What is a book without its cover? Despite the common saying, interesting images do draw readers in. In fact, every year I see lists for the best covers.
I'm excited to reveal the cover art for my own book, The 228 Legacy:
Keep an eye out for my novel on its release date, August 1st!
p.s. My newsletter subscribers got a sneak peek prior to this post. If you want to stay informed early on, enter your email address below:
I have an
extra post this week because I’m doing a blog hop called, “Writers Tell All.”
Thanks to Romelle
Broas for tagging me in this fun challenge! Here are my comments on the
writing process:
Question 1: What are you working on?
Releasing my debut novel, The 228 Legacy, on August 1st
Polishing a cozy mystery featuring an Asian-American
sleuth investigating a senior home
Editing a previously shelved manuscript
Question 2: How does your writing
process work?
I look around for inspiration in my daily life. When an
image, a phrase, or a theme sticks, I’ll expand on it.
I do a general outline and conduct my research. Then I’ll
write it out, often using more detailed chapter outlines. Afterwards, I revise
for several rounds.
My story gets feedback from my critique group, and I’ll
change things based on their responses.
I’ll read it again, looking for flow issues. I also line-edit
it.
Then I send off my polished manuscript and hope for the
best.
Question 3: Who are the authors you
most admire?
Amy
Tan – She really brought Asian-American fiction to the public eye.
Lisa
See – I admire her ability to conduct extensive research and weave in
historical facts into a compelling plot.
Kazuo Ishiguro -His versatility is amazing, and I love how
his books are a commentary about the world around us.
Now it's my turn to tag
3 people. Please check out their blogs. Who knows what you’ll find when writers tell all?
Coconut pancake: Asian pancake with shredded coconut
I never had this dish until I tried it at a local restaurant. It's a pancake filled with shredded coconut and sesame seeds. The crust is the hearty kind, not at all like a crepe or the IHOP breakfast variety. Inside, there's an intriguing tropical flair with the mashed coconut concoction. The sesame seeds balanced out the taste well, but overall I felt that the pancake was a bit too sweet.
I love reading e-books. However, one of my gripes about an electronic version is the book's impersonalization. How can I get it autographed? Recently, I discovered Authorgraph, a free way to send and receive author autographs. Here's a primer on the service:
1. As a writer, what do I need to set it up? The ASIN, or Amazon Standard Identification Number.
2. What versions are available? The signature can be given in a PDF or a AZW (Kindle-app compatible) format.
3. What's the signature look like? There's a choice of a fancy script font or the actual scrawl of the author (as transmitted via writing on a computer pad).
4. What does it really cost? It's free, although there may be a slight delivery fee from Amazon if you want the autograph sent to your Kindle.
5. Do I need to purchase a copy of the book to get it? Actually, no. However, I hope that you do if you're requesting a signature from the author.
Authorgraph sounds like a great service. I, for one, will be offering it to my future readers and browsing the site's catalog to request some of my own.
Three cup chicken: an aromatic, spicy chicken dish
The "three cup" refers to the primary ingredients used in this flavorful dish: sesame oil, soy sauce, and Chinese rice wine. The recipe calls for three equal parts of each ingredient. Fresh basil also lends a nice minty touch that complements the flavor, and provides an elegant decoration to the platter. I first tasted this chicken courtesy of my brother-in-law prior to his wedding, and I'll always have great memories associated with this mouth-watering dish.
As a pig fears getting fat, so a man fears renown.
Pigs eat anything that's put into their trough. (In fact, when I worked in my family restaurant, we used to donate the scraps to farmers.) Like our pot-bellied friends, authors crave media attention.
One of the best ways to get coverage is through the traditional press release. Here are my top five tips for creating an enticing press release:
1. Focus on the smaller outlets first. Often, local media successes will lead to bigger opportunities down the road.
2. Research the specific contact person for the radio station/TV channel/newspaper/magazine that you're contacting.
3. Tailor the release to the media contact you've selected.
4. Angle your story. The media want stories (flaunt your expertise), not a bland news article about another writer releasing a book.
5. Provide great quotes; make it easy to reuse memorable lines, either from yourself or a well-known figure.
p.s. I've started working on my author e-newsletter. Please sign up for my mailing list below. I'll be sending out the first issue in the next few weeks!
These are simple snacks that offer a hint of sweetness. Despite being deep-fried, the outside should be dry and not oily. They're best when freshly made, with a soft but chewy interior and a crispy exterior. They often come with skewers, so that you don't burn your hands by touching their hot goodness.
August 1st, the release date for my forthcoming novel, is fast approaching. As I plan for its arrival, I'm contemplating setting up a mailing list. I've read that newsletters are informative and fun ways to keep readers up to speed on your work. As a bonus, some mail management sites, like MailChimp and Constant Contact, offer free services if the number of subscribers is under a certain amount.
A newsletter sounded like a great idea until I found the CAN-SPAM Act. Apparently, sending out any type of commercial email requires providing a physical address. Like the rabbit mentioned in the above proverb, I wonder if I should have multiple burrows. Rather than using my actual home address, would it be wiser to rent a P.O. Box or obtain a different street address through a company like Mail Boxes Etc.?
The picture says it all. Green tea mousse is the Asian version of the mousse dessert. It has a sweet taste with a touch of the earthy bitterness of green tea to counterbalance the sugar. The white chocolate rectangle and fresh fruit also serve to round out the taste.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. How do you catch someone's attention? Right now, I'm working on the cover art portion for my forthcoming novel. The nice thing about a small press is that they value your input, so I get to voice my opinions on what I'm looking for and collaborate with the designer. On the other hand, I have a steep learning curve to figure out how covers work.
1) Simplicity. A lot of covers will be seen as thumbnail images online, and they need to be uncluttered to show up well on the screen.
2) Distinctive. With so many books vying for attention, the cover art must be unique.
3) Reflective. The cover is the first impression the reader gets of the work, so the image picked needs to convey the genre, tone, and a hint of the story at one glance.
It's both interesting and informative to research lists of the best book covers. Which would you vote for, and what's the best cover you've ever seen?
I once visited a fortune cookie factory in San Francisco Chinatown. Peering through the window, I saw the woman folding my favorite childhood treat. She twisted the hot dough with deft fingers, each filled with a special message.
Like a fortune cookie, I'm twisted into dual selves, my Asian-American nature. This blog serves my words and my culture in a written delicacy.
