The Big Cover Up

It's a while since I blogged but I have a good excuse. I have been working extremely hard; I have to write while the creativity is flowing and it has been gushing lately. As a result The Forest Dwellers is coming along nicely.

As the end of the first draft nears I have been considering possible covers. Peaceweaver was published with You Write On and the only flaw in the process was the cover which I feel is too plain. It was selected as the best of a bad lot provided by the publisher and it just doesn't 'say what it does on the tin' so this time I am determined to come up with something more suited to the genre.

The cover of a book encourages a prospective reader pick the thing up in the first place so it has to draw the eye, then, when they turn it over, the back cover blurb needs to be so irresistable they are hopelessly hooked. I have spent hours scanning stock photo sites for a suitable picture but the only thing that grabbed me was by a photographer who has stubbornly ignored my emails. So, (I hope) I have gone one better and cut out the middle man, so to speak.

I have purchased a gorgeous early medieval gown from Ebay, it is being flown all the way from the USA. I always try to buy local produce but this was one item I couldn't find in the high street of our local small market town.

The next trick will be to persuade my eighteen year old daughter to come to the woods and model it for me while I take some splendid photographs. She should be quite easily persuaded and, as she is a beautiful, slim, natural blonde, I am confident she will do the gown justice. I won't have to worry about copyright and, more importantly, will be able to have exactly what I want on the cover.

Publishing my novels has opened so many new avenues; I learn new skills everyday and these days I am never bored or find myself with nothing to do. The only thing that puzzles me is why I didn't get serious about my writing years ago!