Cover Art

Today’s book covers are more than just protective outer coverings for pages. They are a way to advertise and communicate information about what’s on the inside. Most people say that covers are second only to word of mouth in importance when it comes to interesting them to read a book, indeed even pick it from the shelf.

A cover will sometimes get the potential reader to look at the blurb and maybe thumb through some of the inside.

Artwork has come a long way, too. There are more beautiful covers today in the print and ebook market than ever before. If you have ever seen the old
cartoon-ish looking covers of yesteryear you know what I mean.

So, having said all that, I present to you my latest cover. Click on it to get a better view.



I think it keeps with the thought of advertising and communicating information about the inside, don’t you?

Does it make you want to read this book? Does it resemble my first book in the series so that there is continuity?


I am always very excited about my cover art. It’s the face for my writing that tells the world about my work. It never ceases to amaze me how the artist is always right on the money when “getting” the essence in a cover for me. So far, they have gotten it every time.

For those of you looking for the next Shannon Wallace mystery, you will be happy to know it is slated for a January release from Red Rose Publishing

The blurb says, “When Shannon and Dwayne are hired to videotape mysterious goings-on in the local cemetery in South Lake, Mississippi, they find more than just old tombstones, including a “plot” that has nothing to do with the dead!”

Inspiration + Perspiration=Success

Are you ready to learn the secret to getting published? Oh yes, this dream can be yours. You can have this today if you will simply take the time to learn and appreciate one tiny secret shared by all the published authors in the world.
What is this prophecy, this nugget of mystery, this one thing you must have? Well, the secret is….

There is no secret!

There is no such thing as a secret to getting published. The path to publication is in no way hidden. Nor is it some obscure formula, something you can whip out time after time. Many people say that there are shortcuts to the final destination. They will charge you money to show it to you. But the reality is, by the time you’ve read what they’ve written, or get into their special workshop, you could have already found the true path and begun writing a wonderful book that might get you down the road to your heart’s desire.

There are exceptions to every rule and yes, sometimes people don’t use tradition methods and they have great success. You’ll hear of the author who submits a sort of proposal before ever writing the entire book and getting a huge advance and three book (or more) contract. But the reality is, such an occurrence is not only difficult, but pretty impossible. It doesn't happen very often. That's why, when it happens, you hear about it. It's big news. But you don't hear about the millions of times people try to do such a thing and end up out on their ear.

Yes, books are published every day, week, and year and the bookstores are chock-full of them. You do have a great chance of success but there are some steps to follow. So here is your “secret formula”.
1. Write
2. Write well
3. Write everyday

What we should be spending our time doing is crafting the story of our heart and making it the best-written story ever penned. Now that’s easy to do. Put your efforts into consistent word counts that will soon add up and you will indeed have something to be proud of soon.

The secret to being published is being devoted and consistent and informed. Oh, and well, prayers might help too!
_______________________________

By the way! my ebook, Avenging Angel is available TODAY at Red Rose Publishing FOR FREE!! you can get your very own for FREE FREEE FREEEE!!

E-Books

By Kim Smith

First, what is an e-book? Well, according to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, an e-book, also known as an electronic book, is the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book. Whereas a printed book has a physical form, an e-book is downloaded to one’s computer, mobile phone, or digital reader such as the Sony Reader, or the Amazon Kindle. In this new digital age, we have traded dots and dashes for exes and ohs.

Many people believe digital is the way to go.

Here are a few reasons to go digital and purchase e-books.

1.A green solution, as there are no trees destroyed in the creation of an e-book.
2. Eliminates the need for a physical location to store your book collections. A Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle, for example, can hold up to hundreds (if not thousands) of books. Far more than you could house in your living room bookcase.
3. Keeps books available longer as there is no need to keep an inventory of them. Why should they be discontinued, or as it was once said, “go out of print”?

Purchasing e-books can be an easy feat. At my publisher’s site, downloading an e-book to your computer or reader is very simple. We all have become “download masters” thanks to music sites that allow downloads and online purchasing. Getting an e-book this way is a natural step forward from that.

For writers who may have an e-book coming out, promoting your e-book has never been simpler. If you have a website, you are halfway there.

Here are a few ways to market your e-book.

1. Hire a web designer (or do it yourself) and create a platform (website) with which to work from and advertise the book. You should begin advertising the coming book at least six months prior to the release date to generate a buzz.
2. Have a contest once the e-book has been released to generate interest in purchasing.
3. Get your online friends who have websites to link to your website and you link to theirs and create a group of places where potential readers can surf in and get the latest details about your book.
4. Give your e-book to e-book reviewers and post the reviews on your website. Reviews are a huge way to get people to look at an e-book that they might have otherwise overlooked.

Of all the things a writer must do if they are planning a promotional campaign for an electronic book is to write well. That cannot be said strongly enough. The reading public has little toleration for a print book that is written shoddily, so one can imagine the opinion of a book form that can easily be deleted!
Since e-books are cheaper, their value is oftentimes diminished. They are looked upon as a less worthy read just because they are not in print. We can change that perception by writing the best book we can write, and editing it thoroughly.

E-books are touted as being the next phase in the life span of the book industry, and indeed, even major houses have begun using this technology to get books into the hands of readers. Now you can find big names as well as small ones at places like Fictionwise (http://www.fictionwise.com), a leading independent e-book publisher and distributor. Fictionwise also has a “best seller” list so that potential buyers can find the best of the best in their catalog.

E-books are here to stay. Let’s make their life in the literary realm one of importance and substance.