Reviews for the Literary Inclined discussion
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message 101:
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Monica Porta
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Sep 21, 2012 08:49PM
David, congrats on #1! Just RT about your promo :)
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*looks with envy at at Season of the Serpent's #1 spot on free fantasy, downloads immediately*
Hi, Jess, interesting book you got there :) My cover artist, Alessandro Fiorini, does scifi and fantasy.
Thanks for the referral, Monica. I don't know the specific name of his/her styles, but I like what I see :D
Jess wrote: "Hi to everyone! My pen name is Jess Lawren, and I'm a new e-book author dabbling a bit in fantasy (high and contemporary) as well as science fiction. [...] Can anyone recommend a good book cover designer for fantasy/SF themes - one that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for decent work? :3 "
Jess, there are a few good book designers out there charging $30-$50 which is considered "reasonable" and "not an arm and a leg" (while others charge $100 to $3000) but if what you want is illustration, that's a very different beast. You are very unlikely to find one graphics person to do both. I write science fiction and had a very clear idea in my head of what I wanted but I cannot afford an illustrator to draw/paint/create it. Instead, I went with a basic idea (eyes are a theme in all the books so I made them a cover theme, too) and had someone create a Photoshop template I can modify for the handful of books in the series, doing the updates myself. It was the cheapest way I could figure to go.
In our SF/F genre, usually, the covers are drawn or painted either in Photoshop or on canvas. THEN the covers are designed "over" the illustration--but as you know, illustrations on SF/F books actually get WorldCon, Hugo and other industry/genre-specific awards just for their own sake (not for the books they cover).
The one thing to bear in mind is that you can get a very basic cover done cheaply and then later, after you've sold some books, get a new cover done using the book royalties to pay for it. This is what most of the newly successful indie authors have been doing lately. Starting out with cheapo covers that are simple / minimalist enough not to be repulsive/lose sales and then letting the content sell itself. It's a risk and not easy but if your sales speak is good enough, you can sell the books without an eye-catching cover.
Did you want illustration or just some kind of photo-based cover? Your current cover is what I'm calling illustration-based.
-Friday (using the artwork of the incomparable Michael Whelan for my avatar - he now sells paintings for $30,000 and up at SF/F conventions *choke*)
p.s. just remembered a DeviantArt person who does NOT do book cover design but DOES do amazing CGI Worlds creations. Check out Orikon's gallery on DeviantArt. This is NOT free artwork; please don't steal their graphics anymore than you'd want someone to steal your story and call it their own. Most DeviantArt artists are pretty reasonable about allowing you to use their artwork, if not free then at a low cost. Sometimes you can even get them to do a custom job for you. All depends on what you want. Browse the digital art galleries there for other science fiction/fantasy "worlds"
Wow, Marjorie. Thanks for the detailed info about covers! I especially appreciate the suggestion on templates and negotiating with DeviantArtists to adopt their existing pics for SF/F covers. I was wondering how to keep cover costs down, and your suggestions will definitely work well for my later series :)
Sarah, The Webbiegrrl Writer wrote: "Vicki, or anyone else who has a Nook and yearns to download Kindle books FREE, you can convert them FREE by using a program called Calibre, which you can get here:http://calibre-ebook.com/
It's ..."
Hey Sarah, as far as I know, Calibre can't convert a locked Kindle book. Some authors / publishers post their ebooks locked into Kindle only.
Junying wrote: "@AmBear - thanks for the offer to spotlight my work. I'd love to take it up. Really appreciate you visiting my blog too and your lovely comments :)! Your blog is sparkling! I don't mind waiting for..."Junying, I need your email so that I can send you the review questions for your spotlight on my webpage. There are only two in fornt of you, so we need to get crackin'. :) Please go to my blog and leave your email in the "comments" section. Here's the link:http://pedalstemlillieseries.blogspot... I will email you with the specs :)
If anyone else would like to be interviwed please let me know, and I'll spotlight you on my blog. Follow the above link and do the same. Leave name and email. Easy Peasy.
Thanks and have a great day :)
AmBear
Vered, I've never tried to take a "locked" Kindle book and convert it in Calibre but it sure would NOT surprise me if Amazon found a way to make it impossible to share Kindle books.The GOOD news (for those who have Nooks and want to read Kindle books when they're given away or set to free promos) is that NOT all Kindle books are locked. NONE of the book formats on Smashwords, forex, and often other sites will have Kindle books that are NOT locked or DRM'd (forex, ObookO and Bibliotastic where I have my short story/novella WHEN MINDS COLLIDE for free in Kindle, ePub and PDF on both sites)
I don't add DRM to mine, but a warning to authors: when you do that, be watchful for pirates. Every time I've done a free day on Amazon, I've had at least one pirate convert my book to an ePub and offer it for free download after the fact. There is a process for getting these removed from servers (I've done it about a dozen times so far), but you have to search for them every few days to catch and report them. They don't have to prove ownership to give it away; however, when you prove ownership, your copyright certificate usually does the trick in a hurry.
Kristen wrote: "I don't add DRM to mine, but a warning to authors: when you do that, be watchful for pirates. Every time I've done a free day on Amazon, I've had at least one pirate convert my book to an ePub and ..."Wow - that's interesting information. Hm. Go figure. But it makes sense.
Jessi wrote: "Hey all our group facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/groups/review..."I can't find the group.. My laptop can't open the page:(
AmBear wrote: "M.O. wrote: "Hey guys,My pen name is M.O Kenyan and I am the author of Shades of Spring 1964; Letters to My daughter.
Please go to www.mokauthor.wordpress.com and check out the first chapter. A ..."
hey I appreciate you stopping by. I try to do it, I even copy paste it from a word document but it doesn't paste properly. I am going to try again. Thanks
message 115:
by
Jessi, <~}{{Faery Queen**aka**PixiBell}{{~>
(last edited Oct 04, 2012 06:10AM)
(new)
Mod
Here's the link again: www.facebook.com/groups/reviewsforthe...
"This content is currently unavailable.The page you requested cannot be displayed right now. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may have expired, or you may not have permission to view this page."
This is where it leads me :(
Mod
Copy & Paste this in the search area: Reviews for the Literary Inclined
Click the search icon (don’t press enter)
You should see 2 icons with the name “Reviews for the Literary Inclined” those are both us. One is our fan page which you can like and the other is our group which is secret until you join it.
Liked the fan page and left a comment :)Can't find the group :(
Mod
Hi,everyone. I can't believe how friendly this group is! No one slamming and real people with real books. I am an Indie author, a rather old one, who has a hard time fitting in anywhere. I guess it's because I'm traditional. I write those dreaded literary fiction books, but I'm trying to improve. The one book I published is at several places, one is https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...I have an Amazon page: www.amazon.com/author/kenbrimhall and a Twitter account: https://twitter.com/HynehKen
Most of the time on the Internet, like now, I have next to no idea what I'm doing, but I'll keep trying.
Jessi, clicked on the link and it says it's currently unavailable :(
Monica wrote: "Jessi, clicked on the link and it says it's currently unavailable :("Jessi wrote: "Try this:
Copy & Paste this in the search area: Reviews for the Literary Inclined
Click the search icon (don’t press enter)
You should see 2 icons with the name “Reviews for the Literary Incline..."
yeap the same for me!:(
Ken, don't worry, only a few know what they are doing on z internet :) Mostly, I'm a clueless lurker myself.
Hello all. My name is Maya Panika. I used to write comedy but have recently published Entanglement, a paranormal fantasy about ghosts, possession and quantum physics.My Goodreads Author page is here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
My blog - where I talk about writing, life and my new puppy (blatant lure - there are pics!) can be found here: http://mayapanika.wordpress.com/
So Jessi, you seem to be having trouble with forming links here on Goodreads :-( and it's painful to watch so let me help, okay? I noted on the other thread where you posted the Group that it was not a group but a Page - Facebook having both. Here's what I get when I search Facebook:Reviews For The Literary Inclined (Community Page, public)
http://www.facebook.com/ReviewsForTheLiteraryInclined?fref=ts
(I liked it as Friday Baldwin :) and....
Reviews for the Literary Inclined (Group, private)
http://www.facebook.com/groups/reviewsfortheliteraryinclined/
(I am not a member of the FB group so I cannot view its content)
I also notice you created a Twitter acct and put the link on the info tab of the FB Page. If I might make a suggestion, change the name from "@LiteraryIncline" (missing "d" is how you have it now) to something like @ReviewsLitIncl because the "reviews" part will turn up in queries and searches by auto-follow bots who are instructed by Indie Authors to find reviewers on Twitter (and there are lots!) You'll get followers more for "reviews" than for "literary"....just my 2 cents which means it's worth...well, 2 cents :)
Hi, my name is Gary Markwick and I have my first book out called "Now it Begins" which is a self help book that is practical and spiritual with ancient learning and short stories, split into 10 distinct phases.
My goodreads link is:
http://www.goodreads.com/garymarkwick
my blog and more information about my book is
http://www.garymarkwick.com
my twitter name is
http://twitter.com/garydmarkwick
facebook page is
http://www.facebook.com/gary.markwick
Love and light
Gary
Mod
Thanks. I'm actually not sure why the links for facebook wouldn't work (head scratcher) and I like the suggestion for the twitter name change. Thanks your 2 cents is always appreciated!!!
Mod
Fantastic, Jessi, thanks. I joined under my real name since it won't let me join a group using my author page :).
Jessi wrote: "Also for the rest of this week and part of next week...I'm opening up the group page on facebook so anyone can click and join. But then I'm going to make it secret again so that only the people who..."Hi Jessi, I also have joined under my real name though I prefer to do all my Facebooking as my Page Sarah, The Webbiegrrl Writer. If you still need another admin for the FB group, you can add me (real name profile)
I'm pretty comfortable with Facebook's quirks and I follow George Takei, more for his hilarious humor but a side benefit is whenever Facebook does some weird thing to Pages and groups, he knows about it and tells his million plus fans/followers. He makes a nice handy info source :)
-sry
Mod
Oh and Marjorie you should check out "AotM: October 2012 - And the Winner is..." I'm sure you'll like it as well!!!
And here's my author page on FB, which has the cover for my debut novel launching January 15, 2013, with Evolved Publishing, along with some advance review comments and general mayhem, if anyone is interested.http://www.facebook.com/robbgrindstaf...
Hi, my name is Eliabeth Hawthorne. I'm one of the authors of Blind Sight, a series that changes depending on whose eyes you're reading through. I share a book blog with my coauthor here: http://ermiliablog.wordpress.com/
Eliabeth wrote: "Hi, my name is Eliabeth Hawthorne. I'm one of the authors of Blind Sight, a series that changes depending on whose eyes you're reading through. I share a book blog with my coauthor here: http://e..."That's a neat idea!
That sounds interesting, Eliabeth! I'm heading over to check out your blog now :)
Thanks Vared and Kristen! We got the idea from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead while contemplating how different the Harry Potter series would be if read from Snape's point of view. We're offering free copies for reviews while we get ready to launch the paperback if anyone is interested.
Hi, Eliabeth! Your series sounds interesting :)
Monica wrote: "Hi, Eliabeth! Your series sounds interesting :)"Thank you Monica. We are diligently working on book 2,
Hello everyone, I'm new to the group. I'm the author of the novel Ship of Haunts: the other Titanic story (which is free on Amazon this weekend! - see Giveaways for full info) & I also write articles. I can be foundon Twitter @Stevensonauthor
or via my author website, or Goodreads page.
Glad to be in the group!
Welcome Ellie - your book sounds intriguing!
Hello everyone! I'm a recently published first time author writing under the pen name Kim DeSalvo. My book, Incidental Happenstance, published in August, and has gotten great feedback on both Amazon and Goodreads--I love this site, and am thrilled to join a group of other writers! My book is a 'rock star romance,' and it's going to be available FREE for kindle on Black Friday, Nov 23! You can link to it here... http://desalvobooks.webs.com/ . I look forward to all comments, and to finding some new great reads myself!! Happy Thanksgiving:)
Hello Everyone
What a nice group, I just read some of the above posts and it all looks very welcoming. I am just getting my feet back on the ground after an extensive book blog tour.
My first book Ramblings In Ireland was published in August this year. My Web site is http://kerrydwyer.com/ you can find out all about my book and also about me. I live in South West France and I work as a language teacher.
My daughter tells me I am a malteser.
What a nice group, I just read some of the above posts and it all looks very welcoming. I am just getting my feet back on the ground after an extensive book blog tour.
My first book Ramblings In Ireland was published in August this year. My Web site is http://kerrydwyer.com/ you can find out all about my book and also about me. I live in South West France and I work as a language teacher.
My daughter tells me I am a malteser.
Welcome Kim and Kerry! Hope to see you active in the threads. Also pop over to nominate a book and author for the December read (and yes, you can nominate your own self / book!).
Hello everyone,I am Leonard Seet and I just published my literary novel Meditation on Space-Time about a man who struggles with friendship, betrayal and loss. My website is Leonard Seet Blog, where I review literary novels.
Happy New year.
Hello all
Firstly, happy new year. May 2013 bring your good fortune and a few giggles.
I'm a new author and this is my debut novel - the first of a series and for serious reviewers, it's free (directly from me - see email ad at the end)
Finding Esta is now available on amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. I hope that you might find my book interesting and be generous enough to review it on Goodreads as well as the Amazon page of your choice.
I have had the pleasure of reviewing many books here - something I am happy to do in support of authors who need them. It's the single most useful marketing tool we have, after all.
Finding Esta is the first book of The Supes Series.
"Finding Esta is a superb tale of one woman’s struggling to define her identity, while the world she knew crumbles around her. It's thought provoking, heartfelt, and a wonderful debut novel for a talented author. Kudos to her!" Julianne Snow (author/editor of Days with the Undead)
“Shades of the Sixth Sense, Ann Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, True Blood, Star Trek’s Vulcan, Stargate Atlantis’ Wraith and Ugly Duckling [....] The true source of her [Luna's] empathy is mind blowing.” Wandalyn Thomas (writer at Examiner.com)
IN BRIEF: A young journalist sets off to find Esta, but is unprepared for all she finds, and soon realises it’s a journey from which she may never return.
* * *
BLURB: An unusual young woman and fledgling journalist, Luna has various restrictive oddities, all of which prevent any kind of physical intimacy. Abusive parents take pleasure in Luna’s misery and isolation, yet Luna strives to make them proud, to finally earn their elusive love – something she craves almost as much as the painless touch of a lover.
When she learns of a tragic story involving the kidnap of baby Esta, she jumps at the chance to investigate, dragging her Shadows along for the ride.
Meanwhile, a dark stranger lurks, visiting Luna’s dreams and stalking her reality. In lieu of the real thing, their intimate moments excite rather than terrify. Nestled within his presence, she begins to sense an urgent message of danger – a message she struggles to interpret, until they finally meet….
Her investigations lead Luna to a vibrant seaside town, hiding copycat aliens and an underworld of Supernaturals. Here, she comes face-to-face with her own, terrifying identity. Confronted with life-changing decisions and the harshest of truths, Luna questions her sanity, searching for logic, feeling deceived by both.
Is Luna trapped in a newfound supernatural world, or within her own delusions? And will anyone care enough to save her?
LINKS
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Esta-Su...
BOOK PAGE: http://shahwharton.com/the-supes-seri...
I understand if you do not do reviews, if your are too busy to one now, if you simply don't like the sound of the book. Forgive my request and move on with your day, with my blessing.
For those of you who would like a free review copy/file of your choice, please email me at shahwharton@gmail.com and I'll get that to you pronto.
Thanks for your time and consideration. XX
Hi Monica - hadn't realised you were here! Congrats on your interview with Javier Robayo - it certainly worked for me and I instantly sought out your book The Priest. Really looking forward to it. Javier has very kindly given me the same privilege and published an interview about the insights into my book The Treeman. I hope you don't mind but I'm posting links to both your interview (because your fantastic concept deserves some awareness raising) and also to my own (because I sincerely hope that mine also deserves some awareness too!). So here goes folks. If you want to hear the wonderful Monica La Porta talking passionately about The Priest, her dialogue with Javier is at http://bit.ly/Va8ujz and I'm 'next door' on the same site at http://bit.ly/Yqfi2M And check out Javier's work while you're on his site - he's a genuinely warm and generous author.
Reviews for the Literary Inclined
Books mentioned in this topic
Finding Esta (other topics)Meditation on Space-Time (other topics)
Ship of Haunts: the other Titanic story (other topics)
Season of the Serpent (other topics)
Shades of Spring 1964: Letters to my daughter (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Sessha Batto (other topics)Regan Black (other topics)
Sarah R. Yoffa (other topics)
