Melissa C. Walker's Blog, page 14

Cover Stories: Surrender by Elana Johnson

[image error] Elana Johnson was here last year to share the very cool cover for POSSESSION (read that Cover Story), and she’s back now for a GCC tour to talk about SURRENDER, the second in this series.

“Honestly, my first thought when I saw the cover was ‘No. No, that can’t be the cover!’ The POSSESSION cover was so perfect, with the butterfly in ice (below, right). The SURRENDER cover seemed so pedestrian in comparison. I lovingly call it ‘when taxidermists make mistakes.’

“My editor and agent and I had quite the discussion about the cover. Everything from the color of the hummingbird to the shape of the jar. It’s a fascinating process, this cover making. But… the cover you see now is the same one I was sent in January.

[image error]“I’ll admit that I like the cover now. Something happens when you actually hold the real product in your hand. Things on-screen are COMPLETELY different than things in real life. It took holding the book and stroking the cover for me to come around to cover love.

“My series got a cover redesign in January. So the blue one is the new cover, and the white one (right) is the old cover. The images are the same, but the fonts and such are obviously different.”

Thanks, Elana! I think the covers together–POSSESSION has a new cover too–are pretty striking (see both below). I wonder if there was a conscious decision to move away from white covers? Are people over them?

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What do you guys think?

About Elana: Elana’s work including POSSESSION, REGRET, and SURRENDER is available from Simon & Schuster wherever books are sold. She is the author of From the Query to the Call, an ebook that every writer needs to read before they query, which can be downloaded for free on her website. She runs a personal blog on publishing and is a founding author of the QueryTracker blog.

GIVEAWAY: Elana is hosting a Spectacular Seconds giveaway this week! You can enter to win one of five signed sophomore books by Beth Revis, Ally Condie, Veronica Roth, Kristi Cook, and Kim Harrington. CLICK HERE for all the details and to enter.

Photo Friday: Coney Island

We took June there this week, and I thought about how many generations must have a photo like this one:

Happy Friday!

PS-Because I 100% missed Wednesday, last week’s giveaway is extended for one more week. Keep sending in pics of Unbreak My Heart!

Cover Stories: Being Friends With Boys

Terra Elan McVoy has been here before to share her adorable covers for Pure and After the Kiss (read those Cover Stories), and now she’s got a new book out just in time for summer: Being Friends With Boys. How great is that title? Here’s more about the cover, from Terra:

“I never have any idea about my covers; I’m so lucky to have been assigned to such smart, clever, amazing people at Simon Pulse to work on them. This team does such an incredible job, and I figure it’s best to leave that work in their capable hands!

“Admittedly, my very first thought when I saw the cover was, ‘But there aren’t any coffeehouses in the book! They never drink coffee!’ Very quickly though, I realized that was a pretty lame and limiting response.

“My editor was incredibly patient with me and let me just sit on my first reaction until I came to my senses and realized this was perfect.

“The cover did change, in one important way. Originally, the background was red (right), which I loved – though I wondered about it fitting in with the colors of the other books. After some back-and-forth though, it was determined that red might be a little too Valentine-y, and the background color got switched to this incredible, deep navy blue that it is now.

“In the end, it’s not so much how I feel about the cover that stands out –though I totally love it and it just screams ‘Charlotte,’ to me in every way — but more how other people feel about it. I feel like I’ve been blessed with these incredible covers for my backlist, but so many people are commenting on this one, saying it’s their favorite of all. There’s just something highly attractive and perfect about it, which means a lot to me, again, because it just has this very ‘Charlotte’ kind of feel: homey and comfortable, but also really sharp and alluring.”

Thanks, Terra! It’s an incredibly clean cover and I’m a huge fan of that simple aesthetic. I love both the red and the blue–maybe paperback will be red, released around V-Day 2013? In any case, I can’t wait to read it!

Photo Friday: Rochester Teen Book Festival!

I had the best time at the Teen Book Festival in Rochester last weekend. (I got to meet long-time blog reader Ashley and got to see Jordan again–yay!). More highlights:

Driving to the Festival in a ’56 Oldsmobile:

Jenny Han is my driver (not really).

A portion of the amazing crowd!

Jenny Han and I did a talk together, and we played Kiss, Marry, Kill, with book characters. Total fun. We also talked about other stuff, like writing and our books and all that, but KMK was my favorite part.

Later, we crashed a prom. You think I’m kidding, but I’m not.

Chesty boys with: Jennifer Roy, Julia DeVillers, me, Jenny Han, Carolyn MacCullough

Matt de la Peña, Me, Carolyn MacCullough, Barry Lyga and James Kennedy (Prom King)

You guys really should go if you can–authors and readers and all. Totally great.

Happy Friday!

Win-It Wednesday: A Signed Book of Your Choice

Ready? Five random people who email me photos of Unbreak My Heart in the wild (ie, on a bookshelf in your bookstore or library), will get a signed copy of one of my previous books (your pick!).

I hear there’s been a slight shipping delay, so B&N will have the book on Friday (sorry!). If  you spot it, send me a photo!

Here’s my (very glarey, you-can-see-me-taking-it) shot. It’s the window of The River’s End bookstore in Oswego, NY! Fantastic spot. They have signed copies of the book, so call to order (Hello! Excellent birthday gifts, people.): 315-342-0077.

Happy Wednesday! I’ll choose 5 winners a week from today!

Unbreak My Heart in the Wild

If you spot it, send me a photo? The first five people who do will get a signed copy of one of my previous books (your choice!).

Cover Stories: Second Chance Summer

Guys, Morgan Matson is here! You know I love her, and she has a new book out, so we must read it asap. Also: The Cover. Here she is to tell its tale:

“I had absolutely loved my cover for Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour [read that Cover Story here]. I wasn’t worried about how the cover for the second book would turn out. I was still in the midst of writing the first draft of the book when my editor asked me what I had been thinking about for the cover.

“I mentioned that since the book takes place in a summer lake community, with a dock being a very important part of the story, maybe there could be a dock featured somewhere.  An initial idea I’d had was two sets of bare feet on a dock, or hanging over the edge and skimming the water.  And then I basically just gave her vague, summer-conjuring words – pine trees! Mountains! Lake!

“By the time I saw the first cover proof, we’d actually been going back and forth a lot on the title.  I tend to pick long, not-particularly-evocative-titles, and then cling to them stupidly.  The original title of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour was Amy & Roger Discover America.  Which now seems so not to fit the book at all! When I was writing the first draft, I had been calling the book The Summer of Second Chances.  My editor had suggested Second Chance Summer, but I wasn’t totally on board with it yet.  But that all changed when she sent me the cover proof.  I adored the cover, and I loved the way that the title fit on it.  Which is probably a strange way to settle on a title, but ever since I saw the cover proof, I knew that was the book’s title.

“And I just adored the image.  It captured the book so perfectly, and the mood of it – the sun setting, the dock, the trees across the lake.  And I love the detail of the girl wearing a pink bikini.

“One thing I’m also grateful for is that my UK covers are so different.  They give much more information to the events of the book.  In the UK cover (right), you can see all the little details that make up the story.  So I love having two versions – one evokes what the book will be about, and one that gives you concrete details of the story.”

Thanks, Morgan! Here’s what I love: The colors. I mean. That sunlight, so muted and soft and dreamy, like sunset or even very early morning. And I’m with Morgan on the title script–it flows perfectly, becomes part of the image. Total summer, with tinges of sadness and hope.

What do you guys think?

 

Photo Friday: Books!

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They’re here! The book is out on Tuesday! I’ve updated my events schedule in the sidebar —–>

(And I’m using way too many !!!)

Come see me or call up and snag a signed book anyway, if you can’t make it.

♥ Saturday May 19: Rochester Teen Book Festival!

♥ Sunday May 20, 2:30 pm

River’s End Bookstore with Laurie Halse Anderson, Barry Lyga and Terry Trueman

19 West Bridge St.

Oswego, NY 13126

Phone: 315.342.0077 (Call to pre-order signed books!)

♥ Tuesday June 5, 6:30-9:30pm

Teen Author Carnival!

Jefferson Market Library, NYC

♥ Saturday June 9, 11am

Books & Greetings Teen Panel with Jen Calonita, Susane Colasanti, Elizabeth Eulberg, Jenny Han, Wendy Mass and Kieran Scott

271 Livingston Street

Northvale, NJ 07647

Phone: 201.784.2665 (Call to pre-order signed books!)

♥ Thursday June 14, 6-8pm

Books of Wonder Summer Love with Susane Colasanti, Elizabeth Eulberg and Jennifer E. Smith

18 West 18th Street, NYC

Phone: 212.989.3270 (Call to pre-order signed books!)

♥♥ PARTY! Sunday June 10, 7pm

The (late) launch party is happening! YOU are invited.

BookCourt

163 Court Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Phone: 718.875.3677 (Call to pre-order signed books!)

Win-It Wednesday: Bookmarks!

[image error] [image error]Hey, guys! Last week’s chosen-at-random winner of a brand spanking new hardcover of Unbreak My Heart is… Sophie! Send me your address, S.

This week, I have a giveaway for everyone. Email me with your address and I will send you one of my gorgeous new bookmarks (see so-pretty image at left, front and back). I may send you more than one if you make a case as to why you need them (to hand to friends, booksellers, librarians–these are good reasons). Yay!

And because bookmarks aren’t books, I’m going to point you elsewhere for chances to win. Two spots in fact:

Check out Daisy Whitney’s giveaway on facebook! (She called the book “romantic & smart & wise & witty.” Yay!)

Ex Libris is giving away a signed ARC! (She says the book is “a great mix of friendship, family, romance and personal growth.”)

In case you’re still like, “What is this book?” Here’s a page all about it.

Unbreak My Heart comes out on TUESDAY! Hooray! (I hear it’s already on shelves in Canada–those wily Canadians, always ahead of the game.)

Cover Stories: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

I had the chance to hang out with Jessi Kirby in Houston last month, and I can confirm that she is fantastic and fun and smart and all the things she seems to be. Also, her new book, In Honor, apparently contains a Tim Riggins type. SOLD. (Read a review from A Book and a Latte.)

Here’s Jessi to talk about the cover:

“My publisher asked for input before they got to work on the cover, and I said ‘It’d be really great if you could somehow include the car, (which is a 67 Chevy Impala), and Honor in her dress and red cowboy boots.’

“When I saw the cover, I absolutely LOVED it.  Truly, madly, deeply loved it. From the font, to the car, to the boots, it was EXACTLY what I was hoping for.

“My editor is always open to comments and suggestions, as is the art department, who goes above and beyond to try and keep everyone happy. With this, the one thing that we asked was that there be some reference to Honor’s brother being a Marine.

“The art department actually went back in and put a set of dog tags dangling from Honor’s hand, which I thought was subtle and just perfect. That was the only change.

“I believe it’s a stock photo, and I definitely think it captures the feel of the book. In the end, I feel like I did the very first time I saw it—I am head over heels for it.”

Thanks, Jessi! I am SO excited to read this one, for so many reasons. The cover is certainly one. Such a small town, summery feel that I just adore. Also, I had never noticed the dog tags but now I see what a perfect touch they are!

What do you guys think?