by Roseanna White | Mar 14, 2018 | Book News, Cover Designs
Tomorrow is a special day. Tomorrow is the day when I do my very first re-release of one of my novels, with a brand new cover and title.
Tomorrow is the day when Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland officially goes back into the world as A Heart’s Revolution.
When Guideposts returned the rights to me, they only had two stipulations–I had to change the title, and I had to change the cover. Well, for a cover designer, that’s kinda like saying, “You have to have fun and play around with cool images.”
Shucks. 😄
Of course, I wanted the title nailed down before I started playing with a design, so I came up with a handful of options and ran them by my best friend/critique partner, Stephanie, and my assistant, Rachel. The one we all loved was
A Heart’s Revolution. This title perfectly captured the theme of the book–my heroine, Lark, taking a stand for her own destiny–and also hits a sweet spot in the romance genre, what with “heart.” (I used to avoid
Love and
Heart in my titles like the plague, but I’ve given up, LOL. Here we have
A Heart’s Revolution, and the first book in my next series will be
The Number of Love.)
So, that established, I turned to the design.
In Shutterstock, I keep a collection called “Historical,” in which I’ll save every single photo I come across in all my searches that have solid historical costuming. In it are possible biblical or Roman styles, medieval, colonial, Victorian, Edwardian, 1920s, 1940s…you name it. If I think it might come in handy someday, I add it to the collection. So I already had several options saved, and I did a few new searches too.
Honestly, I had a hard time choosing between some of these! I tried out several before I decided to start from this one.
I like the movement we can see in this–the fact that she’s holding her dress up a bit and not just standing straight, and the dress itself looked accurate and not costume-y.
So I selected the model from her background and made her fill part of my canvas.
In this version, I just deleted the head, which I knew wouldn’t be the one I used. Lark wouldn’t have worn a boat in her hair like Marie Antoinette, LOL, and this lady, though lovely, doesn’t look like my heroine. But I also wasn’t sure I wanted to keep the dress exactly how it was. I wanted a little more color. So decided to make it blue.
I thought that would add some richness to the cover. So next I turned to the head. After searching for a while, I came across this model…
She fit my idea of Lark, so I searched through all the images of her and just fell in love with the sweet expression on her face in this one.
I put this head on my previous body and was relieved to find that worked well together, LOL. It’s still just roughed in here, but you get the idea.
But the hair wasn’t right. I needed more accurate to the times hair, so I decided to work from this one.
Of course, this model is blond, and I needed dark hair, but after some adjusting, I ended up with this.
Content with that much of Lark for the moment, I turned my attention to backgrounds. And oh my gracious, this was giving me a hard time! I couldn’t decide what I wanted behind her. I kinda liked the idea of keeping the
Annapolis State House there, but the photos I was finding just didn’t seem right. For starters, the story takes place during the worst winter in the history of the east coast (up to that point, anyway), and I couldn’t find anything snowy.
So first I tried some regular ol’ snowy scenes.
But none of these were “it.” What that lowest one (actually a street in Paris) showed me, though, was that I loved a street behind her. It provided a good perspective. So after fiddling with a few more street options, I eventually decided to go with an actual
Annapolis street, and worry with the snow aspect later.
I loved this perspective! I knew I was on the right track at this point, so then it was just a matter of getting the lighting right, and the snow.
I knew I could fuss with this forever, but I really didn’t want to. So instead I looked up Snow Photoshop Actions, and I found this awesome one from
Pretty Photoshop Actions for $39. I can’t tell you how often I’ve needed something like this, so I decided to make the investment, and I am SO glad I did! Playing with all the amazing options included in that action set, I could adjust lighting, make it look frosty, “kill the grass,” change the sky, and add snow!
I then ran a couple different actions, Nashville and Hefe, to alter the lighting a bit more. Nashville is over everything, Hefe just over the background to add some depth.
At this point, I was beginning to shiver in empathy for poor Lark, out in the snow without any kind of wrap! Terrible! LOL. So I went in search of cloaks she could wear and found this one that fit her body position well.
(Though I didn’t remember at the time, Lark’s cloak is even blue in the story! Perfect!) So putting that on her…
Ah, that’s better. And I was done the image! Now it was just a matter of adding the text. I chose the font Monstera, with a pretty ligature for the H, and thought it would be fun to place “A” in the curl of that H.
Of course, it would be nice to actually be able to read that title, so I added some haze behind it to make it stand out.
Much better. And of course, my name (in Requiem font).
And one final touch–a flourish in the title–and we were finished!
So what do you think of the old and new versions? Do you have a preference? (I loved the original cover, but I do love how this new version turned out too!)
If you haven’t read this early book of mine yet, here’s a bit about it, and the pre-order link. It’ll be live tomorrow!
In 1783 peace has been declared, but war still rages in the
heart of Lark Benton.
Never did Lark think she’d want to escape Emerson Fielding,
the man she’s loved all her life. But when he betrays her, she flees
Williamsburg for
Annapolis, taking refuge in the nation’s temporary capital.
There lark throws herself into a new circle of friends who force her to examine
all she believes.
Emerson follows, determined to reclaim his betrothed.
Surprised when she refuses to return with him, he realizes that in this new
nation he has come to call his own, duty is no longer enough. He must learn to
open his heart and soul to something greater—before he loses all he should have
been fighting to hold.
And be sure to stop by tomorrow, when in celebration of the official re-launch, we’ll be having a super fun contest (18th-century hair!!!) and a giveaway!
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL GET AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK!
Sign up HERE to make sure you don’t miss out!
by Bookworm Mama | Feb 14, 2018 | Book News, Cover Designs
Today is a very special day!
Not JUST because it is Valentine’s Day…Although that is a pretty grand reason to celebrate.
Today, we are celebrating the cover reveal for An Hour Unspent, book 3 in my Shadows Over England series.
I am so grateful to the entire team at Bethany House for the dedication and thought that they have put into every cover in this series. An Hour Unspent was no exception…and this cover truly made me giddy when I first saw it…Ok, it STILL makes me giddy.
First…A little about the book…
Once London’s top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker’s daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold.
Evelina Manning has constantly fought for independence but she certainly never meant for it to inspire her fiancé to end the engagement and enlist in the army. When the intriguing man who saved her returns to the Manning residence to study clockwork repair with her father, she can’t help being interested. But she soon learns that nothing with Barclay Pearce is as simple as it seems.
As 1915 England plunges ever deeper into war, the work of an ingenious clockmaker may give England an unbeatable military edge—and Germany realizes it as well. Evelina’s father soon finds his whole family in danger—and it may just take a reformed thief to steal the time they need to escape it.
Are you intrigued yet? If you have read the first two books in the series, you will know that Barclay and his “family” are a bit unconventional and fiercely loyal. I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to introduce them to you.
Now, are you ready?
…Drum roll please….
…I give you….
…The cover…
…of…
An Hour Unspent
Keep an eye on the website for more pre-order options as they become available!
I absolutely love that inside-the-clock view! When my editor told me they’d be doing that, I was super excited, and I adore how it turned out. So unique! Such an interesting perspective! And featuring the daughter of my fictional clockmaker who tends to the clock in Big Ben…perfect. =)
I can not wait for you to read Barclay’s story, which will be releasing in September! In the mean time, how about a little GIVEAWAY to tide you over until then?
I am giving away the FIRST two books in the series to ONE lucky winner. Please enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway will end 2/21/18 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited.
by Roseanna White | Jan 3, 2018 | Book News, Giveaways and Contests, Sales
Well here’s some exciting news! For the first time in history, one of my full-length novels is available for FREE! The Lost Heiress e-book can be downloaded at no cost from any of your favorite retailers that carry it. This deal will last through January and February, so grab it for yourself and please share!
If you haven’t read The Lost Heiress yet, it’s a book that’s very special to me. When I was 12, I decided I would complete a novel. I finished my manuscript a year later, and that story (after many revisions, LOL) eventually became The Lost Heiress. The kernel of the idea is the same, as are the two main characters. Other than that…er…a few things got changed over the years, LOL. But this story–oh, gracious, this story. Brook and Justin traveled with me for 20 years before it was finally accepted for publication, and I love that this is the book that Bethany House pours their promotional efforts into!
Official description and links:
Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the
palace of Monaco, she’s British by birth and was brought to the
Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When Brook’s friend
Justin uncovers the fact that Brook is likely a missing heiress from
Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the
moors of the North Sea to the estate of her supposed family.
The
mystery of her mother’s death haunts her, and though her father is quick
to accept her, the rest of the family and the servants of Whitby Park
are not. Only when Brook’s life is threatened do they draw close–but
their loyalty may come too late to save Brook from the same threat that
led to tragedy for her mother.
As heir to a dukedom, Justin is no
stranger to balancing responsibilities. When the matters of his estate
force him far from Brook, the distance between them reveals that what
began as friendship has grown into something much more. But how can
their very different loyalties and responsibilities ever come together?
And then, for a second time, the heiress of Whitby Park is stolen away because of
the very rare treasure in her possession–and this time only the servants of Whitby can save her.
D O W N L O A D L I N K S
S E R I E S S A L E
And my other Bethany House titles’ digital books are on sale too!
Grab them each for $6.99 or less!
(Sale prices take longer to process on some sites so may not be reflected yet)
by Roseanna White | Jan 2, 2018 | Announcements, Book News, Giveaways and Contests
J a n u a r y 2 – J a n u a r y 1 6
It’s release day for A Song Unheard! And we all know what that means around here. Time for a giveaway!
I had fun pondering what gifts to offer with this one, and I hope you guys enjoy what I found! So without further ado, allow me to present Willa’s Song Giveaway, including:
- A signed copy of A Song Unheard, for obvious reasons 😉
- A paperback copy of Agatha Christie’s first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, featuring her detective who is a Belgian refugee–one of the only lasting reminders that England had once been filled with them.
- Magnetic book marks with music notes and clefs, for marking your pages in those books
- A violin puzzle box, with a small opening for your treasures (be they a cypher key or, you know, something more ordinary like…
- A sterling silver treble clef necklace, for you or another music lover in your life
- A music-themed journal so can write down all your symphonic thoughts (pages have a faint treble clef as well as standard lines)
- A music-themed ceramic travel mug
One grand prize winner with a U.S. address will receive all those prizes! But wait (ahem), there’s more! 😉
For one Second Place winner (open to international residents as well!), I’m also giving away a $25 gift card to iTunes or Amazon, so you can stock up on the music of your choice! (Okay, so there’s no way to designate them for music, but you know. For the purposes of this giveaway, that’s what I’m going to say you should spend it on. Though if you’d rather buy books, who am I to complain? LOL)
Have you seen the book trailer yet?
You can watch this beautiful (1 minute long) glimpse into the story, narrated by my English friend Elizabeth and featuring the original composition “Willa’s Song” written by Jessica Brand and performed on the violin by Taylor Bennett right here! (It’ll get you an extra entry into the giveaway too!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Roseanna White | Dec 13, 2017 | Book News, Remember When Wednesdays
We’re only a few weeks from the official release of A Song Unheard. My copies have arrived, and orders of signed copies from my store are in the mail.
And so, it seemed like the perfect time to share the book trailer! (If for any reason it doesn’t work for you here, you can watch it on Vimeo.)
A Song Unheard ~ Book Trailer from WhiteFire TV on Vimeo.
I’m so excited to share this with you!! Here’s the scoop on it.
- A year ago, I ran the Song Unheard Contest, in which people could submit a melody that would become “Willa’s Song.” My daughter and I chose 3 finalists, and then the public voted on their favorite, and y’all chose the song you hear featured in the video, composed by Jessica Brand.
- My friend Harry Burchell III graciously saved me some time and transcribed Jessica’s beautiful melody into sheet music.
- The amazing Taylor Bennett performed and recorded said music on the violin.
- My wonderful English friend and beta reader (who checks my books for Americanisms for me) Elizabeth recorded the voice-over.
- My awesome husband of WhiteFire Media produced the trailer.
Wow, that’s a lot of people who participated and helped me create this! Hence why it’s no surprise how much I love it. Thank you to all who submitted songs for the contest or voted on their favorites, and even bigger thanks to those who brought it to life!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! And if it does its job (ahem) and makes you want to rush out and buy the book, you can find it here:
AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
CBD
PARABLE
LIFEWAY
TARGET
by Roseanna White | Nov 29, 2017 | Announcements, Book News
Book clubs = fun. At least I think so. 😉 So I’m being a bit experimental with my Facebook Live program and seeing how it goes to run an online book club discussion there as a video! Now, there’s a bit of lag between writing of comments and appearance of comments in my feed, so I’m thinking the best way to have a good conversation is to have a few people actual TALKING about the book. How? Skype! Through the magic of all that technology stuff, we’ll be having a panel of talkers right there in the video feed with me.
We’ll be going through the discussion questions in the back of the book…and following any rabbit trails we might get distracted by. 😉 Interested in joining me via Skype? If you’ve read Giver of Wonders (or can do so in the next week) and want to be part of the fun, let me know!
Requirements:
1. You’ve read the book
2. You have Skype
3. You’ll be available between 6-8 p.m. next Monday, 4 December
If that’s you, then let me know! You can either comment here (with contact info please) or shoot me an email at roseannamwhite@gmail.com and I’ll be in touch. (If by chance I get more volunteers than we can handle, I’ll choose by a combination of who contacted me first and what will build a well-rounded group.)
If this goes well, I’ll be doing it for ALL my book releases and others upon request! So you could have a chance to join me for other books even if you can’t on this one!
Even if you can’t join me through Skype, I hope you can join me for the discussion in the comment section of the video!
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.