Taylor Dawn's Blog, page 5

Happy Release Day!!! The CEO’s Secret by Jessica Wildblood

The CEO’s Secret by debut Author Jessica Wildblood

I play the game better than anyone…but I’ll break every rule for her.

JAMES

You know my name. It’s on the front of the building: Kelsey Technologies. I built it, I own it. I’m a man with one thing on my mind. The only thing that’s ever mattered: making money. Then Clarissa Hart walks into my office. Five foot six of sweet perfection wrapped up in a tight black skirt. I’ve seen my fill of secretaries eager for a piece of their billionaire boss. Clarissa, she’s in a league of her own…and bad for business. I’ve learned that from bitter experience. Then why can’t I stop thinking about her? Clarissa Hart, I’m going to take what I need from you. Your body, first. But with a desire this strong, that’s just the beginning…

CLARISSA

Who hasn’t heard the rumors about James Kelsey? He eats his competitors for dinner in the boardroom – then takes his secretaries home for dessert. I’d be a fool to take this job if I didn’t think I could look after myself.

But I was happy enough as I was… or so I thought. Sure, my life’s no fairy-tale – but I never expected it to be. I don’t believe in love at first sight and I don’t go chasing after crazy dreams. I’m certainly not the type to fall for a billionaire playboy’s promises.

Yeah, right. One look into James Kelsey’s crystal blue eyes and that rational thinking flew straight out the window.

It doesn’t matter that he’s got the body of a Greek God. It doesn’t matter that giving in to him is all I want to do. He’s my boss. And I’ve got no guarantee he wants anything more from me than sex.

How can I surrender, when my heart’s the only one at risk?

The CEO’s Secret is a standalone billionaire romance novel with no cliff-hanger, no cheating, and of course it has the Happily Ever After you’ve been searching for!

Get social with Author Jessica Wildblood!

Hey there, 2017!!!

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW!!!

As 2016 comes to a close, we look back at things that were and things that might have been. Most of us will choose a New Year’s Resolution and some will usher in the new year by simply shrugging our shoulders. The year was kind to some and not so kind to others but either way, it came and went in a quick 365 days. The days added up to weeks and the weeks to months as we went about our lives. In a way, I’m not really sure how I feel about 2016. It brought forth opportunities for me, but it also brought forth disappointment. I can’t seem to be upset though because simply put, that’s life.

What I learned in 2016

In my personal opinion, if you haven’t learned something with each passing year, you’re not really growing as a person. I’m not really the type of gal who will sit idly by and let the world blow past me. I’m a doer. I get up in the mornings, fix my coffee and generally see what I can do to evolve or better myself. Growth is something that I cherish and 2016 was a year that I could see things begin to take hold. I’ve learned more about myself than I thought I would but the major thing I learned was that I can bounce back from disappointment and despair quickly. Let’s face it, change sucks. It doesn’t matter if it’s just the weather or something major in your life. We tend to push change away instead of embracing it. I was forced to embrace change in 2016 when my book publisher of two and a half years closed its doors for good. Some folded their hand of cards and some were like me and decided to continue to play the hand they were dealt. Everything turned out good in my favor for some unknown reason but I’m grateful for that.

I also learned that I am stronger than I give myself credit for. I don’t know how many times during 2016 I sat down and cried when things didn’t go as planned. But that’s the thing about this life, we aren’t really in control, are we? That’s a harsh reality to grasp but I think I have a good handle on it now. Among many things that forced me to pull out my inner strength was the bad news of an impending surgery in January. Yep, here I go under the knife again. Not really how I wanted to start my year off but I don’t have another choice. After screaming, crying and being a sourpuss, I finally decided that I wasn’t going to let something like this define me. I’ll get through it and be a better person on the tail of it.

Lessons are to be learned everywhere, you just have to be open to them. In January of 2016 my eyes were opened to how amazing it really is to live in small town America. We all have dreams of living in big cities but I found that our tiny town isn’t just a collective group of human beings. We are basically a huge family that is willing to drop everything and lend a hand when needed. When our town was in danger of being flooded by the Mississippi River, everyone pitched in to pack and load entire homes inside of semi-trailers. Those trucks were taken to higher ground until the threat was over. My son Jack and I helped with 2 homes in the area when the threat reached a fever pitch. It was amazing to see neighbors helping without question. This isn’t just a town to me, it’s where I call home. It’s where my roots are planted and where I’ve watched my family grow.

The last thing that I’ve learned is that material possessions aren’t what makes a person happy. We all love stuff. We treasure our belongings because we worked hard for them. But when our home was in danger of being underwater from flooding, I literally packed pictures, a handful of clothing and a couple of sentimental items. I looked around my home and realized that the things adorning my home don’t define me. They are just things and things can be replaced. I’ve never really been a materialistic person. I’m grateful for everything I have because it could all disappear in the blink of an eye.

What I hope for in 2017

I have this strange habit of crying at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve every single year. It’s sad to see another year pass but in a way, it gives us a fresh start. Instead of changing habits, I want to carry over things that I’ve done and learned in 2016. One of them being the fact that I love helping others. I don’t know how many times a week I’m approached by novice and veteran authors who want help with various things. I love helping people. There has to be something in my DNA that compels me to do so and I’m perfectly fine with that.

Another hope for 2017 is that I might inspire just one person. I began my writing career as a dream. Coming from a small town, there aren’t that many opportunities here. I decided to make my own. I want people to see no matter who you are or what your background is, your dreams are there for the taking. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without my writing. It gets me through tough times and gives me an outlet for the voices in my head (go ahead and laugh). Have you thought of becoming a signer, a painter or even an interior designer? Why haven’t you taken the leap yet? What’s holding you back? The biggest thing that held me back all those years was simply, myself. Fear overtook me and I caved. Sure, there are times I want to hide my head in the sand but even on my worst day, I can smile knowing I did something incredible.

 

 

I truly hope everyone who reads this will take a chance on something new in 2017. I hope you have many reasons to smile and that you are blessed in ways you never imagined. Happy New Year!

New Release: The Year Santa Stubbed His Toe by Author William M. Hayes

The Year Santa Stubbed His Toes

By

William M. Hayes

The man in red really exists.

To all the people in the world that say Santa is just a myth, you are simply and completely wrong. Many tales have been told about the man in red. Some true—some as true as two-headed unicorns with wings living in the city of Atlantis.

This tale is true.

A year not so long ago, Santa was ready to take his yearly pilgrimage on the night before Christmas when disaster struck—he stubbed his toe. Not once, but twice—the second blow was against a gift-wrapped bowling ball that ballooned his toe to twice its size. He could not make his yearly run by himself; he needed help. So on that fateful night he enlisted four of his best elves to help him make his deliveries around the world: Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, South America, and North America.

A journey that was not only a night of discovery for the elves on that Christmas Eve—but for Santa and the world as well … The Year Santa Stubbed his Toe.

Meet William M. Hayes!

William M. Hayes lives with his beautiful family in a small suburb in New York. His passion for writing became apparent in his twenties, and he dreams of retiring to a secluded beach house where he can write all day.

Click below to get social with William!

Thanks for visiting Tiara Talk!

New Release by Author S.L. Stacker

Congrats to Author S.L. Stacker on the release of her latest novel, RAIN DOWN!

S.L. Stacker is an International Best-Selling romantic suspense and young adult suspense author. Her published novels include: The Macyn McIntyre Series (Romantic Suspense) which is composed of Macyn’s Letter, Macyn’s Awakening, and Macyn’s Decision, Rain Down (Romantic Suspense), and Summer Soiree (Young Adult Suspense Novella). Her current projects include several fiction romance and suspense novels and a young adult suspense series. All works are to be published in 2016/2017.

When she isn’t throwing her readers for a loop and leaving them wanting more, she can be found relaxing and hanging with her husband, children, and dogs. You can visit her at http://www.slstacker.com

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and Kobo

Jules Avery and Gavin Boyd have been together for five years, but after a proposal-gone-wrong, Jules sees the real side of Gavin…a side she never wants to see again.

Gavin informs Jules he’s leaving the country. Within hours of his declaration, she learns of her parents’ murders. Is it coincidence these things happened on the same day?

Reed Davison, her longtime friend, learns of her loss, and he steps in and assumes the role of protector, friend, and hopeful lover. Having been infatuated with her since high school, he would like nothing more than to make Jules his, but for the time being, he’s content with his self-imposed role in her life.

As Jules and Reed grow closer, their relationship begins to flourish. It isn’t long before he realizes she is the one for him, and he plans to make her his in a more permanent way. On the evening he plans to propose, events unfold—events that force Jules to evaluate her life.

Will she allow the life she has built with Reed to crumble around her?

Also check out these other titles by S.L. Stacker!

To get social with S.L. Stacker, click the button below!

Thanks for stopping by Tiara Talk!

Twenty Questions with Tiara Talk: Author Elaine Marie

Let’s straighten our tiaras and welcome new author Elaine Marie to Tiara Talk! Elaine has just launched her debut novel, Because I Can and decided to stop by and let us get to know her better! Thanks for hanging out with us, Elaine!

Jenna is a victim of an attack on her college campus. After barely escaping, she manages to make her way to campus security. With the help of the security guard, the local police are called, but she soon learns no one will help her case, and the police and the college administration dismiss her accusation, leaving her feeling empty.

Tired of the whispers and looks from her classmates and professors, she decides to take charge of the situation. Tired of being a victim, she’s determined to take her life back.

Jenna soon undergoes a dramatic makeover…one that leaves even her best friend unable to recognize her. With her new look and the help of some online self-help videos, she begins her search for her attacker.

In her search, the one thing Jenna didn’t expect to find was the handsome, new student, Nic. As she gets to know him, she learns he isn’t who he claims to be. It’s then Jenna begins to suspect the guy she’s fallen for.

As she closes in on her attacker, she makes a few new discoveries, and she can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. As she races against time, will she be able to uncover the identity of her attacker before he strikes again?

Twenty Questions with Elaine Marie

Tell us something that everyone might not know about you?

When I was younger I went on the prowl for this particular guy I “wanted”.  Well I found him at our local bar and he was my one and only one-night stand. He moved away, no big deal. Two years later I found myself in the same bar as him and found out he moved back to our hometown.  Seventeen years later he still makes me melt with just a look or a slight touch. Oh and we are married!

Describe a typical morning around your house (don’t leave out the juicy details)

Well, Let’s see. (Clearing throat) Let’s just say while the kids are asleep the adults will play, sometimes I wake up with him between my legs, other’s I wake up with my coffee ready. Either way I win.

Morning, noon or night sex? Why?

Yes, Yes, and Yes…When the kids are away the parents will play!

What would you tell someone that’s having issues in the bedroom?

Experiment, talk dirty and try something new. Everyone gets bored after a while. Change it up, make it interesting, hot, and sexy. Shit read some of these books out there you can come up some awesome and memorable experiences.

When you’re out in public, is it easy for you to talk to people you don’t know? Why?

I am a very outgoing person. Talking to people comes easy for me.  But don’t shoot yourself in the foot, that doesn’t mean I’m a pushover.

What gave you the idea to write your first book?

When I was younger I always wrote poems about my boyfriends (yeah, I could be writing lyrics for Taylor Swift) at the time I hated reading. As I aged I read more, learned to respect the authors, and thought maybe I should try it.  I wrote a short story about things that happened in my life. An Author/Personal friend of mine read it and said “You’ve got it, go with it.”  I took her advice. I trashed that story because it was too personal and when I woke up the next morning I started typing, the energy flows right through my fingers onto the keyboard.

Name a song that would get things going in the bedroom?

Jersey Girl by Bruce Springsteen.  Well for obvious reasons, I grew up in New Jersey. But also because my husband proposed to me with that song playing in the background.  See we were watching the fireworks on the Fourth of July and the finally started along with the song.  Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder and when I turned around my man was down on one knee holding out my ring, singing: “some day she’ll wear my ring.” Brings a tear of happiness just reminiscing.

If you could co-write a steamy romantic novel with any author, who would it be and why?

S.C. Stephens, I love the Thoughtless Trilogy, it’s one of the series I always go back to. Back of people Kellan Kyle is MINE!! I would love to meet and work with her.

What do you hope to accomplish with your work?

I enjoy the process, this is fun for me. My main goal is to hopefully write something the readers will enjoy. Something they will be able to relate to and fall back on when they need an escape from reality. After all isn’t that what reading is about? Living through the characters and words that are on each page.

If your child told you they wanted to be a writer when they grow up, what would you tell them?

GO FOR IT!

I tell all three of my children to go with what they believe in and what they want to do. I’m behind them 100% in whatever life choices they make. If there is one thing I have learned so far is that if you work hard enough and give it your all then there is no room for disappointment. Try your hardest and get it done.

What does your family think about the type of books you write?

Well, my parents gave me the Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day and my sisters game me the FSOG series for my birthday when they came out.  That being said they are proud of my accomplishments.

My Husband and children are very excited and proud as well, although I will not let my children read them since they are under age.

Bikini, Thong or Granny Panties?

Commando or Bikini

Favorite adult beverage?

Coors Light, Strawberry Daiquiris and Fireball

Some say that romance writers are just horny women and men with too much time on their hands. What would you like to tell those people? (Let it fly please)

Bull Shit! First of all I am not always horny, but it helps.  There is so much more than time that we authors pour into our writing.  The emotions, the stress, the tears all come with a price.  But to type those final words “The End” and then press the button “Publishing” it is all worth it.  Especially when a reader reaches out and expresses how the writing made them feel.  Good or bad reviews are welcome it’s all in the learning processes and it helps Authors grow and mature their writing skills.

We all have that one person who would be our “hall pass”. We want to know who yours is and one thing you’d do with them if you had the opportunity?

Zac Efron. From little high school boy to hot sex in the shower, this boy could rock my world any time, any place, anywhere. I would love to have him in my red room.

Most people think romance writers are extreme romantics themselves. Are you?

Far from it. Having three kids romance get’s put on the back burner. I rather just get to the dirty anyway.

If there was one genre you’d want to write in besides romance, what would it be and why?

This is a tough one, since I’m new to being an Author, I haven’t quite figured out if I am a specific genre yet. I love romance and suspense. I guess everyone will have to stay tuned to see what comes next!

What’s your favorite romance movie of all time?

I have a few favorites: The Lucky One, Sweet Home Alabama, Friends with Benefits.

Then there’s always Dirty Dancing of course because “No-body puts baby in the corner.”

Who is the one person, dead or alive, you’d want to read your romance books?

I want everyone to read my books! LOL

If I have to choose I would like my teachers from high school to read them and see how far I’ve come. I was a terrible student, I use to cut class and not care. Then I grew up, I think it would be really nice to have my teachers know their time spent on me wasn’t a complete waste.

And lastly, tell everyone where they can find you on social media?

Click the icons below to get social with Elaine!

Thank you Elaine for stopping by Tiara Talk!

Keep us bookmarked to keep up with the latest on Tiara Ta

Sugary Sweets by A.M. Willard

Who’s up for a brand new kick ass read? We aim to please here on Tiara Talk so let’s give it up for a book that will cause cupcake cravings and give you some laugh out loud moments! Sugary Sweets by A.M. Willard is ready and waiting for you to sink your teeth into!

Sugary Sweets NOW LIVE

#99cents Release Sale

Synopsis

Zara James never expected to fall in love, leaving the hopeless romantic lifestyle to her friends. She also never imagined she’d be expecting a baby and married to the one guy she fought so hard to keep at arm’s length. Faced with life’s challenges of insecurities, pregnancy hormones, and the pressures of being a new wife in the burbs of Atlanta, Georgia, Zara tries to master them one cupcake at a time. Well, that is until her world is turned upside down by one accident that could change everything.

Hatcher James knew his smart-mouthed wife was the only woman for him years ago. He just had to figure out the correct formula to make her fall in love with him. Putting together the perfect mixture of intimacy, spice, and frosting might just do the trick, and bring joy to both of their lives.

As Hatcher tries to come up with the right ingredients, will all the hard work end in smoke or will they conquer life’s hurdles together, one tasty treat after another?

Sugary Sweets continues the Taste of Love series as we join the gang for some comical scenes, life challenges, friendship, and most of all, love covered in sugar.

About the Author

International Bestselling Author, A.M. Willard is a true believer of soul mates, and happy ever afters. She enjoys reading, sailing, and of course writing contemporary romance, and romantic comedy with some saucy scenes. Releasing her first novella of the One Night Series on April 12, 2014, has sent her on a new journey in life.

Available Now!

Amazon US → http://amzn.to/2bz6ykn

Amazon UK → http://amzn.to/2bnHDjd

Amazon CA → http://amzn.to/2b6eewh

Amazon AU → https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01KNJ8KYU

Kobo   → http://bit.ly/2b7oJ2a

iBooks → http://apple.co/29G8VRe

Coming on Nook, and Scribd soon!

Connect with A.M. Willard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoramwillard/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMWillard1

Website: http://amwillard.com/

The Two Year Mark: An Adventure in Sobriety

The Two Year Mark: An Adventure in Sobriety

Two Years. Most people wouldn’t bat an eye at two years flying by. But I’m not most people. I’m someone who doesn’t take minutes, days or years for granted. Why? Well, some may have read my articles about my progress in battling my narcotic pain pill addiction. Want to know something amazing? July was my two year anniversary of being clean. That’s quite a feat (at least I think it is). I’ve had to restructure the way I think and the way I handle situations. Stress is my trigger (I’m sure it is for most of the population as well). But when I become super stressed, my brain craves the narcotics. But now I have to find other ways to relieve my stress. Yes, it’s hard for me to relax because I’m always working or on the go. I cling to the phrase “idle hands are the devil’s plaything”. That’s why these hands are always finding something to do. I’ve immersed myself in craft projects for the past two years, I’ve focused on my writing and have grown as an author. When my brain tries to tell me it needs the drug, I tell it to f**k off. There have been moments in the past two years where I’ve literally sat down and cried. Not because I’m needing drugs, but because I’m actually proud of myself. I’m astounded that I’ve changed my life. I went from being a junkie to being a best-selling author who values her life. Every word I put on paper is another step toward healing for me. If it wasn’t for writing, I don’t know that I’d be here today (but we won’t get into the negative thoughts I used to have). Granted, there are some days I berate myself for the things I’ve done in the past but I’m slowly working toward loving myself fully each day. One thing I have each morning is hope. I’ll cling to that and know eventually I will be whole again. I have to be. I want it too bad to give up.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I need to tell you a story. I know some won’t give a damn but I need to tell it anyway. Like I mentioned above, July was my two year anniversary of being clean from narcotics. But as we know, addiction is an epidemic and this past weekend I’d gotten a call from someone close to me who was battling addiction. I know what you’re thinking “oh hell, one addict trying to cure another addict.” It sounds insane, right? How could I help someone when I’m basically an addict? They say once an addict, always an addict…I believe this is 100% true. But here’s the thing, there was no one else to help this person. They were alone and I believe there was a reason for this. I’m not going to get all religious on you but I do believe there’s a reason for everything. Upon going to help this person, I found that they’d slipped with their sobriety. They’d had a low moment and turned to the bottle for relief. There is nothing more painful than watching another human being going through detox. Why? Because I remember what it felt like. Sometimes I can still feel the residual effects of my detox. The feeling that your bones are breaking, the two weeks without sleep and the moments when I cried out for God to just take me. So to watch another person go through that, it broke my heart. But one thing it didn’t do was break ME. I was taken from the frying pan and tossed into the fire. The great thing about fire is, fire is cleansing. For the past four days I have been at this person’s side. I sat in the ER with them while they cried out for it to end. I held my ground when they refused to go to the hospital because they hadn’t eaten or drank anything other than alcohol for 3 days. I cried my eyes out in private because I didn’t know how the hell I was supposed to get through this. But you know what? It wasn’t about ME getting through it, hell, it wasn’t about ME at all. It was about pushing forward and showing this person that life is precious. That even though they felt like this world would be better without them, they were wrong. We are four days in now and things are slowly looking up.

One thing I’ve heard so many times during the past few days is “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I messed up.” Here’s the thing, we all f**k up in life, some worse than others. The majority of screw-ups in life are fixable, you just have to work hard to fix some of them. I told this person I didn’t want an apology. What I want is a gift, a gift of them busting their ass to make this right. To take the steps to get sober and stay that way. I’ve had to sacrifice my time to be here with them but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. For some reason I was sent here to save a life and that is a huge responsibility. Most people who know me would describe me as a kid in an adult body. This situation required so much adulting and so far, I’ve risen to the challenge. I hold zero anger or disappointment toward the person either. In fact, I’m in awe of them. Even through the pain, through the anxiety and through moments of desperation, they have shown me that they value their life enough to get sober. We have a long road ahead of us in this but I have made it known I will be here for support and guidance no matter what.

Addiction of course is a serious matter. The one thing that sucks is if you’ve never been an addict, you can’t possibly fathom what’s going on in the brain of an addict. It’s easy for us to judge those who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. We shake our heads and think it’s easy for them to just put that bottle of alcohol down or flush the drugs down the toilet. I’m here to tell you, it’s not that simple. Those substances CHANGE you. Once addicted, you aren’t the same person anymore. In a way, the old you was killed off and left behind is a shell of a person. If you want to help an addict, don’t stoop to a level that criticizes them. Don’t stand back and tell them they’re worthless. Instead, tell them how much you love them and let them know their life matters. Tell them the amount of people that’d be affected if something were to happen to them. If they have children, ask them if they want to watch their kids graduate and one day watch them fall in love and walk down the aisle. Above all else, give them HOPE.

During my addiction and recovery I’ve received nothing but amazing support from my family, friends and fans. I honestly didn’t know what would happen when I went public with my addiction two years ago but I had to get my story out there. I had to give hope to others who might’ve been going through the same thing. I want to say a huge thank you to those who reached out, sent messages, emailed me and called me with their support. You guys have kept me on my path of healing and reinvention.

If you’re going through a rough time and feel you need someone to talk to, my inbox is always open. I urge you to send me an email so we can chat. I know how hard it is to get clean and I know you cannot do it alone. You DO NOT have to be stuck at rock bottom.

Email Me at: Taylor@taylordawnauthor.com

Torn Ends Release!!!

It’s finally here! Torn Ends joins the first two books in the Magnolia Series by National and International Best-Selling Author, Taylor Dawn! Are you ready to be Torn?

 

Torn Ends Blurb:

Damon ‘Dash’ Hunter had one thing on his mind…freedom. After being incarcerated for a crime he never meant to commit, Dash vows to lead his life under the radar. The one thing he needed was family and the only family he had left was his sister, Gracie. Upon deciding to relocate from Chicago to Biloxi Mississippi to be with his sister, Dash jumps on his Harley and makes the long journey south. His travels are soon interrupted by the likes of a sassy brunette on the side of the road with a flat tire. Offering to help her, Dash finds more than just a spare in the trunk of her car. He can’t help but offering his assistance to show her how to properly use those naughty toys stowed away in her car.

Brandi Fairfield had a habit of dating guys who were bad for her even though sometimes bad could be so good. Just as she decides she’s ready to find a respectable man, a bad boy she can’t seem to resist rolls up and helps her change a flat tire. Everything about him has warning signs but she once again throws caution to the wind. But soon she learns the truth about the new guy in town. Can she push aside her disbelief and help him clear up his wrongs. Or will the threat of his past tear a hole in the very fabric they’ve woven together.

Follow Dash and Brandi as they continue the Magnolia Series by International Best-Selling Author, Taylor Dawn.

Havent read the first two books in the Magnolia Series? No problem! Each book is only 99 cents!

Thank you for supporting Taylor Dawn!

Multi-Genre eBook Sale!!!!

Are you searching for a fresh new read? Check out this awesome book sale! Find some royal reads that are either free or only 99 cents! Don’t miss out on this fabulous opportunity to find your next favorite author!

Authors Include:

Anna Markland

Meara Platt

Dawn Brower

Barbara Devlin

Ari Thatcher

Maggie Dallen

Monica Corwin

Amanda Mariel

Lana Williams

Lynne Barron

Hildie McQueen

Taylor Dawn

Nicole Sorrel

Zeia Jameson

Megan Michelau

Want to take a look at the deals? Click the button below!

Under the Covers: How Important is a great book cover?

Under the Covers: How important is a great book cover?

Surely you’ve heard the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, right? But in the book world I don’t find this as a true statement. Book covers are one of the most important things when it comes to publishing your books. First impressions are EVERYTHING. Would you walk into an important meeting with a Fortune 500 company wearing sweatpants, your hair up in a disgusting messy bun and zero makeup on your face? I really don’t think you would. So why are you slapping a less than stellar cover on your book to meet your readers? Don’t you want to represent yourself and your book in the best light possible?

What should my cover have on it?

Such a good question! Now, I don’t believe in representing things literally on the cover (this is my own personal belief so take it with a grain of salt if you wish). Just because your book has sex in it, doesn’t mean the cover has to have a couple getting their jollies plastered all over the cover. There’s nothing wrong with doing this, in fact, it works for some people. My covers represent my own personal style. They are classy, clean and eye-catching. They give a hint what’s inside the pages of said book, but they don’t tell the story on the front cover. If you’d like to see an example, please visit this link for my novel Saving London: http://amzn.to/1UoJJhf This cover was designed by the fabulous Scott Deyett of In House Graphics: http://ihgraphics.com/  and this cover in my personal opinion is one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen to date (I might be a little biased, but I’m allowed to do that.) Personal style is key. Your readers should be able to tell what books belong to you when they see the covers. And in most cases, simple is better.

But I can’t afford a designer. Can’t I just use the cover creator in Createspace?

You’re an Indie author and you have the freedom to choose what you want to do with your books. But here’s the thing I want you to think about…how many other authors are saying the same thing? How many others are using those pre-fab covers at this very moments? Have I ever used them? Of course I have! Starting out in the book world I honestly didn’t know I NEEDED a good cover to sell books. I designed what I thought was a great cover in the design center in Createspace and sold my books like that. Did I sell many? Not really. I made decent money but what would’ve happened had I hired a designer and had eye-catching covers made? At this point I believe things would’ve taken off sooner than they did for me. You’d be surprised at how affordable a great book cover can be. Some get caught in the trap of paying thousands of dollars (yes, I said THOUSANDS) for only ONE book cover! Be careful, there are those out there who will prey on innocent authors just to fatten their own wallets. Now, I’m in no way saying that high dollar cover isn’t worth the price, maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t. But why start out by investing that much cash into something that may not return that money for literally years down the road? It’s insane if you ask me.

Where can I find an affordable cover that will help boost my books?

Oh I have some connections, of course! I pride myself on doing the research and finding affordable options for authors. I included. I have a regular designer who happens to be my business partner and we work so well together. But let me list my recommendations to some fabulous designers who I know will treat you right and take care of the clothing for your book baby.

Lori Follet with Wicked Book Covers: Don’t let the name fool you, she doesn’t just do the creepy and crazy. This chick is so damn talented and I would trust her with any of my work. Not to mention, she can render 3D models and that’s pretty damn cool.  You can find her portfolio here: http://wickedbookcovers.com/portfolio/

Kari Ayashi with Cover to Cover Designs:  Kari had a gorgeous portfolio that ranges from the dark and ominous to the light and romantic. Take a look here: http://www.covertocoverdesigns.com/book-cover-design.html

Cover Couture: This group of ladies have time and time again astonished me with their art. Don’t believe me, check out their portfolio here: http://www.bookcovercouture.com/

Stephanie Stacker: Stephanie has done most of my covers and is also one of the designers on staff at Princess Press. For inquiries, please email her at: stephaniestacker@gmail.com

This is only a very short list of designers to check out too. Trust me, finding a designer isn’t hard at all. Just do a little research and be sure to get references and check out their previous work.

What about photos?

Stock Photos

I’m going to try and break this down in 2 parts for you. Stock photos and custom photos. Let’s chat about Stock Photos first. There is NOTHING wrong with using stock photos, in fact, I use them myself. Why? Point blank, price point. Now, does that mean I will never buy a custom photo for one of my books? Not at all. I crank out a new novel about every 2 months, so being thrifty on some areas of my budget have to come into play. However, I don’t skimp on editing or the actual design of my covers. There are several Stock photo sites to look through and find great images to use for your covers. Some costing as little as 1$ for each image. For those of us on a budget, this tends to be our first option. But there is an issue with doing this. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the same photo used on different covers constantly. Why are people doing this? Simple, they don’t want to search any further in the galleries. It’s just easy to pick the first image of a hot dude who might fit the profile of your character. But what if you dug a little deeper? What if you took the time and uncovered some rarely used images for your cover? Something that would set that book apart from the others in your genre? It’s possible, it just takes time. Like freaking hours and hours of time. But if you’re not willing to work for it, you don’t deserve the reward anyway. Once you find that hidden gem, your professional designer will be able to manipulate that photo or photos into what will soon be your book cover. I personally use Adobe Stock for my resource, here’s the link: https://stock.adobe.com/

Custom Photos

Custom photos are making a huge showing in the Indie book community. Why? Because authors are sick and tired of the same photos being on every cover out there! The one thing I hear frequently though is that these custom photos are so expensive. You’re right, they are. But think about this…that photographer had to literally go out, spend their time and money to take that image. Should they just give it to you for free? Do you want to give your book away for free? Of course you don’t. They don’t either. Just like it’s taken you months to write your book, it has taken them time to compile enough images for you to choose from. Sure, I choke a bit about paying 500$ for one photo, but once that photo is turned over to me, it’s mine. I don’t have to worry about seeing that same image slapped on the cover of 50,000 other books on the market. Don’t have that huge chunk of money up front? Check with the photographers. Most will accept a payment plan, all you have to do is ask. What’s the worst they can tell you, no? That two letter word won’t kill you. Looking for a great photographer to purchase photos from? Below are a couple that you should check out! They do amazing work and travel all over to get the perfect shots of models.

Kruse Images and Photography: Shauna Kruse is the head of this fabulous resource. This woman has the dream job if you ask me. Taking photos of gorgeous people? Sign me up! Check out some of her work here: https://www.facebook.com/kipmodelsandboudoir?__mref=message_bubble

CJC Photography: Christopher John has an amazing gallery of photos to choose from. You can check them out here: http://www.cjc-photography.com/

*Disclaimer: I am not a paid spokesperson for any of the companies or resources listed in this article*

What if I have a cover designed and I don’t like it?

Here’s the thing, if a designer sends you a cover concept and you aren’t thrilled with it…SAY SOMETHING. I don’t know how many times people have bad mouthed a designer because they weren’t happy with their cover. You have this thing called a mouth, use it to convey to your designer that you want some changes made. If you’re paying for something, you should get the best possible product, right? You don’t drive through McDonalds, order a Big Mac and drive off when you see that someone took a bite out of it. Naturally you’d say something to management, right? That is how business works. You pay for a service and you get a whole product in the end. But here’s the kicker…designers ARE artists. Yep, they are. If you are trying to make them design a cover and it changes their voice, you need to check yourself. That would be like me writing a book and my editor trying to change it to be her vision instead of mine. Each designer has a style, don’t try to alter that. Give them some creative freedom to merge your vision with their style.

 

Let me close this down by saying there are a ton of amazing designers out there. Some have degrees in design and some have just picked up cover design and are good at it. Don’t discount the latter. Why? Because most of the authors out there literally picked up a laptop one day and started writing. Sure, there’re some creative writing majors out there but the majority of us were green when we penned our first words. Just because they have a certificate hanging on the laundry room wall doesn’t mean they are the best designer for you. Do your research. Be vigilant about the money you spend on a cover. There are those out there who will take advantage so you need to keep your eyes open. I hope this article has given you some insight on the word of book covers and I urge you to check out the designers and photographers mentioned above. Good luck on your cover adventure and I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!