Cover Reveal – Along a Storied Trail

“Good cover design is not only about beauty… it’s a visual sales pitch. It’s your first contact with a potential reader. Your cover only has around 3 seconds to catch a browsing reader’s attention. You want to stand out and make them pause and consider, and read the synopsis.” ― Eeva Lancaster

I just sent out a newsletter with a cover reveal for my novel,  Along a Storied Trail, that is scheduled to release in early June 2021. It takes a while for a book to  go from my imagination and the writing of the story to your imagination and the reading of the story. Along a Storied Trail is making that trek along the publishing road right now.

I’ve written the story. My first editor has read it a few times, suggested changes and decided the story works. Next up for the book is another edit to make sure I’ve not messed up any details such as calling someone one name on page 5 and a different name on page 98 or wherever. Character lists where I put down an entry for every single person I name in one of my books is more than necessary. While I might not forget a main character’s name, I could forget what I called the storekeeper on page 6 and give him a new name on page 236. Very few storekeepers are the type to decide to change their names so haphazardly. The same can be said for various animal characters. I keep a list of those too.

While all these critical edits are happening, other wheels are turning at the publishing house. One of those wheels starts up a very important part of publishing a book and that’s coming up with a great cover. Early on, sometimes before I’ve even finished writing the novel I am asked to fill out a form with information about the story. That includes the basic story line, descriptions of the main characters, title suggestions, and objects or locations that might be featured on a cover.

Some months ago a group of those at the publishers who are involved with my book met to brainstorm about a title. I had already sent a long list of suggestions but none that really jumped out at me. Sometimes I do come up with a title I feel is just right. And sometimes those who work with my books at the publishers agree. That happened with my titles Angel Sister, Scent of Lilacs, Orchard of Hope and Murder at the Courthouse. But often the titles I suggest aren’t quite right or at least, could be better. That happened with this book. We thought about something that would include Book Woman, but a book was published not long ago about the packhorse librarians that included that in the title. So, we wanted to go with something different. Since the story does deal with a librarian on horseback taking stories to readers along trails up into the Appalachian Mountains, this title, Along a Storied Trail, really fits and not just because of the packhorse librarian. My families in the book have their own story trails too.

Once the title is brainstormed and agreed upon, then it’s time to design a cover. Revell Books, the company that has published all my inspirational novels, twenty plus of them, does a great job on covers. Their covers entice you to dive into the books to find out more. I sent in ideas about the cover, including a picture of the horse I imagined Tansy riding. Some of the packhorse librarians rode mules, but some also rode horses.  So I let Tansy lease a tough little Morgan horse named Shadrach from a neighbor known as Preacher Rowlett.  The cover shows Tansy on Shadrach riding a winter trail with saddlebags of books for the readers on her book route. And we, the publishers and I, do hope it will be a cover to invite you into my story. The book is available for pre-sale at many internet sites, like Amazon. A great place to grab it early to be sure it lands in your mailbox when it’s published is the Baker Book House where you can order Along a Storied Trail with a 40% discount. You can get free shipping if you spend $10 and with so many great books there and other products I’m sure you can  find something to add on to get that free shipping.

So what do you think? 

Leave a comment about the cover of Along a Storied Trail, and I’ll throw your name into my giveaway drawing hat for a chance to win one of my Appalachian novels, These Healing Hills or An Appalachian Summer.  Or the winner can choose one of my other previously published books.  Get your entries in fast because deadline to enter is Saturday, December 5, 2020 at midnight EST. I’ll announce the winner next Sunday. That way the winner can have the book for a Christmas gift for a friend or for themselves. 

I’ve got a newsletter giveaway going too. So if you want to know more about that to enter, here’s  the link to my newsletter, Ann’s News, to read all about it.

As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving last week.