles shown in this blog post (no matter how much you love them) and please do not leave your answer in a comment at this blog. Your feedback in this phase of the contest is for Tamra's eyes only! Can you choose a title from one of her other cover pages? Of course.
Back to business. Tamra graciously provided an article she wrote about cover art. Every cover and banner sprinkled throughout this post is Tamra's design. Must say, they're gorgeous. Okay, floor's yours Tamra...

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR COVER ART BY TAMRA WESTBERRY
For portfolio, please visit Tarawest.com
I love new friends! Facebook profile 
According to a poll at Live Journal, Poll 1007999, book promotion 101, sixty-three percent of readers have bought a book based on a cover. This is excellent news for authors with marketable covers. If you're a well-known author who sells books mostly based on that bold name stamped on the cover, maybe the quality of your cover won't have a huge impact on your sales.

But let's just say your name isn't Nora Roberts or Christina Dodd. Let's just say you'd rather not cancel your pending book-signing because you are mortified by the gross misrepresentation of your story. How do you get the cover you envision, or at the very least, a cover that you can show to friends without cringing?
For those of you wanting to self-publish on Kindle or Nook, you've got to foot the bill for the entire production of your book, from cover art to promotion. Just as you'd do with a promotional company, research cover artists before signing a contract. Speak to their clients. Sure, their covers look good, but if it takes three months to complete and the artist is resistant to changes, this can be a frustrating experience. Look for an artist who doesn't charge you a design fee up front. You should pay for the cover only after you are satisfied with the artist's work. That way, you know this artist won't stick your western novel with a gothic cover and then ignore your emails. Also, if your book will be going to print, will this artist be willing to design the spine and back cover? Or is that a hidden, hefty fee?
If you've contracted your manuscript with a traditional print or an e-publisher, most of the time you will have to use their in-house artists. Hopefully, you've done your research in regards to their artwork policies before signing a contract. For instance, if this publisher's covers aren't appealing, do you really want to contract with them? Do they charge for artwork? If so, then find another publisher. If you really like this publishing house but don't like their artwork, are they willing to let you use an outside artist? If so, chances are, you will be required to pay for this artist yourself. Are you willing to pay an outside artist for cover art when you will also be footing the bill for promotional ad space, etc?

If your cover art contract asks for your preferences, do your research before submitting to your editor. Your company's website usually has a link to their cover artists' pages under the 'about us' section. Scroll through the various artists' cover art samples. Find the artwork that mostly represents what you want in a cover and request that artist on your contract. Be advised, sometimes this artist will be too busy to take on new authors, so it's best to also list a second artist.

Don't expect your cover artist to read the first few chapters to get a feel for what your cover should look like. Unfortunately, many artists don't have the time or luxury to read your book. Do you really want your artist speed reading through your manuscript and slapping a stalky blond hero on your cover, when he's tall dark and handsome?
Be specific as to what you want but remember that you may not always get exactly what you asked for. The reason is that most publishing houses are now using stock photography for their cover images. Even traditional print houses have gone the path of stock photography because spending $15 for an image is much more cost-effective than paying hefty modeling and photographer fees.

Therefore, it's best to list three options for your cover. If the book takes place in the mountains, on the plains and on the high seas, then list three scenes that would work for your cover. If you write that you want your hero and heroine embracing on a boat, but give no other details, don't be surprised if your historical novel is set on a modern-day cruise ship. And if it is a modern novel, then be specific as to what they are wearing. You don't want a couple on an Alaskan cruise to be scantily clad in swim suits.

So what are your options if your Alaskan couple is dressed in swimsuits?

1. Send threatening letters to your artist's personal email and home address.

2. Cry and throw a fit and blog and tweet about your crappy publisher and art department.

3. Take a deep breath and slowly calculate a way to convince the art department to change your cover.

The obvious choice is #3. Your first line of defense is your editor. She loves the book almost as much as you do since she is willing to offer you a contract. Send her an email succinctly explaining how this cover doesn't fit your story and that you'd like the artist to revise it. Chances are that your editor will forward this email to the art department. Chances are that if your email conveys a hysterical or rude tone, the artist will be offended and may be resistant to changing your cover. Maybe the couple is dumpy, the ship is tacky and the entire color scheme is hideous. Grit your teeth and find something good to say about the cover in your email.
"While I love the fonts on the cover, neither the couple, ship or colors set the tone for my book. I have admired many of this artist's covers, and I was hoping she would make it look more like the cover she designed for author__________."

Later, if the artist makes the changes and you are happy with your cover, send her a thank you note. You never know if that person will design the cover for your next book. You can also request her as your artist on your next contract, and most artists are eager to please returning authors.

However, not all cover artists will be accommodating. Sometimes, the publisher is on a deadline or maybe can't spend the extra money to buy the art or pay the models. Or maybe the artist/publisher doesn't see a need to change your cover.


Now you need to ask yourself the question, "Is the cover so hideous that it will drive away sales?"

Or are you upset because the heroine is a pale blonde, and, while the artwork is beautiful, the woman on the cover is a dusty blonde?

Though it may not seem so to the author, having a marketable cover is far more important than hair color.


I lost count of the number of covers I've designed after #300 a few years ago. Through the past five years as an artist for The Wild Rose Press and also as a freelance designer, I know I've made some less than appealing covers. I've also designed some award winning covers. My favorite covers usually have one thing in common. The author didn't say, "I trust your creativity. Come up with something cool!" The author was specific as to what she wanted.

I've had the wonderful experience of designing several covers for the repeat authors. What I like best about these authors is that they have a clear vision in their heads of how their covers should look. A perfect example would be Sky Purington's, The Victorian Lure. The original cover was boxy and not at all what she had in mind. When we spoke more in-depth, I was able to see into her head and create exactly what she wanted. And I'm so glad, because the final cover came out so much better than the original.

Sky here! Excellent article, Tamra. Great advice all the way through. I remember back at the beginning in '07 when I first became published. I was so nervous about nearly everything in the publishing field. It was all so new! You were one of my first contacts and really made me feel comfortable. Enough so that I didn't hesitate to tell you what I envisioned for my covers. Once more, thank you so much, Tamra. Here's to the covers behind us and all the beautiful covers yet to come!

Don't forget there's a contest running. As a reminder...

The prize? A $15 voucher to Digi Books Cafe. How do you enter to win? Pretty easy. First, leave a brief comment here. Next, head over to Tamra's Cover Page. Once there, pick one cover that you find simply fabulous and email Tamra with the Title of the Book (shown on the cover) at tara@tarawest.com. The catch? You cannot email her with one of the titles in this blog post and please do not leave your answer in a comment at this blog. For Tamra's eyes only!

Contest ends Friday, April 29th, 12 PM EST.

Interested in meeting a super author? Perhaps win a prize? Head over to The Write Life next.

Cheers!

~Sky

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Cover Artist. Chance to win a Digi Books Voucher!

Welcome! This week I have a special treat for you. My cover artist, Tamra Westberry is visiting A Writer's Mind. Tamra has designed nearly all of my covers. In each case she was easy to work with and delivered exactly what I asked for. 100% pure talent!

As an added bonus to this post, I'd like to host a contest. My treat. A way to thank Tamra for all her hard work over the years. The prize? A $15 voucher to Digi Books Cafe. How do you enter to win? Pretty easy.

First, leave a brief comment here. Perhaps about how fantastic you think Tamra's work is. *Grins* Next, head over to Tamra's Cover Page. Once there, pick one cover that you find simply fabulous and email Tamra with the title of the book (shown on the cover) at tara@tarawest.com. The catch? You cannot email her with one of the titles shown in this blog post (no matter how much you love them) and please do not leave your answer in a comment at this blog. Your feedback in this phase of the contest is for Tamra's eyes only! Can you choose a title from one of her other cover pages? Of course.
Back to business. Tamra graciously provided an article she wrote about cover art. Every cover and banner sprinkled throughout this post is Tamra's design. Must say, they're gorgeous. Okay, floor's yours Tamra...

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR COVER ART BY TAMRA WESTBERRY
For portfolio, please visit Tarawest.com
I love new friends! Facebook profile 
According to a poll at Live Journal, Poll 1007999, book promotion 101, sixty-three percent of readers have bought a book based on a cover. This is excellent news for authors with marketable covers. If you're a well-known author who sells books mostly based on that bold name stamped on the cover, maybe the quality of your cover won't have a huge impact on your sales.

But let's just say your name isn't Nora Roberts or Christina Dodd. Let's just say you'd rather not cancel your pending book-signing because you are mortified by the gross misrepresentation of your story. How do you get the cover you envision, or at the very least, a cover that you can show to friends without cringing?
For those of you wanting to self-publish on Kindle or Nook, you've got to foot the bill for the entire production of your book, from cover art to promotion. Just as you'd do with a promotional company, research cover artists before signing a contract. Speak to their clients. Sure, their covers look good, but if it takes three months to complete and the artist is resistant to changes, this can be a frustrating experience. Look for an artist who doesn't charge you a design fee up front. You should pay for the cover only after you are satisfied with the artist's work. That way, you know this artist won't stick your western novel with a gothic cover and then ignore your emails. Also, if your book will be going to print, will this artist be willing to design the spine and back cover? Or is that a hidden, hefty fee?
If you've contracted your manuscript with a traditional print or an e-publisher, most of the time you will have to use their in-house artists. Hopefully, you've done your research in regards to their artwork policies before signing a contract. For instance, if this publisher's covers aren't appealing, do you really want to contract with them? Do they charge for artwork? If so, then find another publisher. If you really like this publishing house but don't like their artwork, are they willing to let you use an outside artist? If so, chances are, you will be required to pay for this artist yourself. Are you willing to pay an outside artist for cover art when you will also be footing the bill for promotional ad space, etc?

If your cover art contract asks for your preferences, do your research before submitting to your editor. Your company's website usually has a link to their cover artists' pages under the 'about us' section. Scroll through the various artists' cover art samples. Find the artwork that mostly represents what you want in a cover and request that artist on your contract. Be advised, sometimes this artist will be too busy to take on new authors, so it's best to also list a second artist.

Don't expect your cover artist to read the first few chapters to get a feel for what your cover should look like. Unfortunately, many artists don't have the time or luxury to read your book. Do you really want your artist speed reading through your manuscript and slapping a stalky blond hero on your cover, when he's tall dark and handsome?
Be specific as to what you want but remember that you may not always get exactly what you asked for. The reason is that most publishing houses are now using stock photography for their cover images. Even traditional print houses have gone the path of stock photography because spending $15 for an image is much more cost-effective than paying hefty modeling and photographer fees.

Therefore, it's best to list three options for your cover. If the book takes place in the mountains, on the plains and on the high seas, then list three scenes that would work for your cover. If you write that you want your hero and heroine embracing on a boat, but give no other details, don't be surprised if your historical novel is set on a modern-day cruise ship. And if it is a modern novel, then be specific as to what they are wearing. You don't want a couple on an Alaskan cruise to be scantily clad in swim suits.

So what are your options if your Alaskan couple is dressed in swimsuits?

1. Send threatening letters to your artist's personal email and home address.

2. Cry and throw a fit and blog and tweet about your crappy publisher and art department.

3. Take a deep breath and slowly calculate a way to convince the art department to change your cover.

The obvious choice is #3. Your first line of defense is your editor. She loves the book almost as much as you do since she is willing to offer you a contract. Send her an email succinctly explaining how this cover doesn't fit your story and that you'd like the artist to revise it. Chances are that your editor will forward this email to the art department. Chances are that if your email conveys a hysterical or rude tone, the artist will be offended and may be resistant to changing your cover. Maybe the couple is dumpy, the ship is tacky and the entire color scheme is hideous. Grit your teeth and find something good to say about the cover in your email.
"While I love the fonts on the cover, neither the couple, ship or colors set the tone for my book. I have admired many of this artist's covers, and I was hoping she would make it look more like the cover she designed for author__________."

Later, if the artist makes the changes and you are happy with your cover, send her a thank you note. You never know if that person will design the cover for your next book. You can also request her as your artist on your next contract, and most artists are eager to please returning authors.

However, not all cover artists will be accommodating. Sometimes, the publisher is on a deadline or maybe can't spend the extra money to buy the art or pay the models. Or maybe the artist/publisher doesn't see a need to change your cover.


Now you need to ask yourself the question, "Is the cover so hideous that it will drive away sales?"

Or are you upset because the heroine is a pale blonde, and, while the artwork is beautiful, the woman on the cover is a dusty blonde?

Though it may not seem so to the author, having a marketable cover is far more important than hair color.


I lost count of the number of covers I've designed after #300 a few years ago. Through the past five years as an artist for The Wild Rose Press and also as a freelance designer, I know I've made some less than appealing covers. I've also designed some award winning covers. My favorite covers usually have one thing in common. The author didn't say, "I trust your creativity. Come up with something cool!" The author was specific as to what she wanted.

I've had the wonderful experience of designing several covers for the repeat authors. What I like best about these authors is that they have a clear vision in their heads of how their covers should look. A perfect example would be Sky Purington's, The Victorian Lure. The original cover was boxy and not at all what she had in mind. When we spoke more in-depth, I was able to see into her head and create exactly what she wanted. And I'm so glad, because the final cover came out so much better than the original.

Sky here! Excellent article, Tamra. Great advice all the way through. I remember back at the beginning in '07 when I first became published. I was so nervous about nearly everything in the publishing field. It was all so new! You were one of my first contacts and really made me feel comfortable. Enough so that I didn't hesitate to tell you what I envisioned for my covers. Once more, thank you so much, Tamra. Here's to the covers behind us and all the beautiful covers yet to come!

Don't forget there's a contest running. As a reminder...

The prize? A $15 voucher to Digi Books Cafe. How do you enter to win? Pretty easy. First, leave a brief comment here. Next, head over to Tamra's Cover Page. Once there, pick one cover that you find simply fabulous and email Tamra with the Title of the Book (shown on the cover) at tara@tarawest.com. The catch? You cannot email her with one of the titles in this blog post and please do not leave your answer in a comment at this blog. For Tamra's eyes only!

Contest ends Friday, April 29th, 12 PM EST.

Cheers!

~Sky

Ready To Laugh? YOU NEED TO READ THIS. P.J. Jones' Spoof On Romance!

Welcome! I've decided to kick off my MONDAY COVERS IT promotion a little early with P.J. Jones', ROMANCE NOVEL cover. Gotta say, I love both the cover and the concept of this book. As we're all still a little groggy from a busy weekend, this particular post is designed to be quick and to the point. And WAY TOO FUNNY! So grab a cuppa java and start your work week out right!


SKY:   PJ, tell us a bit about this cover
PJ:   Well, luckily for FLABIO, he was awarded the chance to be on the cover of ROMANCE NOVEL after doing a good deed, but you'll have to read all the way to chapter sixteen without burning your ereader to find out why. I asked my cover artist to put FLABIO  in a kilt, because he'd already ripped his pirate shirt and men in kilts usually sell more books. Usually, FLABIO models for laxative and domestic violence advertisements, so we didn't want to use the shots with him in the wife-beater and ripped jeans. Rather, we cropped a shot of him standing on a scale and pasted a kilt over his XXL boxers.
SKY:  OMG, can't stop chuckling. Flabio! Too much. Laxative and domestic violence ads?! *snorts* Suppose somebody has to step up to the plate, eh? Ohhh, that poor kilt. Has this cover won any awards yet?
PJ:   Well, not yet, but FLABIO is really hoping for a shot at winning RT's Mr. Romance, 2011, so I suppose I'd better enter his cover in a few contests.
SKY:  LOL. Still laughing. Thanks for starting my Monday off right PJ!

Read a HOT LOVE SCENE from Romance Novel HERE.
A little bit about ROMANCE NOVEL…
Smella Rosepetal must find a millionaire husband to finance her baby's heart transplant. She flies home to her deputy father's ranch in Pitchforks, Texas, where she falls in love with Deadward Forest, a wealthy environmentalist vampire. 
When a deranged murderer is on the loose in Pitchforks, killing romance heroines, Deadward assumes Smella would be safer without him. Smella turns to her childhood friend, Snake Long, for comfort. But Snake doesn't have the money to save her baby, so Smella places herself in peril in a desperate hunt for a rich husband.
Time is running out for Smella's baby, and she must escape the Australian Outback, then face down Flabio, an overweight and disgruntled, aspiring cover model, plus enraged vampire wives and their homosexual, vampire, cowboy husbands, a jealous were-gerbil, James Bond, a drunk rodeo clown and Smella's strange boyfriend who wants to drain her blood, yet is repulsed by her smell.
Purchase ROMANCE NOVEL at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  

Check out PJ's blog,   PJ Jones' Ramblings- Unicorns, Tampons and Other Girly Things . Join Jones on Facebook. Learn more about PJ's cover artist, Tamra Westberry, HERE.
Speaking of Tamra Westberry, be sure to pop in tomorrow morning as I welcome her to A Writer's Mind! 


Interested in meeting another great author? Perhaps win a prize? Be sure to head over to The Write Life now.
Cheers~Sky

Hywela Lyn Re-Issues Dancing With Fate!

Happy Earth Day Everyone! I can't believe the weekend is nearly here.  I'm not sure if you've heard, but my dear friend, Hywela Lyn re-issued her tale Dancing With Fate through Smashwords last Monday. I loved her Monday blog post so I decided to steal it. Lyn, I hope you don't mind! *Grins*
So here we go. Again this post is NOT written by me but by author Hywela Lyn.
"I love legends and mythology, and when, a few years ago, I was contracted to be one of nine authors to each write a story about one of the Greek muses, for The Wild Rose Press, I decided to merge a few other legends with the Greek mythology and send my muse, Terpsichore to 5th Century Celtic Wales.

The series was published in 2008 and and having regained my rights I'm re-publishing the story.  I've made a few changes to the original novella and have republished it with Smashwords, complete with a spanking new cover designed by my dear friend and crit partner, the talented author Miss Mae.  I can't stop looking at that cover, it portrays the mystery and seductiveness of my heroine, who has a penchant for bathing in waterfalls, perfectly, while hinting that she has a spark of mischief as well. 
As a horse lover, I had to include a couple of horses in the story.  One is Harri, my black Welsh cob and the other is my much loved little endurance mare Sal, who sadly passed away three years ago at the grand old age of 34

A fellow Muse Author Masha Holl made this lovely picture of Terpsichore and Sal

How about a blurb? I hear you ask - OK, here it is:
When Terpsichore, the Greek Muse of Dance, is assigned to revisit 5th Century Wales, and help the people regain their love of dancing, her task seems simple enough. She is unaware there is a hidden agenda. Before she can return to Olympus, her path crosses that of the mysterious Myrddin, and her heart is lost.

But Myrddin is promised to another. His mind is set on the dangerous task that lies before him, and the woman he has sworn to save. Nevertheless, he cannot deny the growing attraction between him and the beautiful stranger he meets along the way.

Terpsichore and Myrddin face a deadly force that threatens to part them forever. Is she destined to lose the only man she has ever truly loved? Is there nothing she can do to save him? Finally, when all seems lost, in desperation she finds herself DANCING WITH FATE. "
Sky here.  Fantastic cover. WTG Miss Mae! Interested in purchasing Dancing With Fate? Click HERE.
I hope everyone enjoys a fabulous Easter Weekend.  Be sure to pop in Monday morning as I highlight author PJ Jones', Romance Novel cover in my MONDAY COVERS IT feature. Also, swing back in Tuesday as I welcome my beyond talented cover artist, Tamra Westberry!
Cheers~Sky

Do you have Second Sight? Interview With UK Author Paula Newcombe!

Hi Everyone! It's hard to believe that we're nearing the end of April already. As many of you know I've a few more author interviews scheduled at A Writer's Mind before the promotional criteria changes. Be sure to click here to learn more.
This week it's my pleasure to welcome UK author, Paula Newcombe.
SKY:   Welcome, Paula. Great to have you over to A Writer's Mind!
PAULA: Thank you, it's really good to be here. I've been looking forward to this for quite some time.
SKY:  Isn't it wonderful how we can 'cross the pond' so easily via the internet now? Tell us a little bit about you and your work.
PAULA: I am married with two young sons. After taking redundancy from Local Government last year (I was working as a Lean Thinking Consultant) I have changed careers completely and am now hoping to become a teacher for Surestart. I have been writing short stories for a number of years, English Literature and Language were my best subjects at School, writing essays was a joy for me. I have a creative mind and have always loved reading especially murder mysteries – Agatha Christie was one of my favourite authors when I was growing up. I loved the way she kept you guessing until the end who the murderer was and how she built up her characters. I was determined at some point in my life to write a proper novel, I even had an idea for a story which came from an American horror film I had watched many years ago. I kept thinking about characters for my story and how I wanted it to end. It was definitely going to be a murder mystery! It wasn't until I was on maternity leave in 2006/2007 that I finally put pen to paper. However despite typing up all my notes I didn't doing anything further about trying to get my story published until a friend at work told me about a Newwriter's group. This was a group of author's who had got together and published their work with great success. I went along to a few of their meetings and was pleasantly surprised. The members of the group were very helpful and encouraging. Julie (the Director of the Newwriters group) was an inspiration and encouraged me to get my story edited and published. I got the name of a good editor from one of the authors in the group and the names of two excellent designers who put together a very eye catching front cover. In September 2008 I had my book published and had a launch party with a few other members of Newwriters in Nottingham. It was very successful and I was very pleased with the end result – my story in print! I am currently writing my second Novel – "A Time to Die" and hope to have it published very soon.
SKY:  Good for you, Paula! I also decided to pursue penning my first novel upon pregnancy. Kudos to you for becoming published while raising little ones. No easy task!  I loved reading that you highly recommend that authors read their work aloud after writing. Great advice! Tell me, to whom did you first read your work? Was it yourself or did you have another step in to listen? How did it go?
PAULA:  I did re-read my story a number of times and sent various Chapters to be reviewed by other members of the Newwriters Group. This was extremely helpful and motivated me to keep going. I found the comments I received were very positive and some useful suggestions were given. It is important for someone else to give their views as being so close to the story you tend to overlook consistency errors and potential holes in the plot no matter how much re-reading you do!! I also found close friends will not give their honest opinions for fear of upsetting you which is really kind but not always helpful. I did find building the characters descriptions/personalities into the first few chapters was very useful and hopefully gains the reader's interest early on.
SKY:   I agree with you, it's best to get character descriptions/personalities put on the pages as soon as possible. It helps the reader 'see' who you're talking about sooner. In my case, I always go after the color of the eyes and the main personality trait first. What about you? What sorts of character descriptions do you tend to focus on first when it comes to men and women alike?
PAULA: With me it's the descriptions first (of both men and women) – I want the reader to build up a picture in their mind's eye of the character's then discover their personality traits fairly early on. I don't like to reveal too much of the personality traits – it's important to keep the reader guessing especially in a Murder mystery novel!
SKY:   Good point! You also talk of consistency being one of the main ingredients when writing a story. So true. Did you find that challenging when you first started writing? If so, what did you do to make sure that you kept in context?
PAULA: Yes consistency is SO important!! I did find it very challenging at first, to help me overcome this I kept notes of all my character's and events that had happened to date. I still had some consistency error's which my editor picked up on – a good editor is invaluable!!
SKY: Yes they are! I can tell already that your ghostly murder mystery, Second Sight is right up my alley. What was your main inspiration behind writing this novel?


PAULA: The inspiration was all of the great Murder mystery films I have watched – especially the televised Agatha Christie plots and Alfred Hitchcock thriller's. I love a good twist in a story plus lot's of suspense to keep me hooked. This is exactly what I wanted for my book which hopefully was achieved. 
SKY: What are you working on now? Any, "I can't wait to share this!" novels forthcoming?
PAULA: Well as I said earlier I am working on another murder mystery called a Time to Die. It's a bit more emotional than the first but still contains plenty of suspense and twists in the story.
SKY:  Sound fantastic. Such a blast having you visit, Paula! You're welcome back anytime. Let's leave off with your favorite excerpt bits from Second Site. Floor's yours!
PAULA: This is one of my favourite's " Suddenly, without warning he rushed towards her. Sarah gasped, raised her hands to shield herself; waited for the attack. Felt nothing but a rush of cold air. She spun round but he was gone".
Story Blurb
Sarah Miller seemed to have it all; she is an attractive young woman with a good career and deeply in love with Adam, her new husband, but when they move into their dream home everything suddenly changes. Sarah quickly discovers the house is haunted and has regular visions of a brutal murder that appears to have taken place in their very home only ten years ago. Her life is turned upside down.
Fearing she might be going mad and afraid to tell Adam in case he thinks so too, she tries to discover what really happened and seeks to identify the murderer. There are so many questions: why is she the only one who sees the ghosts and the gruesome visions? Does someone or something need her help and is she in danger herself? Time is running out as Sarah tries desperately to piece everything together before the Killer strikes again. But who is going to believe her and are the visions from the past or the future?
Read Some Five Star Reviews...
A novel that is intriguing, a murder mystery, a ghost story and a story of the foibles of human nature, which the main character and her best friend are both tempted, one falls for temptation with dire consequences for her spouse, which was excellently written with both points of view expressed.
The main plot line of the story is both original and exhilarating which at times makes the hairs stand up one the back of your neck, with its dark, enigmatic and disturbing narrative. A real page turner from start to finish, full of twist and turns which kept me guessing(and enthralled)right until the end of the book.
I would highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from the author.
Amazon Review by D. Gething
Loved this book from start to finish. Loved the storyline so much sat reading until 3 in the morning on more than one occasion!! My mother also read Paula's book and was totally hooked! Hope there's more to follow - can't wait!
Published on 10 Mar 2009 by G.Hartshorn 
Not normally a reader of 'Thrillers' I was passed this book by a friend and decided to give it a go and was really pleased that I did. The storyline captured my interest from the off and kept me guessing the whole way through.

Second Sight was definitely a book which found me wanting to read more in order to reach the next twist in the storyline. Could not believe this was a debut novel and would definitely go out and purchase any other novel written by Ms Newcombe. [image error]
Purchase Second Sight at Amazon.co.uk.
Visit Paula at her Website.

Be sure to head over to The Write Life to meet another fantastic author and perhaps win a prize!

Best Regards,~Sky

Attention AUTHORS! I've added something. FREE PROMO Opt. Midweek Meet & Greet. Crawl Inside A Writer's MInd. Learn More!

Sunday already! Weekend went by too fast.

While I have your attention I'd like to share. Because of the overwhelming interest in author interviews I've decided to add an extra feature to my new blog criteria starting May 9'th. If you're already booked for various parts of this new blog promotion, please consider adding this to your A Writer's Mind schedule. If not, no worries and certainly not a prerequisite! This is all about authors spreading the word. Here are the details...

Midweek Meet & Greet. Crawl Inside A Writer's Mind.

When? Tuesday through Thursday

Guidelines: A uniform author interview will be provided. This is the time to share all. How you became the author you are today. What inspired you to keep on going? This interview will be a new sort of interview. One that will hopefully share with readers something unique about you. Anyone who has been to A Writer's Mind and read my interviews knows I don't hold back. Expect the unexpected with my questions. Why not? Your readers will love it!

Authors, be sure to email me at Skypurington@live.com to book now. Click HERE to learn more about this promo feature as well as other advertising options.


ALSO, my Salvator's hanging at Renee Vincent's, Past the Print blog one more day! You still have a chance to win an Amazon or Digi Books Cafe Gift Certificate. Contest closes at 10 PM, EST so get yourself over there and join the fun. 


Be sure to pop in first thing tomorrow morn as I welcome UK author Paula Newcombe. Love her interview. Bet you will too!


Cheers
~Sky