Last week I talked about fonts and how they can often make or break the cover of a book. But there are a lot of elements to a cover, and the font is only one of them. I think the most contentious point I’ve seen relates to the cover image. Should the author try and find a photo (or have one taken) that shows the characters in the book? For some, this might seem a no-brainer. However, I’ve encountered numerous readers who detest images of characters on the covers of books. The ones I’ve spoken to believe it prevents them […]

During my time as an author I’ve discovered just how difficult it can be to get book covers right. They should be clear and represent the story within its pages, although there are various different ways that can be achieved. The cover of my debut novel, The Heir, definitely has its lovers and haters. We’ll soon be working on the cover of Once Confronted, and I think we’ve got an idea of where we’re going with it, but I’m sure there will still be a bit of to-ing and fro-ing with it. One of the most important things to get […]

In all three books I’ve released so far I’ve had a dedication page. The one in The Heir is my favourite. I dedicated it to the five friends who encouraged me to try and get it published after they’d read it back when it was just a first (or second!) draft. Without them, I might not be writing this blog right now. The Crown I dedicated to two people I used to work with who had encouraged me to start writing down my stories back in the nineties. The Reign was dedicated to my father and my husband; not unusual […]

My husband turns forty this week, and in the midst of all the preparations for his birthday party, I’ve been reflecting on different milestones and moments of achievement in my life. I passed the forty milestone a few years ago (I won’t say how many!) and we celebrated fifteen years of marriage last year. Our son will be ten this year, so that will require another celebration, as he enters double digits. These are some recent milestones in my personal life. There have also been milestones and achievements in my writing career. Having The Heir accepted for publication was one […]