...THE PICTURE

...Okay, last item! So my last item on the Marketing Chore List supplied by my editor was to provide a picture of myself to put on the back cover. Simple, right? That's why I left it 'til last. Wrong!

The problem, as I'm sure most of you will agree, is that the face we see in the mirror every day is not the face that appears in pictures other people take of us. We ask "Who is that person?" Certainly not me!

Don't get me wrong, I like my face, and I'm not really a vain person. At least I didn't think so until the past two weeks. Hmm....

After a couple hundred pics taken by my artist husband, who I trusted implicitly with the task of capturing the essence of my being in a pleasing, attractive way, I was left wondering where the years had gone as we sifted through pictures depicting the face of this "mature" woman. 

One of the problems we faced was the fact that since I talk all the time about my writing inspiration coming from nature, I wanted an outdoorsy picture with mother nature.  Lighting was a big problem, squinty looks from looking into the sun was another. But the biggest problem was this habit I seem to have of trying to imitate Elvis with a crooked, sneery smile. We eliminated all of those and were left with about ten half-decent pictures. I wasn't looking for a sexy pose, or beauty pageant winner pose. The biggest hurdle was accepting the fact I wasn't going to look twenty.


I even referred back to Eckhart Tolle's book  "A New Earth" and reinforced his teachings about living in ego. Is the picture as important as the contents of the book? No!

In the end,  I decided all I wanted was a a pleasant, inviting look that showed my readers I am an intelligent, creative person, capable of writing a great story, as well as appearing as a warm, approachable person. (Is that asking too much? LOL) And here it is:

If there is a lesson to be learned from this blog, I guess it would be to never assume it's easy to represent yourself to the public the way you want to. Park your ego at the door and live in the now as you "mature".

Do I like my final choice for the book cover? Yes.  Does it convey what I want it to? Yes.

Have a great writing week and keep on keeping on writing.

...SUPPORTING A FELLOW WRITER

Today, I'm talking about a fellow writer. Cornell DeVille just published his first novel, "A Tale of Hearts". I have been a follower of his blog for over a year now and find his posts entertaining as well as informative. Recently, a writer made the mistake of living in her ego on line and I think she paid for it dearly in ways we may never know. She criticized a blogger for giving her a bad review. The posts went back and forth until it went from insults to profanity to the ridiculous and went viral through the on line world of writing bloggers.

Cornell wrote a very interesting post on this. When everyone else tore the writer to shreds, he saw it as a mistake that went way out of control and was fed by the writer blogging community. It became a witch hunt.

Because Cornell took the time to present both sides of the story and ask us to examine the fact that she made a mistake that she made worse by overreacting to criticism, (we've all been there), I have decided to support him and advertise his new book. Kudos to you Cornell and I wish you every success with your new book. The following is an excerpt.

An Ancient Secret


There’s a deep, dark secret in Morro Bay.


If you’re ever in California you may find yourself on a stretch of asphalt known as the Pacific Coast Highway. If you do, and your journey takes you to a point about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, you may discover the sleepy village of Morro Bay.



For the most part, it is no different from any other coastal town of its size where fishing is the primary industry. Every morning, in the cool, gray light before dawn, the local fishermen pilot their wooden boats away from shore. They head out to sea, hoping for fair weather and a good day’s catch. The gulls accompany them; they fill the air with their squawking, gliding on the breeze and crying for attention, vying for position, each of them hoping to catch the sticky morsel of bait the fishermen sometimes toss.


This daily scene rarely varies. It has played out in this same manner every morning for hundreds of years. And for all those years, a unique geographic feature has dominated this picturesque setting—Morro Rock.


Guarding the bay like a stone sentinel, Morro Rock stands a short distance offshore. It towers almost six hundred feet above the blue surface of the Pacific. Resembling a small mountain, and seeming out of place as it rises from the water, it is the remaining vestige of an ancient, and now extinct, volcano.


Eons have passed since white columns of smoke climbed from its chimney. Red, molten lava no longer flows, hissing and steaming, into the sea below. Those days are not remembered. Morro Rock now sleeps peacefully in the bay like an old man napping—watching the fisherman as they come and go, day after day, year after year—as silent as the stone from which it is composed.


Known locally as The Rock, it is more than the name implies. Every summer during vacation season, tourists walk out on a wooden pier and snap a picture or two to take home with them and show their friends. Then they drive away, with no idea of the secret hidden deep inside the stone monolith.


I’ve lived in Morro Bay all my life, which will be fourteen years, this September. I can see Morro Rock from our house on Balboa Drive. Although unusual, there’s really nothing scary about it—during the day. But at night it’s quite a different story. When the moon is full and a shroud of fog drapes the top, The Rock takes on an unearthly appearance.


This is where it all happened.


I like it! How about you?  Here's the link to purchase and a link to Cornell's blog site.

http://cornelldeville.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Two-Hearts-Treasure-Trilogy/dp/1456496670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302820944&sr=8-1

Good Luck, Cornell.

For all you fellow writers: Keep on keeping on writing.

"WINTER'S CAPTIVE", YOU TUBE BOOK TRAILER

Just to let you all know, I have updated my book trailer on You Tube to show my new title and book cover.
Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be at this stage of the publishing process. As my grandson, Logan, used to say when he was little: Today is the best day of my life! LOL

Here it is, enjoy!

FINALLY MY NEW COVER

I knew there was a reason I woke up early this morning (6:30 am). Checked my emails and there it was, my book cover.

It's a scary process. I closed my eyes while the picture loaded because you wonder if the designer caught the essence of the story and shares the vision you have in your own mind. Well...I LIKE IT! Yea...

I think there is a magic to it with the snowflakes, since my story involves an angel and the ethereal. And the face on the cover is likeable. She gives the reader someone to envision.

Here's your sneak preview:

What do you think?

I think I'm happy.