Friday, November 10, 2017

~ Wine Heck of a Book Cover! ~ From Wine Labels to Cover Crafting ~







Please welcome Mary E. Thompson to FOR THE COVER CONSCIOUS! I love her unique and eye-catching covers, but it took some work to get them just the way she wanted. Follow along as Mary tells us all about...

Crafting The Right Cover


Creating a cover is almost as hard as creating a new story. Like the blurb, that cover has to tell the story. It has to give readers a glimpse into what the story is all about without giving it all away.

When I look at covers, so many times I feel like they all look alike. I know there are trends, but I’ve never been a particularly trendy person. I like different. I like something that stands out. I like to make people do a double take.

Since I write contemporary romances, it’s tough to stand out in the sea of bare chested men and half-clothed people in an embrace. I never felt like my books were edgy enough for that look. Mine are very emotional books. They center around family and friends and romance and, my Raise A Glass series, wine. I wanted something that said all that, and I didn’t think a half-naked man would. It just wouldn’t fit my stories, and the cover definitely has to match the book.

My husband, who’s a self-taught artist, suggested the covers looked like a label on a bottle of wine. I love to play and create my own covers so I got started.

Here was the first attempt.







I’m guessing your reaction is the same as my team’s was. What is it? It’s very busy. I don’t love it. 


This was the alternative I came up with at the same time. They liked this a little more, but it was still too busy. 




Next was this one. It was closer. Very close. 





But there was one last suggestion. 







That was it. They loved it. I’ve since changed it a little, but kept the cover mostly the same. This shows all the covers I have out there right now. I kinda love them. What do you think? 






Blurb ~

He could be just what she needs…

Alyssa Wright has one goal before she leaves for college. She refuses to go carrying her v-card. She just has to find someone to give it to in the next six weeks.

When she runs into Jake Monroe, almost literally, she knows he’s different. She thinks about him constantly, and not in the way she’s thought about any other guy.

She might be what he’s looking for…

Between his new job and helping his best friend’s widow, Jake doesn’t have time for romance. But there’s something about Alyssa he can’t resist. He’s torn between the light Alyssa brings to his world and the promise he made to his best friend.

Is it enough to keep them together… forever?

What they want doesn’t matter. There’s a ticking clock, counting down the days until Alyssa leaves. Maybe for good.


Excerpt ~

Clean sheets went on the bed with practiced ease. She pulled the comforter in place and smoothed the wrinkles. Pillows were stuffed into pillowcases and placed precisely on the bed. She went into the attached bathroom and wiped down all the surfaces quickly to make sure the room had that fresh, clean scent.

When she went back into the room, there was a man walking toward her. Alyssa dropped the cleaning bin she was holding and screamed. “Ah! Holy shit! What are you doing in here?”

He held up his hands and immediately backed up. “Whoa! Sorry! They said this was my room, ma’am. I’m sorry. There’s been some kind of a mistake. Just calm down.”

Alyssa’s hands went to her hips as her attitude snuck back in. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Did you just call me ‘ma’am?’ How old do you think I am?”

Her response clearly threw him. His dark eyebrows knitted together. Alyssa took a second to appraise the man in front of her as he tried to form a response. He was big, at least six inches taller than her own 5’7”. His dark t-shirt stretched tight across his wide chest and his shorts let her see the strength in his legs. His dark hair was cut short, giving him a dangerous edge. His face was covered in stubble just long enough that it would scrape her skin if she kissed him.

Which she was suddenly desperate to do.

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Author Bio ~

Mary E. Thompson grew up loving to read, like a good little girl. Many nights she would fall asleep with the flashlight still turned on as she hid under the covers trying to finish the last few pages of a book. As an adult, the light from her ereader means she doesn't need a flashlight, but she still stays up way too late to finish a book.

When Mary's not reading, she's playing with her two kids or living out her own real life romance novel with her hubby. She has a weakness for chocolate, especially when it's paired with peanut butter, and has been known to have a bad day just because there's no chocolate in the house. Unless there’s wine. Then everything is okay.

Mary grew up in Buffalo, New York and swears she's the only local to never ski or snowboard. Soccer was always her sport, with a couple adventures white water rafting and skydiving to keep things interesting. Mary moved to South Carolina for college but missed Buffalo every day. Yeah, she thinks she's crazy, too. She somehow convinced her South Carolina born and bred hubby to return to Buffalo to raise their kids and live out their lives. He’s still not sure what he was thinking.


Links ~

Website - http://maryethompson.com

Facebook - http://facebook.com/authormaryethompson

BookBub - http://bookbub.com/authors/mary-e-thompson

Twitter - http://twitter.com/authormet

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/metdaisy7

Instagram - http://instagram.com/authormaryethompson

Goodreads - http://goodreads.com/mary



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