Yes, it’s me. I’m my own feature this week. It’s my blog – I can do that if I want to.
I run across discussions about book covers from time to time. Everyone seems to agree that they want a cover that accurately depicts some aspect of the contents of the book. If there is a dog on the cover, there better be a dog somewhere in the story. Otherwise, the discussion seems to divide into two camps:
Some people like covers with a people – a sexy clinch or a hot man. A lone woman seems to be the last choice. Having sexy people on the cover is seen as a guarantee that the story will indeed be a romance.
Others don’t particularly care for people on the cover. They find those sorts of covers embarrassing and don’t want to be seen carrying them on the bus / train while they commute to work and they don’t want to leave them out around the house if they have small children in residence.
I’m lucky enough at the moment to be with a publisher who lets me have some say in what sort of cover I get for my books. Take a look at my three covers and you can probably guess into which camp I fall. In spite of the fact that I’ve heard some say that covers that depict generic scenes with no people at all are the most boring of all, I love love love my covers. How could I not? The colors are so pretty!
And just so you know, the car on my cover does play a big part in the story.
Don’t be shy. Tell me what you think about covers and I’ll enter in a drawing to win a copy of my book All The Way Home. Can’t wait to hear your opinion.
And if you want more chances to win, visit me at Shelley Munro’s blog and at Liz Jasper’s Pink Fuzzy Slipper’s blog. I’m all over the place this weekend! If you’re really feeling lucky, check out the Cerridwen Spring Contest (the link to the rules is in the sidebar) – you could win an e-reader FULL of great books.
Good luck!
Blurb:
After enduring her parents’ loveless marriage and coming home to help her sister pick up the pieces of her broken one, Maggie isn’t interested in relationships. Sam Callahan is not only still gorgeous, but he’s still available. Neither Maggie nor Sam can deny their attraction but they’re still at odds. Maggie’s down on family life – can Sam be the one to convince her to settle down?
Available Now from Cerridwen Press
Excerpt:
“Melanie! Where are you?” Maggie called as she stormed into the kitchen, letting the screen door slam behind her. Even the scent of freshly baked blueberry muffins didn’t soothe her temper.
“I’m here, hang on,” Melanie answered as she came down the stairs. “Where were you? I made breakfast for us.”
“I took the dog to the vet. By the way, did you know that Sam Callahan — Sam Callahan from high school — was the vet?” Maggie demanded.
Melanie didn’t bother to suppress a smile. “I did actually, yes.”
Maggie gaped at her. “Then why didn’t you tell me, for god’s sake? You could have at least warned me.”
“I thought it would be more fun this way,” Melanie answered. When she saw Maggie’s scowl, she laughed. “Oh my god, you don’t still have a crush on him do you?”
Maggie stared. “What are you talking about? I never had a crush on Sam.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I was just surprised to see him. So surprised that I couldn’t remember how to speak properly and made a fool of myself,” she complained.
“Maggie at a loss for words, now there’s a first. You do still have a crush on him,” Melanie said as she got down two coffee mugs from the cupboard.
“I do not! And why are you saying ‘still’? Who said I ever did?” Maggie asked as she paced.
“Oh, come on, Maggie. I read your diary. Why else were you writing ‘Mrs. Maggie Callahan’ over and over and over?”
Maggie felt like she’d been hit in the head with a brick for the second time that morning. “You read my diary? My private and personal diary? How could you?”
Melanie shrugged. “Isn’t that what little sisters are for?”
Maggie was so angry couldn’t speak. She left the kitchen and let the screen door slam behind her, stalking across the driveway back to her room over the garage.
Melanie followed her. “Come on, Maggie, it was years and years ago. Don’t be mad.”
“It may have been years ago, but I only just found out that all of my private thoughts weren’t so private after all. So, did you have fun? Did you share them with all your friends?” Maggie fumed.
Melanie bit her lip. That told Maggie all she needed to know.
“Try to understand what it was like for me, Maggie. I was the little sister always two steps behind you. I just wanted to see what it was like to be grown up. I’m sorry if you feel like I invaded your privacy. I didn’t do it to hurt you.”
Maggie harrumphed. “Well, I guess it’s no good denying I had a crush on Sam. But ‘had’ is the operative word. As in past tense.”
Melanie held up her hands. “Okay, whatever you say. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about him. I never thought you would get so worked up about it. He’s still pretty hot, huh?”
Maggie only glared at her in reply.
Melanie moved toward the boxes that were still stacked up near the small bookshelf. “Hey, you didn’t unpack your books yet. Need some help?”
“What? Oh, no, thanks. I’ll do it later on sometime. I’m not really in the mood to read that stuff right now anyway.”
Melanie sat down in the reading chair. “Okay, now I know something is wrong. You don’t want to work? What gives?”
Maggie sighed and sank down on her bed. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I guess I’m just burned out at the moment. I’ve been working so hard to finish up my degree and have been focused so long on writing and then defending my dissertation that I just don’t even want to think about any of that stuff for a little while.”
“Are you saying that you don’t want to be a professor anymore?” Melanie asked incredulously. “It’s all you’ve been working for all these years.”
“What do you care? You always thought what I was doing was boring anyway,” Maggie replied.
“That’s not the point,” Melanie answered. “I can’t deny I couldn’t see the appeal of studying all those long dead artists and all the dull and dry history that went along with it —“
“Thanks a lot.”
“Let me finish. You obviously saw something in all that stuff that I didn’t. So why are you just tossing all that aside now? Do you want to just quit?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” Maggie answered. She fell back and lay on the bed. “At least I don’t think that’s what I’m saying. Hell, I’m tired. I don’t know what I want to do anymore. But what I do not want to do is read those books. Not now anyway.”
“I have an idea.”
“This ought to be good,” Maggie muttered.
“Smart ass. I should just let you lie there and wallow,” Melanie said, preparing to leave.
Maggie sat up. “Okay, I’m sorry. What’s your idea?”
“Why don’t you paint? You were so good at it, and it’s what got you interested in studying art in the first place. Why not get your hands dirty again? It might be just what you need to get over this rough spot.”
Maggie smiled. “You know, you’re pretty smart for a bratty little sister. Thanks.”
“Now that your problem is solved, it’s my turn. I need a favor,” Melanie said, suddenly looking a little pensive.
“What is it?”
“I’ve been reading those books you brought me and I was hoping, that is, I wanted to ask you… if you’ll be my labor coach,” Melanie said in a rush. “I won’t have to start birthing classes for a while yet, but you’re supposed to have a coach to help you practice your breathing exercises and to help you during delivery. So? Will you be my coach, Maggie?”
“But, but — what about Adam?” Maggie asked. “I’m not sure I —“
Melanie nodded. “I know how squeamish you are, but I really need you there, Maggie. As for Adam, at this point, I don’t know where he is, how can I count on him being back in time for the baby’s birth? What do you say? Will you do it?”
Maggie closed her eyes. She couldn’t stand the sight of blood or other… stuff. She even waxed her legs so she wouldn’t have to worry about nicking herself shaving. She didn’t know how she was ever going to get through childbirth herself. But she’d made Melanie a promise and she intended to keep it.
“Okay. I’ll do it. I’ll be your labor coach,” Maggie agreed.
“Okay, great. Thank you,” Melanie answered with a relieved smile. “Now let’s go eat, I’m starved. After breakfast, we’ll go to the library and get you a couple of big juicy romance novels. That should clear the cobwebs out,” Melanie said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Sure,” Maggie said half-heartedly. But she didn’t think she’d get any romance novels. That was the last thing she on her mind right now.
