It's my business, that's why

Over on Leigh Wyndfield's blog she is discussing bad cover art. Now, as a newbie I'm still not over the fact that authors don't have a say (or much of one) on cover art or titles.

This really is upsetting for me- more upsetting than any other aspect of the industry, because my books ARE my business, they are my products- so why don't I get to name the store and decorate the door? Two of the key ingredients to attracting new customers?

I love picking out my titles, they are often one of the first things I have to go on. Personally, I think mine are brilliant. One can only hope that the PTB agree with me, from what I've been hearing, though, it doesn't sound very promising.

As for bad cover art, I don't think that will be as easy to get over. People do judge a book by it's cover and I don't want to have to smile and promote a book that I wouldn't pick up.

So many book covers scream to me- "This book isn't for you!!" not the other way around. This is bad business folks.

I think the goal of any business that wants to grow should be to reach out to people who are on the periphery of their market. I used to work in the cruise industry- 6 years + on the high seas. Our primary market at the time I started was older folks who had the time and money to cruise. Well, that represented such a tiny fraction of the traveling population. So, did they market with an even more geriatric campaign, warning all the young families that this experience wasn't for them? No! They made their product appealing to everyone, shorter cruises, flexible meal times, no forced seating charts or strict attire guidelines. In a few short years, the cruise industry has grown so much in fact that there aren't enough ports for ships, to increase berthing they now have mega ships. The growth is crazy because they went outside of the choir to preach.

All of those people who say "I don't read those books" are your peripheral market- they buy books- just not those books. They are the people we need to shake the dollars out from. They are untapped.

Granted, every book is not for every reader and nothing bothers me more than false advertising by way of cover art. But fact is new readers are attracted by cover art, readers are kept with what they find inside the cover. Don't scare them away from the store with a hideous display before they even get to the door handle, I want their business.

Grrrr.....

So, I'm in the ladies room (which is how a lot of my stories start btw) and some random co-worker asks while we wash our hands, "Awake yet?", "Nope," I say. "Haha, you look like I feel."

Huh? Polite warm smile fades away, initiate blank eye sequence, ignite shoulder freezing technology- you know the basic "I'm no longer actually communicating with you even though you are talking to me" stance. She continues with the nervous giggles, showing me that it has worked, she realizes she has said something wrong, but can't believe how rude I'm being by not making her feel okay about it. Intense babble pursues as she tries desperately to dig her hole deeper talking about makeup, which I can only presume is another dig.

Ugh, sorry lady, I don't do backhanded comments. Here's a tip, just say "Me, too" or "I hate mornings" - don't give me some line of crap about how you feel the same way I do, but look oh so fresh and lovely compared - because ya don't. Ya look like a big ass no matter how great your makeup is. And that 1970's floral, combination drapes/mumu is doing nothing for ya, either. (Now I know what you're saying, "hey that sounded like a backhanded comment, and you just said you don't do those." You're absolutely right, but, but... 1. She started it. and 2. She started it!!!)

I've been here 11 months and have yet to bond with these people- and not for a lack of trying- but when one doesn't have grandchildren or children apparently they aren't worthy for chit-chat. Oh, their faces just light up at the cackling sound of a fellow breeder discussing her flock, but there is just so much I can do with weather. I work with lots of older women- hence lots of grandchildren. When I talk about my dog I get the blank look of church people who believe that animals don't have souls, much less brains. So, I provide you with Exhibit A, above, as why my dog is smarter than these people.

This can't be right...can it?

Okay, so I realize that my new work is a young adult... what I didn't realize is that I'm not. Let's go to the back story to get a better idea of how this could happen:

See, I got into writing because there was no math, which is a huge fallacy- just try to have a discussion on page count and formatting- lots of math!- anyhow... I have also learned that my plotting style is commonly referred to as a "Pantser" - now back in my day (ahem, proof that I'm not a YA- I had my day... and it was "back") a pantser was someone who would sneak behind you and yank down your drawers at the most embarrassing moment possible. In writingland a pantser is someone who doesn't do a lot of plotting and just writes as things come into their head or by the seat of their pants (I'm going to spare you my pithy jokes about posteriors, since I'm an adult and all. Ack). The other option is a "Plotter" - you can tell these folks by their bulk index card orders. Their heroines have never yelled at them about getting painted into a corner and left for two months because the muse went on strike and negotiations to get it back got bloody, nooo.... So, while I will always fall a little on the pantser side, I see the need for the order and disciplined writing that being a plotter can provide- and thus I bought my first set of index cards (the shrink wrap is still on them, btw, just keeping it real). I also decided I should do a character profile- again, not something I had ever bothered with because my characters are my friends- they come to me as people- they're real dammit! But, OK I figured I'd give it a try.

Big Mistake- When determining my main character's birthday the world came to an abrupt dog-flying-into-the-front seat stop. See, she was born the very same year that I graduated high school. YIKES!!!! Can that be true? I re-did the math, even using a calculator. Sheesh! What the hell happened?

A little bit Paranormal

Okay- so I keep referring to my current WIP as "A little bit paranormal". Is that like saying a little bit pregnant? I think so! I guess because there are no aliens (well maybe some), no vampires (well, I wouldn't rule them out), no ghosts (wait- no... got those), time travel (definite poss.), realm travel (yeah), can a role playing game become real (sure)... then yeah, looks like it is a paranormal. Without giving away too much- let's just say that if Fantasy Island was a paranormal than so is this. I guess because most of the actual book takes place in the grounded world, I think of it as not being all that paranormal- but the premise is 100% paranormal, and if you pee on the stick it will be blue, or have a plus, or whatever...you get the idea.

Okay, so nevermind that six months ago I didn't even glance at the paranormal section of the book store (Gena Showalter opened my eyes to a whole new world of books! She rocks! and her heros are yummy!!! Go. Buy. Now!), and that when asked if I ever considered writing it the answer was a quick "No" with a soon to follow more contemplative, "All the authors doing that sort of thing are too good at it, I could never compete." This stemming from the recent realization that Vampires can't poop (who knew? - the friggin' paranormal authors, that's who!). So, I dismissed it, thinking- if I even tried I'd trip over some crazy vampire lore or mythological fact that would pretty much mark my work as a complete fraud. I live in fear of readers pelting me with rotten tomatoes.

Then, then!!! I got an idea. Ooohhhh.... I just love that tingly sensation when the right side of the brain is humming along creating its new little world and left side is saying "yes! yes! yes! I get it!" Usually my left side poo-poo's and bah-hum-bug's things, says "Yeah, but...", "What your forgetting is..." and "That sucks." (Keep in mind I don't have a husband to say these things for me.)

SO, anyhoo... I am rocking with my idea- it was born on May 20th (I remember, because I was in a software training session for work and should have been paying attention to that). I now have 250 pages roughed in (Synopsis and proposal roughed as well- more to come on my feelings about synopsises {sp?}) *see proof of how amateurish I am- I don't know how to plural-ify synopsis*

So what genre is it you ask?

It's a YA (2/3rds of it is at least) and I suppose you could call it an Inspirational, too- if you get over some of the language and activities and the fact that it doesn't discuss religion, chic lit (sorta), time travel (could be), there's a little suspense, pinch of mystery... but mostly it is a little bit Paranormal.

And who the hell are you?

Good question. In addition to being a blog lurker and occasional poster (generating aforementioned question). I'm a fledgling writer (and by that I mean I've been writing since I was about 12, so half my life and then some, okay it is almost 2/3 of my life - in the immortal words of Napoleon Dynamite- gosh.) I have only recently taken it seriously, as in joined RWA and local (Oklahoma City- Outlaws rock!) gone to RT convention and learned what synopsis should include and all the other nuts and bolts things that I had the "hear no evil/see no evil" approach to. Since I'm severely grammatically challenged, these revelations are frightening. I envision some bookish sort reading my manuscript and tsk-tsking like a June bug in August.

The first thing I learned upon joining RWA is that you need to know what you write, because the stock question for any newbie is "So, what do you write." Well, books. *irate buzzer sound* Wrong. Apparently I need to have genre, which, I'm sorry, is pretty darn stifling for me. As for what I write well, lots of stuff- my WIPS (which, again, wasn't what I had hoped it was): I have a murder mystery series that I like to believe is something of a Leonard Elmore/Quintin Terrantino cross (not very romantic, but would probably fall into the "with Romantic Elements" category if you shoved it real hard off a cliff). I have a brothers trilogy that is not quite romantic suspense, but you could call it that (of course, it's a free country so you could call it anything, couldn't you?). I have several YA ideas, they are probably a little on the "realistic" side, one is a paranormal series (which I'll blog about soon- I'm very excited about this one). On the completed side: a Montana Family legacy which- yikes! How did I channel Tolstoy?- ended up being 900+ pages.

Which brings us to lesson #2: Formatting is important. Don't finish the book and then figure it out later. Don't format it in a way that you want to read it or see it on the page. Removing extra spaces between every paragraph or dialog is a bitch and not the righteous kind. Trust me.

For the love of Blog!

Everyone's doing it. It has always been my favorite excuse.