ATV: the evolution of a book cover and giveaway

In between writing (apparently, I’m randomly working on an Opal short story that falls after Amplifier 4) I’ve been thinking about branding because it’s a topic I’m discussing with my SFWA mentee, Natasha. We’ve been chatting about book covers and finding something simple but evocative to convey the genre and tone of your story in a single image. Which made me think about my very first novel, After The Virus.

So … here is the evolution of the book covers for After The Virus with some thoughts on each and why I rebranded at each stage. At the bottom of the post I’ve made some copies of After The Virus free via BookFunnel just in case you haven’t had a chance to give it a read. I’ve capped the giveaway at 50 copies.

Late-Spring 2011. Self-designed. My first foray into self-publishing,

This was the first cover for the ebook. I designed it myself, which I’m sure you can tell at a glance. Lots of mistakes here, including that I didn’t need the ‘by’ (a holdover from writing screenplays for 12 years prior to writing a novel). My author name is WAY too small. And overall the cover isn’t dynamic enough.

Summer 2011. Designed by Scott Fitzgerald Gray.

My absolutely brilliant editor Scott Fitzgerald Gray asked if he could take a stab at the cover and he came up with this tweak. Instantly, so much more dynamic. And the lighter colour really popped whenever ATV was grouped/listed with other post-apoc or horror novels. But still not really conveying the themes of the novel itself …

Summer 2012. Designed by Irene Langholm.

Then I commissioned an original book cover from Irene Langholm. And I absolutely, utterly adored it. The art/photo manipulation is outstanding. But, in hindsight, my name and the title of the book are far too small. It definitely conveys genre, but it doesn’t ultimately fully express the main aspect of the book – that it’s a love story. If you happen to have (a typo-ridden) paperback of After the Virus from way back when it had this cover.

Fast forward to January 2017. Designed by Elizabeth Mackey.

I decided I wanted to refresh a bunch of my older book covers in early 2017, and I asked Elizabeth Mackey to take a crack at After the Virus, adding in the tag ‘a post-apocalyptic love story’. This cover is much simpler and utterly evocative. It nails genre and tone. The title and my name are much more prominent. Readers know exactly what they are getting when they buy based on this cover. And, in my opinion, fulfilling expectations (while entertaining) is a writer’s ultimate goal.

After The Virus. The evolution of a book cover, from 2011 to 2017.

So there you go!

Interested in reading After The Virus? Yes? Well, that is cool because I’m giving away 50 copies!

>> Grab After The Virus for free from BookFunnel <<

Synopsis: “Plunge headlong into a decaying world of ruined cites, ruined lives, and ruined aspirations.” After the virus decimates 99.9% of the world’s population and all traces of humanity along with it, Rhiannon and Will are forced to move beyond their past fame, fortune, and personal demons to rescue a mute girl from the clutches of two warring cults.

Amplifier 4: cover reveal

*Cover design by:* Gene Mollica Studios Models: Devon Ericksen and Jonathan Cannaux

COMING SEPTEMBER 29, 2020

PREORDER NOW

– AMAZON – KOBO – APPLE BOOKS – BARNES & NOBLE – SMASHWORDS –

Idols and Enemies is the fourth book in the Amplifier Series, which is set in the same universe as the Dowser, the Oracle, the Reconstructionist, and the Misfits of the Adept Universe series.

The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0)
Close to Home (Amplifier 0.5) (bundled with Amplifier 0)
Demons and DNA (Amplifier 1)
Bonds and Broken Dreams (Amplifier 2)
Mystics and Mental Blocks (Amplifier 3)
Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4)

Mass giveaways coming throughout August and September!!! Including a chance to grab The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0) for free (coming very soon) and dozens of download codes for all the audiobooks, starting August 30. I’ll send a newsletter with all the dates, etc, soon.

New to the Adept Universe? The first book Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1) is currently free on all platforms. Click here for the full reading order.

Waiting on the next book in the Adept universe? Subscribe to my mailing list to make sure you never miss a new release!

Women of the Adept Universe, Phase One

Okay, the epically talented, and ever-lovely Memo made us a treat!! Okay, she made me a treat but I thought you all might like it as well. Squee!!!

The Women of the Adept Universe – Phase One:

From left to right: Kandy (werewolf), Scarlett (witch), Jade (dowser/alchemist), Pearl (witch), Mory (necromancer), Burgundy (witch/healer), Gabby (amplifier), and Peggy (telepath).

Guess what my new desktop photo is???!!! 🙂

New to the Adept Universe? The first book Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1) is currently free on all platforms. Click here for the full reading order.

Waiting on the next book in the Adept universe? Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4) is coming soon!! Subscribe to my mailing list to make sure you never miss a new release!

Amplifier 0: Flynn

I’m working my way through the Amplifier books today, making sure all the ‘marketing’ bits are in place as I ready for the upcoming push through to the release of book four (preorder TBA). And I happened upon this scene (and the scene right before), and – once again – blubbered through it. Ugh. So much heartache on the Five’s path to freedom of choice.

We were about three-quarters of the way along the corridor when Flynn unleashed his death curse in the northeast stairwell.

By succumbing to death.

Magic slammed against Fish’s nullifying field. It actually shoved him forward into Knox and Bee.

The concrete floor rumbled under our feet. Anyone in the path of the spell, whatever team was blocking the northeast stairwell and whoever had hit Flynn with the spell that had killed him, wouldn’t be left standing. In fact, based on the light display pulsing across Fish’s shield, I doubted whether the stairwell would even be passable.

A sorcerer of Flynn’s caliber held a lot of magic in his blood, in his life force. Enough to wipe out many enemies.

But then, if you were willing to die to do so, you could wreak a lot of vengeance.

Waiting for the residual to fade before moving, we all turned to look at Zans.

She was standing a couple of steps ahead, head bowed, hands clenched at her sides.

Flynn’s magic faded.

Zans glanced back down the corridor, snarling and laughing at the same time. “I bet that stung them. And I haven’t even gotten started yet.” She pinned her dark gaze to me. “Are you with me, Socks?”

She didn’t have to ask. Truthfully, she really shouldn’t have asked, because there was wild magic embedded in vows — when the words were wielded by those such as us.

“To the end,” I said.

“To the end.” Knox, Bee, and Fish echoed the words behind me.

Magic shifted around us, then settled. We were already tied. By birth, by blood, and by magic. Those bonds might have been forced upon us, but we had no one else. No reason not to die for each other.

– The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0)

Oracle 3: audiobook giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSED. Last but certainly not least, here is the audiobook giveaway for I See Us (Oracle 3)!!

*Cover design by Elizabeth Mackey. Narrated by Jennifer Grace.*

Okay! As before, this is a first-come, first-win deal. The giveaway remains open until all the download codes have been claimed.

Do you want to listen to I See Us (Oracle 3) on audiobook?

Yes?

Okay then!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!

Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated!!

Amplifier 4: Paisley and …

*SPOILERS**SPOILERS**SPOILERS**SPOILERS**SPOILERS**SPOILERS*

Paisley shoved herself between Aiden and his father. A single tentacle sprung forth from her neck. It was wrapped around a large bovine bone. The demon dog flashed a double row of sharp teeth at Kader, then poked him in the thigh with the bone.

“Ah,” Kader said. “Look at you, beautiful. I didn’t know that any of you had survived.” He glanced at me. “Did you get the entire litter out?”

I hadn’t. Only Paisley had survived the destruction we Five had wrought on the compound when we’d escaped the Collective.

Paisley poked Kader with the bone again.

“Yes, sorry,” he said to her. Then he wrapped his hand around the end of the bone, gazing deliberately into Paisley’s blood red eyes.

Silence stretched. A distant rooster crowed, then the rooster overseeing our flock responded. An airplane passed overhead.

Aiden glanced my way questioningly.

I shrugged. Paisley had done something similar when Opal had appeared on the property, making her hold the bone as well. I hadn’t thought to mention it to anyone. But the demon dog seemed to be using the bone that Aiden had given her as some sort of way to vet intruders, friend from possible tasty treat.

Not that I’d let the demon dog eat someone. Though, even I couldn’t stop everything that might happen in the heat of battle.

– Excerpt from Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4), 4th draft. Releasing Sept/Oct 2020.

From idea to … publication.

Just in case you ever wondered how long I work on some of my books/stories before even writing the first draft, I pulled this notebook off the shelf this morning:

Yep, I came up with the core idea for Oracle 4 in the Fall of 2018!!! And just added some delicious ‘crossover’ elements to it today!

Oh yeah, all sorts of fun things are about to happen to the Adept Universe reading order/timeline (for release in 2021) … I really hope SFG (aka the editor) doesn’t fire me.

I’m guessing this isn’t the ‘crossover’ you expected, but the muse takes me where she wants to go! I’m just along for the ride and I hope you will be as well. 🙂

A writer’s keyboard

So … Michael stepped into my office shed the other day to look at the pictures I’d selected for the upcoming Amplifier 4 book cover. He happened to glance down at my keyboard and some … teasing commenced.

Apparently, Michael believes there would be some value in being able to see ALL the letters.

Yes, I upgrade my laptop every three years because I like to keep it covered under AppleCare. And yes, I buy so many notebooks (and occasionally pens) I’ll never run out (that is the point after all) but I tried a Bluetooth keyboard and hated it, like … 12 … years … ago …

Ahem.

Okay. This keyboard could easily be 15 years old. But … I write so well on it! Learning a new keyboard would just be painful!

Right?

😉

A space opera teaser …

“Okay. Just so I’ve got this straight …” Ryanne lifted up on her tiptoes, leaning into Trand’s personal space. “Some crazy mercenary —”

“Thief.”

Ryanne bared her teeth in anticipation. “Some thief recognizes her Royal Highness Astrea’ea Torval, second in line to the throne of Tor’valla, daughter of the Priestess Zara, born in the waters of the fount itself. But …” She held up one tattooed finger. “They don’t know that she can shred their minds or skin them alive from kilometres away?”

“Technically I can’t flay skin with my mind,” I said, trying to not laugh as my friend schooled the new recruit.

“You just bought two knives,” Ryanne growled. “And you can wield both at the same time with your obscenely powerful magic. Consequently, the flaying of skin.”

I looked at Trand. “She has me there. If the blades are sharp enough I suppose.”

“They’re sharp enough.” Ryanne sniffed. “Because your freaky ass magic sharpens them, doesn’t it?”

I made a face, looking at Trand apologetically as if I’d been trying to be on his side of the argument. “Technically … possible.”

– untitled space opera, chapter one, first draft

Adept Universe bible: Scarlett’s sketches

Scarlett Godfrey: Witch. Occupies one of the thirteen seats on the witches’ Convocation. Charm and charisma are focal points for her magic, but she’s also skilled with healing salves and barrier spells. Petite. Long strawberry blonde hair. Indigo blue eyes. Creamy skin. 44 in Dowser 7. Beautiful, and sexy. Mother of Jade Godfrey (the Dowser). Daughter of Pearl Godfrey (Head of the Godfrey Coven). Scarlett went ‘traveling’ at the age of 16, returning from Australia pregnant with Jade and with no way to contact the father. Her relationship with her mother is perpetually strained for a multitude of reasons, including the fact that Pearl insisted she was incapable of raising her own daughter.

According to Jade, her magic tastes predominately like strawberries with hints of lilac and white chocolate, and a base of fresh-cut grass. She returned to Vancouver between Dowser 1 and Dowser 2, purchasing and renovating a house on West Fifth Avenue and Stephens, then selling two of the three suites of the triplex. She reunited with Jade’s father, Yazi, after Dowser 3 but their relationship status hasn’t been formalized. Objects of power: a rapier with a large blue stone, gifted to her by Chi Wen, the Far Seer of the Guardian Nine.

Scarlett first appeared in Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic as well as the other books in the Dowser series. She makes cameo appearances in Oracle 3 and Misfits 1.