Oath Bound cover stuff (+ winner)
The randomly chosen winner of this week's International Edition Giveaway is:
Tori King, whose comment on January 25, 2012 at 3:05 am read, "I more than likely wont buy a book of its not in a series of some form."
Tori, please email me (rachelkvincentATgmailDOTcom) with your choice of book from the prize list (The list is linked at the top of my Wordpress blog.) and I'll put your prize in the mail.
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I have now turned in all the information my publisher needs (hopefully) to begin working on the cover for OATH BOUND. The book doesn't come out until spring of 2013, but covers have to be planned a LONG time in advance of the novel. First, I have to give all kinds of the information about the book (character descriptions, plot, themes, etc...) to my editor, who will compile it and add images for reference. Then there will be some kind of meeting, where all the interested parties will get a say about what my book should look like.
Note: I am not one of those interested parties. Well, I AM interested. I just don't get much of a say in what goes on the cover, because my publisher is the one who will pay for the design, the photo shoot or artwork, and all necessary licenses. Also, because they have people whose job it is to know what will sell my book. Even though the cliche instructs us not to judge a book by it's cover, the reality is that that's EXACTLY what a cover is really for. It's supposed to catch a reader's eye. A reader IS supposed to be able to judge a book by its cover, and one of the BEST things that can happen to an author/book is an awesome cover. Seriously. Very, very few people will pick up a book that doesn't attract them at first glance.
[It's kind of like dating--the physical attraction usually comes first, then you have to hope there's substance behind that pretty face.
Well, it's like dating would be, if everyone had a team of professional makeup artists following them around all day to keep them pretty. I, personally, would rather have someone following me around with photoshop software. Unfortunately, so far technology hasn't made it possible to digitally adjust my physical features in real time. But I have my fingers crossed. ;)]
In my case, the lack of input on my cover is probably a very fortunate thing. I almost never know what I want, visually, whether it's on my cover, my website, or my wardrobe. I only know what I DON'T want, and I don't know that until I've already seen and disliked it. And Number 1 insists that designing a lot of things for me to reject for no reason I can articulate isn't a very efficient way to do business. (He should know. He designs and maintains my website. Poor man.)
So, now that Mira Books has what it needs (hopefully) to design a cover, including descriptions of Kris and Sera (the view point characters), I am free to return to writing the book. Just as soon as I knock out these page proofs (the VERY FINAL STAGE!!!) of Before I Wake.
In related news, I finally saw my dentist again this morning (yesterday's appointment had to be rescheduled) and he's found the root of my problem. The temporary crowns that have temporarily repaired my two broken teeth were too long, which kept the teeth on the other side of my jaw from touching when I closed my mouth. Evidently this uneven bite is the source of all my severe, aching, throbbing jaw pain, which was also triggering ear pain and headaches. So I anticipate a return to my normal levels of concentration, absent pain. Which means normal levels of production. Yay!
Of course, my permanent crowns come in next week, and we have to start the whole thing all over again. Wish me luck!
Tori King, whose comment on January 25, 2012 at 3:05 am read, "I more than likely wont buy a book of its not in a series of some form."
Tori, please email me (rachelkvincentATgmailDOTcom) with your choice of book from the prize list (The list is linked at the top of my Wordpress blog.) and I'll put your prize in the mail.
-----
I have now turned in all the information my publisher needs (hopefully) to begin working on the cover for OATH BOUND. The book doesn't come out until spring of 2013, but covers have to be planned a LONG time in advance of the novel. First, I have to give all kinds of the information about the book (character descriptions, plot, themes, etc...) to my editor, who will compile it and add images for reference. Then there will be some kind of meeting, where all the interested parties will get a say about what my book should look like.
Note: I am not one of those interested parties. Well, I AM interested. I just don't get much of a say in what goes on the cover, because my publisher is the one who will pay for the design, the photo shoot or artwork, and all necessary licenses. Also, because they have people whose job it is to know what will sell my book. Even though the cliche instructs us not to judge a book by it's cover, the reality is that that's EXACTLY what a cover is really for. It's supposed to catch a reader's eye. A reader IS supposed to be able to judge a book by its cover, and one of the BEST things that can happen to an author/book is an awesome cover. Seriously. Very, very few people will pick up a book that doesn't attract them at first glance.
[It's kind of like dating--the physical attraction usually comes first, then you have to hope there's substance behind that pretty face.
Well, it's like dating would be, if everyone had a team of professional makeup artists following them around all day to keep them pretty. I, personally, would rather have someone following me around with photoshop software. Unfortunately, so far technology hasn't made it possible to digitally adjust my physical features in real time. But I have my fingers crossed. ;)]
In my case, the lack of input on my cover is probably a very fortunate thing. I almost never know what I want, visually, whether it's on my cover, my website, or my wardrobe. I only know what I DON'T want, and I don't know that until I've already seen and disliked it. And Number 1 insists that designing a lot of things for me to reject for no reason I can articulate isn't a very efficient way to do business. (He should know. He designs and maintains my website. Poor man.)
So, now that Mira Books has what it needs (hopefully) to design a cover, including descriptions of Kris and Sera (the view point characters), I am free to return to writing the book. Just as soon as I knock out these page proofs (the VERY FINAL STAGE!!!) of Before I Wake.
In related news, I finally saw my dentist again this morning (yesterday's appointment had to be rescheduled) and he's found the root of my problem. The temporary crowns that have temporarily repaired my two broken teeth were too long, which kept the teeth on the other side of my jaw from touching when I closed my mouth. Evidently this uneven bite is the source of all my severe, aching, throbbing jaw pain, which was also triggering ear pain and headaches. So I anticipate a return to my normal levels of concentration, absent pain. Which means normal levels of production. Yay!
Of course, my permanent crowns come in next week, and we have to start the whole thing all over again. Wish me luck!