Authors get obsessed with book covers - by Vijaya Schartz

 

This is the cover reveal for my October release

Angel Brave, Azura Book 3

As an author, I see images in my head when I write. Like a 3D movie, with sounds and lights and special effects, and color, and smells, and heat, and cold… and all these elements end up in my story. So, I have a pretty good idea of what my characters look like, sound like… and I want my readers to see the same movie in their heads as they read the book. So I do make suggestions to the artist cover designer, here Michelle Lee, and this latest cover does reflect my vision perfectly.

Chuck Lorre, creator of The Big Bang, Young Sheldon
Two and a half men, The US of Al, and many award-winning sitcoms.

I remember something Chuck Lorre wrote in a vanity card at the end of a show. I paraphrase: “I learned over the years, not to obsess over whether or not the actor looks like the character in my head, but rather to find a talented actor who will make the character his or hers.”

And here resides the secret of success. Learning to let go of the characters we created to let the reader re-imagine them. I’m certain authors whose stories make it to the screen struggle with the same problem. How the movie director, the screenwriter, and the producers see the characters often differs from what the original novelist had in mind.

The Archangel Twin books
Evil has many faces, not all of them human...

Sometimes, the book cover reflects my vision of the characters, and sometimes not. And who is to say which is best? My idea of Michael was very different, but I do love the new covers for the Archangel twin books.

Byzantium (Space Station) series, action, romance, and telepathic cats

Then, there is the cover without people on it, a trend which comes and goes with the seasons. It portrays adjacent scenery or an animal relevant to the story. Like in the Byzantium Space Station series, with telepathic cats as secondary characters.

Chronicles of Kassouk - Sci-fi Romance with big cats

In a series, there is also the concern for continuity. A long time ago, with another publisher, I received a cover that was unacceptable. It was book 3 in a series, and while the first two book covers featured photographs of male cover models (it was sci-fi romance) the cover of Book 3 was a comic book drawing with juvenile UFOs and little green men. It took me a while to figure out a nice way to tell the person in charge that this cover, while lovely, didn’t fit the mood of the story, and most importantly didn’t match that of the two previous books. Ooopsie!

Ancient Enemy series - Sci-fi Romance

All the book covers in a series should reflect the same palette, ambiance, font, design, etc. so the potential reader can recognize a book as belonging in a familiar series. Like The Curse of the Lost Isle, or the Chronicles of Kassouk.

Curse of the Lost Isle, Celtic Legends, Paranormal Romance

This said, I hope you’ll check out all these titles on my pages below.

Happy Reading!

Vijaya Schartz, author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo - FB

NEW RELEASE by Mike Rothmiller - The Great Apache Warrior Geronimo

 

Find this book on Amazon HERE

The book contains a biography and photograph of the great Apache warrior Geronimo. Plus, it contains over 100 line pages for your notes, school work, remembrances, travel reminders, etc. It's an ideal book to accompany you when visiting the Southwest United States or planning your travel. You'll be amazed how a small band of brave Apaches under Geronimo held off the United States Army for years. It is a story of bravery, family and the pursuit of freedom.

Mike has created several of these notebooks, each with a famous Native American’s biography, with the majority of the book dedicated to dreamers and writers who will write their own stories on the lined pages. 

From the book: “Geronimo was born on the Gila River in New Mexico, not far from the Gila Cliff Dwellings. His birth name, Goyakla, means ‘one who yawns.’ He would go on to become a brilliant war leader . . .”

About the Author:

From Wild Blue Press: “Mike Rothmiller is a New York Times Bestselling author, historian, a former cop, and an Army medic. He’s a former TV Reporter, an award-winning documentary television producer, and television host for ESPN, PBS, and other international television markets. His nonfiction book, My Hero, Military, Kids Write About Their Moms and Dads (St. Martin’s Press) received international acclaim and is the only book to have forwards written by three living Presidents and General Norman Schwarzkopf. Additionally, he’s been a corporate President/CEO and directed three divisions of Sony Electronics EMCS-America, and he briefed the President of the United States. Readers of his books include; three Presidents, former First Lady Laura Bush, the late Charlton Heston, and Queen Elizabeth II.” Find out more about Mike HERE 

 

NEW RELEASE by Mike Rothmiller - The Great Chief Crazy Horse

 Find this book on Amazon HERE 

This personal writing journal includes the biography and cover photograph of Chief Crazy Horse. It also includes 150 lined pages for your writing, remembrances, and notes. It is an ideal gift for students, friends and those interested in the history of Native Americans.

Mike has created several of these notebooks, each with a famous Native American’s biography, with the majority of the book dedicated to dreamers and writers who will write their own stories on the lined pages. 

From the book: 

“The date and location of Crazy Horse’s birth are in question. He was most likely born between 1838 and 1840 in or near the Black Hills of South Dakota. His father was called Crazy Horse, and his mother was called Rattle Blanket Woman. They were members of the Oglala Band of the Lakota Sioux . . . “ 

About the author

“Mike Rothmiller is a New York Times Bestselling author, historian, a former cop, and an Army medic. He’s a former TV Reporter, an award-winning documentary television producer, and television host for ESPN, PBS, and other international television markets. His nonfiction book, My Hero, Military, Kids Write About Their Moms and Dads (St. Martin’s Press) received international acclaim and is the only book to have forwards written by three living Presidents and General Norman Schwarzkopf. Additionally, he’s been a corporate President/CEO and directed three divisions of Sony Electronics EMCS-America, and he briefed the President of the United States. Readers of his books include; three Presidents, former First Lady Laura Bush, the late Charlton Heston, and Queen Elizabeth II.” Find out more about Mike HERE. 

 

NEW RELEASE by Kathleen Cook - THE SUN ALWAYS TRUMPS

 

Find this book on Amazon HERE 

In the first book of the St. Francis Gang series, Father Andrew, Sister Procopia and Sister Ruth meet on an Arizona stage and form a hearty friendship. Two men, lured under false pretenses, join them on that fateful ride. When Andrew later shelters one wanted for the other man’s murder, he and the nuns begin a search for the real killer. But only Sister Procopia looks in the unlikeliest place of all. Will the others believe her implausible notions, and more importantly, will the sheriff?

Originally published in 2015, the new, expanded edition includes a back section of period photographs and an additional chapter. The story weaves together fact and imagination to form a rousing adventure set primarily in Prescott, Arizona, during its heyday as the territorial capital.

The author portrays both fictional and historical figures in novel settings with fabricated dialogues. She subtly examines social norms that highlight the gender bias of the 19th century. Many events and names, including shops, streets, landmarks, etc., have been painstakingly researched, though the focus remains on pure entertainment.

About the author:

Kathleen Cook is a retired free-lance editor and the author of twenty-one books. A former copy writer/editor for Demand Studios, she also served as the Fictional Religion Editor for the ODP (Open Directory Project). The author of numerous plays, articles and full-length books, both fiction and nonfiction, she is currently the Arizona Authors Association editor.