That cover I revealed a couple weeks ago is the official cover! It shall not change! FALSE.
That blurb reveal was the blurb reveal, set in stone forever! FALSE.
I will only release my book on Kindle! No print version for me! FALSE. {There will be a print version! ISBN: 1492172359}
This is the self-publishing process in Melody's world, y'all. Fortunately for you, the official-official reveals for both covers and blurbs are occurring today at Aimee's blog, Seeking the Write Life.
So go, away with you! Why are you still here? It's all at Aimee's blog!
Showing posts with label cover design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cover design. Show all posts
8/22/13
8/2/13
Of Lies & Truth
I don't know about the rest of you, but every moment of my day is a roller coaster.
Not every minute. Every moment. And it's all inside my head.
My book. My book is coming out in twenty-four days. What if everyone hates it? What if my Christian friends are disappointed in its lack of...Christianity? What if the secular readers feel like they just got preached at? What if it's actually a terrible book? What if I have delusions of grandeur?
Stop it. Just stop it. Your book is fine. Your Christian friends will get over it, and you can put a fancy disclaimer on the description for the secular readers. It is not a terrible book. Remember what the beta reader said. Remember what the critique partner said. Remember what the agents said, for goodness' sake! Remember that Publisher's Weekly review!
But, what if they were all wrong? What if those people are the only people in the universe that will like it?
Don't be ridiculous.
It's possible! Don't tell me it's not possible!
Stop it. Your book is fine.
But...! And what about my cover? It's not as sharp as I wanted...
Your cover is great. Stop this. Stop it. Stop it. Think about something else.
And it doesn't stop there. Thinking about something else tends to bring me to a different--just as stressful--dialogue. Those people don't like me. How am I going to pay for the fall semester? And there it goes again, 'round and 'round.
I don't know how I would survive if I didn't know how to manage my thoughts. {Meaning how doesn't mean I'm all that good at it.} Because most of those thoughts aren't even true. My book is good. Those people do like me. I am going to be able to pay for the fall semester {I think}.
Managing your thoughts isn't only about dismissing that picture of the cute guy next door with his shirt off. It's also about standing strong on the defensive to the doubts that come into your head and saying, "No! That's not true! That's a lie! This is the truth: _____________." It's about standing there on the bridge and shouting, "You! Shall! Not! Pass!"
Because you have a choice. Every single one of those lying thoughts is an absolute choice. You can choose to believe them and let them run rampant inside your head if you want to. I don't recommend it. They don't bear you any goodwill.
Or you can banish them. Oh, yeah, they'll try to come back. But they don't belong in your head, and you can tell them so. Remind them--and yourself--that they're not true. And go on with your life. Don't allow those thieving, lying b******s to run your life. If you're a Christian, those thoughts no longer have any right to your brain. {If you're not...this is just one of the many perks associated with being best friends with the King of the universe.} You have complete and total authority to tell them, in no uncertain terms, to leave.
Don't stop listening to critique. Continue to be honest with yourself. But also be able to recognize the difference between the truth and a lie. Truths are there to build you up and make you a better person. Lies leave a trail of fear and nausea, regret and pain, doubt and cowardice. Lies tell you that you're not good enough; truth tells you that you are good enough to do better.
Hate the lies. Believe the truth.
What about you? What lies have you believed? Now's the time to show them to the door. :)
{My cover can't be too bad. As I inserted it into this post, I glanced over the picture. These were my thoughts: Oh, look at that! The gal who wrote this book is named Melody. Always cool to meet another Melody. What's her last name? Oh... Oh, wait. That's. Yeah. I knew that. *awkward cough*}
Not every minute. Every moment. And it's all inside my head.
My book. My book is coming out in twenty-four days. What if everyone hates it? What if my Christian friends are disappointed in its lack of...Christianity? What if the secular readers feel like they just got preached at? What if it's actually a terrible book? What if I have delusions of grandeur?
Stop it. Just stop it. Your book is fine. Your Christian friends will get over it, and you can put a fancy disclaimer on the description for the secular readers. It is not a terrible book. Remember what the beta reader said. Remember what the critique partner said. Remember what the agents said, for goodness' sake! Remember that Publisher's Weekly review!
But, what if they were all wrong? What if those people are the only people in the universe that will like it?
Don't be ridiculous.
It's possible! Don't tell me it's not possible!
Stop it. Your book is fine.
But...! And what about my cover? It's not as sharp as I wanted...
Your cover is great. Stop this. Stop it. Stop it. Think about something else.
And it doesn't stop there. Thinking about something else tends to bring me to a different--just as stressful--dialogue. Those people don't like me. How am I going to pay for the fall semester? And there it goes again, 'round and 'round.
I don't know how I would survive if I didn't know how to manage my thoughts. {Meaning how doesn't mean I'm all that good at it.} Because most of those thoughts aren't even true. My book is good. Those people do like me. I am going to be able to pay for the fall semester {I think}.
Managing your thoughts isn't only about dismissing that picture of the cute guy next door with his shirt off. It's also about standing strong on the defensive to the doubts that come into your head and saying, "No! That's not true! That's a lie! This is the truth: _____________." It's about standing there on the bridge and shouting, "You! Shall! Not! Pass!"
Because you have a choice. Every single one of those lying thoughts is an absolute choice. You can choose to believe them and let them run rampant inside your head if you want to. I don't recommend it. They don't bear you any goodwill.Or you can banish them. Oh, yeah, they'll try to come back. But they don't belong in your head, and you can tell them so. Remind them--and yourself--that they're not true. And go on with your life. Don't allow those thieving, lying b******s to run your life. If you're a Christian, those thoughts no longer have any right to your brain. {If you're not...this is just one of the many perks associated with being best friends with the King of the universe.} You have complete and total authority to tell them, in no uncertain terms, to leave.
 |
| on Kindle in 24 days! |
Hate the lies. Believe the truth.
What about you? What lies have you believed? Now's the time to show them to the door. :)
{My cover can't be too bad. As I inserted it into this post, I glanced over the picture. These were my thoughts: Oh, look at that! The gal who wrote this book is named Melody. Always cool to meet another Melody. What's her last name? Oh... Oh, wait. That's. Yeah. I knew that. *awkward cough*}
7/30/13
The Cover Reveal
It's happening. It's here.
It's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here!
Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, the cover of Those Who Trespass:
I'll talk more about its creation in later posts, but for now I just want to sit back and stare at it. What do you think?
Those Who Trespass will be available exclusively for Kindle {and all Kindle apps} on August 27, 2013.
It's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here!
Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, the cover of Those Who Trespass:
RELEASE DATE: TUESDAY, 8/27
I'll talk more about its creation in later posts, but for now I just want to sit back and stare at it. What do you think?
Those Who Trespass will be available exclusively for Kindle {and all Kindle apps} on August 27, 2013.
7/24/13
How To Make Fake Blood
So, my cover is making me incandescently happy. It's not even close to being done, and it looks way cooler than I ever dreamed I'd be able to pull off.
Careful, Melody, don't overhype it.
Nevermind, it's terrible and amateur. Don't expect much when I do the big reveal.
After all, there is fake blood on the cover.
And what other skills do you have, Melody? Well, I can make fake blood off the top of my head, no recipe needed.
I don't really know where this skill comes from. I read it, at some point in my life. I remember inviting my little brother to join me in turning information into sticky reality. Mom was not impressed; the mess didn't bother her, but the shock of seeing her two children look like they'd just emerged from a Zombie apocalypse was not her thing.
All this, because I don't want anything on my cover to be copyrighted by someone else. That would be...bad. So I took my own pictures. Kindle covers only have to be 1600x1000, and my iPhone takes 2592x1936, so the resolution is grand.
But if you don't want to be sued, flickr has a way to search for images with Creative Commons licenses. {Do your own research on what that means and how much freedom it gives you. I was a little bit intimidated by all the big words, which is why I ended up taking my own pictures. That, and looking at all the search results for 'blood' was actually making me a little sick.} Also, Shutterstock and iStockphoto are great places to go find legit, royalty-free images {though they cost money}.
Also in link-world, I found this helpful, tip-filled article on designing one's own cover.
What about you? What crazy hands-on adventures has this writing process inspired?
Careful, Melody, don't overhype it.
Nevermind, it's terrible and amateur. Don't expect much when I do the big reveal.
After all, there is fake blood on the cover.
And what other skills do you have, Melody? Well, I can make fake blood off the top of my head, no recipe needed.
I don't really know where this skill comes from. I read it, at some point in my life. I remember inviting my little brother to join me in turning information into sticky reality. Mom was not impressed; the mess didn't bother her, but the shock of seeing her two children look like they'd just emerged from a Zombie apocalypse was not her thing.- Corn syrup
- Red food coloring
All this, because I don't want anything on my cover to be copyrighted by someone else. That would be...bad. So I took my own pictures. Kindle covers only have to be 1600x1000, and my iPhone takes 2592x1936, so the resolution is grand.
But if you don't want to be sued, flickr has a way to search for images with Creative Commons licenses. {Do your own research on what that means and how much freedom it gives you. I was a little bit intimidated by all the big words, which is why I ended up taking my own pictures. That, and looking at all the search results for 'blood' was actually making me a little sick.} Also, Shutterstock and iStockphoto are great places to go find legit, royalty-free images {though they cost money}.
Also in link-world, I found this helpful, tip-filled article on designing one's own cover.
What about you? What crazy hands-on adventures has this writing process inspired?
7/23/13
Drawing Ever Closer
Drawing ever closer, we are, we are. I finished my manuscript over the weekend--again--and sent it to Robin, who is going to be the last non-me reader to experience Those Who Trespass before it hits the e-shelves.
I want this blog to be a help to anyone following in my footsteps, so expect some links as I keep progressing toward publication. Today I did some cover design research. I looked into hiring someone to design it for me, which, if I had the money, would be a no-brainer. But I don't have the money, so I'm doing it myself. They tell you not to, but I am.
My favorite cover design site? Damonza.com Of the covers I looked at today, theirs were the coolest. And the most expensive. There were some other excellent artists that were less pricey; the going rate seems to be between $150 and $250. Not bad at all, if you're not a broke college student. Kindle recommends the Google search ebook cover design to find cover designers, so have at it.
Also, I discovered an e-book {of course} that Kindle has produced to ease your life as an indie author. Building Your Book for Kindle is free. It is a straight-up, no-frills guide that takes you through the formatting and publishing process without all the hype and extra details that you can figure out later. It includes helpful formatting advice for pre-writing, too, so it's worth checking out if you have the slightest inclination to e-publish at some point in your authorly life.
Those are pretty easy-to-find resources, but they're a good place to start in my great how-I'm-doing-it database of indie-publishing.
I plan to journal my cover design process here, because I don't think that process has often been recorded when done by an author with limited design skills. {I have design skills. But they're limited.} Is that something you'd be interested in following? What other indie-publishing aspects would you like to experience along with me?
I want this blog to be a help to anyone following in my footsteps, so expect some links as I keep progressing toward publication. Today I did some cover design research. I looked into hiring someone to design it for me, which, if I had the money, would be a no-brainer. But I don't have the money, so I'm doing it myself. They tell you not to, but I am.
My favorite cover design site? Damonza.com Of the covers I looked at today, theirs were the coolest. And the most expensive. There were some other excellent artists that were less pricey; the going rate seems to be between $150 and $250. Not bad at all, if you're not a broke college student. Kindle recommends the Google search ebook cover design to find cover designers, so have at it.
Also, I discovered an e-book {of course} that Kindle has produced to ease your life as an indie author. Building Your Book for Kindle is free. It is a straight-up, no-frills guide that takes you through the formatting and publishing process without all the hype and extra details that you can figure out later. It includes helpful formatting advice for pre-writing, too, so it's worth checking out if you have the slightest inclination to e-publish at some point in your authorly life.
Those are pretty easy-to-find resources, but they're a good place to start in my great how-I'm-doing-it database of indie-publishing.
I plan to journal my cover design process here, because I don't think that process has often been recorded when done by an author with limited design skills. {I have design skills. But they're limited.} Is that something you'd be interested in following? What other indie-publishing aspects would you like to experience along with me?
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