Jul26

Take cover!

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Cover me.

I’m going under cover.

Cover your mouth when you sneeze?

Okay, fine. I was trying to be unique and not do the standard announcement, but…

Cover Reveal!

Now you get to see what that arm from the back cover is attached to.

Several changes happened to the cop’s face and the blond’s hair, the girl is completely different, and other minor adjustments, but here we are.

The last piece was getting that tagline added. It was not easy. I kept asking, but my request was ignored. I decided to give up, but then I remembered my woman on the inside. Remember my life lesson? Always make nice with the editor?

I texted her. She suggested I try again. So I pushed and ultimately got what I wanted. I’m so glad because I think that tagline adds some nice oomph.

And remember when I was concerned that 44 changes to the interior of the book were too many? Editor Lady basically said, “Pish. That’s nothing.”

Bolstered by that, I also asked if 5-6 cover change requests was okay, figuring I’d get a response similar to before. She instead said, “I don’t know typical number, but that’s getting up there.”

Eh-heh-heh. Oops! I imagine that by next book, if I’m fortunate enough to publish it here, this poor man will brace for impact before he starts working with me again. I should at least have an easier time getting the tagline.

Regarding Book 2

Because Sensei had read Book 1 and had decent feedback, I asked if he’d like to read part 1 of Book 2. He said yes because he “lives to point out my mistakes.”

Offering to let him read this was my first mistake.

When finished, he let me know he had five pages of notes for me.

I thought he was joking.

He was not.

We met at the library so he could share his detailed notes. He had even pulled out scrap paper to keep track of how many people were on the elevator at each stop as though this scene were a nightmare math problem. It ultimately led to him discovering that someone’s “full elevator” comment was not entirely accurate.

So I thanked him while seriously questioning whether or not to let him read part 2. There are a lot of scenes that involve driving on a race track, and even as I wrote them, knowing he has experience with this, I was thinking, “Sensei will probably tear this apart.” I’m cringing at the thought of it. (I did do research, though, okay?)

Then when I left the library, I found this on my van.

Zucchini from Sensei’s garden. If you were around for the Taekwondo days, you’ll know this was a thing. I can only imagine what passersby thought of this randomness.

Five at once is a lot, but there is a muffin recipe I want to try…

Old Q: On Christmas Day 800 AD he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. That would be the one and only Charlemagne.

New Q, compliments of a trivia book page titled “Stupid Laws”: In South Dakota, growers of this state flower of Kansas are allowed to use fireworks to scare off birds.”

Must be 4th of July for months around those fields. Could be fun, or it could get old for the neighbors.

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116 responses »

  1. Good looking cover. Did surfer dude pose for those pictures? Hum …

    Yes, you should always fight for what is important, well until you find out it isn’t important, but the tagline is important so you’re good there. I will admit that there is a certain joy in pointing out other people’s mistakes, but I have learned not to do that with my wife — ends badly.

    and sunflowers.

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  4. I’m by no means an expert but I like the cover. Laughing about the dude who “lives to point out my mistakes.” Have you been talking with my in-laws by any chance? I’m always wrong, ‘ya know?

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  5. “Old Q: On Christmas Day 800 AD he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. That would be the one and only Constantine.”

    Er. No, it wasn’t Constantine. Constantine was the Emperor of the Roman Empire back in the 300s A.D. On Christmas Day in 800 A.D., Charlemagne was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor. They’re two very different people. Constantine’s heirs ruled the Byzantine (Eastern half) of the Roman Empire until the 1400s when Constantinople (now Istanbul) fell.

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    • Oh, crap! You’re write. I remembered wrong. Thank you! Fixing now! And the funny thing is, as I typed that in, I thought, “Should I double check I’m remembering that right? Was it another C-name? Nah. I got it!” Face palm.

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    • I’m glad you alerted me before my history teacher husband spotted it and chided me. Let’s hope he doesn’t read these comments, eh? I goofed. Also, wowsa. Well done, history buff! I gotta learn to stop ignoring that little voice in my head that says, “Errr… You sure about that, sweetie?” Before lazy me says, “Nah. It’s fine. Don’t think any more.” 😛

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  6. Congrats on the cover design! It’s eye-catching. The dark purple background offers a great contrast for the figures. I’m glad that you succeeded in adding the tagline. It does add a nice oomph, as you say 🙂
    Don’t be too hard on Sensei. He’s really taking his responsibility as a beta reader very seriously.

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  14. It seems that when I think I know the trivia answer, I like to start with it. Otherwise I end with it (or ignore it completely). I think it’s the sunflower.
    Wow! Exciting about your book cover! My first thought about the tagline, though, was, “It’s her book! She can do whatever she wants!” Clearly I don’t know the publishing industry.
    At this point, do you even have to ask sensei when you see zucchinis on your car, or do you just know it was him?

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    • You are excellent at trivia! The guy finally responded about the tagline saying he would put it on the back. (?!) I said, “Is there room on the front?” He may have decided I was no longer worth the fight. I think it looks fantastic where it is, so that was definitely a fight worth having. Zucchinis have shown up on my car so many times over the years, I always know it’s him. But it’s also not like he ever sneak attacks me by leaving them on the car in my driveway in the middle of the night. That would just be freaky. Okay, and funny. I hope he doesn’t read this now and get any ideas.

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  16. You should definitely let him have a go at the race scene. If you’re afraid of the truth, well, maybe you shouldn’t be writing fiction stories about invisible girls? hhahahahaa, yeaaaaah……

    We have a place about an hour from here that is a sunflower farm. It is a massive field of sunflowers and in season, it is this golden wave. Of course, that’s when it’s wicked hot too, so who wants to be out looking at them then anyway?

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    • Okay, so “wicked hot.” Clearly you live near Boston. Is it wrong for me to admit that I’ve never been enamored by sunflowers? They just don’t do it for me. Now, a whole sea of them would be a sight–one which I’d probably get over quickly, however. The fields of varied-colored tulips in Holland—now that would be on my list. I’d even fight some heat for that.

      I’m sure I’ll let him read the rest of the book eventually. I asked him to read the first part precisely because I wanted his honest critique. I just know that, despite my research on driving, he will 100% make a point to find SOMEthing wrong with it. I’ve actually done a lot of research for both books to make them as realistic as possible, you know, despite that whole invisibility thing. 😛

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      • New England, so close enough 😀

        Nah, not wrong at all. I’d never given them a second look until I saw the whole field of them. And now, I still don’t give individual ones a second glace, hahahahaa.

        I thought finding things wrong with pre-lease was what beta readers were for?

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      • Yes, yes, on your last point, but your evil twin out here takes it to a whole new level. My other betas were kind enough to point out things they liked, too. Sensei is all about telling me where I’ve gone wrong, only. If he read this post, he would find it funny, though. Picking on each other is how we operate, strangely.

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    • I guess being a perfectionist… helps? My life would likely be easier if I cared a little less and was able to call things good without needing them to be perfect. Even looking at this now I’m like, her hair should be a little lighter. But at a certain point, I need to let it go. Possibly I’m more uptight about this one because it’s my first. You’ve earned the right to relax a little, Jacqui. 🙂

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  19. Sunflower. Duh. I lived there, remember? But as usual, I’m too late with my correct answer.

    I believe I had zero cover change requests, so yeah, yours might have been on the high side. But also, this is your legacy. Don’t settle for anything less than what you envision!

    I wouldn’t let sensei anywhere near my next book, ha.

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    • You did admit that a helicopter made for a much easier cover than people’s faces, though, so, fair. Maybe I’ll slack off a little for future covers? Meh, probably not. The next one will be Isaac stealing a car while Ana nervously keeps lookout. I wonder if that should be before or after the dye jobs? Oooh, decisions!

      I’m not one to shy away from constructive criticism when it’s helpful. Every little thing makes the book better. For instance, he said Isaac wouldn’t turn on the car. He would start it. Then made a joke about Isaac trying to get the car romantically interested. That image will make me not forget the proper terminology anytime soon.

      Other times, though, I said, “Yeah, no. That’s fine how it is.” Other stuff was food for thought, and I may need to send a mini-revision. For instance… Shoot. Do I get into this here? Ah, whatever. Here goes. Isaac makes a point of checking his watch before they swallow the formula and announces 45 minutes, but then they never see a clock. He only guesses at the time. I could ramp up the tension by them seeing how much time they have left. But then, that sounds potentially too similar to the lab scene where they’re fighting the clock before the next class starts. So, I’m mulling that one. I have a mini-fix where they see a clock in the hallways of the 7th floor and have seconds to go. I think that’s my middle-ground fix which could indeed make that bit a little more exciting. Also, how funny was it that they rushed to get there and then twiddled their thumbs for a bit? I crack myself up sometimes. I hope anyone else reading this will forget what I said by the time book 2 comes out. 😛

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      • You’re right about that. I didn’t have a single person on my cover, while yours features three. I’m sure I’d have been a lot pickier about my characters’ looks.

        I’ll never look at a gear shift the same way again….!

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      • Sorry. I’m dealing with a cold and was only online briefly yesterday. I like your idea of having them spot the clock in the hallway and realizing there’s only a few seconds left. That would be a great way to ratchet up the tension!

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    • Ask your friends and family to beta read for you! Writing books is not a job that should be done solo. Other people’s feedback has been invaluable. I would ask around for sure, particularly of people who are well-read and/or writing and editing savvy. I believe there are also online writing groups for this purpose.

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  23. LMAO over those five pages of notes. Your tagline is a good one, but no cop has hair that long (sorry, Ben!). I’m guessing sunflower for the trivia because birds LOVE those seeds. We have a flock of feral parrots that went to town when the middles school across the street planted them. The middle school never planted them again.

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    • I know on the hair. A couple of betas said, “Is that regulation length?” I’m letting it go because I have my reasons. 🙂 You’re so right on the trivia. And what a bummer for that school! Maybe the students were told, hey, what a good job we did feeding all those birds, huh? Also, parrots?? Way fun. Worth it. Finally, how did you know the cop’s name is Ben? Did I say that somewhere? Losing my mind over here. (Shocker!)

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  25. What a great cover! Congratulations on getting what you wanted. The tagline is fantastic (although, technically, I think this is called a logline – just like with a movie). I love loglines!

    A friend read one of my books and sent me pages of notes! I was a little gobsmacked by his hutzpah. He didn’t have errors to point out; he didn’t like the way I portrayed people, or he wanted more action in some scenes. It was a rom-com for crying out loud. I didn’t ask for his input in the first place, so I just said thank you and moved on. At least you asked for Sensei’s input. Be careful to stick to yourself. Don’t feel pressured to make changes if they don’t feel 100% right to you.

    To a passerby, the zucchinis may have looked like an erotic message. I’m just sayin’. 🙂

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  28. Hey – it is so fun following along on this book process with you – and I think the cover came out great – and it must be harder to get the right cover when it depicts characters.

    Also, regarding the feedback – whew – there can be times when feedback pulls from your process and output. I am thinking of when my husband produced his own music. He had a lot of feedback on the first album but then realized it was too much. After that, he only got a little feedback – and the projects always turned out great. I guess there are just fine lines – where fresh eyes can highlight tidbits that make the work better – but then there are other times when the input is not that helpful and distracts (too many cooks in the kitchen)

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    • I’m glad you’re enjoying the journey, PH. Me too! 🙂 And, I hear ya. I’m not at the point in my confidence level that I feel I can get away without feedback. Maybe some day I’ll be like, nah, I got this. (Though I honestly doubt it.) As it is now, I’m not overwhelmed or put out. A lot of this was tongue-in-cheek b/c that’s the way Sensei and I are with each other. I’m still appreciative of the feedback, though I will need to brace for impact for the next bit. The perfectionist that I am, I want the books to be as good as possible. Definitely appreciate your concern and advice, though. Probably, if anything gets to be too much or overly nitpicky, I will say so.

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      • thanks for sharing that – and I see more of your with this !
        also, let me know if you want to do a priorhouse interview to help promote the book.
        My current series of interviews ends in Spetmember – but I will resume them in winter and only have one author lines up right now. We can keep it short (5 to 10 questions) –

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      • Thanks, PH! I’d be happy to do an interview with you. My book officially launches Dec. 23, so winter works! 🙂 Also, your first comment–I think the noun is missing. You see more of my what? My dance skills? My dental record? My rap sheet? So many possibilities. You’ve left me hanging! 😉

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  31. Congrats on the cover, Betsy! How fun is that. Yes, five changes is on the high side (when I had a publisher, I could make two), but hey, you want it right, right? The book sounds like fun and just right for a YA audience.

    And you are sooo lucky to get that careful read and five pages of notes from Sensei. I love getting honest feedback like that – it’s a true gift. So thank him profusely. It takes time and a whole lot of kindness to do that for someone.

    Enjoy the journey!

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    • The publisher for my first two books did a fine job with the covers, so I didn’t have to worry about that. (The foreign translation versions are really nice too.) I had a new publisher for the third book, and their cover was awful. When I complained, they said, essentially, “Nope. We make the cover. You be quiet.” I eventually convinced them that the cover gave a very wrong impression of what the book was about. They finally made a new cover, showed both options around the office, and the new cover was unanimously chosen. Phew. I’m so glad I fought for that. I know larger publishers don’t typically allow author feedback.

      This new publisher is a small press, which means pros and cons. That I get so much say on the cover is a definite pro. If I had to stick with their original version, I would not be happy. It’s nice to be with a pub, small though it is, that allows so much author collaboration.

      I am very blessed to have skilled friends taking such a close look at my MS for me. I should note that part of those five pages was cut and pasted chunks of my text with his notes underneath. The other nice thing is, he wasn’t offended when I didn’t take all his suggestions, though I did take most of them. He’s thinking deeper about this book than my teen audience is likely to, but I’m okay with making it as perfect as possible–sort of like a wall mural, eh? 😉

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      • I figure that if someone takes the time to jot down a suggestion, it’s worth taking the time to consider it. It often makes our books better and stronger.

        I make my own covers now, since I no longer use a publisher. My publisher’s covers were awful (IMHO) and I’ve replaced them all. I’ve purchased a few covers, and love them, but the cost has become prohibitive. They’re important. I’m glad you were able to get what you wanted. 😀 Congrats!

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      • Absolutely. My book has definitely become better and stronger as a result of feedback from agents, this publisher, and friends. I wouldn’t have something publishable without them.

        It’s nice that you got the rights back on your books, so you can republish them with new covers. We like to believe people don’t judge a book by its cover, but let’s be real here. 😛

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  32. Gah, those zucchini (or is it “zucchinis”?) look like giant worms on your windshield! More importantly, because I’m one of the weirdos who get stuck on these details, why is the first “E” in your tagline a little larger than the other letters? Is it a subtle version of capitalization when all of the other letters are capitalized as well? Not that I’m complaining, mind you. I think that “E” sort of draws you into the tagline, in case all you were planning to do was read the title. I hope you’re happy with the cover (front and back), Ilsa. I think it turned out great. Lots of tease there to make you want to read the book.

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    • I’m guessing it’s subtle capitalization. I see how that does seem unnecessary now. I didn’t give much thought to it, but now I will lay awake at night, staring at the ceiling thinking, “Why? Why?!” Then I’ll eventually fall asleep, tossing and turning, seeing giant E’s in my dreams which quickly turn to nightmares as they chase after me, shouting, “E, E, E!” louder and louder in an angry chorus!

      Thanks a lot, DavE.

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