The Cover - First Impressions

I'm still preparing "Schumaker" for the editor, and while I go through it, one chapter at a time, for echo words and errors I missed the first ten times, I figured it was time to think about a cover.

Normally I have a concept in mind from the start. This time it's a little harder. I have the photos I swiped for inspiration, the photos I took, and the painting that inspired my main character-female. The setting is a focus in this book, so I'm figuring that will show up on the cover, and for the first time, I want to add people on the cover. The female character is easy, because of the painting, but I needed a strong visual for my male character. Enter Gerard Butler. Found a really yummy picture of him (on my Pinterest page in case anyone's interested) that could pass for my leading man.

With these concepts in mind, I checked in with a cover artist. This will be another first for me - I normally have the vision in mind and, with a little help from my friends on the artwork, I create the covers myself. The cover artist sent me some additional male model pictures (how much fun is it to look at handsome men?) that she proposed (since Gerard's photo is copyrighted, doncha know).

One of my beta readers mentioned to me that the cover is "very important" to her when she selects a book. She agreed that the setting is important in this book, and I told her I wanted to add a "person," too. Now I'm anxious to see what the cover artist throws together for me. Actually, I'm pretty excited about it!

I've also initiated my "Street Team." If you choose to sign up and help me promote (because you love my books, don't you?), you will be first in line to see my new cover reveal.  The Street Team is designed to help spread the word. Share the love. Tell everyone that you read this "really great book" and encourage them to buy a copy, too. To thank you, I will send you treats from time to time and insider information. Sign-up information is in the column to the right.

What makes you buy a book?  Is it the blurb on the back? The picture on the cover? A familiar author?

And totally unrelated - the photo is an update from last week's post. And yes, I got to help. A little. A very little. But I got to help.

Progress September 23

Papa's Always Right

Yes, I'm still in the passage between Schumaker and Cinda, working a little on both and catching up on life in general.  Today I'm taking a departure from the writing life to give you a glimpse into home life.

This year, instead of a vacation, DH and I agreed to put that money into a new deck on the back of the house since the existing deck was getting a little scary to walk on. Like most sensible people, we asked for quotes from several reputable deckbuilders first. Howsomever, DH quickly put his back up. His father was a contractor. The prices the deckbuilders were quoting as overhead did not compute for him (even though they were all in the same ball park).  Solution? He took it upon himself to build said deck. He has the skills, the know-how.

Enter me. I started to cringe. Not that he doesn't know how. He does. But the deckbuilders were quoting two days. I KNOW DH can't complete this project in two days. Not no way, not no how. However, if this is a project he wants to undertake, I will not argue with him. Sometimes we all like to exercise our creative side. Work with our hands. Build something with our own two hands. So I smiled and said "yes, dear." (after much initial discussion, I might add).

In a previous life, I have experience with people starting projects and not finishing them, leaving them either for me to complete or to hire out. I have warned DH that if this project is not finished this year, I will be hiring someone to finish it in the spring. But I'm working very hard not to nag him. Not to ask about his progress. Not to say "are we there yet?" Even though it's killing me. Instead I'm resorting to this very public forum (which I'm sure he'll appreciate greatly).

August 11

August 11

August 18

After the first 10 days, he had to go back to work. Then after another week, he took some more days off. Eager beaver that I am, I asked "so does that mean you're going to start building?" (If looks could kill, I would not be writing this blog post today.) He ever so gently explained to me that he had "inside" prep work that he was doing. Now, I'm not doubting him. I know he did. And it was also three of the hottest days of the year.

In my head, I'm seeing that quote that said two men, two days. I'm now looking at one man, 30 days, no deck. The picture from August 18? Those boards are gone now and there is no "visible" progress on construction.  I'm trying not to hyperventilate. It isn't that I don't think he'll finish, I believe he will. It's my flashbacks to the previous life that give me fits. And it's losing the last beautiful days of summer without being able to carry a book out to the deck. No deck on which to watch the lightning bugs twinkle or to point out constellations from. 

I'm distracted. I want to help. Can I take days off to swing a hammer? Hold a board? Nope. He doesn't want help. The same way I'm used to helping and even finishing projects, he's used to doing them himself. 

It brings to mind a folk tale called "Papa's Always Right." The "Papa" in question made some horrendous decisions, which his wife supported, and in the end, he came out ahead. (you can read the story here) I have faith in my DH. The bigger problem is my own patience level.  So I'm showing him a smile and holding back my "when is this going to be finished" cries. I made a deal. He has until the end of the year before I'm allowed to go berserk.

I have to hold up my end of the bargain.

Warm Fuzzies

I'm gratified to have received new reviews this week. They are especially wonderful because of my state of "in between."

Finishing a novel is often compared to childbirth, and for my part, I believe it to be an accurate analogy. There is period of recovery after you've finished, before you are have the mental energy to start again. Granted, I have taken the preliminary steps with the next one, but I'm "taking it easy." I know Schumaker will need more attention to get it to its marketable form, and some days it feels like its never going to be finished. Feedback helps to keep me motivated. Just when I begin to wonder why I keep writing, when I wonder if starting a new one is a waste if time - that state of between the book I've just finished and the next one I want to write - someone tells me how much they enjoyed the books I've already written and its just that extra burst of oomph that pushes me forward.

Have to also succumb to a higher power. I posted not long ago that I didn't have a friend like Cinda so I had to look up her personality profile. Actually, when I first started Living Canvas, she was based on a friend I had years ago. Recently, I've had the experience of another "friend" to highlight what it is about Cinda that is so disagreeable, which makes me anxious to delve back into her character. Of course the goal here is to redeem Cinda!

Thank you, to my kind readers. I'm continually humbled by your appreciation of my hard work. With that being said, it's time to wake up my sleeping assistant and hunker down. There's work to be done!

Book reviews

Do you ever feel like your brain is empty and you don't know what to talk about? No? Well I do. Normally when it is blog day, I start out with an empty head and an empty computer screen and let my fingers dictate what I'm going to talk about. And sometimes I actually have something I want to share. However, I was born fourth in a family of all girls. That means that I often didn't get my turn to speak. I learned how to not speak. This makes it a challenge some days to speak. (Yes, I outgrew that in time, but there are still days . . .)

Anyway, the point here is that so many authors are looking for book reviews. It occurred to me that I should post an additional day (or two) each week with a book review. That way, even if I am having a "what am I going to pull out of my head today" day, I can still have something to write about.

So . . . {fanfare} announcing Book Reviews! Targeted mainly toward indie authors who deserve a chance to be represented (but not excluding better-known authors who I happen to enjoy reading).

In the meantime, for those of you who are following my writing journey, I've started Cinda's story. Once I got going, it came rushing through. I have some research to do - as is usually the case when writing a new story. In the meantime, the words are pouring out. Thanks to a program at the library, I can do some of my research next month, but that won't stop me from getting started!