Cover Love

Never judge a book by its cover – that’s the old saying but I must admit, I for one will definitely take notice of a gorgeous cover, whereas one that doesn’t appeal to me, I might well not even pick up. Covers are so important, and authors on the whole don’t usually have a lot of input, although I have to say Penguin/Berkley were absolutely fabulous in taking my suggestions into consideration.

FORBIDDEN, book 1 in my ancient historical series, is set during the first century AD during the invasion of the Roman Legions into Cymru ~

Between a warrior and a princess comes an erotic passion as all-consuming as the hatred between their warring worlds…

The image I had in my mind for FORBIDDEN was deeply romantic, with the hero holding onto his heroine and with them both looking away from the “camera”. I had visions of them in a forest glade with a waterfall in the background. One thing I really wanted was for the hero to be dressed in his Roman regalia so it gave an instant visual of when the book was set and what it was about.

My editor loved my ideas but suggested it might have to be a bit sexier. So I thought I would end up with a half naked guy on the cover. Now don’t get me wrong – I love half naked heroes on covers! But I had this burning desire for the cover to show exactly what the book was about – and it’s about a Roman centurion, a Druid princess and a lot of the story takes place in the forests of ancient Wales. And yes, the waterfall has great significance!

When I saw the cover the art department came up with I just about fell off my chair. It was perfect. Just as I had imagined, but even better! I’m still in lust with Maximus’s biceps and Carys even has bi-colored eyes.

Trained in sensuality, a Druid priestess finds herself falling for the wrong man—the warrior who’s taken her prisoner… 

When we were discussing the cover for CAPTIVE, book 2 in the Forbidden series, I assumed it would be similar in design as the first book in the series. But Marketing wanted to go for a darker look and when I saw the cover for the first time I was completely blown away. Without even reading the book they had managed to convey Bren’s deeply ingrained sense of protectiveness and the overall feel was one of danger looming.

I showed a few writer friends and was amazed at the reaction. Several who write dark paranormal/fantasy said they would definitely pick CAPTIVE off the shelf – based entirely on the cover – whereas the FORBIDDEN cover didn’t appeal to them in the same way.

This really intrigued me because when I look at the FORBIDDEN cover I see the mist swirling around the forest and to me that gives a mysterious, mystical atmosphere. But the CAPTIVE cover does give a much stronger indication of the light fantasy element threaded throughout the book.

What is it about a cover that really grabs your attention? Do you prefer to see a gorgeous half naked hero on the cover of erotic romance? And what elements about either FORBIDDEN or CAPTIVE appeals (or doesn’t appeal) to you?

FORBIDDEN http://www.christinaphillips.com/forbidden_blurb.html

CAPTIVE   http://www.christinaphillips.com/captive_blurb.html

My Website: http://www.christinaphillips.com

My Blog:      http://christinaphillips.blogspot.com

Facebook:    http://tinyurl.com/4j7lrsa

Twitter:        http://twitter.com/#!/ChristinaPh

Check out the video!

Aithne Jarretta’s New Release ~ Kissing Santa

Hi. I'm Aithne Jarretta, your tweetin-fiend here at the MFRW Author blog (taking a brief break from Twitter) to share some tidbits about my newest story, KISSING SANTA. This tale blossoms in the heart of holiday spirit and love reunited. It's short, bittersweet and scrumptious.

Readers will find just a hint of paranormal (Santa Claus). Paranormal-lite is unusual for my stories due to my overindulgence in world building, but the reason is simple.

KISSING SANTA is inspired by several true events in my Christmases past. 

You see, I grew up in one of those neighborhoods where Secret Santas roamed the streets on Christmas Eve and handed presents to children from bright red sleighs pulled by modern-day vans filled with Santa helpers and plenty of gifts. (whew! Breathe ... Aithne!)

Reminiscences run deep and tug at the heartstrings. Mix those two magical elements with my three favorite story essentials; bittersweet separation, love's reunion and happy endings.... What you have is a story born of romance.

The last Christmas I was gifted with the magical Secret Santa visitation N.E. Ohio experienced a major snowstorm. Wind-chill factor and huge (yet beautiful) snowflakes nearly stopped Santa.... But now I'm giving too much away.

I'd prefer to share this magical moment that Lily, the heroine of Kissing Santa, has with her young nephew, Sammy.

Excerpt:

Lily wondered at Sammy's odd behavior.

With an impish shrug Sammy faced the frosty window. Then he raised his right hand, placed it firmly on the glass and held it there for a long moment.

Watching him, Lily trembled from the cold. She crossed hands over her chest and rubbed sweater covered arms in an attempt to chase away the chill.  Little Sammy had been just over two years old when she left. No wonder she didn’t understand him—she didn’t know him.

Small shoulders beneath a holiday inspired red flannel shirt shook with mirth. He winked and pulled his hand from the glass.

A perfect handprint presented itself—a clear window to the exterior world. He leaned forward and demonstrated that she should give it a try. “See? It's just right.”

Surprised at his simple action, gratitude pooled around her heart. The little gift mellowed her like the warm scent of spiced cider.

She laughed softly and leaned down. There it was—the record breaking snow squall. Large snowflakes whizzed by on the bone-chilling wind. Their size and multitude completely obscured the street out front.

“He’ll still get through,” Sammy said with all the confidence of youthful innocence. “He’s Santa Claus.”

* * * * * * * * * *

 

If you enjoy trailers, play Kissing Santa's video. Comments are always welcome.

Today, I live far away from snowstorms. But as mentioned above, Readers can find me primarily on Twitter. The pulse of the flowing contact stream is what makes Twitter my favorite online place. I respond to all @AithneJarretta mentions and would enjoy having you join our conversation.

https://twitter.com/#!/AithneJarretta

Tweet this & Receive a Secret Santa Stocking-Stuffer:

RT Yowza! @AithneJarretta is Kissing Santa on the MFRWA Blog ;D http://bit.ly/ks-mfrw #readthis #WW #99cents #MFRW

The stories I write are showcased on my newly revamped blog: http://aithnejarretta.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aithne.jarretta

Thank you for stopping by. Before you leave, why not check out some of the other postings here. MFRW has many fascinating contributors and I'm sure you'll find something that matches you perfectly.

Peace & Love be with you always.

~ Aithne Jarretta

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An Interview with Coleen Kwan

Today we have the wonderful Coleen Kwan with us to tell us about her new release When Harriet Came Home from Carina Press. Join us in welcoming her to the MFRW Authors’ Blog. Welcome, Coleen!

Tell us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they? (Please include the cover so we can post it as well.)

My debut novel, WHEN HARRIET CAME HOME, is a contemporary romance set in Australia. It’s a fun, sweet story about an ‘ugly duckling’ heroine who reluctantly returns to her hometown only to meet her old teenage crush. Here’s the blurb:

After ten years of exile, Harriet Brown is back in town. Things have definitely changed, but so has she. Now the confident owner of a catering business, she's no longer the shy, overweight girl everyone—including her hot teenage crush—used to ignore. In fact, she's determined to make peace with Adam Blackstone for her part in exposing his father's secret affairs and corrupt behavior as mayor.

But Adam has changed as well. No longer a pampered, rich pinup boy, he just wants to reestablish his family's good name. He reluctantly agrees to a truce with Harriet, and is surprised by how changed she is. He doesn't want to be drawn to her, but he can't seem to resist her allure.

As Harriet struggles to come to terms with her past, her adolescent infatuation with Adam morphs into something more serious… Will she ever be accepted again? Or will ancient history ruin the chance of a future full of possibilities?

The book is available from Carina Press, Amazon, and other ebookstores.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’ve recently sold my first steampunk romance to Carina Press! It comes out next year, but I don’t have a publication date yet.

Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

I was lucky enough to receive a great first review from Naughty Cougar Tales. “I could not put this book down, I read until the early hours of the morning, until my eyes refused to stay open. As soon as I woke up the next morning, I did housework then got right back into the book until I finished it. The emotions, secondary cast and most of all Harriett and Adam kept me enthralled until the end.”

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?

I love a bit of humor in my characters, but humor is very tricky to write as it’s so subjective. I’m not very good at writing humor. A judge once wrote on my score sheet, “Your heroine, Tamsyn, reminds me a lot of Stephanie Plum… without the humor.” Ouch!

Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)

I live in Sydney, Australia with my partner and two children. I graduated from university with a science degree and for many years I worked in IT. About three years ago I quit my job and started writing. I’ve had a lot of setbacks and rejections, but writing is such fun I couldn’t stop. I made my first sale to Carina Press in February of this year, and it’s been a steep learning curve from then on, not just in terms of editing, but all the associated marketing and promoting. My favorite hobby is reading! Now that I write, I find I have much less time for reading, which is a great pity.
Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc.?

I belong to Romance Writers of Australia. They’re a great organization. As an unpublished writer, I entered many of their competitions and learned so much from the judges’ score sheets. Through them I’ve also joined online critique groups, face-to-face groups, and attended online conferences.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I hope I’ll still be writing! I’d love to be multi-published, perhaps in several genres, but most importantly I hope I will still enjoy creating stories and characters.
How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?

I dabbled a bit in my early twenties, but starting getting serious about three years ago. Although I’ve always been an avid reader, I haven’t always wanted to be a writer. It’s just evolved over the years.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?

I hope readers will be transported away from their everyday lives, at least for a small time. I hope they will become emotionally invested in my characters, even if they hate them or want to strangle them, that’s good! The last thing I want is for my readers to be bored.

Where can your readers find you?

Website: http://www.coleenkwan.com  

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ColeenKwan

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coleen-Kwan-Author/131730270256044

Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/coleenkwanauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5210210.Coleen_Kwan

Where’s your favorite place to hang out online?

My website http://www.coleenkwan.com