In my first post for Blood-Red Pencil, I mentioned that I have been writing Regency romance for 35 years. In that time I've seen some interesting, and head-scratching, decisions by various art departments, particularly on the foreign translations of my books. It seems certain concepts just don't translate very well. Left is the original paperback cover for Mayhem and Miranda , a Regency about a penniless companion to an eccentric lady, and below right is the original ebook cover. Totally misleading is the cover to the Hebrew translation ( below center ). Unless they drastically altered the text in translating it, the image has nothing whatever to do with the story. Anyone buying the book expecting a bodice-ripper would be sorely disappointed. What's more, they spelled my name--I'm told--"Carol Deen". The apparently bodice-ripping Hebrew translation of Mayhem and Miranda The cover for His Lordship's Reward is cute: the three-year-old, black-...

A dedicated viewer of HGTV and budget-conscious person, I like to watch the High Low Project with Sabrina Soto. During each episode, Sabrina and her assistant decorate a space with high-end furnishings and trimmings, then recreate it on a shoestring budget. Bottom line: You needn’t spend a lot to look like you broke the bank. And you can apply this same idea to publishing. Recently, I reviewed a manuscript for a potential client. Her intriguing story needed work, so I gave her a sample edit—and a bid that didn’t fit her budget. The writer lamented the fact that she might not be able to afford the professional help needed to publish the quality book she wanted. Many writers fail to count the cost before they begin. They also fail to explore options that may whittle huge expenses into affordable services. How can they create their own high-low publishing project? Join a writer’s group, but be selective. Visit them. Are they a good fit for you and your work? (Check out both loca...

Amidst blizzard predictions and admonitions to stay inside, I contemplated the whimsies of springtime in the Rockies and their similarities to the writing profession. Meteorologists warn of pending storms, share survival techniques, and urge us to carry emergency packs if we venture out during dangerous conditions. In like manner, editors, publicists, designers, fellow writers, BRP, and more warn of potential snares along the writing trail, pass on techniques for circumventing those dangers, and urge us to form support networks for emergencies that threaten our writing progress. All this is great—but it works only if we heed the warnings, prepare for the storms, and have a contingency plan. Are we excuse makers or listeners? Let’s consider some mindsets that send us into inclement writing weather without protection against the elements of failure. This is my story. Only I can tell it the way it needs to be told. Do you believe your story is one-of-a-kind, a topic that has never b...

Covers have been a recurring theme this month. I thought I'd share how my cover artist, Dave Fymbo,  and I worked to create the cover for Book 3 in my Pine Hills Police series, Saving Scott . I asked Dave to share his process, and this is what he said: I start by asking clients what the book is about, what the tone should be, and if they have any images or colors in mind. Then I'll do an initial exploration. I search for free images that would work as well as lay down some text options. Sometimes the right font is the design. But usually the hardest part is finding the right image. For the first round I send between 5 and 10 options. Then I strip away all the text and go round and round until the imagery is perfect. This often includes compositing multiple photos, adjusting colors and contrast, and lighting effects. (You'll notice he'd already inserted my name in these samples. That's because this is the 3rd book in my Pine Hill Police series, ...