Nocturnal Journal–Mandy M. Roth

Its that time. The time I embarrass myself by sharing my uber fast concept sketches with you while I walk you through the cover art process.

Cover: Uncovering Egypt by Ann Cory 

1. I get the email with the cover art form attached to it. If the author sent jpegs for me to see, they’re attached as well. Often they’re embedded in the RTF itself. I crack that puppy open and read it over, making notes as I go. Once I’m through it, I reread it to grab details and then I look away and let the creative juices flow.

Title of Book- Uncovering Egypt

Author – Ann Cory

fantasy/time travel

Ann listed the characters features, summed up her story nicely and offered this "I’d really like a hot guy or hot couple. Possibly a pyramid or something Egyptian but not too much or overstated"

 

2. I grab whatever is close to me. At certain points this has been a napkin. LOL. I sketch out what I’d like to do. These are always rough and done in less than 5 mins so they’re kind of embarrassing to look at. They give me the building block, or starting point I need to begin my quest for just the right stock photos. For Uncovering Egypt, I had computer paper nearby so I had at that. From the moment I read Ann’s art form, I had a clear image in my mind of what I really wanted to try to pull off.

3. From this point (stop laughing at my sketch) I went on the hunt for stock photos that I could build from. I use stock as my base and manipulate from there. I also do some digital painting/drawing and some of my own photography when need be. But, since I have no hunky-hunks or a studio, I lean heavy on stock of people and so on.

Here are two comp pics (this means low res, watermarked photos that are used to build a comp so the artist can see if the overall design will work). I spotted the woman on the bed first and knew she would work perfectly for what I’d envisioned for Ann’s cover.

4. I get to work building the low res comp. This is done to avoid forking out a ton in stock only to find out the author would rather put their eye out with a spork than have the cover or that the publisher is wondering if you’re on drugs.

Comp 1

5. I send comp 1 off to the editor/author for approval. The editor requested a slight change on man in background. While I was at it, I figured I’d add in a key piece of info from Ann’s story-a bracelet.

Comp 2

This is the next comp I send off. After some minor tweaking it becomes….

6. Final high res (okay, not high res on the web but you get my drift).

And there you have the process for Uncovering Egypt by Ann Cory (coming soon from Samhain Publishing) Working with Ms. Cory and her editor was a pleasure. 

~***~

Join me for Part IV when I take you through the process again for another cover, giving you a peek behind the scenes of the making of a cover.

More Tips and Tricks

I put a call out to  industry friends—cover artists, authors, editors—for their thoughts and suggestions to help you help them and your book get the best cover for it. These are people who have “been there and done that” so their advice is always welcome. Here’s what one had to say.

Syneca—Cover Artist, Ellora’s Cave Publishing…

I think the most important thing an author can do is allow the artist to do their job.  There are times that an artist will have an idea that’s stunning, something that would catch the eye in a flash, but the author has been quite specific in asking for something else and so they end up with a less arresting cover.

Often authors think in a bit too specific terms … this "scene" from a book.  Well, we’re not creating scenes, but single shots - a moment frozen in time.  And is a specific shot from the book the best way to visually convey the tone or feel of the book?  Not always.  

A good example of an author working with an artist is found in the cover for Madeline Baker’s book Hawk’s Woman. 

  Being a true professional, Ms. Baker gave me an idea what her book was about - a wounded hero, heart-sick with loss and bent on revenge and the woman who gives up everything to help him.

That gave me an idea.  Focus on the emotions of the hero - let the reader see him in a moment where he’s longing for all he lost and wishing for justice.  Add elements that let the reader know this story has Native American elements in it and add into the background the suggestion of the heroine "watching" over the hero as she does in the book when she nurses him back to health.

Luckily for everyone, the cover turned out well, Ms. Baker and the publisher were thrilled and we all went home happy that day.

There are a lot of authors who put complete trust in artists and send up simply character description and a great synopsis and let us run with it.  That’s when artists get to shine.  Just as writers come up with words to reveal a story, artists come up with visuals to convey a feel and tone.

Finally, something quite important for authors is to always remember that the bottom line is drawing attention to the book.  A good cover that captures the eye may not be an elaborate shot.  It could be simple (for example, Roughing It by Vonna Harper  

Or one of my favorites, a cover by Darrell King for Ellora’s Cave.

In closing, I suppose my overall advice would be to work "with" rather than against the cover artist.  Chances are, you’ll end up with a better cover and one that will help the book get attention.

Hope this helps!!

Hugs-

Syn

~***~

In Cover Art: From Form to Finish Part III, I’ll share with you the stages of the art process on my end. I’ll *gulp* put up my concept sketches, comps and finals. You’ll  get author bits/requests that appeared on the art forms I was working from. Later in the workshop, I’ll also walk you through taking your final cover art and creating a static banner ad to use for marketing and promotions.

WwW with Megan Hart

An Ode to my Alphasmart

My Alphasmart was the best tool I ever got. I’d been writing for years. Long-hand, to start, of course. Later I got a typewriter and some time after that, a word processor. By the time I got a computer I also had a husband and an infant, so while Word might have made writing a novel easier, I didn’t have the time to spend.

By the time my daughter was a toddler and naptimes had fallen on the wayside, I needed something else. I couldn’t spend hours on the computer (no matter how much I wanted to) and writing long-hand simply didn’t cut it any more. My thoughts outraced my fingers, not to mention the cramps my hands got after a page or so.

Enter Alphasmart. I wasn’t sure I could justify paying for a writing tool when I wasn’t actually earning money. But then I figured I never would earn any money unless I was able to write. So I got the Alphasmart and I started taking my daughter to a local indoor playground… and I started writing. Hard. Only a few hours a week but it was more hours than I’d had before and with the keyboard under my fingertips and the Alphasmart’s easy on-off function that allowed me to open and close documents with the touch of a finger instead of shutting down a laptop, I was producing. Big-time.

I’ve lost track of how many full-length novels, novellas and short stories I wrote on that little machine. My writing work-horse. I dropped it. Spilled coffee on it, more than once, when I started writing at a local coffee shop after the kids (now two of them) graduated from the playground to daycare. I replaced the keyboard once when it began to stick. I took it to the park, the beach, in the car, to the lake, to sports practices and games. I took it wherever I went, wherever I thought I might write.

I’m convinced I’d never have written as much as I have without it. So, thank you, faithful Alfie, for the years of service. I love you!

Just recently I bought a new Alphasmart, a Neo. Aside from being named after one of my favorite movie characters of all time, the Neo has a few upgrades the Alphasmart 3000 lacked. I gave my 3000 to my daughter, to write her own stories. Passing on the legacy, I guess.

I haven’t written anything on it, yet. I’ve been busy with edits and haven’t yet begun any new projects. I know what I’ll start on it, though, and I confess it feels a little funny to be contemplating working on a new story on a new machine.

But I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to another untold number of books and stories and novellas to get typed out on the Neo, which I’ll carry with me in the car, to the lake, in box and on a train and in the rain and in a house with a mouse…

You get the picture.

I would still be a writer without my Alphasmart, but I guarantee you I’d be far less productive.

~****~

Megan Hart is published in almost every genre of romantic fiction, including historical, contemporary, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, futuristic, fantasy and perhaps most notably, erotic. She also writes non-erotic fantasy and science fiction, as well as continuing to occasionally dabble in horror.

Before I begin, let me first start by saying, thanks PBW!

Also, I not only write but I  do covers under the name Natalie Winters. Prior to writing, I worked as a marketing director. I have a vocational commercial art degree, associates of art degree and a BS of Science-Marketing/Business. Never in my life did I think I’d end up an author so I often feel out of my element talking about it. Art, on the other hand, I’ve been doing since I was old enough to hold a pencil. Over the years, I’ve seen and heard author friends of mine struggle when it comes to the art forms and how to fill them out. I’ve seen them love and hate their final covers. Their questions and struggles along with others I’ve witnessed from the artist side of things, gave me the idea to do a workshop on the topic.

I hope you all enjoy this online workshop and don’t hesitate to ask questions, share some of your tips on filling out the art form, offer advice or tell us about your experience with it all. Okay, I’ll hush now and get on with the regular scheduled programing.

An Insider’s Guide to Cover Art Forms

Tips and Tricks for Getting the Best Possible Cover for Your Book.

Ah, the dreaded art form. Most authors see the file, open it once, close it fast and force it from our minds because we have no idea how to best fill it out. When the time comes (okay, when our editor is down our throat about getting it turned in) we sit and obsess over how best to describe exactly what we’re envisioning for our cover. This is where some will give the barest of details, like the title and their name or give so much detail that the artist has a really good idea of the heroine’s dental hygiene routine.

My goal with this workshop is simple, offer tips and tricks for getting the best possible cover for your book. Notice I didn’t say, the cover you want. Sometimes, they aren’t one and the same. The bottom line is always a cover that represents the story and sells books. It’s an easy enough concept but the road to it is not always easy to navigate.

Let’s start first by diving into the cover art form. I write for more than one publisher and each one has a form unique to them. I suspect all publishers that collect input from their authors do. We’ll hit the basics which are really key at all houses.

1.  Sum Up

First, describe your story. Sum it up as best you can. Don’t worry about being poetic or if this is going to be your final blurb, just get the basics of your story on there to help set the tone for the artist. Letting them know up front what the story is about is incredibly helpful. Careful to avoid a full synopsis. A little bit goes a long way. You’ll find that to be sound advice in almost all aspects of the cover art form.

2.  Character Description

When describing your characters., list the key physical features but understand there is only so much an artist can do. Many, not all houses, draw upon stock photo inventories and manipulate photos. Some have artists with Poser capabilities. It just depends on what type of cover everyone is going for. Often forms will ask if you have a preference. What’s important to remember at this stage is that while it might be important to your story that the heroine is a second cousin of Jane Doe, it’s not something that needs to be put in the traits/features. Tell the artist what you can and trust they will offer something on those lines (as close as possible).

3.  Clothing Description

Clothing description, as with all aspects of the cover, do you have links to provide to show examples? Of what they’re wearing, the style they’re into? If so, that’s great, include them. It’s much easier for the artist to have them there and not need to refer to them than to sit and wonder what exactly the author is talking about. Like with character features, state the clothing descriptions but don’t be married to them.

4.  Scenery

The explanation of the story itself will have already gone a long way in setting the tone or feeling for the cover. The artist at this point is most likely already getting the creative wheels spinning on what would best represent that. It’s important to add a little more to that description just in case the artist needs an even clearer view. Do you have links to areas/locations that are close to what you were picturing while writing? If so, include them. Help the artist help you. Don’t have a list a mile long of things you want to see on your cover. Like: Six foxes, two sheep, a castle, a tornado, a flying pig, three flowers, two park benches, snow and the hero and heroine in bikinis, lying on a bed, being held up by four hunks in loincloths. That’s a whole lot to put on a cover and trust me, the end product is probably not going to be something you, the artist or the publisher is happy with.

5.  Fonts

To be honest, this is an area that authors are not asked for input on and it’s normally because the font, in the end, should complement the design/tone. It should become part of it. A lot of the artists have had years of training, schooling, work history, and so forth. Most of them have been trained and also come with a fundamental understanding of design/layout. They want the same thing you do, a great cover, that not only represents the book but sells as well. They have an obligation to both you, the author, and the company, assuring they do their part to grab the readers’s eye to get them to read more about your book.

6.  Genres

Some genres require a little more details than others. It’s normally enough to say, my story is set in present day NYC if you’re doing a contemporary one. Historicals will need a little more detail than that. Tell the author what time/era, give examples, details, links if you can. Futuristics as well. What has changed in NYC? Also, paranormals might need a touch more especially if you’re doing alternate world. In any genre, it’s not enough to say, my story happens in the city. What city? If you don’t list it and you get back a picture of NYC and it’s really happening in Houston you really can’t be shocked.

7.  Have Favorite Covers in Mind?

If you have covers that you absolutely love and really would like something that has a similar vibe, include links to them. This is actually very helpful to the artist. It gives them a clear point of reference as to what it is you like. From there, they can see how best they can work something on that line in with your story and your publisher.

~***~

In Cover Art: From Form to Finish Part II, Syneca—Cover Artist, Ellora’s Cave Publishing- will join us and offer her advice on the process. Throughout the week, I’ll share with you the stages of the art process on my end. I’ll *gulp* put up my concept sketches, comps and finals. You’ll  get author bits/requests that appeared on the art forms I was working from. I’ll also walk you through taking your final cover art and creating a static banner ad to use for marketing and promotions.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dear Readers,

My name is Selena Illyria and my debut book, A Fling in Vampiropolis, releases March 28^th at Changeling Press. The story is set in one of the few all Vamp cities in the U.S.A. Vampiropolis. The story started because I wanted to do a short paranormal vampire story. I had been wracking my brain for an idea I could latch onto. Something I could put my spin on. And suddenly it came to me, Vampiropolis a city of vampires, founded and run mostly by vampires. Then the idea became fleshed out a bit more When I added the hero and heroine into the story. My heroine, Nevada Justice, takes a vacation to a city very few mortals would dare travel to: Vampiropolis. She wanted something different, something unique and she got it. On the next to last day of her trip she goes to a local pub and meets the hero, Lucian Sandros: tall, blond, gorgeous and very forward.

(more…

The DH is on vacation this week. He seems to time at least one of his weeks off with the Browns camp every single year. I don’t complain. It meant I got to shove him and two of the three boys out the door at the crack of dawn to go and see the team. I sent DH with my camera and strick instructions to take pics of the following players, Braylon, Brady, Kellen and Josh. (Please note I’m missing a pic of Kellen. DH will be sleeping outside tonight because of that.) I also made DH swear to take me to see them practice at some point this week. We’re going to a game or two this year. Should be fun.

Note to the coach: You BETTER have Braylon and Brady at practice, movin’ and a shakin’ or things could get ugly fast.

The man meat for today are some of the Cleveland Brown football players. Yeah, that’s right folks, I said man meat. I can stare at them for hours, and hours, and hours and… well… you get my point.

Braylon Edwards. I have more of him today and all of them show just how perfect his ass truly is. Not to mention his eyes. I’ll admit it, I noticed the butt first.

Brady Quinn. I feel a little "Mrs. Robinson" with my infatuation with him but its a cross I’m willing to bear.

Joshua Cribbs.

The men in the house talked me into venturing outside. It was scary. I thought the light would make me burst into flames. )

We ended up at a flea market (which I got the kewlest bookends evvvaaa… Egyptian goddess and tomb guards) and then we took the boys down to the river to hang for awhile. They’re boys, they dig that kind of stuff. I’d like it more if it had coffee and wi-fi.

Hubby with his sunglasses on his head. I like when he forgets where he put them and they’re there.

Boys tossing rocks into the river. The lil’ kid drenched the big kid with this move.

I just kind of liked the way this little outhouse thing looked so I snapped a pic of it.

Total moment of objectification here but I had to stop and share the inspiration for my latest hero. I mean, I feel its my duty to assure hunk-rific-ness like this is brought to the attention of all around me.

I did mention YUM, right? If not… Dear Gods…. YUM! Okay, back to plugging away at the keyboard while picturing this hottie missing all his clothes.

Which old bitch? Why, the picture bitch. That’s right folks, my beloved (and 5 yr straight pain in my arse) Compaq Presario 2500 laptop has joined that great big tech pile in the sky.

She was my first laptop. The only one I continued to pour time and effort into even when it was clear she was a piece of crap. She’s the one who ate 80k of Immoral Ops II back in 04. She’s the one who I turned to storing all my character photos on and running to the left of my desktop, displaying the pics, while I work on books.

Everyone who knows me thinks its funny that I’ve hung onto her this long considering she’s been nothing but trouble from about 2 mos into owning her. Because she was my first and because I lost my laptop virginity with her, I felt obligated to make things work between us. Her death, while sad, does clear a spot on my desk for the new HP laptop. I’m not sure if the mac or of the hp notebooks will assume the role of picture bitch info or if I’ll hook up another desktop but I do know, I will miss having all my character pics right there, on display while I work.

A moment of silence please.

Okay, let me set the scene. I turn on my mac notebook and I do a drive by bumping of photobooth program. It launches and I have to wait it out. It comes up and I’m just about to close it so I can get to the program I was really aiming at when I notice 178 pics in the bottom area.

For anyone who doesn’t know, photobooth is a program that lets you take pics with the wabcam or record vid blogs, any of that good stuff. It also has neat little effects.

We have a lot of computers here and the rule is, Mommy’s Computers are off limits. Touch them and face death. Its a simple rule. One you’d think they could follow.

Well… no. Lil’ kid has a blast when I wasn’t looking. Here are just a few of them. Yes, he’s doing ‘da butt’ and he’s butter churning. And yes, that’s him doing armpit farts.

I blame his father.

There are a ton more but I’ll spare you. The funniest part of the story is that I actually walk past in one them, look over towards him but never notice or realize what it is he’s doing. Then, you see my office door is closed after that.

Wow… observant much? OY.