Cover Reveal: You Can't Catch Me

by Katy White 

Today, we have a cover reveal from the awesome Cassie Mae for her new clean YA, YOU CAN'T CATCH ME! One of the things I always enjoy about Cassie's writing is how well she writes people's perceptions of their own bodies. It feels real and relatable, and usually really, painfully funny. I have a feeling this will be no exception.

YOU CAN'T CATCH ME releases March 28, 2016. 

How cute is that cover? And now for the blurb:

My body suuuucks. After lounging around on my butt all summer (okay, so maybe that was my bad), this body decided to become something completely foreign. So now I’m trying to make the track team and I feel like I’m a baby learning to walk again. 

A couple pounds wouldn’t have been so bad. Work those off, run like a mad woman, no problem, yeah? But no. I’ve also developed a couple of things that I definitely didn’t have before. And now my guy friends are all sitting in a pool of drool as they not-so-subtly stare at my chest. 

Combine all that drama with the fact that the new track coach is getting major flack for being a little chunky, and all I’m trying to do is convince the team that I’m not running slower because of her coaching style. 

Oh, and did I mention that I’m totally falling face-first in “like” with some guy I met in a cemetery? And no one understands it just because he’s also a little chunky. But he’s also adorable and wonderfully weird and I don’t care what they say, his look sure does it for me. 

But… I don’t know… how can I be in “like” with someone, when I have no clue how to like myself anymore?

You can preorder YOU CAN'T CATCH ME now at a discounted price! And you can find more of Cassie's books here.

Saturday So What: Judging a book by its cover

This week I posted a cover reveal on my blog for my book. I love it, but I can take no credit for it. Cedar Fort did an awesome job. But it got me thinking, So What's in a cover anyway?

In this age of indie publishing, I think covers are nearly as important as the content they wrap. In a brick and mortar bookstore, there is the option to pick a book up and thumb through for a peek. If you go to Amazon or somewhere else on the web, you get a thumbnail picture to draw people in.

I really hate to say it, but people judge a book by its cover. If the cover is hand doodled, or looks like you've taken a stock photo and then typed the title in Times New Roman font, then people will likely assume that the work inside is equally unpolished. Think of the cover like a query letter to your reader. It's unfair, I know (I stink at queries), but you only get that first impression once.

Here are my thoughts about what I've learned on the anatomy of a good cover.

Picture
The front image has to be eye catching and a pictorial representation of what the inside holds. It must appeal to your specific market. Animated covers are for children's books and some women's commercial fiction. YA or literary fiction almost never does animated, especially a cartoonization of the main character. It tends to appear more middle grade that way. Notice that YA often uses photoshopped pictures of a real person. Whatever the image, it needs to be high resolution and be pertinent to the story it represents. That's the trouble with stock photos. Unless you really find one tailored to your story, the reader might have no idea what is interesting or compelling about the imaginary your book will portray.

Title Text
A workshop I went to said, The Title should never be in a font that comes default in a word processor. Because it looks like you took the picture and typed the title over it. And on basic covers that's what is done. The Title needs to be incorporated in the imagery of the cover. It needs to be adding to the art. If it doesn't elevate the cover, then redo it.

Optional Hook
This is one sentence that sits above the back blurb. It's usually a line from the text, a bit of dialogue, or something that stands out. Not all books have it. It's making the biggest point or hook in a one liner

Back Blurb
This is not a synopsis, it's a tease. Entice the reader to want to buy it, but don't give spoilers. What's awesome and unique? Most blurbs are done in the 3rd person, even if the book is written in 1st. It gets even trickier if the book is autobiographical like mine. Some books have the main character appearing to write the back copy, but it has to be done really well to get away with it. Most importantly, it can't be dull or dry. There needs to be narrative voicing in the blurb.

Endorsements
These are the thumbs up from someone who wants to recommend your book. They can be one or two lines, or a whole paragraph. On books by the big 6, you'll see praise from a best-selling author. But chances are, you can't get J.K Rowling to put her approval on your cover. But your mom or Aunt Fanny isn't a good idea either.  Ask other authors with published works. Most are willing to help, provided they have the time. And the worst they can say is no, so it doesn't hurt to ask. Usually it's a good idea to have endorsements from other authors in the same field, or non author authorities in the case of Non-fiction books.

Put it all together and you get something like this. This is the full cover wrap for my book, including the back.

I hope this little anatomy lesson helps anyone who's trying to compose their own cover. I would have no idea how to do this myself, and I recommend even when self-publishing to invest in a cover artist to help you out if you are not a pro at photoshop.

If you have a topic you want So What to cover, leave me a comment in the notes. If I don't know the answer, I will find someone who does.

Please, a Little Help?

In the exciting craziness that is the last few days of actually launching a novel, I have a question and I NEED your help. This is the back cover for The Tyrant King:

What does this mean to you? Does it interest you in the story? Are you worried about what the devastating loss may be?

Because I know the story, I can't tell whether what I think may be a potential flaw is actually a flaw. Or whether it's misleading. And whether I want to purposely mislead my readers (if it is misleading to them) so that when they read the book they will be relieved.

Or if I'm maybe worrying too much about it. :P

Input, please. I'm grateful for your expressed opinions.

Saturday So What: Endorsements

Welcome to my nightmare of the week. Okay, more like my nightmare of the month that I have put off until this week. So What frightens me and sends me straight to bed at 8:00 pm rather than staying up and getting it done? Seeking endorsements for my book, Finished being Fat, that is due to go out to the printers in a few months.

So why have I put it off? Because I'm scared to death of asking someone to read my book and give a positive endorsement of it. What if they don't have a positive endorsement of it? What if they think it's the most poorly written book that should never have been published in the first place? *pant, pant*

It was one thing to send it out to agents and publishers, but now I'm sending it to other authors that I know and respect. I actually care what they think! What if they hate it? The thought makes me want to hurl as I type.

This trepidation has kept me from sending out the emails and ARC copies for weeks. A thought occurred to me two days ago. I'm worried that no one will endorse my book. Well, if I don't ask... no one will endorse my book.

So I put my big girl pants on and sent out some requests. We'll see what comes back. In the meantime, when you are asking for an endorsement, here are a few things to keep in mind.


1. If you have a connection, use it.
If you know the person you are asking on let's say an acquaintance level, remind them how you know them. Or that you know a friend who suggested they might be interested. A person will be much more willing to help out if they know who the heck you are.

2. What's in it for them
In your letter or email, make a brief and succinct case why it would benefit them to endorse your book. At the end of their quote will be a tagline, reciprocating one of their books or website. Or you could have a marketing link to their products on your website.

3. Make it easy
Make the process as easy as possible for them. Offer to write a few examples that they can choose from and add their tagline to. People are busy, and might not have time to deal with coming up with a good blurb. If it's in front of them, they might be more willing to help out. This really especially applies to non-author type people who might not know how to craft a good blurb.

4. Give them the book
Send either a hard ARC (advanced reader copy) or a digital ARC to them and thank them for their time. A lot of times an ARC isn't polished all the way yet and may include grammatical errors still. (guilty!) Just remind them that it still has to be edited by your publishing company. If you are self publishing, it should already be a pretty polished draft.

And lastly...
Remember the worst that can happen is they say no. It might have nothing to do with you. They might have a contract that doesn't allow them to endorse books by other publishers. They might be busy. They might be jerks. But you'll never know if you don't ask.

If you have credits in the field of fitness, weight loss, or body image- or have a PHd after your name...and would like to give me a blurb for either my website or the book, give me a buzz and we'll chat.

Otherwise see you next week. Visit me at the Finished being Fat blog and Heaven's to Betsy. I warn you, its a wee bit controversial this week.