J.D. Netto's Blog, page 2

How important is a book cover?

You will probably agree when I say that in today's generation, we buy what we see. Visuals are such an important part of a successful marketing campaign. Many books may have great content, but if their visuals are poorly designed, they will hardly succeed.

When you walk inside a bookstore, or even as we are browsing on your favorite e-reader, it is amazing how some covers immediately call our attention. When creating a book cover, we must always ask ourselves: 'is the cover standing out?'

Among all other books on the shelves, what makes a particular book different is the cover design. The cover is the "hook" we use in order to attract the "fish".

Make sure your designer understands your vision for your book, knows the industry, and is ready to bring the book's idea to life.

A successful and attractive cover can be a very powerful marketing tool.

J.D.Netto

J.D.Netto

Official Book Release Cocktail

On November 30th, the official event to celebrate the release of The Whispers of the Fallen took place. During an unforgettable night, I was able to share, celebrate, and draw people into the world of Elysium.

Here are some pictures.

Enjoy.

Visual Communication

We live in a world where, whether we like it or not, people judge a book by its cover. Many authors have the wrong concept that all it takes to capture a reader is the story itself, which is an erroneous thought that can lead an author down the wrong path.

I have been working as a graphic designer for six years now and I have lost count of how many businesses have flunked because of poor visual communication.

To avoid this common mishap, here are some guidelines to follow when creating the "bait" that will attract your readers:

-Do the visuals communicate the story?
When asking yourself this question, try to picture yourself as your reader. If you saw your cover, promo poster, or any visuals for your novel, would you be excited and curious about it?

-Does it look professional?
Always set a standard for yourself. Your visuals are also the author's reflection. Are they polished? Do they contain elements that will effectively communicate your story? Make sure your visuals do not look like something designed on Microsoft Word or Powerpoint.

-Would your characters be proud of the visuals that represent them?
I know, weird concept, but not if you learn how to embrace it. You have spent countless hours with your characters; you know them like the back of your hand. When creating your visual promotion, try to picture yourself as one of your characters. As mentioned above, all of your visuals are a reflection of the author.

I hope this post can help authors or designers out there that are trying to visually communicate their words. But the best tip of all is: LESS IS MORE.

J.D.Netto
Apart from writing, J.D.Netto is also a graphic designer. To view his portfolio, log on to www.jdnetto.com
The Whispers of the Fallen

The Hobbit Movie

Like many of you out there, I am eagerly waiting for The Hobbit movie. I was browsing the internet today and found these amazing character photos.

Enjoy!

Photos taken from http://www.thehobbitblog.com/the-hobb...

Print Is Dead...Really?

I found this article extremely important for authors; especially those that are still reluctant about
e-publishing.

Traditional media, although still powerful, is declining.

Newspapers are downsizing, magazines are morphing into mobile apps. "Already, nearly 40% of tablet owners read digital newspapers or magazines" - http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/21/opinion...

Digital is the new print.

In this new, crazy, disconnected, noisy dynasty of digital communications, how do you achieve success?

Great design, user experience, the right technology and good marketing all play a very important role. But with all this you can still churn through users and not build loyalty amongst your readership.

If digital is the new King, content is his army.

Inspiring content excites people. Helpful content builds trust. Useful content builds loyalty. Controversial content generates conversation. Funny content gets shared.

Content creates stickiness, to you as a brand, and to your website.

Our challenge as purveyors of the digital kingdom is to see that this content gets created, published & curated in helpful, digestible ways.

Originally written by James Leggott
Twitter: twitter.com/jmleggott

The Whispers of the Fallen

Angelic Sex

Many have heard the tales of the Nephilims, the offspring of the fallen angels that fell in love with the mortals.

In 'The Whispers of the Fallen', Nephilins (the spelling was purposely changed) began to roam Elysium when Mordred, a Fallen Star, seduced a human girl and laid with her. Twenty four hours later, the girl gave birth to a child named Duane, the first Nephilin of Elysium. The girl herself changed; her body succumbed to the power released by Mordred. She turned into an immortal Nephilin.

Of course, in many religions, the account on Nephilins are very different. In the book of Genesis, right before the story of Noah, the author narrates that the Nephilims roamed the earth, being crowned as men's heroes.

The book of Numbers also mentions that the twelve spies had seen Nephilims in the promised land. It was said that Nephilims were descendants of Anak. Enoch wrote in his book that the angels that begat the Nephilims were cast into Tartarus, a place of intense darkness.

In Aramaic culture, the term Nephilim refers to the offspring of Orion, a giant huntsman in Greek mythology whom Zeus placed among the stars.

Regardless of the many historical accounts, we will surely see future references and new discoveries about these mysterious creatures.

Do you believe that angels had sex with humans? Be sure to leave a comment.

Lucifer

In the novel, "The Whispers of the Fallen," Lucifer is Isaac's most powerful nemesis. He is gathering armies and recruiting humans to fight for his cause. Elysium now sits under constant darkness; its inhabitants unaware of the power that is rising.

But who is Lucifer?

There are various historical accounts surrounding Lucifer today.

In mythology, Lucifer is Attar, the one who tried to sit on Ba'al's throne. After his attempt proved folly, he descended to earth and established his throne.

In Christianity the name Lucifer, or morning star, is applied to both Satan (the enemy) and Jesus (the bright and morning star). If we are to analyze scripture, we will see that in some Bible verses such as 2 Peter 1:19, Revelation 2:28, Revelation 22:16, we will clearly see the reference of Jesus to the Morning Star.

Among Satanists, Lucifer is viewed as the Torch of Baphomet, a pagan deity, symbolizing the occult. Lucifer can also be found in Islam and Judaism, with stories very similar to the one found in the Bible.

Here is an excerpt taken from the book of Isaiah, which many believe it to be the description of the fall of the Morning Star.

"How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?” Isaiah 14:12-17

In your opinion, who is Lucifer? A myth? A reality?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Whispers of the Fallen


by J.D. Netto

Giveaway ends December 22, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Proofing

It is 1:32 AM. I am sitting at my desk, reviewing the paperback version of "The Whispers of the Fallen". I must say, when I got the box and opened it, the feeling I had was overwhelming.

Nothing can explain the joy of holding your work in your hands.

To all those aspiring authors out there: Keep dreaming! Make the journey an unforgettable one. In the end, you will be able to say,

"It was all worth it."

Finished

This week, after writing for six consecutive years, I have finished my first novel "The Whispers of the Fallen". I sat on my computer today and reminisced on all the sleepless nights, frustrating moments, discouraging thoughts, and encouraging ones as well.

I know the journey is far from over! I'm excited to embark on this adventure and share the world that - up until now - has been only in my mind.

I hope the readers enjoy "Whispers" and a huge thank you to all those that have supported me along the way!

JD Netto

The Whispers of the Fallen Book Trailer

Here is the book trailer for the novel "The Whispers of the Fallen"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7y8fD...