Progress Report: Back to the Manuscript (The Cover)

Drum roll, please! My manuscript now has a cover—the last step before being published. 

Richard Stroud, who has designed more than 400 covers, came up with the artwork for "Darkness Beyond the Light." The novel will be released Nov. 1 by Wings ePress.

Richard interviewed me several times, on Skype and by telephone, to get an idea what the story was about. I had already filled out an artist information form that provides background about the manuscript—scenes, characters, plot, etc. Needless to say, it's difficult to describe the main theme from the 93k words that comprise my eighth novel—in 100 words on less. 

He was patient, asked pertinent questions, and did an excellent job in conveying the essence of the novel through several captivating images. Richard seeks to avoid clutter, as I do when I write, which I think he accomplished. I hope readers will be enticed to pick up the novel and consider reading it, simply by looking at the cover.

Richard will redo the "Old Ways and New Days" cover, the first "John Ross Boomer Lit Novel," so it will have a stronger and compelling connection to "Darkness Beyond the Light." And when I finish the third book in the series, he'll handle that as well.

Between now and the release date, I'll be promoting "Darkness Beyond the Light" through traditional means, social media, and other avenues. And I'll be working on the third installment. Busy days ahead.

Until the next time. . . . 

 

Progress Report—Back to the Manuscript (Final Edit)

The long journey is about over for my latest manuscript. I've completed edits—from two editors—and now await the galley proof. 

That means one more read-through of the nearly 93,000-word manuscript (I don't like to call it a book until it's on the publisher's assembly line). If you think I may be growing tired of reading the book, well, you're absolutely right. I've probably been over it 15 times including all the rewrites and edits. I'm ready for it to see the light of day.  But I want it to be as error-free as possible.

I'm also working with a design artist on the cover. I view cover art as a visual tagline for a novel, something that captures the theme of the work, and hopefully, the eyes of potential readers. Once that is finished, I'll be pushing the promotion button to get the word out on the web, snail mail, and word of mouth.

The publication date is Nov. 1. 

And I plan to start another manuscript in the "New Days" series in the next week or so. I'd like to see it published  next year. 

Until the next time. . . .






 

Back to the Manuscript -- Part 18 (Cover)

As promised in my last post, the cover to my new novel, "Old Ways and New Days."

Curtains, please....

Yes, there is a dog in the novel and the pooch plays a prominent part in the story. 

The path through a wooded park is also in the novel. It also symbolizes the journey of the protagonist as he embarks on a different and uncertain life.

The novel will be released on Oct. 1. 

Until the next time....

Back to the Manuscript: Part 16

The editing process is almost over. The next step, which begins today, is proofing the manuscript.

The publisher sent me the galley proof last night. This will be the last time I review my work before it becomes a novel. And that date is Oct. 1.

During the next few days I'll be rereading the manuscript, looking specifically for any errors that were overlooked during the main editing phase. These include typos such as word and letter spacing, grammatical errors, dropped or duplicate words, punctuation typos such as reversed quote marks and apostrophes, misspellings, and anything else that isn't right.

It's a slow and tedious process. I'll be glad when it's over. 

I'm also working the graphic artist in finalizing a cover. Previously, I gave her some ideas for the cover and she has come up with several drafts. We're not there yet, but getting closer.  I want the best cover possible for those who judge books by that impression.

I hope by this time next week I can declare everything is ready for the release date. 

Until the next time...

Just a Blurb

Another item on my things to do for my upcoming book is to write a blurb.

It sounds simple but it’s not.

We’ve all heard the expression, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” but we all know that an alluring cover attracts readers.

And the blurb? Well, it does the same thing but on the back cover. It condenses the contents of the book into three or four paragraphs. If the cover art attracts potential readers, you want the written blurb to close the deal.

I’ve written blurbs for my five novels. This time it's a different challenge because it’s a short-story collection. The stories do have a connecting theme so that’ll be my focus. I'll share the blurb with you in a few weeks.

An author friend of mine, Teresa Reasor, shows a blurb draft that may appear on an upcoming novel in her blog, My Muse’s Musings. Check out her novels as well!

Until the next time…