Say Goodbye by E J Rand

We want you to share your book cover with us. An attractive cover is a big element in the appeal of your book. We want the details about yours.
I've attached the cover of my book, SAY GOODBYE, a Reluctant Sleuth Mystery by E. J. Rand (www.reluctantsleuth.com). It was published February 21st, 2008.

Did your publisher design the cover, and/or did you have input? My publisher, Deadly Ink Press (www.deadlyink.com), selected a designer, Rebecca A. Kandel. Kandel lives in California, I'm in New Jersey, but we find email exchanges work well. She is conscientious, and progress became exciting. One benefit of working with a small publisher is that I can be deeply involved in the process. It took seventeen mockups to get it just right. It's my first cover, the first in what will be a mystery series, and so we wanted to set a "series" tone and make this cover as compelling as we could. The publisher had ultimate approval, but liked what author and designer were developing, and gave us our head.

Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? SAY GOODBYE is what I call a crossover: a deep love story folded tightly into a murder mystery. I'm a senior citizen and so is my protagonist. I wanted to convey, at first glance, BOTH romance and danger. That's easier said than done, and I'd gotten advice not to try—I was told either would be enough, two would confuse. But I'm stubborn.

Who is the cover artist? Kandel felt that characters in silhouette would suffice; she offered alternatives, modified to our suggestions and her creativity, and so publisher and author tip our hats to her.

Are you happy with the cover? Extremely. Standing in a row beside other covers, ours pops out. And the second Reluctant Sleuth Mystery, PERFECT COVER (Deadly Ink Press, December, 2008) retains the same lighter-to-darker color value (with a different color), titles font and placement, and graphic location—a recognizable sister.

Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover. Tough choice: Perhaps the image: At first glance, a couple kissing and in the gun sight—a look into the story, right side of the page, makes you want to open the book. Then, there's the color: it's like blood, but non-threatening, and the lighter tone within the sight draws attention.

Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? The gun sight surround had been black, but we changed it to gold—as it also represents a wedding band. It's not etched as we didn't want to detract from the eye going through into the image. But he wears a ring to preserve memories; she wears one as a defense against men, and that surfaces in the first chapter. Not easy for those two, falling for one another…or staying alive.

Please provide your website link. www.reluctantsleuth.com. Background on author, book, and series—including sample text from all three novels so far completed, are available. Visitors can order the book from the site.

What is the link to buy your book? I'm not adept at shortening, but here's a copy of the top line:
http://www.amazon.com/Say-Goodbye-E-J-Rand/dp/0978744217/

Or, go to amazon.com, select "books" and type in "E. J. Rand."

Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear

Book: Heart of the Wolf

A cover artist team from Sourcebooks designed the cover for the book, although I gave them my input--I wanted a hunky guy and a wolf.

Is there an interesting story behind

the request? The story is about werewolves, gray and red packs. So I thought it was interesting that the cover artists used a gray wolf, graying everything in the scene, and then the actual finished copy is luminscent silver.

Are you happy with the cover? Absolutely! The wolf is gorgeous, and so is the uhm, torso of the hunky guy when he's human.

What is the best part of the cover? Everyone loves the guy's abs. I love the way the wolf holds the viewer's gaze.

My website is www.terryspear.com

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Wolf-Terry-Spear/dp/1402211570

See No Evil, My Pretty Lady by Miss Mae

1) Did you design the cover? No

2) Did the publisher design the cover? Yes

3) Did you give input? Yes

4) Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? Well, the artist incredibly captured the essence and put it into a picture. She did an amazing job!

5) Who is the cover artist? Nicola Martinez

6) Are you happy with the cover? Yes!

7) If not, what would you change? Nothing.

8) What is the best part of the cover? This is hard to answer, as I love all of it. But maybe where the heroine's lovely eyes are peeping over the title...It just grabs me!

9) Is there anything else we need to know? This is a book dealing with the legend of Jack the Ripper. Though the story isn't gorish or detailed in any way, I'm amazed at how Ms. Martinez also has the title to smear as if written with drips of blood...Chilling!

10) Website link....

http://www.missmaesite.com

11) Link to buy book:

http://www.thewildrosepress.com

Sinbad's Last Voyage by Toni Sweeney

We want you to share your book cover with us. An attractive cover is a big element in the appeal of your book.We want the details about yours.

I was asked to provide a scene I thought would be appropriate for the cover of Sinbad's Last Voyage. I decided on a scene near the end of the book where Sinbad and Andrea are on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by Albegensi warriors who are firing at them with lasers.

Did you design the cover?

No.

Did your publisher design the cover?

The publisher designed the cover. I believe he does most of the covers himself.

Did you get to give any input about the cover design?

I had to give him a physical description of the scene, and the two characters--how the cliff-edge was covered with boulders, what Andi and Sin looked like, their clothing, weapons, etc.

Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.

The main problem we had was with Sinbad's ears. Being part-feline, he has pointed ears like a lynx's. I kept getting this e-mail asking, "What does a lynx look like?" so I did my own sketch of Sinbad and sent it to him. We decided to leave off the moustache because later, he shaves it off.

Who is the cover artist?

Deron Douglas, publisher and editor of Double Dragon Publications. Other examples of his work can be seen at www.derondouglas.com.

Are you happy with the cover?

I think it shows exactly what I wanted.

If not, what would you change and why?

The ears--a little more pointy on the tip.

Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.

Sinbad, naturally. He's portrayed physically as I described him in the book.

Please provide your website link.

www.tonivsweeney.com

What is the link to buy your book?

www.lulu.com (for paperbacks); www.doubledragonbooks.com (for e-books).

Frankie: The Walk 'n Roll Day by Barbara Techel

Did you design the cover?

No, but I did have alot of say in what I was looking for and what I wanted.

Did your publisher design the cover?

No, I hired a local illustrator.

Did you get to give any input about the cover design?

Yes, I had quite a bit of say for my cover. It was very important to me that the image of Frankie capture her personality and spirit. The illustrator did that and then some I feel. I was so pleased.

Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.

I think the cover speaks pretty much for itself.

Who is the cover artist?

Victoria Kay Lieffring

Are you happy with the cover?

Absolutely!! I was so excited when Victoria came over with the first draft. I was blown away at how great it looked! I was so happy.

If not, what would you change and why?

I would not change a thing. I initially took the first draft to a writing circle I belong to and they all felt the cover alone would sell the book.

Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.

Well, without a doubt, the fact it is a dog and a dog on wheels. Who can resist that? I also love all the vivid colors and the paw prints on the ground. I also think Victoria did a phenomenal job with Frankie's expression. And I love how the cover background art wraps around to the back of the book.

Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.

I just feel incredibly blessed to have found an illustrator who captured Frankie in an animated sort of version as I had hoped for.... even better than I had hoped!

Please provide your website link.

www.joyfulpaws.com

What is the link to buy your book?

www.joyfulpaws.com

Spring House by David Bowles

Title: Spring House, Book 1 in the Westward Sagas

Author: David Bowles

Web site: http://www.westwardsagas.com

We want you to share your book cover with us. An attractive cover is a big element in the appeal of your book.

We want the details about yours.

Did you design the cover? I had a specific idea of what I wanted on the cover and described what I wanted to the artist.

Did your publisher design the cover? The publisher hired an artist to create the original artwork and a cover designer to create the cover using the art.

Did you get to give any input about the cover design? Yes, I described what I wanted and approved the final design.

Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details. I wanted a spring house on the cover since much of the important action in my novel takes place in the spring house. I described what I wanted to the artist, but at first she didn't understand that the spring house was a small crude structure in the side of a hill. What she drew looked like a house, not a rough shed built over a spring and used to store dairy products. We were on a tight deadline, and I almost panicked when I saw the art just a couple of days before the cover designer needed the artwork to finish the cover on time. Fortunately, the artist was able to change the drawing in a short time, and the end result is just what I envisioned.

Who is the cover artist? The artist is Kim Downing; the cover designer is Jonathan Gullery.

Are you happy with the cover? Yes, the finished picture looks just like the spring house in my story!

If not, what would you change and why? n/a

Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover. It is perfect for the story--the title of the book is Spring House because several major scenes take place in the spring house.

Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Please provide your website link. http://www.westwardsagas.com

What is the link to buy your book? http://www.westwardsagas.com/order.html

Horse with the Golden Mane

1. Did you design the cover?

A. I told my designer what I had in mind and she submitted several drawings for us to consider. I am essentially an author .I paint word pictures, but I cannot draw a straight line with a ruler.

2. Did your publisher design the cover?

A. She did the layout after I submitted ideas on what I wanted. In particular, I wanted a picture of Red Leader because the pose was just eye catching. He is the horse with the golden mane mentioned in the cover and as the title of the book.

3. Did you get to give any input about the cover design?

A. Definitely yes. I am always open to suggestions, but because I write in different genres ,I often have to conjure up ideas on what I want the cover to “say”.

4. Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.

A. The photograph of Red was taken by my wife, Virginia. She’s not a professional photographer, but she has taken so many pictures of grandchildren she’s darn near a professional. There was only one fly in the ointment. In summer we keep a fly mask on our horses. The best shot of Red that we had was the one on the cover of The Horse with the Golden Mane and we couldn’t see his face because of the fly mask.

We submitted photos of Red’s face to the designer and she painted the face onto the body of Red. She did a passably good job of it too. I don’t mention her name because she’s gone out of business in the sense that she is doing illustrations only.

5. Who is the cover artist?

A. J.M. Williams of Ohio .

6. Are you happy with the cover?

A . Generally yes.

7. If not, what would you change and why?

A. I would have asked her to “mow” the grass in the picture of Red. Virginia snapped the shot spontaneously, never thinking it would be on the cover of the book. Of course I had not mowed the grass recently as is evident from the picture. If the designer could have shortened the grass in the cover picture, it might not be so distracting. But then, The Horse with the Golden Mane is my “baby” and I’m probably being too picky about what she wears.

8. Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.

A. Red’s striking pose. He’s a very high-strung horse and in the picture he is standing at full alert. I cannot tell you what a thrill – and a fright – it is to be riding him when he comes to full alert and begins to blow. He’s a horse that bolted out from under me, cracked my ribs, broke my collar bone and punctured my lung so I have a deep respect for him. But in that pose, he is just magnificent.

9. Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.

A. As I have said repeatedly, covers sell books, so if a prospective writer/marketer spends money on anything, make it the cover design. Most of the people we deal with at book signings and fairs, are attracted by the cover. They look at the cover. It peaks their interest. You say a few words. They turn it over and look at the second most important part of the book . . . the rear cover.

When we started out we put reviews on the rear cover. Looked great and it boosted my ego, but readers form their own opinions and if the rear cover doe not have details about the book that interests them, they gently place it down. (Some of the kids are not so gentle.)

10. Please provide your web site link.

www.krazyduck.com and www.maneofgold.com.