New Release: MIRACLE ON AISLE TWO

I am thrilled to tell you about my newest release, MIRACLE ON AISLE TWO. First of all, it's a Christmas novella (right at 25,000 words). Secondly, I adore the cover. Once you see it, you'll immediately understand the sweet, heartwarming tone of my story. Ready? Drum roll, please...

See what I mean? Too cute for words. I can say that since I'm not the designer. However, I did find the scrawny tree and angel while perusing photo sites and the tree is exactly how I pictured it. One of my characters, Betsy, who is in kindergarten, picked it out. :) It's just slightly bigger and prettier than Charlie Brown's Christmas tree, but not by much.

I'll share my blurb below but wanted to tell you how this madcap, hard-core writing adventure began. After I wrote, edited, and submitted my Coconuts Book 2 (it was accepted and I got a contract, by the way, which I'll discuss in another post), I plodded around the house wondering if I should immediately dive into Coconuts Book 3 or try my hand at writing a novella with entirely different characters for a change of pace. Since I love holiday books and movies, you know what I decided.

While reviewing several of my short stories and half-novels on my computer, I discovered 6,100 words for a Christmas tale I had completely forgotten about writing. As I read it, I fell in love with the characters and the story. I knew I had to finish it--and fast since it was already October! For any chance of a holiday release, I also knew I'd have to indie publish, another first for me. I'm very happy with my publisher, Soul Mate Publishing, but let's face it, they represent over 300 authors who are all vying for their attention, have their own tight schedules, and cover art needs. There wasn't any way I could get this story out before fall of 2018 if I traditionally published, so I jumped in with both feet, rolled up my sleeves, and went to work on figuring out the indie side of the publishing business.

I researched cover artists and checked on their timelines. I sought out beta readers and editors who could turn the work around in a few days. Then, I hunched over my computer and pulled several 9-11 hour days over three weeks. By focusing solely on this story, eating out a lot, skipping housework, and a few(!) showers, I managed to add 18,100 words in three weeks! That's a record for me. I can't say I'd do that again because my back and wrists hurt, plus my eyes looked like a road map. I ended up penning THE END while wearing my trusty wrist braces. Don't worry. I'm fine now but it was a grueling schedule.

Thanks to my cover designer and beta readers, the whole project was finished and released on schedule on November 1 while I was in California visiting my daughter and grandson. I had tech issues on release day, talked to eight Amazon representatives, and got so worked up my daughter had to take the phone. Whew! I'm glad that's behind me. Now, I have to market it. I'll be having several contests in November and December, as well as a launch party in December. More about all of that later.

As promised, here's the blurb for MIRACLE ON AISLE TWO:

Fired two weeks before Christmas, distraught single mom Madison wonders how she’ll afford to pay for her young daughter’s Christmas gifts and still keep a roof over their heads. Sleigh bells and twinkling lights are the last thing on her mind—until a handsome stranger intervenes.

Successful architect Adam Donovan dives into his work by renovating an elaborate hotel after his wife leaves him. He barely notices it’s Christmastime until he overhears a young mother’s tearful plea. Stepping in makes Adam feel like Old Saint Nick himself.

Will Madison and Adam find holiday joy—and possibly love—after discovering Adam’s secret or will it tear them apart?

Amazon buy link:

http://tinyurl.com/yd97mpap

My novella is available as an eBook and also in paperback. I'd love to hear if you enjoy Christmas stories or have written under extremely tight deadlines. Happy reading!

The Secret About Cover Artists

I always wondered how cover artists got it right when it came to a book's cover. Naively, I marveled about the fact that they had so many books to read and covers to create. How could they possibly find the time to read them all?

Well, now I know their secret.

When a publisher signs an author they give them, among many other documents, a 4-5 page sheet with all kinds of questions and inquiries about the book and what the author envisions for the cover. Those answers are given to the cover artists. Here's a sampling of questions from my publisher:

• What do your main characters look like? Describe their hair color, eye color, skin tone, etc.
• What do the villains/antagonists look like?
• Is the setting integral to the book? If so, describe it.
• Is there an item that's important to the storyline, i.e., a necklace, sword, castle, horse or coconut cup, for example. (Okay, I made the last one up but there is a coconut cup on my cover and you'll see why when you read my novel!)
• Is there anything you do NOT want on the cover? For me, I didn't want a man, even though several men are integral to the storyline, especially a sexy cop! Oh, how I fought myself about adding a uniformed hunky man to the cover. Also, Hope's hippie parents are important (and hilarious) and I considered adding their crazy peace signs and VW Microbus to the cover but I knew it would get too busy. Finally, since my novel opens on Suzy's wedding day, I thought about having a bride on the cover. There were so many possibilities! Agony. I had to refocus and decide on the gist of THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS. The genre is women's fiction with elements of romance, suspense and humor, so I wanted the focus to be on the three female main characters--Suzy, Hope and Alex.
• Would you prefer people or an object on your cover? This was the hardest question for me to answer. At first, I typed PEOPLE. Without a doubt. No hesitancy. Then, out of curiosity, I ran downstairs and looked at the books in my library, a/k/a the exercise room. I pulled 20 random books. To my surprise, the cover art was about 50/50 on people vs. objects. That told me that I'm compelled to pick up a book whether it features people or objects. So, I went back to the drawing board on my answer.
• How do you envision your cover? Give us a couple of examples of what you'd like to see. I decided I'd like to see Suzy, Alex and Hope seated around a table like they do at Coconuts, their Thursday night meeting place and that's what I got. It was strange to see how the artist envisioned their faces, which is, of course, not exactly what I had in mind. I can see why some authors go for graphics or don't show faces for this reason.

Those are the main bullet points I remember but there were at least four pages of questions. Now we know how the cover artists get it right!

Here's my cover for THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS. It releases in ebook on August 13, 2014, by Soul Mate Publishing. A few months afterward, it will be available in print. I'll share more about my characters in June and July. Mark your calendars for a fun online launch party on August 13!

I was allowed to suggest a few tweaks--there was a plant at the end of the table and I asked the artist to replace it with pretty flowers. The drink glasses were empty and I informed her that Alex always drinks Chardonnay; Suzy drinks Cabernet, while Hope usually has a margarita, so that was changed.  She also had Alex, the sassy bank marketer, in a drab brown shirt and that is so not Alex (more like Hope) so I asked her to change it to red. I love the color of my title, the font choice, and the palm fronds at the bottom. And seeing my name on the cover...I'm still pinching myself.

So, did you know the secret about cover artists? How do you envision your book cover?

COVER REVEAL for THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS!

Drum roll, please...It's finally time to share my cover with the world. Without further ado, here's the artwork for my debut women's fiction, THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS! It was created by Soul Mate Publishing artist Christy Caughie. A big thanks to her for a job well done.

It's amazing to see my name on the cover of a novel. Amazing. What a dream come true but don't pinch me! I've seen my name on the covers of my children's picture books (also thrilling) but this novel is something I've worked on since I penned the end in June 2009. I set it aside for nearly three years and turned to kidlit after a horrific family tragedy but got back to it last year. I'm so happy I resurrected it and pitched to Debby Gilbert, Senior Editor of Soul Mate Publishing, last spring. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me, Debby!

I'm really happy with the cover which represents the three women well. I'd love to hear your thoughts. My women's fiction features Suzy, Alexandra (Alex), and Hope who've known one another since high school and meet over drinks at Coconuts on Thursdays--get it?!--to cope with life's many mishaps and crises. My novel is also laced with plenty of romance, humor and suspense.

As the weeks go by, I'll be sharing behind-the-scenes info, hooks, excerpts, and progress toward a release date. I actually asked that my April release date be pushed back to summer. Horrors, I know. No author asks that. What was I thinking?! But we were in Florida in the middle of a remodeling project, had company for weeks, and most importantly, my daughter's upcoming May wedding. I knew there was no way I could appropriately edit nor market it, so Debby graciously agreed to push it back (even if she did think I was a bit off kilter!)

Here's the blurb, which I tweak constantly and will probably change tomorrow! Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section.
 

As the go-to wedding planner, Suzy cannot find her own wedded bliss. Her wedding day is a shocker, complete with family betrayals. She deftly coordinates weddings for neurotic brides and a racist, pretentious mother of the bride, while still pining for her high school sweetheart. Oh, and her son brings home a bombshell all the way from Europe. 

Alex, a marketer with a “touch” of OCD, falls for a bad-boy cop who's married and possibly stalking her--but he sure is sexy. She tries to stay at arm’s length after she puts her job—and life—on the line for the officer who isn’t always a gentleman. Will she be able to resist their chemistry and the danger that surrounds him?

Hope hates her name, looks and frizzy hair. As a high school counselor, she dishes out sage advice to students, yet can’t see she’s enabling her deadbeat, stuck-in-the-seventies hippie parents. After tragedy strikes, she reexamines their relationship and discovers a secret that almost went to the grave.

Friends since high school, the thirty-something women meet every Thursday at Coconuts for their own form of friendapy.