Back cover quotes -- do I need them?

This was to have been the weekend I formatted the text, but after looking over the draft back cover of the book next to a row of published books from well known publishers my husband pointed out what was missing from mine.....quotations from respected writers. I would like to have used some of the quotes from publishers who did not choose to publish it, but I have written to  two of them for permission and not heard back. I guess it is a no-win situation for them -- if they agree then they look a) stupid for not having published it or b) stupid for associating themselves with a book they praised but did not publish. Anyway, without losing momentum, I am going to try to find a couple of writers to read the book and provide some pithy comments for the back. Since there still seems to be a bit of a stigma attached to a self-published book, perhaps this will help obviate some of that discomfort among potential readers. My first choices are some of the writers who have been on grant juries who have recommended my writing.....and also writers whose work I like and respect. Next blog -- ISBN numbers and barcodes, latest technical hiccup. Any thoughts?

Cover design!!!!!!

Changing the title to my novel has made a huge difference to the entire process, galvanizing the various energies needed to put the package together. One of those energies involved the cover design -- which seemed to fall into place once I felt comfortable with that all-important title. And the Seas Shall Turn to Lemonade conveyed the right tone and spirit, then I went on istockphotos and cast around for something. Presto, I found this wonderful image of a lemon slice being splashed into water. I gave it to my designer, who knew I was interested in a single arresting image, and a clean spare design, and here is what he came up with. He has not photoshopped anything yet, so eventually the water line will look more like the sea, more wavelike, and with a touch of blue. For the record, to purchase the image cost about $50, Canadian. I chose the largest size, so that it could be used in a poster or a launch invitation. Not all photos would cost this much, but I think an investment in the cover design is a good place to put my money. And although Lulu does have cover templates, I again think that invesing in a real designer is worth the minimal expense. And so, without further ado....

Comments?

Hope for the comic novel!!!!

I was delighted to read about Howard Jacobson winning the Man Booker prize for his comic novel, because it was precisely the combination of humour with a literary approach that made potential publishers nervous about "And the seas shall turn to lemonade", according to my agent. No marketing niche for such a book, apparently. And actually, it was Kate Grenville's hilarious novel "The Idea of Perfection" which gave me the courage to let go and be funny, in a literary way, and then I remembered she won the Orange Prize for Fiction for that book in 2001. It is a shame that it is so difficult to publish books which cross genres, but with any luck Howard Jacobson's success will pave the way for more humorous literary books to see their way into the hands of readers. And if you like such books, do look up Kate Grenville's wonderful tale of two unlikely lovers set in Karakarook, New South Wales. And for an update on my progress: I have now completed the final read-through of the manuscript before committing it to the formatting stage...sometimes it is hard to let the baby go. I had not realized that there were a number of small yet significant changes I wished to make before unleasing it into print, and I would highly recommend taking the time you need at this stage: preferably with a book at your side, Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass, which I have found enormously helpful for defining where there may be problems and fixing them.

Net marketing, Tabitha Black, and courage!

Thanks to Richard and Dave for the comments on the last post. It is true that the sentences are a little long on the blurb, and I will see what I can abbreviate there. The title is a bit long too, but so far it seems memorable, and this is more important, I think. I spoke to a few people at Elisabeth Harvor's book launch who had totally forgotten the original title but spewed back the new one with enthusiastic and accurate aplomb! Gadzooks! Who knew! My husband pointed out that all five Giller award nominees had short titles so I had to stand my ground and defend the current choice. This is where courage comes into play -- it is hard to be one's own publisher, but incredibly important to know and feel confident about all the choices you make for your book. Tabitha Black deserves nothing less. And now, to net marketing. I am passing along a very helpful link about net marketing for writers from Sandra Gulland, who spoke recently at the Kingson Writer's Fesival. She is clear, incredibly generous, and tech-savvy without overcomplicating things. http://netpromo4luddites.blogspot.com/ I am about to follow her advice and will blog about these developments as I go along.

back cover blurb etc

I decided to change the title, partly in response to the feedback I got from respected friends and colleagues, and partly because I sensed that some people might think it was a poli sci textbook! So I decided to go with an earlier title that refers back to one of Charles Fourier's more bizarre predictions: "And the seas shall turn to lemonade". Since the figure of Fourier figures prominently in the book, the title seemed apt, and also tips off the humour. It also tipped me in the direction of a different cover idea, and since I seemed to be on a roll, I then decided to write up the back cover blurb....always tricky, especially when you have to write it yourself, and not the marketing wing of the publishing house! Here is what I propose; all comments welcome:

A darkly humorous romp through the tortuous relationship between two academic misfits: Tabitha Black, obsessive list-maker and modern day utopian, and Nathaniel Speck, the oafish yet elegant medieval scholar whose dubious achievements include the publication of a hilarious guide to household management in the modern universe. Their relationship is played out against the incestuous under-life of a small university town, where residents and professors eye each other with equal unease. As Tabitha searches for just the right inhabitants for her utopian stronghold, a host of characters join in: Fiona, Nathaniel's foul-mouthed and maternal crush; Lee-Ann, a specialist in frog hibernation who disocvers a profitable business in an unexpected place; and even Tabitha's dead mother, who dispenses unwanted advice from the clouds.

Witty, humane and ultimately tender, And the seas shall turn to lemonade explores the many sides of love itself, and how it can exist all around you without ever being seen.

So, all comments welcome. Sorry to have to call myself witty, but if I don't....ha ha.

How to present Tabitha

It has been too long since I posted something, but I have been struggling with the cover image. There are a number of frogs in the novel, and they figure somewhat prominently in the story. Since frogs are somewhat naturally humorous, I figured a frog image on the cover might work. But trying to find the right frog -- well, that is another matter altogether. Too cute, too serious, too -- what does this have to do with anything? So I guess I have to ask myself -- how do I want to present Tabitha, my main character? She is smart, sassy, twisted, vulnerable, and devious -- ultimately human. She is a compulsive listmaker, an impassioned lecturer at the university, a non-conformist. While frogs enter into her life in an unusual way, linked to another character who is an expert in cryogenics, should they really be on the cover? How much should the cover image relate to the book itself, and how much should it be understood as a marketing tool. I will ponder these questions over the weekend, and see what I can come up with. I have had a number of good suggestions from friends and graphic designers, but of course what is obvious is that everyone has a different sense of the book, and ultimately, I am the one who must make the decision. Ribbet.

book covers: what works?

I have become a stalker of book covers, lurking about in Chapters, studying, assessing, taking mental notes. After all the work I have done on the novel itself, soemtimes it feels as if it has all come down to this -- a ten second encounter with a potential reader who, like me, is scanning covers trying to decide what to pick up. Lulu offers cover design formats, but I am thinking of putting a little money into a designer. Two covers I liked -- Sharp Teeth, by Toby Barlow, and Ladykiller, Charlotte Gill. Strong colours, single arresting images, minimal approach. I guess I am developing an aesthetic preference. This too is helpful, sharpening how I want the book to be understood, the tone I am trying to project. With each day I turn the prism of the book in a different direction, sensing all the ways I can connect with my readers above and beyond plot and characters.