Melissa C. Walker's Blog, page 18

Photo Friday: Unbreak My Heart, the Full Jacket

Yay! Isn't it fantastic? I seriously love this. Hope you guys do too. There are 1000 details I adore. Click to see it bigger.

Win-It Wednesday: Figment Gift Bag

Last week's giveaway of Freshman Year and Other Natural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin made me feel slightly insecure about my coffee consumption, to be honest. Who are all you caffeine-less people?! But okay, I'll move on. The winner, randomly chosen, is… Gaby the juice drinker! G, send me your address.

Today I'm giving away a super cute Figment tote bag (in honor of Figment and Inkpop combining–two writing communities become one. Win-Win!). The photo at left is of author John Corey Whaley holding said bag. But this giveaway does not involve JCW, but isn't he cute? Anyway, inside the winnable tote is Blake Nelson's latest, Dream School (which is awesome) as well as Lauren Oliver's new ones, Pandemonium! (And no, I haven't had a chance to read that one yet, but YA Reads liked it… and heck, I'll throw in Delirium, its predecessor, in case you don't have it.)

To enter to win this LOADED DOWN TOTE, just comment below and tell me what you would carry in your delightful new Figment bag. Me? I'm normally hauling a wallet, sunglasses, lip gloss, phone, my read of the moment and perhaps some baby stuff these days.

Your turn: Go. I'll choose a winner at random next week.

 

Cover Stories: The Mockingbirds and The Rivals

"I only vaguely had a cover idea in mind for The Rivals, and it was similar to what I had originally envisioned for The Mockingbirds (read that Cover Story) — something akin to the hardback cover of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, i.e. something that just screamed "girl at boarding school." And what I've learned as a reader is that I very much prefer books with strong girls on the cover — like Frankie, or like the cover of Where She Went (read that Cover Story), or What I Saw and How I Lied.

"The cover change (from the Mockingbirds hardback and The Rivals arc, below) came about through a conversation I had with my editor about a year ago about the type of covers I like and so on. She really wants her authors to love their covers, so when she learned that I had liked the hardcover, but would have preferred a photographic cover, she asked me to send her my favorite covers and that they would consider a redo for the paperback and the hardcover of The Rivals.

 

"Fortunately, my editor shepherded many many versions of changes to get to the current design, and wisely waited til she had these versions to show me. She did tell me they had tried for a photographic look with a girl in front and perhaps some other people behind her to convey the sense of the group aspect of the secret society, but they didn't look right.

"[When I first saw my cover, I felt] total happiness!! I swear! These covers are exactly what I had envisioned all along — strong (and, let's be honest, good-looking) faces on both books looking straight at the reader. For The Mockingbirds, I love that the girl is looking right at the reader, that she isn't hidden or ashamed, and I have to say I think the red lipstick is a fantastic, subtle, feminist statement about the book's underlying 'message' — that speaking up is worth it. I also loved the type for the title, and I think the birds — right-side up on The Mockingbirds, and upside-down on The Rivals — are great! I love too that the birds are cartoonish, because that's how they're described in the book. I sound like a broken record, but I truly love the redesign so much. I keep telling my editor. I am sure she is tired of hearing it! But these covers make me happy!

 

"I just received my author's copies of the hardcover of The Rivals and I noticed the boy has stubble! (Which doesn't mean anything in the book, it was just an observation). But seriously, what I love most about The Mockingbirds redo is that the girl is strong and bold. What I love most about The Rivals is that the cover is the 'opposite' of The Mockingbirds, because the story in The Rivals is about the other side of the secret society. The reverse symmetry between the covers captures the stories to me and I like that they have a hip, retro feel in the yearbook look of them."

Thanks, Daisy! I actually really like the original designs when I look at them, but I think the new ones are more eyecatching. Love the immediacy of the scribbled titles, red lips, blue eyes–those details really draw me in.

What do you guys think?

Photo Friday: Pinterest

I'm here! I had to join Pinterest, although it's a huge time suck. Here's my food board (how great are those ice cubes filled with little treats?). Join me!

Win-It Wednesday: Freshman Year and Other Natural Disasters

Guys, have I told you about how I like to doodle umbrellas with heart raindrops falling on them? I do. It's kind of my thing. I do this whenever a restaurant has paper and crayons available at the table (which I love).

The cover of Meredith Zeitlin's Freshman Year and Other Natural Disasters reminds me of my doodles, and it sounds good. For one, the main character lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn (and I do too). For two, it's Meredith's debut and I have a soft spot for first novels. For three, the main character auditions for Fiddler on the Roof, which I also did in high school (and did not make it–our high school was filled with drama kids and super competitive! I swear! Plus, I can't dance). So I guess I'm confessing that I often am drawn to books that seem like they could be about me…

Anyway, all this is to say that I'm giving away a copy of this book this week, and you should want it for all of the reasons listed above and more. More being that I found these photos of Meredith Z. (right) and isn't she cool? Yay, Manic Panic. And also, the trailer is great.

So, to enter to win this lovely book, tell me this: How many cups of coffee do you drink per day? I was sticking to one, but with a baby, it's up to two. Or three. I'm tired, people. I want to hear what your habit is like. Tea drinkers: I wish I could be as virtuous as you.

Cover Stories: Fracture

[image error]Megan Miranda's Fracture cover is wintry and haunting (oh, and the book inside got a starred PW review, too!). Here she is to talk about how her debut cover came to be:

"I had a very vague idea for the cover: a girl on the other side of the ice, looking out. But I am also, admittedly, not gifted in the art department. We discussed the idea I had, and they gave another idea as well: a girl, in a red coat, standing on the ice—with maybe a crack running through the surface. I loved that one, as well. I believe they toyed with both these ideas, but found that such a literal interpretation, while accurate to the scene and very relevant to the plot, didn't quite represent the feel of the story inside. So they went in a different direction to capture the mood. And did they ever.

"Honest truth? When I first saw my cover, I jumped out of my chair. Then I unplugged my laptop and ran down the street to my friend's house to show her. I adored it. It's a concept I never would've come up with—but I can't imagine a cover more perfect for the book.

"My editor asked for my thoughts, and I sent back a rather incoherent email, basically saying HOLY CRAP, YES, or, you know, something along those lines. I feel very, very fortunate. Even though they were trying to capture a mood, there are many things that are literal on the cover: the tag-line is taken directly from the book; the girl on the front looks shockingly like I pictured Delaney; and she's wearing that red coat, which essentially saves her life. I had zero suggestions.

"I didn't see any of the earlier concepts, and I'm glad. I'm not the most visual person (other than being able to say yes, I like it, or no, I don't). There were some tweaks to the cover after I saw the concept, and there were a few final tweaks after the cover reveal as well (removing some of the ice from the lake).

"In the end: I love it. I find it haunting and beautiful at the same time, and I think it's a little different than a lot of covers in the genre out there. I love the way they set up Delaney and her reflection. There's something off about it, and I think that really captures the feel of the book: that she is back, but something is a little off. There was the Delaney that used to be, and the Delaney that remains. Which Delaney do her friends and family want to see? Which one does she want to be? What happened to the old one?

"Falcon Lake plays such a key role in the story, not only in the initial scenes when she's trapped under the ice for 11 minutes, but in many scenes that follow. I always thought the girl on the cover was being pensive, which feels right. But some people thought she was dead, which was interesting to me since I didn't pick up on that. But….that's very relevant to the book as well: what makes someone alive?

"I'm really thrilled with how everything turned out."

Thanks, Megan! I love the detail in the cover–each time I look I notice something more. It reminds me a little bit of the If I Stay paperback (I guess that's the girl-at-bottom thing) but also feels wholly unique and lovely.

What do you guys think?

Photo Friday: Foods I Have Loved (This Week)

After interviewing Tamar Adler for a Cover Story, I bought her book, An Everlasting Meal, and totally loved it. There's a moment where she talks about saving the scraps–stalks and leaves–from cauliflower and making a paste for bread out of it. I did that. It was delicious!

Dave made our traditional lobster salad for Valentine's Day. (I love this meal, even though it's very 80s, I think.)

For dessert: blueberries + ricotta + maple syrup. Delish.

And my other favorite dessert this week: The Nutella Calzone from Toby's. This one is insane.

Win-It Wednesday: Book Soundtracks + an iPod

[image error]So, in case you haven't heard, Figment and I Heart Daily are hosting a contest where you could win an iPod shuffle loaded with playlists from your favorite authors. Each playlist is inspired by their latest novel, and the list is grand. Check it out:

Madeleine George, The Difference Between You and Me

Nina LaCour, The Disenchantments

Lisa McMann, Dead to You

Sarah Ockler, Bittersweet

Matthew Quick, Boy21

Robin Wasserman, The Book of Blood and Shadow

Alecia Whitaker, The Queen of Kentucky

Michelle Zink, A Temptation of Angels

Figment has set up all of these playlists on Spotify (follow each link to find those), so if you're reading these books, it's time to crank up the stereo too.

Read the official rules and get full details here (you have to create a playlist for your favorite book). I mean, this is a fun contest. Wouldn't it be the most amazing thing ever to be the Music Coordinator for a great show? Choosing the songs that go with each moment? Thrills. And yes, I did create a playlist for Unbreak My Heart (and there's no Toni Braxton on it!).

Get cracking on your novel-inspired playlist!

Happy, uh, Thursday.

Cover Stories: The Jade Notebook

[image error]The lovely Laura Resau has a new book out! The Jade Notebook is the third in her beautiful series about Zeeta (read her Cover Story for The Indigo Notebook). Kirkus Reviews says, "In this third in a series of novels focusing on Zeeta and her wanderlust-stricken mother, readers are immersed in the details of a lovingly described coastal town in Mexico and an action-filled mystery surrounding the poaching of ancient sea turtles that make their home there…  a graceful conclusion to Zeeta's story."

Here's Laura to tell the tale of the cover:

"I'm happy and honored to be back on your blog, Melissa–I could spend all day reading these fascinating cover stories!

"The Jade Notebook is the third and final book in the travel-adventure-themed Notebooks series, each of which is set in a different country. The series went through a few different cover looks over the past few years.  If you're curious, you can read the story behind the hardcover look of the first in the series, The Indigo Notebook, here. For that cover, my publisher, Delacorte, did a photo shoot of an open, vintage-style suitcase containing items that evoked each different setting, below. (The Indigo Notebook is set in the Andes of Ecuador, The Ruby Notebook in southern France, and The Jade Notebook in a small Mexican beach town.)

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"After the publication of The Indigo Notebook with the suitcase cover (above), Delacorte decided to change the look of the paperback and subsequent books in the series. My understanding is that the influential bookstores pushed for this, believing that a photo of a pretty girl on the cover would increase sales. With the new cover look—back views of a girl with a gorgeous background, right–Delacorte wanted to project a sense of romance and fun in a seductive setting.

"I do think that the new cover look achieves this, but I have to admit, I did appreciate that the suitcase-themed covers clearly evoked the idea of travel, which is central to the series. Still, the backgrounds in the new look do suggest exotic locales. For me, the final cover of The Jade Notebook – a girl swimming in crystal, blue-green waters – evokes an almost visceral reaction of 'I want to go there!' It's so sensual–I can almost feel the tropical water, taste the salt.  he color of the sunlit water feels delicious to me… especially now, in mid-February, when I'm longing for the beach! And I was really happy that they photo-shopped sea turtles in the image, since they're  essential to the plot. I also think the font is lovely–eye-catching and whimsical—and suits the story well.

"The only aspects of the final Jade cover that I wasn't happy about were: 1) I wish the girl's skin and hair were darker to more accurately reflect Zeeta's appearance. (In response, Delacorte said they did the best they could using stock photos.)  2) It would've been nice to somehow suggest more mystery, danger, and adventure since there's actually a lot more to the story than sweet romance in a beautiful natural setting.

"Overall, though, I'm happy with the cover, and appreciate the work that the designers went through to come up with appealing images.  You can read more about the book here. You can see photos of the setting for the book on my blog, here and here.  I'm doing a book give-away this week, so feel free to swing by my blog and enter. Thanks for reading!"

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Thanks, Laura! I do think the suitcase covers are charming, but I understand the appeal of the new ones too (see all three, above). They're almost more arresting at first glance, which is really important. (Though I do love the idea of pouring over the original covers and seeing all the little items in the suitcase.)

What do you guys think?

PS-Remember to visit Laura's blog for the giveaway this week.

Win-It Wednesday: The Holly Cupala Spectacular!

 (Oops, this went up early and unfinished–apologies! All done now):

Last week's winner of Andrea Cremer's Bloodrose is… donnas! Send me your address, D.

This week, I'm helping Holly Cupala celebrate the release of Don't Breathe a Word! Watch the trailer and then check out Holly's contest info below…

PRIZES:

Five Grand Prizes:

Signed copies of Don't Breathe a Word, Tell Me a Secret, the TMAS special edition audiobook, bookmarks, stickers, and other swag

Ten Runner-Up Prizes:

Don't Breathe a Word flyers, bookmarks, stickers, and a TMAS button

Plus the first forty people who buy the book at this link between now and Valentine's Day get DBAW bookmarks, stickers, and undying book love from Holly!

HOW TO ENTER: Visit Holly's blog for all the info. I'll be back with a giveaway next week!