The wonderful Nancy Fraser has joined us this morning to share a bit about the making of her cover for her Dickens Holiday Romance Prequel MAKING CHRISTMAS. So, without further ado...
One of my favorite parts of the process of publishing a new book is the cover. Whether it’s one I’ve created myself, or one created for me by one of my three publishers, it’s always a thrill to see the finished product.
For my new vintage holiday novelette, Making Christmas, the cover was quite an undertaking and it went through many incarnations before I was happy with it. It began as a fairly “normal” cover, with Christmas toys and the title and my name. Simple, and it was very pretty.
However, in the process of writing the story itself, I began formulating ideas for promotion. Because my heroine has returned to the small town where she grew up to write a magazine article on an old friend’s toy factory, I figured I needed a magazine cover. So, I created one.
When I showed the fake magazine cover to a writer friend, she said, “He’s hunky. That should be your cover.” Never one to shy away from a challenge or a good idea, the cover went through another makeover. I didn’t want to lose the magazine cover effect, so I incorporated it into the finished cover.
Never let it be said, authors aren’t a bit crazy and obsessive. Especially over our covers!
Let's hear a little bit more about the book...
Blurb ~
It’s been five years since William Barrett returned to Dickens to take over as CEO of Wil-Bar Toys. He’s spent these past years helping build Wil-Bar into a leader in creative, handmade toys. His work ethic and drive has left him little time for a personal life. Or, perhaps he’s still pining for the one who got away.
Catherine Gates moved away from Dickens six years earlier. Now a staff reporter for a woman’s magazine, she’s returning to Dickens to do a story on Wil-Bar Toys new production methods and get the scoop on their upcoming holiday line.
When Will and Cat meet up again for the first time in years, it’s as if they’ve never been apart. Rekindling their friendship, and attraction, becomes more important than Cat’s article, or even the secrecy of the new toy lines.
Can these two childhood friends make up for lost time and pursue the romance they missed out on years earlier? Or, will Cat’s story expose too much and put them at odds with one another?
Excerpt ~
Catherine made her way through the front doors of Wil-Bar Toys and toward the reception desk. “I’m here to see Mr. Barrett. I have a ten o’clock appointment.”
“I’ll buzz Margaret and she’ll come to get you,” the young woman said.
Catherine waited for Margaret, obviously a new edition to the staff since she didn’t recognize the name.
Moments later, a woman who looked to be in her late twenties entered the lobby. “Hello, I’m Margaret Weatherby. If you’ll follow me, please.”
She fell in step behind the woman, going through the heavy oak double doors she remembered from her childhood. They continued down the hallway leading to the main offices, coming to a stop in front of the desk outside the large corner suite.
“How long have you worked at Wil-Bar?” Catherine asked.
“Two years now. I was originally hired to work for Mr. Wilfred Barrett but when the younger Mr. Barrett’s secretary left to get married, I took over for her as well.”
“That must keep you very busy.”
The woman nodded. “It does, especially this time of year. However, it’s such a wonderful place to work, I couldn’t see myself going anywhere else.” She paused, then added, “I’ll let Mr. Barrett know you’re here.”
“I’d appreciate—”
Her words of appreciation were interrupted by a man’s booming voice. “Margaret, do you have the report I left for photocopying earlier?” The voice was followed by the man’s appearance outside the office door, his footsteps coming to a halt when he saw her standing there.
She lifted her head, meeting Will Barrett’s intense gaze head-on.
“Cat? Cat Gates. I’ll be dam...darned.”
“Hello, Will.”
“You two know each other?” Margaret asked. When they both nodded at the same time, Margaret added, “Well, that certainly saves time on introductions.”
Will motioned for her to follow him into the office. “You’re the journalist they’ve sent to write a story on Wil-Bar?”
“Yes,” she said, taking the seat he offered. “I assume they thought I’d have an inside track on the place since I’m from Dickens.”
His chuckle sent a flurry of butterflies rushing her stomach.
“Inside track. I’d say so. You know every nook and cranny of this place—or at least you did before we remodeled.”
“Some I knew all too well, given I spent more time hiding than you and Tommy did seeking.”
“Sorry about that,” he said with a broad grin. “We were pretty mean to you back then.”
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094GF6R5L
ASIN: B094GF6R5L
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1566764279
B&N (Nook): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-christmas-nancy-fraser/1139435151
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/making-christmas-3
Universal: https://books2read.com/u/3ye0ae
Custom: https://books2read.com/MakeXMas
Other:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/making-christmas-a-dickens-holiday-romance-prequel-by-nancy-fraser
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57984424-making-christmas
“I’ll buzz Margaret and she’ll come to get you,” the young woman said.
Catherine waited for Margaret, obviously a new edition to the staff since she didn’t recognize the name.
Moments later, a woman who looked to be in her late twenties entered the lobby. “Hello, I’m Margaret Weatherby. If you’ll follow me, please.”
She fell in step behind the woman, going through the heavy oak double doors she remembered from her childhood. They continued down the hallway leading to the main offices, coming to a stop in front of the desk outside the large corner suite.
“How long have you worked at Wil-Bar?” Catherine asked.
“Two years now. I was originally hired to work for Mr. Wilfred Barrett but when the younger Mr. Barrett’s secretary left to get married, I took over for her as well.”
“That must keep you very busy.”
The woman nodded. “It does, especially this time of year. However, it’s such a wonderful place to work, I couldn’t see myself going anywhere else.” She paused, then added, “I’ll let Mr. Barrett know you’re here.”
“I’d appreciate—”
Her words of appreciation were interrupted by a man’s booming voice. “Margaret, do you have the report I left for photocopying earlier?” The voice was followed by the man’s appearance outside the office door, his footsteps coming to a halt when he saw her standing there.
She lifted her head, meeting Will Barrett’s intense gaze head-on.
“Cat? Cat Gates. I’ll be dam...darned.”
“Hello, Will.”
“You two know each other?” Margaret asked. When they both nodded at the same time, Margaret added, “Well, that certainly saves time on introductions.”
Will motioned for her to follow him into the office. “You’re the journalist they’ve sent to write a story on Wil-Bar?”
“Yes,” she said, taking the seat he offered. “I assume they thought I’d have an inside track on the place since I’m from Dickens.”
His chuckle sent a flurry of butterflies rushing her stomach.
“Inside track. I’d say so. You know every nook and cranny of this place—or at least you did before we remodeled.”
“Some I knew all too well, given I spent more time hiding than you and Tommy did seeking.”
“Sorry about that,” he said with a broad grin. “We were pretty mean to you back then.”
WHERE TO BUY MAKING CHRISTMAS:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094GF6R5L
ASIN: B094GF6R5L
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1566764279
B&N (Nook): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-christmas-nancy-fraser/1139435151
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/making-christmas-3
Universal: https://books2read.com/u/3ye0ae
Custom: https://books2read.com/MakeXMas
Other:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/making-christmas-a-dickens-holiday-romance-prequel-by-nancy-fraser
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57984424-making-christmas
Bio ~
NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance
Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author
who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes
them all.
When not writing
(which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and
looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in
Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.
Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor @nfraserauthor
Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/profile/nancy-fraser
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Fraser/e/B004AOL61Y/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA
Newletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Bookbub
Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads ~ YouTube
~ Newsletter
Trailer:
Direct Link: https://youtu.be/PzzY7komw-I
Jigsaw Puzzle Link:
https://bit.ly/33wkGqI
Oh, MJ, it's always great to visit. Thank you for sharing Making Christmas with your readers. This entire project, from last year's anthology, to this prequel, the new set of six full length books coming from our authors has been a labor of love.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful! I can't wait to read them!
ReplyDelete