The last few weeks have included a few challenges. My editor and cover illustrator were hard at work to meet my September 30th deadline so I could pass the final files to my e-book formatting and get the entire thing uploaded to the on-line booksellers by October 7th. Sounds easy, right?
Nope. My cover illustrator/designer blew the deadline. Okay, he sorta met the deadline but gave me something that didn't match the story details, samples, and cozy mystery cover norms I'd provided. Oh, and he also failed to give me any sort of sketches along the way to indicate what his ideas or recommendations on the cover art were.
So I had a bit of an idea that this wasn't going to come together well. But since we'd already agreed, I couldn't very well back out of the arrangement. So on September 30th or thereabouts I received a cover design. Notice how I didn't say cover illustration. A typical cozy mystery has a cover illustration, not a photo mashup, which I had clearly indicated up front.
Long story short, I've hired a new cover illustrator who will deliver in mid November. And before I forget, my editor did a great job. She was on-time, thorough and painstakingly ensured that my voice wasn't lost in the changes. Thank you, Kathleen!
Because of the change, I've also had to hire a cover designer. She can't wait to get going, although she'll have to hang on a bit as my cover illustrator and I work out artwork ideas. I have, in fact, connected them so they can iron out some of the things that I will add no value to, such as what dpi the illustration will be in, and the image "bleed" (whatever that is).
As I wait for the finished Grounds for Death, I'm trying to convince my busy editor to take on Death in the Forsythia, Book 1 in the series, which I recently took back from iUniverse and which could possibly use some editing before re-release. Book 3, working title The Case of the Purloined Poppy, is underway as well. Stay tuned!
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