Literary Love

Today is the day! My book,  Saving Toby is now available for download in Kindle ebook format on Amazon.com! Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EV6K2AC Reviews encouraged! Don't have a Kindle? No problem! You can download a Kindle app to any device (smartphone, tablet or computer) for free. Go to the http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EV6K2AC and scroll down the right side of the page for a download of "Free Kindle app" Copyright of cover photo  “Young couple behind transparent curtain” © Depositphotos.com/Elena Yakusheva

eBook Format, check! After weeks of tweaking the manuscript (and -- eee gads! -- still finding typos!) I have been working diligently to format the document for upload to Amazon for ebook/Kindle download. I will be using the book cover below, but only until my newly hired cover artist comes through with a newer, improved version. (Can hardly wait to see that!) So, dare I say it… the book should be ready to purchase this week. Posting to follow in the next few days with link to Amazon site! Wish me luck!

Final considerations: Bypassing the b/w artistic sexy shots. While the story does have a few steamy moments, it's no "50 Shades." (But will consider them for the sequel!) These seem to be the top two favorites. I altered the beach scene, left, in Photoshop to make it a touch more dramatic, and sharpened the image on the right. Thoughts?

New Cover Samples Okay, feedback of the first two cover samples suggest one photo is too difficult to make out, and the other, the one with the couple on beach looks like a YA novel cover. The couple in the story is in their twenties, but it is certainly not a YA novel. I call it a literary love story, but the newly coined genre, New Adult, is also an appropriate fit. There is explicit language and scenes. With that in mind, here are two new variations of the cover. Please keep the comments coming! Other photo options: Here are two other photos I like, but are much more suggestive. My favorite photo by far is the one on the left as the couple actually looks similar to how I envision my characters. Unfortunately I couldn't download files big enough to insert in my sample cover. Photoshop effect added

Almost there! I am very close to uploading my story to Amazon for Kindle download. I put together samples of a temporary cover - One to be seen on Amazon until the book gets printed in hard copy.  What speaks to you? I created these, so I can always alter, add or delete. Please feel free to comment. Suggestions welcomed! And because I can't resist, here's another brief excerpt from the story: “Marie’s a busy body. Likes to hear herself talk.” Toby said the words without anger, despite the dig at Marie. “Seems she also likes you.” I tried to lighten the mood. “Said you were easy on the eyes.” “Hey, we need the help, so I do what I can to keep those women coming back. I’m always polite, but I got them figured out,” Toby said, with an air of knowing. “Mrs. D and the rest of those church ladies are all about the eye-candy. Every so often, I walk around without my shirt on.” About to pick up a shovel, I burst out laughing. “You are a real piece of work.”

Just finished reading Sophie Kinsella's I've Got Your Number . If you've read the book and/or seen the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic , you know Kinsella's work. She's know for her grossly funny main characters and laugh out-loud moments. My review: I've Got Your Number  is a quick, fun read done in Kinsella's quirky style with many funny moments. The fun begins when bride-to-be, Poppy Wyatt looses her engagement ring, and then her cell phone. By pure chance, she finds a perfectly good phone in a trash can. Business man Sam Roxton actually owns the phone, or at least his former, frazzled personal assistant did, until she ditched it. Desperate to be able to have a contact number people can reach her at if her ring is found, she becomes resistant to give the phone back to Sam. They make a conditional agreement - she is to forward all the emails and texts to him, and she must return the phone as soon as the ring is found. After innocently snooping

My first formal Manuscript Review: Dear Suzanne, Thank you for submitting your work for evaluation. I am pleased to report that your manuscript has been accepted for publication. I want to be the first to congratulate you. You have a terrific writing style. I can tell that you have done much planning and preparation in crafting your work – especially the way you have thought out the characters and movement that happens in the story. This is not an easy feat. Your prose is very nicely written with details that capture the reader. Right from the start your plot was very engaging and I found myself really connected with what was going on. It is easy to have too much going on too soon – not in your case. Your plot is slow and methodical and you use your dialogue to move the plot along. With that being said, you really do a nice job of slowly making your way through the story with details and a certain voice (yours as the author) that allows your reader to really interact with the charact

I thought this was fascinating, not only from a writer's point of view, but visually.