By now you probably all know Kensington is repackaging (their word) my BORN TO BE WILDE series. I'm still waiting for them to finish the final cover before all four will go live on retail sites. I posted here before about branding, and how they're ditching the couples on my covers to play up a more suspenseful background with a shadowy face. These books haven't sold nearly as well as my WHO'S WATCHING NOW series with their headless, hot men and rustic backgrounds. I have to wonder if the covers have anything to do with it. The books simply don't look like romantic suspense.
So, last week I conducted a poll on Facebook to ask whether readers/authors preferred scenery only to couples on romantic suspense books. One hundred percent of those who responded said they preferred scenery. Alrighty then... If Kensington could repackage one of my series, why couldn't I revamp my self-published suspense series, SECRETS OF RAVENSWOOD, to get rid of the couples? As the idea took hold, I found myself spending way too much time searching iStock Photos for likely cover contenders when I should have been writing.
Determined to jump into this new project and end the hours of fruitless searching, I contacted our very own Alison Henderson, who had created the original covers. She was game. Yippee! We threw ideas back and forth, trying to find three images that conveyed the essence of the stories, had a suspenseful vibe, and also looked right together. The cover image I'd chosen for SHE'LL NEVER REST was very cool on it's own, but didn't mesh with the other two. None of the other graveyard images (this book has a bit of a ghost story in it) thrilled me. However, I'd taken a picture of a tiny, deserted graveyard in my old hometown of Gasquet a couple years ago. Why not use it for my book? Holding my breath, I sent it to Alison. She thought it would work. Double yippee! She had to do some editing on the lighting to get the right effect, but we were both pleased with the finished product.
I can't tell you how fun it is to have a place I've hiked to a gazillion times, one that brings back great childhood memories of riding my bike through the woods, as a cover for one of my books. For those of you who have creative license when it comes to book covers, you might consider using something with a personal connection.
And now...drum roll...check out the results of my hours of photo browsing and Alison's editing genius. I can't thank her enough for turning my wishy-washy vision into stunning, professional covers! I love them all!
Three girls witness a murder and vow never to tell what they saw. But when the body turns up years later, the killer may silence them…for good. Buy it now on Amazon.
When a genealogist is hired to research the Nash family tree, will she find love with her employer's grandson...or will the past come back to haunt them? Buy it now on Amazon.
Will two people with tragedy and secrets in their pasts find happiness...or will a threat neither anticipated jeopardize everything they hold dear? Buy it now on Amazon.
FYI, I've lowered the price on the first book in the series, WE'LL NEVER TELL, to .99 cents. These are novella length, standalone stories featuring three childhood friends, the men they love, and a mountain town filled with secrets. Both the romance and the suspense should keep you turning those pages!
So, what do you think? Did Alison and I do a great job? Do these covers shout romantic suspense?
We all know that mothers are the world's best multitaskers. As a mom, I can arrange next week's ballet car pool via phone, fold laundry, jot items on a grocery list, and yell at my daughter to put down her iPod and do her homework, all at the same time and without even thinking twice. As a writer, I can do the above plus add work out the latest plot twist in my WIP and the subject for my next blog post to the list. No, I'm not Wonder Woman. I'm an author, and as such, I've learned lesson #1. Prepare to become an efficient multitasker or lose your mind.
For those of you who picture a writer, hard at work in his or her garret, cranking out the next Great American Novel with no distractions, I must chuckle politely at your naivete. In reality, that writer is performing a juggling act. More than likely she (I'll use she since most of my author friends are female and I'm not at all sure males are capable of multitasking. LOL) is working on her current manuscript, editing the one she recently finished, and promoting the novel that just released. Sometimes my head spins, just trying to keep the characters straight. So, here's my author tip for the day. MODERATION
We can't do everything well (or even competently) if we don't learn moderation. When working on the first draft, learn to let go of that search for the perfect word and move on. It'll come to you later, probably waking you from a deep sleep, so keep a note pad handy. When working on the second or third draft, accept that it probably isn't perfect yet and hand it over to your critique partner or agent or editor. These wise souls will point out exactly what is wrong with it, and then you can make those final changes and repairs. When in the midst of final, final edits - don't drive yourself crazy reading it over and over, changing one word here or there. You could do this until those proverbial cows come home and never be 100% satisfied. And finally, there's the promotion.
Promoting can be a complete time suck. It's necessary, but you need to learn to use your time wisely. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know what generally doesn't work.
1) Too much blogging. I've seen authors set up 20 blog stops in the first two weeks after their book releases. Who has time to write all those blogs and monitor them? Not me said the busy mother/author. Also, even your best writer buddies get sick of seeing you post on Facebook about yet another blog stop on your endless tour. I believe a few fun, informative posts that aren't strictly shouts of BUY MY NEW BOOK are more effective in the long run.
2) Too much Tweeting and too many Facebook blasts. Personally, I never bother to read tweets, so I could care less if the people on Twitter scream about their books day and night. But, I've been told it irritates those who actually do monitor their twitter stream. Same with Facebook, which I do spend time perusing. Maybe post about the entertaining subject matter of those blogs you're writing along with the news that you have a new release. Yes, let everyone know, but don't make your Facebook and Twitter friends crazy.
So, to keep those balls in the air and become a multitasking diva, practice moderation in all aspects of your writing habits. And now, to my bit of promotion...
The final book in my Secrets of Ravenswood trilogy has just released. Go, me! You can pick up a copy of He'll Never Know at Amazon. Just click here. Also, the first book in the series, We'll Never Tell is free today only. So, if you haven't read it yet, click here to download. These are fast paced, romantic suspense stories set in small towns with plenty of action and a few surprising twists. If you enjoy that sort of book, I hope you'll give them a try.
For more information, please visit my website. Last but not least, if you have any tips that will help us all become better multitaskers, leave them in comments and have a great day!
