Madi Brown on Readers Being Visual & Book Covers @Madithe1brown #Wwed #AmReading #ChickLit

Why Book Covers Are So Important

Unless you don't have eyes, people are visual. If there's a handsome guy sitting  across  from me during my daily commute on the train, I'm going to look. If I'm away on vacation, I'm going to appreciate the beautiful sights around me, because I know that I'm there to relax. If my mom bakes one of her yummy peach cobblers, I'm going to feast on it with my eyes first, and then I'm going to devour it. In the world of books, book covers work in the same way. There are probably millions of them out there, but most readers are only looking for one title. Just think, your book cover is going to be the very first thing that a buyer will see. If you're suddenly feeling the pressure of of just  how important a book cover really might be, then continue to read on.

“I've penned a stellar novel. People are going to love me once they read what I've written.” Plenty of authors are probably thinking the exact same thing. But how are you going to let people know about this stellar body of work that you've just created? I'll tell you how.  You're going to  have a fabulous book cover that will make your book stand out from the rest. And don’t worry, I get it. Writers aren't book designers, but here's where you bring in someone to help with bringing your vision to life. Outsourcing can be your new best friend.

How to  Find a Book Cover Designer That Fits Your Needs

I'm pretty infatuated with the book cover for my debut novel, The Truth About Emily, but it wasn't a one step process of knowing what I wanted straight away. It started with me doing research. Think about your storyline or nonfiction topic. Jot down some ideas so that you have a place of reference to pull from. Do you have a title already? Great. If you do, then keep that in mind too, because it's another source. Now go online and begin looking at other people's book covers.  Are they popular authors? Ask yourself what it is, if anything, that's drawing your eyes to it. How do you feel about the colors, the images, the font style, and the font size? Also, check out some of the books that you've previously purchased; specifically on the strength of its book cover. What caused you to click on buying it? Next up, what you want to do, is take all of that information and keep it somewhere safe. We'll come back to it.

Now you'll need to find yourself a competent book cover designer. Fiverr (an online company that will do almost any task for you for $5.00) has loads of  people on there who can assist you for a bargain, but just remember that most of those people specialize in quantity over quality. By this, I mean that you might end up with a book cover identical to someone else or it may have an appearance that looks manufactured. This isn’t to say that there aren’t  some gems on there, but you'll have to diligently seek them out.  As for myself, I chose to go with a freelancer. I was drawn to the element of selection in having access to a host of talented designers with exceptional portfolios  and being able to make a choice based on a price that I’ve set. My final winning pick was Gavin Pledger, Creative Soutions King).

By now ,you’ve found yourself a book cover designer (as far as the work contract is concerned, make sure that you add in how many times they’re willing to revise. Negotiate a flat fee). The first thing that they’ll want to know is what creative direction you’d like them to go in. This is when you whip out the notes that you’ve been compiling for your project. It’s your starting point. Don't be afraid to let them know what works for you, and what doesn’t. A really good book cover designer will be as excited as you are in getting right!

"If you LOVE New York, if you’re a name-dropping, fashion fiend careerist; fed up with serial dating, plagued with a thirst for sex, then you’ll totally stalk me for what I've penned.” - Author, Madi Brown

Description

29-year-old Emily Greene looks the part, but she’s still working on becoming a modern-day woman. Not that she’s one to back down from a challenge, but living as an eternal work-in-progress wasn't exactly the goal that she had in mind. It’s a harsh but true realization---the idea that that time isn't on her side, and the notion that wanting to have it all, doesn't mean getting it. The verdict is in; with zero prospects for a relationship and a stalled blogging career, Emily has every reason to believe that she’s been living a life too humdrum for her own good.

Making the change won’t be easy. She’ll have to do whatever it takes; start dating like a man, become more selective about which RSVP's she accepts, and work even harder at getting her dream job.The payoff’s huge; a modern twist on a storybook ending, but gains don’t often come without risks. In the here and now Emily just may be forced to choose...It’s got to be one or the other----the profession that she’s always wanted, or the love that she’s never had.

˃˃˃ Praise for Madi Brown &

her debut novel, The Truth About Emily

"The added depth of character promises complexity but wraps everything in the saucy cloak of Emily's evolving personality and newfound beliefs about life, love, and the real nature of happiness. And this is where The Truth About Emily outshines many competitors, making it a recommended read for those seeking more than a standard romance novel." - D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Reviews

"This book has just about anything a girl would love to read about. If there's anything Emily Greene has is ISH and lots of it, oh the ending... This book is a total keeper, just anything about fashion to relationships to friends and family." - Y. Sanchez, Goodreads

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Women's Fiction

Rating – PG18

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@WillNorthAuthor on Writing Love Stories for Grown Ups by #AmWriting #AmReading #Women

I write love stories. I don’t exactly know how this came about after a career of writing more than a dozen nonfiction books. All I can say is that one day a love story swam up from the depths of my heart and demanded to be written. I couldn’t have been more surprised. Then another one showed up. Then another. It’s a little like being taken over by aliens.

While my novels are certainly romantic, my previous publisher, Random House, didn’t want them called “Romance Novels.” They preferred “Literary Fiction,” which is fine…except it completely ignores my core readership, which is women who describe themselves as readers of romantic novels. Partly for that reason, Random House is no longer my publisher. They did not recognize the truth even when it was staring them in the face.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a book cover with a scantily-clad woman wilting into the arms of some heavily muscled, bare chested hunk, you’ll be disappointed. Sorry about that. That’s not what my novels are like, though you’ll find plenty of drama and sex. I like to say my novels are “love stories for grownups.” By that I mean they’re for and about people who’ve put some years behind them and, as a result, bear some emotional scars. Maybe they’ve suffered losses from which they’re still trying to recover: the death of a spouse or partner, or divorce, or abuse. Few are those of us who reach middle age without scars like these. And yet…and yet…we still hope for the magic. So if you’re looking for a story with the ring of truth, a story you can believe in and relate to, then you’ve come to the right place.

Writing these novels has been a sort of journey of discovery for me. What I discovered by writing The Long Walk Home and Water, Stone, Heart, as well as my latest, Seasons’ End, is that I believe in second chances at love. And third. Deep down, don’t we all? I’m not particularly religious, but when I look at the Book of Genesis, it strikes me as significant that God did not just create Adam and say, “Off you go then, my boy, you’re on your own.” No, He also created Eve (And in so doing I’ve always thought it obvious that “Man” was clearly only God’s first draft: he did a way better job the second time around!).

What I’m saying is that I think human beings are meant to be partnered. Who they partner with is of no concern to me if they achieve connection and happiness. I also have immense respect for those who choose a solitary life. But I wasn’t made that way. I suspect few people are.  At bottom, I think we long to be known by another. Deeply, intimately known. I think we seek those who will know and accept us. Who will, to put it simply, love us. Because isn’t that what love is really about: finding someone who knows and accepts us as we are?

In my books, that’s what happens: damaged people find the courage to begin again with someone who believes in them.

Every summer for generations, three families intertwined by history, marriage, and career have spent “the season” at their beach cottage compounds on an island in Puget Sound. Today, Martha “Pete” Petersen, married to Tyler Strong, is the lynchpin of the “summer people.” In childhood, she was the tomboy every girl wanted to emulate and is now the mother everyone admires.

Colin Ryan, family friend and the island’s veterinarian, met Pete first in London, years earlier, when she visited his roommate, Tyler. He’s loved her, privately, ever since. Born in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen, son of a bar owner, he’s always been dazzled by what he sees of the sun-kissed lives of the summer people.

But this summer, currents strong as the tides roil: jealousies grow, tempers flare, passions clash. Then, on the last day of the season, a series of betrayals alters the combined histories of these families forever.

As in previous novels, The Long Walk Home and Water, Stone, Heart, with Seasons’ End, Will North weaves vivid settings and memorable characters into a compelling tale of romance and suspense.

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Genre – Women’s Contemporary Fiction

Rating – PG-13

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Connect with Will North on Facebook & Twitter

Website willnorthonline.com

Olga Soaje Reveals 10 Things You Didn't Know About Her #Contemporary #Fiction #Women

1.- I studied Finance and Economics.

2.- Our family dog is named “Joy” that is mix between Pekinese and Poodle so we say she is a Poodlenese.

3.- English is my second language.

4.- At some point in my life I read every Danielle Steel novel I could find.

5.- While writing my first novel “Borrowing my mother’s saints” only a few people knew, because I was shy about writing.

6.- I link playlist or songs to the book and constantly hear them while writing. Yes, I even loop them some time.

7.- I always carry pen and paper in my handbag, inspiration hits sometimes in the most unexpected places.

8.- One of the scenes of “Borrowing my mother’s saints” was actually written first on a napkin.

9.- I cried sometimes while writing “Twelve Houses”

10.- After I finish writing a novel I get very sensitive and kind of blue, letting go of the characters I’ve loved for months.

Can anything good follow the best thing that ever happened to you?

Amelia Weiss loved her husband of thirty-five years very much, but now he’s left her a widow. Without him, she is unable to work in her sculpture studio without crying. She no longer has a bridge to her estranged daughter. And she can’t seem to keep her mind in the present.

But when her daughter reaches out asking for her help and her agent threatens a lawsuit if Amelia doesn’t deliver for an upcoming exhibit, she’s forced to make a choice. Will she reengage with her life and the people in it—allowing room for things to be different than they were before? Or, will she remain stuck in the past, choosing her memories over real-life relationships?

Thrust fully into the present, Amelia stumbles into a surprising journey of self-discovery.

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Genre – Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction

Rating – PG-13

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