Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 96

The War to End All Wars - 100 years later

[image error] It was called the "War to End All Wars" and ended in 1918 at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of World War I with a walk through history with a talk and exhibition led by historian Al Savolaine.

Saturday, November 8th, 2014 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the  Matawan Community Center.

The program will dispel some of the many myths about World War I. Although it only lasted four years, WWI has been called the first real "war of terror" of the modern age. Its use of modern technology including submarines, bombers, tanks, poison gas and flame throwers changed the world forever.

Hosted by the American Legion Matawan Post 176 and the Matawan Historical Society. Free admission, but donations gratefully accepted.  Refreshments will be provided by the Women's Club of Matawan.

The Matawan Community Center is located at 201 Broad Street, Matawan NJ.


NOTE: As part of the 100th anniversary events, a special memorial service to honor all veterans will be held on November 11th at 11 AM at Rose Hill Cemetery, Ravine Drive Matawan.

And whether you attend a solemn ceremony at a local cemetery or watch a parade, remember Freedom isn't Free. The saying may be old, but it is still true. Thank a vet. A simple nod as you pass with a quiet, thank you for your service can lift spirits of both the giver and the receiver.

And the Winner Is...

And the winner of the pdf of the romance fantasy Dragon Destiny is Jana B.
Thanks to everyone who voted in the design for Magic and Steel – Mt’wan Comraich. The novella is now on pre-order at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other ebook sites.

Helen

Jana – please email me at helenhenderson (dot) author (at) gmail.com with your email address so I can send the file.

2014 Cemetery Tour - Walk the Stones of Rose Hill

History Comes Alive in Matawan At
Rose Hill Cemetery

-- Called by some the
most haunted cemetery in
New Jersey.
Saturday, October 18 at 11 A.M.
Sunday, October 19 at 2:00 PM                     Rain Date: Sunday, October 26 at 2:00 P.M.

Join Local historian Al Savolaine of the Matawan Historical Society and the Rose Hill Board at the  annual guided walking tour of Matawan’s Rose Hill Cemetery.   Where:   Rose Hill Cemetery, Ravine Drive, near the intersection of Ravine and Middlesex Road. (Parking in cemetery & in the school lot across street)
$10 per adult; tickets available at event; proceeds to benefit the Burrowes Mansion Museum  and Rose Hill Cemetery


 This years tour includes exciting new stories Ghost SightingsThe GREAT Matawan fire of 19011896 gruesome murder;Tragic 1916 shark attack victims; Strange death at the Matawan House HoteFuneral attended by two US presidents1918 Morgan explosion Civil War casualties, WWI heroes

Event Sponsored by the Matawan Historical Society and Rose Hill Cemetery                          For additional information contact: savolaine@hotmail.com

 

What's In a Cover, Pt 3 - Mt'wan Comraich

Although the original plan for this series was to discuss the Cover Art Sheet and how the covers for Dragon Destiny and Hatchlings Curse came about, destiny and the muse had their own plans.  

 In each of the Dragshi Chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and teachers of the present, recount some legend, one of which is told in Magic and Steel. The original plan was for the novella to be published with the other legends. However, fate decreed the tale be released as an individual work, so of course it needs a cover.
At the bottom of this post is a survey. Vote for your favorite either by leaving a comment or sending me an email, vote for your favorite element or cover. 
Because a major element of the tale is a sword with magical capabilities, one needs to be part of the design. Should it be black or white, silver or gold, plain or fancy? That's still open.
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 The dragshi are more than just a man or woman. Each are two beings–one a dragon, the other a human–sharing one body in space in time and able to change forms with the other at will. After consideration, a dragon was selected for the second element.

Two down, but now in order to accommodate the 'Rule of Three' another is needed.
The first to be considered was a man and his dog which represented the main character. However the image that originally caught my eye was too contemporary and required too much alteration for the time that was available. Besides using the dog by itself, an alternative animal was looked for and found. The series features a big cat called the gryphlor--which could be represented by a puma or a tiger.
With the elements selected, next come layout and what I have always found the hardest part of cover design. Even when using a professional to create the book cover, it still helps to give them an idea to work with. The dragon with its tail wrapped around the sword or facing away. The animal element above or below the sword. And of course, selecting a font.


You've seen some of the variants. The banner below shows the final concepts for Magic and Steel - Mt'wanComraich.    Vote for your favorites in comments or by email to helenhenderson.author (at) gmail.com. A pdf of Dragon Destiny will be awarded at random to one lucky voter on Friday October 10th.



-->  Dragon with Sword     -->  White Tiger-->  Puma-->  Orange Tiger


~ Till next time. Helen

Tuesday's Title - Nobody's Child by Libby Fischer Hellmann

Book 4 of the Georgia Davis Series.

Genre: Crime Thriller

Publisher: The Red Herrings Press

Buy Links: http://amzn.com/1938733460 Blurb:A bloodstained note left for PI Georgia Davis reveals the shocking existence of a half-sister she never knew about. Her sister, Savannah, is pregnant and begging for Georgia’s help. Determined to track her down, Georgia finds herself heading deep into the secretive and dangerous underworld of Chicago’s illegal sex trafficking business. She soon discovers that trafficking is just a small part of the horrifying and deadly situation in which her new sister is caught up. Even worse, as Georgia tries to extricate Savannah, she comes up against an old enemy determined to make sure neither woman will escape alive. In the fourth Georgia Davis novel, Georgia faces her toughest challenge yet—and one she might not survive.

Author Bio:
 Libby Fischer Hellmann is a critically acclaimed crime writer loved by readers the world over for her compulsively readable thrillers and strong female characters. Her fast-paced crime fiction spans 10 novels and 20 short stories, and she has also edited a popular crime fiction anthology called Chicago Blues. She has lived in Chicago 35 years and says they'll take her out there feet first. You can usually find her at her website: http://libbyhellmann.com and other social media platforms.  

XPost - Muse Online Writers Conference Update

For those who haven't gotten the word about the Muse Online Writers Conference, this years event has been cancelled. I've provided the formal notification below. Whether an  unpublished, newly published, or experienced author, this is still a great event. Be sure to keep it in mind for 2015.
~Till next time. HelenOn behalf of the Muse Online Writers Conference staff, I regret to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances, we are cancelling the 2014 conference, but we will be back in full force in 2015. All of this year's registrations will automatically transfer to the 2015 conference so you will not need to repeat the process.
We will miss spending that October week mingling with and learning from all the great writers, editors, and publishers we've come to know and love in the past several years, but we also look forward to next year, knowing we will again reconvene and experience that joy.

Please accept our sincere apology, and stay tuned for news of next
year's conference.

Sincerely,

Brandy Brow
Muse Conference Staff

What's In a Cover Pt 2

The "After 'The End'" series began with a few considerations about cover design. Continuing the topic will include examples of the thoughts that went into a specific cover design--and the resulting cover.

The first two examples are non-fiction. Deciding on a design was easy. The publisher had a standard template so fonts, layout, and colors were preset. However, that does not mean creating the final product was easy. The central image needed to be selected.

Hundreds of images in the collection had to be narrowed down to the five presented to the publisher, who would have the final word. In the case of the first example, since the state of electronic scanning was still developing, the original photographs would eventually be driven to North Carolina.

Among the considerations that went into the selection were visual interest and how the image represented the topic of the book. The picture had to be unique. In other words, it could not be in common use, such as in a calendar or as important, used within the book itself.

Many pictures that met the previous criteria came up short on the final selection requirement--quality. Many  of the eye-catching images had too many losses. In far too often a case, chunks of the picture no longer existed, which meant extensive restoration. Two things that were beyond time and budget limitations.

Other pictures might have been intact, but had insufficient crispness. When offset printed, details would have  been lost and/or the image blurred.
Now for the examples: The 1890s image of the downtown was chosen because of the grocery wagons. Why wagons when there is obviously only one. There were two wagons in the original and the entire building was visible, not just the one storefront. The uncropped picture was reprised on the reverse of the flyleaf.

The reverse tact was taken in the second example where the picture was selected because of the more panoramic view. Click on the appropriate title for more information on Around Matawan and Aberdeen or Of Town and Field: Matawan and Aberdeen.




Next post -- What went into the fantasy covers for the first two books of the fantasy series, the Dragshi Chronicles.
Till next time ~ Helen

Tuesday's Title - Jimmyed Coffin by Phoebe Matthews

Volume 7 in the Mudflat Magic series.Date of Release:
Available October 21, 2014
Genre: Urban fantasy
Publisher: LostLovesBuy Links:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NO94IQG
Blurb:Knock Claire on the head and her boyfriend starts polishing his sword. But how can he fight an unknown enemy? And do any of  the bride magazines explain the way how to cover black eyes with makeup, or what to do when the troll is missing? Toss in a series of break-ins and robberies and a smash wizard tricked into wearing a bunny costume, and Claire's problems are just getting started. And then her cousin Jimmy disappears...
Author Bio:Phoebe Matthews is currently writing three urban fantasy series: Mudflat Magic, Sunspinners, and Turning Vampire. All are set in the Pacific Northwest where she lives. Her novels have been published by Avon, Dark Quest, Dell, Holt, LostLoves, Putnam, Silhouette and others. For a complete list of her books visit her website at http://phoebematthews.com. You can sign up there for her monthly newsletter, if you want,  and see her blog.

What's in a Cover?

One of the major decisions an author has to make is the cover design. Even if the publisher controls the design, you probably had to create a marketing or cover design form with a summary of the elements of the book. However, when you are independently published, what goes into that first impression is even more important.

Fred Showker, the publisher and editor of DTG Magazine, provides some fundamental design rules.  What I liked about Joel Friedlander's post "E Secrets to e-Book Cover Design Success" is the variant of the old KISS philosophy. To summarize what Friedlander, a self-published author and an award-winning book designer put forth for a good cover, is to keep it  Simple. Ebook covers don't have the space that print books do. Small -- today books are found and/or purchased online, so the cover has to look great in a thumbnail. And his final "S" hint, Strategic. Remember, your cover is part of your brand.

Whether you hire someone, design your own cover, learn the important concepts. At the end of the day, what makes a great book cover? The one that makes YOU purchase a book.

The reason I've been looking at this topic? 

The cover for Hatchling's Curse is being designed as I type.

Till next time ~ Helen

Additional Resources:

http://digitalpublishing101.com/digital-publishing-101/part-2-preparing-source-files/ebook-cover-design/

http://promo-design.co.uk/blog/ebook-cover-design/10-tips-for-designing-your-kindle-ebook-cover.php

Having A Voice

Today's note is not about writing, at least not in the traditional 'how to.' An old saying is that there are two sides to a coin. In writing, there are two sides also. The Creator and the Reader. Today's post is about the reader--and their voice. Often there are few avenues by which a reader can speak their mind, give their opinion. The most common is with their wallet. If a reader doesn't like a book, they speak with their money and don't buy another. Maybe they will write a scathing review on their favorite site. But both of those methods come after the work is created.

If as a reader you would like to have a voice (and not crack open the dust-covered pouch of coins. Yes I write fantasy and we pay in coppers and coins, but I guess I should have said, not add to the bill on the plastic card). 

There is a survey up until the end of September. The one who is offering the opportunity is Lily Bishop, Author of No Strings Attached.

Although the survey is short, a mere handful of questions, it is your chance to tell what kind of romance novel you prefer and give insight before they are created.


Click here to participate.

~Till next time Helen