Changing The Covers on My Books by Mar Preston

I liked the previous covers of my four books. But a smooth-talking Irishman, who presented as a social media expert at a conference I recently attended, persuaded me the covers looked amateur. I fell under his spell and found myself agreeing I needed to update them.

What do I know about covers? I read advice from the same marketing whizzes that you do probably. I know that it’s not an original idea to change a cover on a book that’s not selling well and promoting it as a new title.

I can’t claim that my earlier books are selling well. Don’t know about you.

So the Irishman connected me to a New York City cover designer and I browsed through his website. My previous cover designer is a hard-working, competent web developer and designer who has put up with me for years now and I feel a loyalty to him. However, the covers that I saw by the NYC designer dazzled me. His terms were affordable and I decided to give it a try with new covers.

On Behalf of the Family is a police procedural about an honor killing that takes place in glitzy Santa Monica. It’s long on characterization, short on car chases and explosions. My series detective is with the Santa Monica Police Department.

I am asking your opinion. Do you like the cover change?

So far the Buy Button hasn’t been clicking in huge numbers but I wouldn’t be a writer, would I,  if I weren’t hopelessly optimistic. 

What do you think?

                                      

Original Cover

                The Buy Button

             

                http://www.amazon.com/ebook/dp/B00I82BFVK 

 The New Cover 

                                             

Talking to Third Graders About Writing a Story

 On Wednesday, I've been invited to speak to great-grandson's third grade class about being a writer and how to write a story.

Over the years, I've spoken to many school groups. One of my granddaughters had me come to every class she was in from first grade through the eighth. Because all the kids were the same, I had to come up with something new to present each year.

Several times I've gone to a school and spoken to every single class in one day, or given a presentation in the auditorium or library to two or three grades at a time.

And yes, I've spoken to high school classes several times, not always an English class either--once I was invited to a computer class to tell how I used a computer to write and promote.

The photos of my great-grandson are a bit old. He used to be enamored of firemen and firetrucks, and of course there was the Lego phase, then he moved onto pilots and flying. Now he's been racing soap box derby cars and playing basketball.

What I've planned is to show them a few of my books so they know I'm a "real" author even though I'm a great-grandma and ancient. Then I'm going to tell them how to write a story--and together we'll come up with some ideas for a story. I'm looking forward to it because kids have such great imaginations.

Of course while I'm off on this trip, I won't be doing any writing, I plan to do a lot of catch-up visiting. I haven't seen my eldest daughter since January, and one granddaughter and her two kids since Septembers and my grandson and his family since sometime in early summer.

I think every author needs to take some time off for a renewal of the spirit. What do you do that keeps you going?

Marilyn aka F. M. Meredith

Coming in March, Murder in the Worst Degree, #10 in the Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery series.