As I commission the cover for Epitaph 4, I'm faced yet again with trying to decide what best to put on the cover.
Through the course of my writing career, I've been to dozens of seminars and read lots of input on what should go on the cover of a novel. The overwhelming truth is that covers don't always represent the best picture of what's inside. Often, it is more about genre. Romance novels show you something sweet (or sexy) on the cover. Cozy mysteries often show cartoonish covers. Some thrillers covers are nothing more than symbols. As an indie author, I try to stick with the genre feel, but I also feel connected to what's inside.
Another secret. I'm from the "less is more" when it comes to description family. With that being said, I outline what my characters look like, but because they are unique individuals, I rarely have a "famous actor" picture in front of me like some authors do. I've been interviewed and asked "who would best portray your characters in the movie version." Heck. I don't know. I had someone ask me that with my very first novel and, after I had time to think about it, I'll admit Antonio Banderas came to mind as a perfect Dominic, and I had visions of Geena Davis as Kira, but as time passes those actors age and no longer fit that vision. THIS book gave me two perfect actor portrayals. The problem with that is trying to meet those expectations with my cover. I don't think Rachelle Lefevre or Jesse Williams will allow me to do a photo shoot to put them on my cover (but you never know!). Instead, I have to select from other cover models who might be "close" to those descriptions. Not an easy task.
Then there's the background. This series is ghostly. The original was inspired by a cemetery. The second by a haunted house. The third is still that same haunted house, but this one goes to New Orleans to uncover its ghost, a party city. Do I show the Garden District? The French Quarter? Lafayette Cemetery? Maybe the place where the ghostly showdown takes place? So many decisions!
When you read a book, do you expect what you see to coordinate with what you read? Or is it just the eye candy that draws you in? Do you even look at the cover again once you've read the book?
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
How long does it take to write a novel?
One of the most frequently asked questions authors receive is how long does it take to write a novel. The answer isn't so cut and dried.
Some of my favorite authors can put out as many as four books a year. That's one every three months. Can it be done? Absolutely. But that also requires dedication and no outside interference. I asked one of those authors what her process was and she said she writes from an outline. She's a plotter. That doesn't mean there isn't pantsing involved (writing by the seat of one's pants), but she has a roadmap that starts at the beginning and takes her to her destination. That's good business sense, and it helps her meet publisher-imposed deadlines.
For me, my best showing was three books in one year. That's one every four months, and I should point out I can write them faster, but making them readable is a whole other process. I'm also more of a pantser, so derailing can cause unnecessary detours that extend the process, but I like the scenic route. Following the outline superhighway takes away some of the fun of discovery, uncovering hidden gems you didn't know were waiting for you. That doesn't mean I don't work with an outline at all. Like taking a road trip, I have a general idea of what direction I'm going. I just don't always take the straightest route.
Then there are authors who only put out one new book each year. But you know what? That's usually one really good book. One author I've read takes more than a year to write a book - in fact, as long as two years. I wouldn't recommend that process. For starters, you risk losing your audience, and in my humble opinion, that particular author lost interest in her characters in the continuing series and it reflected in the subsequent books. Granted, her books were VERY long, so she needed the extra time, but the stories begin to feel like guests who have overstayed their welcome.
Everybody's process is different, and another thing to consider is word count. How long is your book going to be? And then there's the muse. Sometimes my muse is sitting on my shoulder through the entire process, and sometimes I get stuck in the muddle in the middle and struggle to push forward. Let's not forget outside distractions. Like a day job. Or family responsibilities. All of these factor in.
The most important factor, in my mind, is being passionate about what you write. You should love every story you tell. In all honesty, I have a couple of books sitting on the shelf that, after re-reading them, didn't pass muster. If I lost interest in them, certainly my readers would, too. So how long does it take to write a novel? As long as it takes to make them "good."
Some of my favorite authors can put out as many as four books a year. That's one every three months. Can it be done? Absolutely. But that also requires dedication and no outside interference. I asked one of those authors what her process was and she said she writes from an outline. She's a plotter. That doesn't mean there isn't pantsing involved (writing by the seat of one's pants), but she has a roadmap that starts at the beginning and takes her to her destination. That's good business sense, and it helps her meet publisher-imposed deadlines.
For me, my best showing was three books in one year. That's one every four months, and I should point out I can write them faster, but making them readable is a whole other process. I'm also more of a pantser, so derailing can cause unnecessary detours that extend the process, but I like the scenic route. Following the outline superhighway takes away some of the fun of discovery, uncovering hidden gems you didn't know were waiting for you. That doesn't mean I don't work with an outline at all. Like taking a road trip, I have a general idea of what direction I'm going. I just don't always take the straightest route.Then there are authors who only put out one new book each year. But you know what? That's usually one really good book. One author I've read takes more than a year to write a book - in fact, as long as two years. I wouldn't recommend that process. For starters, you risk losing your audience, and in my humble opinion, that particular author lost interest in her characters in the continuing series and it reflected in the subsequent books. Granted, her books were VERY long, so she needed the extra time, but the stories begin to feel like guests who have overstayed their welcome.
Everybody's process is different, and another thing to consider is word count. How long is your book going to be? And then there's the muse. Sometimes my muse is sitting on my shoulder through the entire process, and sometimes I get stuck in the muddle in the middle and struggle to push forward. Let's not forget outside distractions. Like a day job. Or family responsibilities. All of these factor in.
The most important factor, in my mind, is being passionate about what you write. You should love every story you tell. In all honesty, I have a couple of books sitting on the shelf that, after re-reading them, didn't pass muster. If I lost interest in them, certainly my readers would, too. So how long does it take to write a novel? As long as it takes to make them "good."
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
When the Legends Die
FIRST! Congratulations to Laurie, the winner of my newsletter contest. Look for an email in your inbox.
When I was in high school, we had a required reading list, which we were allowed to select from. One of the books I chose was "When the Legends Die" because I've always been captivated by legends. If you've never read it, it's about a Native American boy who is taken from his tribal land and taught to be a vicious rodeo rider. In the end, he goes back to the peace of the land where he was born. I only read it once, and yet it has stayed with me all these years.
I've been doing research into a legend for inclusion in Epitaph 5. Always a fun task, I read a novel, but it did throw me into a panic. My remaining Epitaph books are about the remaining brothers, and the legend I'm reading up on focuses more on women. EEK! So I had to look a little deeper than one author's interpretation (and knowing I could develop my own interpretation, but with a known legend, you don't want to stray TOO far from the original). It does apply to men, as well. Phew!
Developing the ghosts to provide background for each of the Epitaph novels has been an interesting experience. They are their own characters, complete with backstory, with goals, motivation and conflict. Through this process, I always knew Liam's story was going to be just a little bit different than the others, so I'm excited to bring him to the forefront in Epitaph 5. I still need a ghost for Epitaph 6, and while I have ideas, I'm not going to worry about that too much until I 1) finish Epitaph 4, and then 2) write Epitaph 5.
How long does it take to write each book? When can you expect the next installments? I can tell you Epitaph 4 is on target for a January release. I have a date with the editor and the cover artist is working on a composite. As for timing on the other two....
Tune in next week for "how long does it take to write a novel?"
When I was in high school, we had a required reading list, which we were allowed to select from. One of the books I chose was "When the Legends Die" because I've always been captivated by legends. If you've never read it, it's about a Native American boy who is taken from his tribal land and taught to be a vicious rodeo rider. In the end, he goes back to the peace of the land where he was born. I only read it once, and yet it has stayed with me all these years.
I've been doing research into a legend for inclusion in Epitaph 5. Always a fun task, I read a novel, but it did throw me into a panic. My remaining Epitaph books are about the remaining brothers, and the legend I'm reading up on focuses more on women. EEK! So I had to look a little deeper than one author's interpretation (and knowing I could develop my own interpretation, but with a known legend, you don't want to stray TOO far from the original). It does apply to men, as well. Phew!
Developing the ghosts to provide background for each of the Epitaph novels has been an interesting experience. They are their own characters, complete with backstory, with goals, motivation and conflict. Through this process, I always knew Liam's story was going to be just a little bit different than the others, so I'm excited to bring him to the forefront in Epitaph 5. I still need a ghost for Epitaph 6, and while I have ideas, I'm not going to worry about that too much until I 1) finish Epitaph 4, and then 2) write Epitaph 5.
How long does it take to write each book? When can you expect the next installments? I can tell you Epitaph 4 is on target for a January release. I have a date with the editor and the cover artist is working on a composite. As for timing on the other two....
Tune in next week for "how long does it take to write a novel?"
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Seasons of change
First, the good news. I've finished what I consider a reasonable version of Epitaph 4! Now the fine-tuning begins, unless I find a critical break in the story. The plan for release is January. Stay tuned.
I've had a great deal of fun writing this series, and I'm winding down to the last couple of brothers. I have some good ideas for Thad and for Liam (had Liam pegged at the start of the series - he's going to take a different sort of direction), but I'm not convinced Bryan merits his own story. That means two more Epitaph books in the wings (unless I change my mind about Bryan).
With the completion of this latest book, I'm looking back over this past year, at the things that went well and the things I can still improve upon. Looking ahead, I have those two books begging to be written, along with a couple of life changes. Relocations. Weddings. Time marches on, and with it come new challenges. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I've had a great deal of fun writing this series, and I'm winding down to the last couple of brothers. I have some good ideas for Thad and for Liam (had Liam pegged at the start of the series - he's going to take a different sort of direction), but I'm not convinced Bryan merits his own story. That means two more Epitaph books in the wings (unless I change my mind about Bryan).
With the completion of this latest book, I'm looking back over this past year, at the things that went well and the things I can still improve upon. Looking ahead, I have those two books begging to be written, along with a couple of life changes. Relocations. Weddings. Time marches on, and with it come new challenges. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Bragging rights
I was *this* close.
Recently, In'D Tale Magazine announced their RONE awards, and I'm proud to say COOKIE THERAPY was nominated by virtue of a 5 star review (you can read the review here). The winners were announced this past weekend, and while I didn't win, my book was the first runner up in its category. Disappointed? Well, maybe a little, but when I step back and consider the number of books I was up against, all the elimination rounds and different sets of eyes reading it, coming in second doesn't look so bad.
Recently, In'D Tale Magazine announced their RONE awards, and I'm proud to say COOKIE THERAPY was nominated by virtue of a 5 star review (you can read the review here). The winners were announced this past weekend, and while I didn't win, my book was the first runner up in its category. Disappointed? Well, maybe a little, but when I step back and consider the number of books I was up against, all the elimination rounds and different sets of eyes reading it, coming in second doesn't look so bad.Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Typing or Writing Longhand
As an author, there are times I have a difficult time working through a plot point. Most of my writing process is done at the keyboard, letting stream of consciousness flow, but there are moments when I end up staring at my computer, waiting for that flash of brilliance. Those are the moments I pick up a pen and a pad of paper.
The first time I did that, it was to outline. I had a book that was going nowhere. No plot, just meandering aimlessly along, so I wanted to give it some direction. I sat down to write down the why and what and wherefore.
Another time, I was on my commute into the Big City on the train and I didn't want to pull out my computer. As silly as it sounds, putting my ideas to paper felt less permanent (in a world where you can delete on your computer without any muss or fuss).
As I've been working through the missing plot points on my current work, I realized something. For my part, when I sit down with pen and paper, it forces me to focus. What do I want to happen? What has to occur to get me to that point? What are the impacts? Like an outline, it gives me a direction to go. Generally, I write random thoughts (although I've been known to do that at my computer, as well, to give myself a road map). Too often when I'm at my computer, I can be distracted by other things. A message notification or that ebook I want to finish reading or all the other things that can take you out of the moment.
There's just something about writing something by hand, a deliberate action, that takes you out of the "what next" and lets you set ideas down to sort through. At least for me. It also helps to organize your thoughts, much like when you need to make a presentation and you can't decide which point to address first. The "spoke" method helps resolve that issue, write all the points on spokes of a wheel, and once you get them all down, it's much easier to sort through what comes first.
As a reminder - for those of you who live in Illinois, I'm going to be at the Schaumburg library on Saturday. I hope you'll stop in and say hello!
The first time I did that, it was to outline. I had a book that was going nowhere. No plot, just meandering aimlessly along, so I wanted to give it some direction. I sat down to write down the why and what and wherefore.
Another time, I was on my commute into the Big City on the train and I didn't want to pull out my computer. As silly as it sounds, putting my ideas to paper felt less permanent (in a world where you can delete on your computer without any muss or fuss).
As I've been working through the missing plot points on my current work, I realized something. For my part, when I sit down with pen and paper, it forces me to focus. What do I want to happen? What has to occur to get me to that point? What are the impacts? Like an outline, it gives me a direction to go. Generally, I write random thoughts (although I've been known to do that at my computer, as well, to give myself a road map). Too often when I'm at my computer, I can be distracted by other things. A message notification or that ebook I want to finish reading or all the other things that can take you out of the moment.
There's just something about writing something by hand, a deliberate action, that takes you out of the "what next" and lets you set ideas down to sort through. At least for me. It also helps to organize your thoughts, much like when you need to make a presentation and you can't decide which point to address first. The "spoke" method helps resolve that issue, write all the points on spokes of a wheel, and once you get them all down, it's much easier to sort through what comes first.
As a reminder - for those of you who live in Illinois, I'm going to be at the Schaumburg library on Saturday. I hope you'll stop in and say hello!
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
After the First Draft
Stephen King will tell you to get that first draft done and then step away. Give it time to marinate. To gel. To set. And then go back and edit ruthlessly.I was so proud of myself! I finished my first draft of EPITAPH 4, and I thought I'd done pretty well for myself! Sure, there were some areas that needed polishing, but this book came so fast, it was going to be easy-peasy. HAH!
I set it aside, waiting to hear back from my fact checker and going on about my daily life, except as an author, you're always writing in your head. Funny, I should have been forewarned when my subconscious wasn't ready to start in on the next project. That's normally what happens when I finish a book, I can't wait to start on the next one. Oh, I have ideas. I have two, maybe three more brothers whose stories need to be written in this series, and I have general ideas, but no characters speaking to me. Maybe that's because THIS story isn't done.
As I lay awake in bed the other day, reviewing what I'd written mentally, I realized I'd left some VERY IMPORTANT STUFF out of my story. Stuff that was going to change that "perfect" first draft dramatically. But that's why we have to let the first draft marinate, so we can go back at it with fresh eyes to see what we missed the first time around. Daunting? You betcha!
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