Happy Tuesday, readers! Today’s Top Ten topic is “Words with _____ in the Title.” When browsing the list of books I’ve read, I noticed that there are a lot with the word “lost” in the title. While I enjoyed all these stories, I will note that they are not all Christian Fiction and some include scenes my clean readers may not care for. I’ve marked those with a * below.
Lost in Wonder by Liz Chapman
The Living and the Lost by Ellen Feldman*
Lost Girl by Chanda Hahn
Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff*
The Lost Melody by Joanne Davidson Politano
The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman*
The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo*
The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright
The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright
Have you read any of these? Are there any other “lost” books you’d recommend?
Welcome back to the Extra Edition newsletter! I hope everyone had a very blessed Easter. I’m excited to bring you bonus content each month with a special inside look at my novels and the history behind them.
Behind the Design of Across Oceans
I recently reread my first published novel, Across Oceans, and realized how far I’ve come as an author and cover designer. Since that first design, between my own books and other authors, I’ve created hundreds of different versions of covers, most of which are never shown to the readers. (You can see the ones that made the cut here.) So, today, I thought it would be fun to share the design process for Across Oceans including all three “final” versions.
Version #1 – “The Suitcase”
Across Oceans takes place in the early 1910s, the exact same time that my great-grandmother was married and luckily for me, I still have her wedding dress. Since the story involves travel, I also wanted to incorporate my grandmother’s antique suitcase. Here are some of the photos from the first photo shoot:
Here is how the first cover turned out – my great-grandmother’s wedding dress, gloves, and headpiece inside my grandmother’s suitcase. I was in love with this design. It had exactly the romantic feel and nostalgia I was going for. I even printed a proof copy and still thought it was great.
Then I showed it to my beta readers, and their comments shattered all those warm fuzzy feelings I had. “It’s a great first try.” “It’s boring.” “It looks like an indie cover, you need something more professional.” “The font is, um, ok, I guess.” “The font is definitely wrong.” “Where’s the ocean?” I’ll admit, I was initially overwhelmed, but I picked myself up, reviewed a LOT of historical fiction covers, opened a blank file, and started again.
Version #2 – “Make It Blue”
Photo shoot #2 took a different approach. I realized that readers, especially romance readers, tend to prefer people on the cover. But this was my first book, stock photos were expensive (and still are), and I didn’t yet understand all the nuances of copyrights and acceptable stock sites. Therefore, across my first four books, I only used photos that belonged to me. For Across Oceans, I was the model in my great-grandmother’s wedding dress and my daughter took the photos. Here are a few of the many photos we took:
Despite my love of the suitcase, it didn’t fit the cover and was eventually nixed. I blended the colors on the dress, added an ocean photo I had taken in Florida for the background, drew a ship in Photoshop, added a tagline, and found a better font. I was once again in love with the cover, especially after I received the green light from beta readers. I approved my proof and uploaded it for publication.
Version #3 – “Make it Pink”
But over the next six months, I kept looking at that cover and started feeling that something was off about it. I just couldn’t figure out what. Then one of my beta readers said to me, “Maybe because it’s so blue?” It was like a light went off. She was right! All the colors blended together. It didn’t stand out when compared to other book covers. I did some more research and learned that adding a pop of color (especially a shade of red) is more likely to draw a reader’s eye. So, I changed the sky to a pinkish purple, added a background and border to the title, and swapped out the tagline for an author endorsement to better fill the space. Across Oceans also received a new series title: Over the Atlantic.
Voila! Here is the cover that has been used ever since:
Happy April, readers! In Missouri, the flowers are blooming and the trees are green again. It makes me want to turn on my copy of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and sing, “June Bride” and “Spring, Spring, Spring.”
Releasing in April – Other authors’ new releases I’m most excited about.
Research
Well, we’ve reached that time again, when the librarians at my local branch know that I’ve started researching a new book. It feels like I’m there every other day to pick up my holds. (Definitely not a complaint. The library is my jam. Do people say that anymore? Probably not. They probably say something full of Gen-Z slang that I don’t even understand the meaning of. Seriously, I’m still trying to figure out what skibidi means. No one can give me a good answer.)
Anyway, the past few months I’ve been brainstorming/outlining/researching my next novel. Instead of outlining an entire series at once, like I did with Larksong Legacy, I’ve gone back to my model from my first four books. Basically, I’m planning this one as a standalone novel and if it organically spawns a sequel or a series, I’ll embrace it as it happens. By taking this method to heart, I’ve been enjoying the process and finding myself able to relax and also read more novels just for fun.
That said, I want to share some of my research books to give you a taste of what my next project involves. Take a look and let me know what you think some of the themes might be. Who are the characters? What year are we in? What’s the setting? I’m curious to hear your guesses.
Brave Authors Interview and Giveaway
Today, I’m being featured on the Brave Authors blog to talk about my books and especially some of the tough topics within Sparks Fly Upward. The Brave Authors are a collaboration of Christian fiction authors who dare to go to hard places in their writing in order to bring the healing and hope-filled message of the gospel. Their group includes several authors I’ve designed covers for including Sarah Hanks, Jennifer Q. Hunt, and Hannah Hood Lucero and I’m excited to announce that I’m designing the covers for their anthology series to be published this fall. Head over to the link below to learn more and enter for a chance to win one signed copy of any of my books.
I am honored to be listed on the Catholic Artist Network for the St. Louis, Missouri area which highlights the work of Catholic artists throughout the area and hosts the St. Louis Catholic Art Festival in September. Their website describes the goals of the network really well:
“Our goal is to connect Catholic artists and art enthusiasts. The network is open to all area Catholic artists, from the fair-weather hobbiest to the full-time virtuoso. We value orthodoxy in faith and diversity in artistic forms, expressions and audiences. We support Catholic artists creating sacred liturgical art, devotional art, and secular art infused with a Christian-worldview.
The network is also open to all Catholic art appreciators and supporters. Supporters have always had an important role in the formation of great art. We want this network to be the place to connect Catholic art appreciators with local Catholic artists.
We believe beauty can shape souls, build up disciples, and serve the New Evangelization and the mission ad gentes. Our vision is inspired by St. John Paul II, especially his Letter to Artists. It is our hope that the Catholic Artist Network radiates the light of the Risen Christ.”
Do you live in the St. Louis area and want to support a good cause? Come out to Incarnate Word Academy’s annual Spring Boutique event on Thursday, April 24 from 5-9 p.m. Fellow author, Susan Laspe, and I will have a table alongside many other alumnae vendors. Registration is required with registration fees going toward student scholarship funds.
Need another read? Here are the new releases I’m excited about:
Delirious by Susan Laspe – the final book in this medieval meets Roman mythology fantasy adventure series with a splash of romance. I was a beta reader and it was so good!
A Rose in West Egg by Storm Shultz – a librarian falls into a copy of The Great Gatsby…literally…and into a unexpected murder mystery
Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright – a 19th century ghostly legend follows this dual-timeline story of “torn loyalty, self-discovery, and the haunting forces of love and a vengeance that should have drowned a century before.”
Splinters and Seams by Courtney Rivera – living in the shadow of her family, a young woman struggles to uncover the secrets of her past
The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano – historical gothic romance of a young woman who must unravel the mysteries of her deceased uncle and earn her inheritance
Want to know what I’m currently reading? Follow me on GoodReads.
Did you know reviews help both readers and authors? Even one sentence is enough, and every word greatly appreciated. Consider leaving a rating on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, and/or your favorite retailer!
Welcome back to the Extra Edition newsletter! I’m excited to bring you bonus content each month with a special inside look at my novels and the history behind them.
What’s in this Edition:
Sparks Fly Upward Reaches #1 Audiobook
The Making of an Audiobook – Behind the Scenes
Insights from an Audiobook Narrator – An Interview with Tawnya Rollingson
Sparks Fly Upward Reaches #1 AudioBook
A few weeks back, when Larksong Legacy’s audiobook narrator, Tawnya Rollingson, told me Sparks Fly Upward had reached #1 in New Audible Audiobooks, I could hardly believe it. While my sales are good, I’ve never received Amazon’s little orange #1 flag. I’m incredibly grateful to Tawnya for making these characters come alive in a way that resonates with so many readers.
Sparks Fly Upward also reached #6 in Christian Historical Fiction Audio Books, right alongside historical romance authors, Francine Rivers and Lynn Austin. I’m beyond honored to have my book alongside theirs.
Today, we’re going behind the scenes of how a self-published author produces an audiobook. For authors who are traditionally published (with a standard publisher), the publisher will handle this process for them. Some small presses, however, may decide not to offer an audiobook, requiring the author to still complete these steps on their own, within the stipulations of their publishing contract.
Decide distribution channels – Normally, I prefer for my books to be with as many retailers as possible, but as mentioned above, audiobooks are expensive to produce. Depending on your narrator, the cost can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. The audiobook company, ACX, had a royalty share option that worked best for me financially while still retaining a fairly large distribution area through Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. This means that I currently split my profits 50/50 with my narrator while agreeing to keep my book with ACX for 7 years (aka: exclusive distribution). If the author pays the narrator all costs up front, they are free to publish their audiobook anywhere they want (aka: wide distribution).
Choose a narrator – And don’t choose one just because they’re the cheapest. ACX allows authors to hold auditions directly through their dashboard, and it is often apparent which narrators use professional equipment and which ones might be recording on their phone. Every second counts in an audition, so I requested examples of my characters’ accents and ages, with prose narration, dialogue, and even singing (each of my books has at least one song). For Larksong Legacy, I received 13 auditions and narrowed it down to 3 before finally going with Tawnya. Interestingly, she was the first one to submit her audition, but I didn’t want to jump the gun before I had considered all the options. I’m so glad I went with her though!
Negotiation of Contract – rates, timelines, marketing
Scripting – all the character sketches and information
Review the tracks and let the narrator know of any changes
Create the cover art
Send it out into the world.
Insights from an Audiobook Narrator
Welcome, Tawnya! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I feel so lucky and blessed in my career as a voice artist, working from my personal professional studio in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado. Collaborating with different clients and authors from all over the world has afforded me wonderful creative expression and learning opportunities. From audiobook narration to animated explainers, E-learning to radio ads, each project has given me valued experience and allowed me to meet wonderful people along the way. My audiobooks include clean, PG, no spice romance, fantasy, teen, historical, self-help, and other genres.
How was narrating Sparks Fly Upward?
Sparks Fly Upward is one of the most rewarding and difficult books I’ve narrated. SO much drama and passion, and SO many characters to voice! I had lots of fun with all the voice acting, but differentiating between all of the male voices, especially when they are all talking to each other and they are all angry (I’m talking to YOU, Lark brothers and shipmates!) was a challenge for my girly throat.
Can you tell us more about how you find each character’s unique voice?
I focus more on the character’s personality and attitude, and let that drive what the voice will be. Larksong Legacy always provides that beautifully; it’s easy to get to know and love (or hate) the characters. The differentiation shows up in HOW they speak: snarky, arrogant, soft, timid, commanding, etc. For example, there was one character in Sparks Fly Upward whose voice I could not nail down. He was a minor character, but he had a big role in picking a fight that turned into a brawl. No matter what I tried, he just was not coming across. So, I took a break and created an entire backstory for him, in order to understand him and why he acted the way he was. Once I did that, his voice came through loud and clear for me, and, hopefully, for my listeners! That’s when I understood that voice-acting isn’t so much about what my throat will do, but about what I can imagine in my head and how I will act it out in the studio.
What do you love most about voice acting?
VOICE ACTING! It is one long, beautiful, never-ending act of creation. I love reading wonderful books of all kinds, making friends or enemies of their characters, and then bringing them to life in my studio. It’s incredibly immersive, and no day is ever the same.
What do you like least about voice-acting?
Nothing. I embrace every challenge. But when doing audiobooks, the production side can be incredibly tedious. Cleaning up all of the raw audio recordings, making sure there are no extraneous noises, and fixing all of my mistakes requires lots of attention to detail and lots of patience. What you may not know is that every breath I take is recorded, and every breath needs to be (mostly) removed. But not all of them. Sometimes when a character is laughing or crying or scared or having a baby the breaths have to stay. Therefore, I comb through each and every minute of audio looking for those breaths and removing them or editing them individually. Can you guess how many times you breathe when reading a book out loud? A LOT. Each hour of finished audio has another hour or two of painstaking editing and production behind it.
How can readers find out more about your work?
My website (https://tawnyarollingson.com/) has information on all my audiobooks, along with a link to free audiobook codes, including the Larksong Legacy series. You can also find me on YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Happy Tuesday, readers! Today’s Top Ten topic is “Christian Fiction that Includes Men on the Cover.” Have you ever noticed that Christian Fiction books are suspiciously void of men on the covers? Even in suspense novels, if there’s a person shown, they’re usually female. To be fair, there is a severe shortage of good male stock photography available to cover designers that aren’t part of a couple. But there are a few! Here are ten recommended reads that also feature the MMC (Male Main Character) on the cover.
The Musician’s Dream by B.M. Baker
The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham
Claim by Lisa T. Bergren
Riptide by Lisa T. Bergren
Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
In the Night Season by Jennifer Q. Hunt
Treacherous by Susan Laspe
Delirious by Susan Laspe
Enkindle in Me by Erin Lewis
At Love’s Command by Karen Witemeyer
Have you read any of these? Are there any other MMC covers you’d recommend?
