When I type ‘The End’, it means words floating around in my head have come together to create a story. Doing so is equivalent to the oven timer signaling ‘done’ for a carefully crafted dish. Suspense, a touch of mystery, and a generous dash of romance combined for readers to enjoy. Previously I mentioned the where of cover images, but what about the how?
Upon completing ‘Deadly Revenge’ - the second in my Deadly Triad series - I wanted my cover to entice readers, to send a message, to provide that subtle hint. So, I sent Jenifer Ranieri, a multi talented lady who designs covers at Desert Breeze Publishing, several turbulent lake photos taken by my husband, a better than average photographer. I thought a male silhouette holding an M14 rifle beside the crashing lake would send a strong message about my story.
Jenifer tweaked the lake scene, admirably so, but the man holding the gun just wasn’t working. The M14 is a sleek-barreled weapon with a gracefully curved wooden stock. The inserted silhouette grasped a heavy, scope laden weapon with a super large ammunition clip and looked like he had on a helmet. I shot off a stock photo of an M14 which resulted in a passable weapon, but the shooter image still lacked conviction to me.
A hurried call and a quick trip across town to Bob’s Gunshop and Indoor Range followed. Former Marine, now photo bug husband, was thrilled to get his hands on an authentic M14. The gun shop owner, another former Marine, was ready and willing to help. He switched out the ammo clip for one I preferred and provided the perfect spot by an open window to take pictures. The lighting was just right to catch the image, and after a few adjustments to his digital camera, my husband handed the camera to me and became a Romance Novel Model!
A couple of pictures and a great cover artist. A recipe I’ll share for a fantastic romance novel cover!
PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-254/Deadly-Triad-Book-Two/Detail.bok
Posts
I truly love this cover, and you are one lucky woman to have lived with inspiration for so many years. (Though I'm sure he's just as lucky to live with such an inspiring woman!)
ReplyDeleteAnn,
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with the cover,too...as well as the model! Not sure I'm such an inspiring woman...I've heard exasperating..hmmm.
Thanks for stopping by,
Nancy