'GOOD MORNING DIEGO GARCIA!'
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A Journey of Discovery (Journeys Book 2)
by Award Winning Author Susan Joyce
Available in eBook, Paperback and now Audio format!
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You marriage is shaky. You survived a war in Cyprus together, and lost everything. Now you’re basically biding time.
A letter arrives from friends you knew in Cyprus. They’re sailing a new yacht from Taiwan to Europe for a Swedish millionaire. You’re invited to join them in Sri Lanka, as crew. Neither of you knows boats, but you’ll learn — it will be the trip of a lifetime, cruising the Indian Ocean in a pleasure yacht! And, it turns out, in monsoon season. With no charts. And an emotionally unstable crew mate. What could possibly go wrong? SPOILER: everything.
ENTER TO WIN!!!!
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Andrew C. Branham |

"Behind The Scenes" life in prison #Thailand #RPBP #ASMSG #TravelsInAsia #Memoir @fredsdiary1981
2/24/2016
"BEHIND THE SCENES"
Thank you for joining us as we go behind the scenes of
Fred's Diary 1981,
with the Fifth edition
of
"Behind The Scenes".
Robert Fear takes us on his journey, as he travels in Asia taking daily notes in a diary.
This authentic look into his dairy has been extended by going behind the scenes with Robert as he reveals himself to us each week with an original inside look.
"Robert Reflects On Life In Prison"
Reality hits home
This is becoming a real nightmare. What did the three of us do to deserve this turn of events?
Since arriving in the prison we have slowly adapted to the routine. We are in a cramped cell with five other westerners, all of them imprisoned for various heroin offences and sentenced to spend the next thirty years of their lives here. The problem is that they still have access to a supply of heroin through the prison guards, who know they have the money available from relatives back home.
We have to be very careful that they don’t stash their supplies anywhere in our belongings. Raids are common place and if we were caught in possession that would be our freedom gone for a long, long time. It feels that could happen anyway at the moment as there has been a Coup D’état by the military who are trying to overthrow the King.
The doors of our cell are locked at 4.30 pm. The single light goes on at 6 pm and stays on all night. After 10 pm there is meant to be silence but the atmosphere in here is electric as our fellow inmates shoot up during the night-time hours. Sleep would be a lot easier with Valium, but these were confiscated when we were admitted. Besides it is best that the three of us stay relatively aware of things going on around us. We are let out again at 7 am for the morning roll-call.
The support of our friends outside is something that we have come to rely on. Although they are only allowed to visit once a day during the week, we couldn’t have done without their support. As well as bringing us supplies of food, water and cigarettes, they are helping with the bribery negotiations that we’ve had to get involved with to speed up our release.
It’s been great to get some letters from back home. I had one from Rita, who seems a lot happier now thank heavens, and another from my first love in England, Wendy. That was a nice surprise. There have also been letters from my family which have just drummed home the fact that I have let them down. They will have to know what has happened at some stage but I want to make sure that I have some good news first.
The uncertainty at the moment is overwhelming. We just want to get our freedom back and can’t believe that we are being punished so heavily for such small offences. On the other hand we know that we should have been more careful and taken better notice of the laws of this country. Now we have to play by their rules and bribe our way out of this mess.
Life inside prison-an excerpt from the book
Had a restless night's sleep with many varied dreams. Stan had the same problem. Perhaps we are picking up vibes from the junkies.
They are shooting up maybe three or four times a day, which is costly and dangerous. They are all caught up in a vicious circle, not only from the addiction but because of the money they owe and the constant risk they run of getting a second charge.
At 7 a.m. we were all roused and trooped outside for the headcount. After ten minutes we returned to our block but the Thais had to endure an hour long service, perhaps extra-long because there was some propaganda to do with the military takeover.
We are not allowed newspapers in here so it is difficult to get any accurate information about what is happening in Bangkok. At 8:30 a.m. Stan, Andy and I made a tour of the camp which is quite regimented, especially for the Thais.
They work in various factories making bamboo and teak furniture, some go to school and others work on the gardens and keep the place clean. The Thai junkies who are brought here do a rigorous series of exercises to sweat out the cold turkey. The westerners are left alone because they are always reckoned to have money.
For any work the Thais do they receive the princely sum of a quarter of a baht per day so it's not easy to save money here. The westerners don't have to work although there is an English guy doing it to try and learn some of the basic crafts.
Andy also found out some more news of the troubles today. The King and his forces have demanded the surrender of the new military government and if they do not step down there will definitely be some fighting.
Did you miss the past four segments of
Behind The Scenes?
Week 1, Week 2, week 3, week 4
Fascinating time capsule from the 80’s
NEWLY RELEASED SECOND EDITION
SYNOPSIS
Have you ever wanted to read someone else’s diary?
Would you like to experience travelling in Asia without leaving home?
Then this book is for you. Fred’s Diary 1981 is a fascinating insight into a young man’s travels around Asia in the early 1980’s. This is a unique opportunity to delve into Fred's daily diary, which details the 158 days he spent travelling around Asia. Follow Fred throughout his extensive travels to Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Nepal.
Appreciate the many friendships formed along the way with fellow-travellers.
Relive the highs and lows that he experienced during this fascinating journey.
Recognise the huge differences in technology, particularly communications.
Become immersed in the different cultures, peoples and surroundings of Asia in the early 1980's.
Understand more about the drug culture of the 1980's, especially in Thailand and Nepal.
Learn from Fred's youthful mistakes, especially if your dream of travelling to Asia becomes a reality.
The price of Fred's Diary 1981: Travels in Asia has been dropped to £1.99 / $2.99
(was £2.99 / $3.99).
Get your copy while this offer lasts:
GETBOOK.AT/FREDSDIARY1981
You can find out more about author Robert Fear on
Rukia Publishing's
Meet the Author page:
http://bit.ly/RFmta
Come back next week when we publish another original segment
of
"Behind The Scenes"
with
Fred's Diary 1981
by
author Robert Fear
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"A Glimpse Inside"
"The Dream"
Excerpt two from A Glimpse Inside The Para-Portage Of Emily
She looked around the foyer, awestruck. The large ceremonial foyer was big enough for use as a reception hallâperhaps it had been used as such in the glory days of the Island. It was at least two stories high, built of stone with exposed beams of timber and log, and large hand-hewn cross trusses at the ceiling. It was rustic but grand at the same time. There were three matching chandeliers of iron and crystal suspended from the massive trussed ceiling. The floors were all of six-inch antique lumber, polished to a brilliant shine in the setting sunlight. For its size, the massive foyer was warm, surprisingly warm and cozy.
Emily felt quite welcome.
On the walls were wrought-iron fluted sconces matching the chandeliers at equidistance throughout the hallway, lovely hand-woven tapestries and paintings of some family members Emily recognized. But there were also paintings of others she did not recognize. Hung in the parlor, over the considerable stone fireplace where a fire blazed pleasantly and in full view from the foyer, was the most prominent of paintings. Clearly, it had been her uncleâs favorite.
The painting was of a voluptuous young beauty with long auburn locks, tied loosely with a pale pink ribbon. Wisps of her hair escaped the tether and fell rather seductively about her soft shapely shoulders and around the tempting ivory flesh of her exposed bosom. She appeared to be sitting quite privately by her vanity, tending to her feminine indulgences perhaps applying oils and lotions to her pale, velvety skin. Draped in a pink satin cloth or robe of sorts, she was not completely nude. She was an extraordinary creature and, immediately, Emily thought of the Marinerâs Maiden. There was such a likeness, but Emily thought that was quite an impossible coincidence. She wondered whom this young woman was that held such a position of importance in her uncleâs home. She also wondered if she had ever lived or if she was still alive. Were they lovers? She was sure there would be much about her uncle she would discover in the coming days and never grow to understand. She was ashamed to admit to herself she was now more fascinated by him in death. Emily was excited to discover more about himâand his lifeânow she was here, than she had been while he was alive.
She looked closely at the painting and in faint letters it read, âAmalyaâ at the bottom. She wondered if that was the beautiful woman or the artist. Although quite taken with the portrait, she had satisfied some measure of her curiosity for the day and, thinking of her father, snapped around, squared her shoulders and settled into her uncleâs desk to begin work. Opening her uncleâs file drawer in his desk, Emily felt intrusive. However, it had to be done. The first file which caught her eye was one on Marnierâs Maiden. She pulled it out, opened the cover and began to read. There were plat maps, surveys, contracts of sale and purchase, title documents, recordings and the usual. There was the technical history, but nothing of the emotional history, which interested her most. Emily read on, as the file was very thick, and perhaps there was more to come. She moved to the leather sofa in the library in between the bookcases and across from the stone fireplace.
The original owner had built the house on five hundred acres of land in the early 1800âs. The technical file was so thick because over the years, as he aged and his family moved away, he had donated much of the land to the town. The hours passed. She read until she fell asleep to the melodious crackling sounds of the fire. Emily was nestled under the throw quite warm and secure. And then, she dreamedâ¦she was floating, soaring, drifting on silken currents and airfoils of magic.
She felt as though she was flying, so light and airy, wispy, so delicate. She could see the land from on high. She could see a young woman with very long auburn hair being chased towards the house by a large male. He was dressed in odd attire, with his pant legs tucked inside his high-topped black polished boots. He was tall, but with his back to her, Emily could not make out his face. His shoulders were broad and his waist narrowed, but flared to thick muscular thighs that moved deliberately under tight leggings. He wore a white billowy shirt, so very bright white, Emily had to squint to block the glare and the scene was out of focus at all the edges. The woman was dressed in a long blue skirt, to the ankles. A wide belt cinched her tiny waist, holding her full white blouse tucked neatly in the band. Off both of her shoulders was the top of the blouse and the sleeves were nipped tight at the wrist. She ran quickly to the front door of the house, looking over her shoulder frequently. The man, who had long masterful strides, easily caught her at the front entrance to the house. Even though it was a dream, Emily felt her heart pounding for the young girl in fear for her safety.
When the stranger grabbed her from behind at the grand oak door, Emily held an involuntary breath anticipating the worst as the man whipped the young woman around to face him. She laughed, loud and hearty, and threw her arms around the laughing, breathless man. They faced one another, and Emily could not make out their features, the glare from the white shirts was still so blinding. The man ran his hand through her hair from her neck up to the back of her head, grabbed a fistful of tousled auburn locks and pulled her face gently towards his. He kissed her with such deep, passionate abandon, Emily gasped. She awoke, abruptly but briefly, to realize she had been holding her breath with a racing heart. Calming herself, breathing evenly, she closed her eyes to return to the dream.
Emily slept again almost immediately.
The couple was inside the house. The man collected the young woman in his arms in the foyer and carried her to the library. In one anotherâs embrace, he took her to the couch, exactly where Emily now slept, and gently placed her down onto the sofa. He lowered the top of her blouse further down her bodice, exposing her breasts from an uplifting corset which barely covered her nipples. As he bent to draw her breasts out of the confines and kiss each one, Emily saw the young woman had put her arm over her eyes, so Emily still could not see the fullness of her face. The man lovingly took each nipple, one at a time, into his mouth while he twisted and pinched the other. Her areolas responded by swelling and darkening around the hardened nipples. She moaned and moved suggestively, openly welcoming further indulgences. He reveled in her breasts, burying his face between them and licking the private spot of cleavage reserved just for his attentions. The room smelled of lavender, Emily noted in her dream. The young woman surely fancied the lavender fragrance in her evening bathwater. It was very stimulating and seemed so real to Emily.
The Para-Portage of Emily (Shadow Seduction Series Book 1)
Emily Macque, a young, beautiful junior partner in her father's law firm, is but a heartbeat away from love or destiny. Duty brings Emily to a frozen Island estate two-hundred and fifty miles north of Chicago. Devotion requires she delve into the property history to settle an estate probate. Death lures her into the arms of the shadows seduction created by the flickering light and dark shadows. What flames the timeless passions spanning the decades? Love, desire or obsession? Colin Jorgenson, once a Great Lakes mariner, is a strong man haunted by love and loss. How long will he return each night, gripped by desire, hoping to find the woman he has loved for a century? Beneath the pristine Island beauty, passions hungered, lingered in the ardent darkness. His passions, fueled by decades of loneliness and longing, could no longer be denied. Will they face eternity together or love in secret as dark things are to be loved between the shadows and the soul?
Loved it!
I just finished The Para-Portage of Emily. Quite the page-turner!! I was gifted a free copy by the author and found it to be a cleverly woven plot with descriptive characters you wonât soon forget. Iâm not one to give out spoilers, but if you like paranormal intrigue, hot romance, and mystery, you will love it. Looking forward to more works by Muffy Wilson as Iâm sure they will be just as brilliant.
~ By Love To Read
Fall in Love with the Island and Mariner's Maiden
This is a story to savor. Ms. Wilson's descriptions are poetic and enthralling, placing the reader in the midst of the story, and the relaxed pace of the story does not lessen the power of suspense. Shrouded in mystery, romance, and eroticism, "The Para-Portage of Emily" is a treat for the senses, a haunting indulgence. Despite hints throughout, the ending still surprised me, and though satisfied, I regretted the literary journey's end. Highly recommended. I look forward to more from this promising series.
~ ByJordan Stringfellow
I really enjoyed the Para-Portage of Emily
I really enjoyed the Para-Portage of Emily... a skillfully and imaginatively told tale of love, lost and found. Mysterious twists kept me turning the pages until the end. Love conquers all, AND it was hot!
~ By Barbara A. Lyle
Cross Genre Paranormal Erotic Mystery
Should John Grisham and EL James have a secret love child, she would no doubt pen legal thrillers with a luscious layer of the erotic. They would name their child Muffy Wilson and send her to Stephen King for some pointers in the paranormal.Wilson, in the obliquely titled "The Para-Portage of Emily", interweaves these three diverse genres into a compelling, magic carpet of a novel that takes Emily Macque from Chicago to a bitter island estate two hundred miles north in the frozen sea. Emily is the striking junior partner in her fatherâs law firm, her mission, to settle the probate on an estate, her destiny to fall into the arms of Colin Jorgenson, a seaman haunted by a past love that torments his life.Intelligent, well-written, with fully fleshed out characters and a story with more twists than a spiral staircase, "The Para-Portage of Emily" had me gripped until the very last page.
~ By Chloe
Read more reviews on Amazon here.
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About The Author Muffy Wilson
Muffy, author of erotic, romantic stories about love, sex, hope and passion, was born in San Antonio, Texas, to traditional parents. With two older brothers, she was the youngest, the family "princess," indulged and pampered. She adored her older brothers, following them everywhere and was surrounded by love, stimulation, and pets. Her father was a career Colonel and pilot in the U.S. Air Force which required the family to travel extensively. The family lived in most points between Alaska and France. Muffy spent her formative years in Europe and came of age in France.
Returning from France with her family, Muffy finished high school in Northern California and attended the University of California, Davis, and majored in Business Management. Muffy entered the work force, independent with a fierce work ethic reaching the pinnacle of her success when, at 36, she became the Mid-West Regional Director in the Real Estate and Construction Division for IBM and retired at 39. She and her husband moved to a small Island in northern Wisconsin where they owned a historic tavern, restaurant and resort business which they since have sold. They now live a charmed life by the water in SW Florida. Muffy pretends to be a serious real estate business person but, in real life, indulges her private interest in writing sexy short stories and sensual literotica.
~ Live, Laugh, Love with Passion
Author Muffy Wilson
Website | Blog | Amazon AuthorPage | Readers' Favorite Reviews | BookBub AuthorPage | Twitter | Email | DitterVerse | Facebook | FB Fan Page | YouTube Trailers | Mailing List Sign-Up | Google+ | LinkedIn | Tumblr | Pinterest | Triberr| TSU | Wordpress | Ganxy | XinXii | Kobo Books | iTunes Books | Barnes and Noble | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords | Goodreads | Yellow Silk Dreams Publishing | The Romance Review | Authorgraph | AuthorsInfo | Manic Readers | The Muffy Wilson Daily | Muffy Wilson Literotica | Cheerleaders in Heat News
Jan 2016
~ Consenting Hearts A Very Special Valentine
Mar 2016
~ A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the War A Memoire of Lt.Col. Joe Lyle Jr
Mar 2016
~ Naughty Nights Press Anthology: Alpha Fever Contemporary & Paranormal Romance Boxed Set
May 2016
~ Sequel to The Para-Portage of Emily Book II of the Shadow Seduction Series
July 2016
~ Sequel to Moonbeams of Unintended Consequences Book II of the Ribbons of Moonbeams Series
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In This Edition
Of
"Five For Friday"
Rukia Publishing Featured Author
Muffy Wilson
Purchase This Title At Any Of These Online Retailers
Amazon US All Romance eBooks Yellow Silk Dreams Barnes & Noble Ganxy XinXii Kobo iTunes
Who Is The Mysterious Muffy Wilson?
Although we can't reveal her true identity to you, we can share some insight into her life and her writing.
Muffy, author of erotic, romantic stories about love, sex, hope and passion, was born in San Antonio, Texas, to traditional parents. With two older brothers, she was the youngest, the family "princess," indulged and pampered. She adored her older brothers, following them everywhere and was surrounded by love, stimulation, and pets. Her father was a career Colonel and pilot in the U.S. Air Force which required the family to travel extensively. The family lived in most points between Alaska and France. Muffy spent her formative years in Europe and came of age in France.
Returning from France with her family, Muffy finished high school in Northern California and attended the University of California, Davis, and majored in Business Management. Muffy entered the work force, independent with a fierce work ethic reaching the pinnacle of her success when, at 36, she became the Mid-West Regional Director in the Real Estate and Construction Division for IBM and retired at 39. She and her husband moved to a small Island in northern Wisconsin where they owned a historic tavern, restaurant and resort business which they since have sold. They now live a charmed life by the water in SW Florida. Muffy pretends to be a serious real estate business person but, in real life, indulges her private interest in writing sexy short stories and sensual literotica.
~ Live, Laugh, Love with Passion
We asked Muffy if she would be interested in doing an author interview with us here at Rukia Publishing, and she gave us some exclusive information!
Today we are going to reveal five of her answers from that interview! First, a little about the book we will be talking about.
~The Para-Portage Of Emily~
The Synopsis
Emily Macque, a young, beautiful junior partner in her father’s law firm, is but a heartbeat away from love or destiny. Duty brings Emily to a frozen Island estate two hundred and fifty miles north of Chicago. Devotion requires she delve into the property history to settle an estate probate. Death lures her into the arms of the shadows seduction created by the flickering light and dark shadows.
What flames the timeless passions spanning the decades? Love, desire or obsession?
Colin Jorgenson, once a Great Lakes mariner, is a strong man haunted by love and loss. How long will he return each night, gripped by desire, hoping to find the woman he has loved for a century?
Beneath the pristine Island beauty, passions hungered, lingered in the ardent darkness. His passions, fueled by decades of loneliness and longing, could no longer be denied. Will they face eternity together or love in secret as dark things are to be loved between the shadows and the soul?
Sit back, relax and enjoy this segment of "Five For Friday With Author Muffy Wilson".
Let's Get Started!
Hello Muffy! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this exclusive interview with Rukia Publishing!
Thank you so much for inviting me here today. You know, the longer and more that I do this, it never gets easier to talk about myself. I think writers are inherently private, why I don’t know, because everything we write is revealing in some way. But, I love talking about my books and characters, so I guess, someday, I’ll get used to talking about myself too!
How did you come up with the story, The Para-Portage Of Emily?
I wrote a very short workshop teaser, The Bath, for a group I am in in which the woman bathing dozes and feels hands on her, soothing her tired muscles and becoming more insistent, erotically. She gives herself over to the sensations and then as she drains the tub thinks she sees a face in the water. It was the beginning of a romance that spans a century about a seafaring man that keeps returning to his home to try to find his beloved, Amalya who died in childbirth. He mistakenly thinks that Emily, now in his home, is she. That is how this all started and these two characters literally swept me away.
How did you conduct your research for –_The Para-Portage of Emily?
Humm, I really didn’t. This is another time when much of what I wrote, I lived. The same is true of Moonbeams of Unintended Consequences, although not all, for sure. But, the setting in The Para-Postage of Emily, is on an island between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. For many years, my husband and I lived on an Island in the middle between both of those bodies of water and the ferry had to cross “Death’s Door, so named by the Indians because of the treacherous currents. It is a small 36 square mile island settled by Nordic settlers many generations ago so many of the current residents are related. Small Island, big gossip! Anyway, we lived there for nearly 20 years. That is where this story takes place, in a small part of my heart.
What are 3 of your favorite lines/quotes from The Para-Portage of Emily?
~Will they face eternity together or love in secret as dark things are to be loved between the shadows and the soul?~
~Let me be your future, let me be your love. I will cherish you forever or at least until the final star fades to black amidst Eternity.~
And the last is in the Epilogue spoken by Colin:
~You’ll wake when the sun slices through your window to kiss your cheek so fair,
I’ll be there beside you, as I have year after year after year.
Our love is locked in passion grown old along with us.
Our hearts are woven as one—unbreakable—shored by love and trust.
We have faced each day together, even triumphed before we’ve begun.
The battles we have faced and fought are battles we have done and won.
If we should leave tomorrow, and that tomorrow will surely come,
I’ll take with me your sorrow and embrace you warmed by our morning sun.
And though we were so far apart, by years and tears so cruel
You were always in my heart. I was never meant to miss you.
Come with me, Amalya.~
Tell us about your other books?
Thank you for asking. I have a new book on pre-order now releasing on Valentine’s Day titled Consenting Heart: A Very Special Valentines. Pre-order here. It includes elements of the day I met my husband but the rest is pure sizzling fiction. Then I am contributing to a real scorcher, Alpha Fever: 22 Sizzling Contemporary and Paranormal Romance Stories. M y story is about a good neighbor and The Butterfly Collector. Pre-order here. It has an interesting backdrop of BDSM. I am not proficient in that genre so it is mild, but still an interesting story I thing about releasing ourselves to the care and trust of another and how we blossom as a result of what we learn about ourselves. The protagonist has a club foot, and yes, I once dated a man with a club foot. As with most disabilities, visible or not, it is our own feelings about it that are the most crippling. My last release was a fund raiser I help with for a friend that suffers from Ataxia, a neurological disorder affecting voluntary coordination of muscle movements. I wrote an inspirational piece about when I was raped and how we can overcome anything, with the right help and desire. This Beautiful Escape Order Here All proceeds go to charity and you’ll learn a little more about me and have loads of inspiring stories, poems, quotes and daily reads to perk you up.
I have thirteen or so books/anthologies published now so I can’t talk about each of them, however, I love Moonbeams of Unintended Consequences as one of my favs and also, along with Emily, I am writing a sequel. This is an interracial love story about a famous opera star and a young beautiful designer. And yes, I did ‘know’ a celebrated opera star and the famous San Francisco Whitcomb Hotel does exist. My last release, written with my friend Chrissy Laurence, was in September in the form of Cheerleaders in Heat and that is a real 5 flame eroco-throbber. Fun and funny, but serious, it exposes the underbelly of life in South Miami’s nightlife; there is some violence that alters the course of my heroine’s life.
Your readers will be hearing more about those books in the coming months as we delve deeper into my sordid writing and past. In the meantime, they can check out my books and add them to there Wish List on my Amazon Author Page.
What do you do when you don’t write?
My husband and I used to boat, but we lost interest when gas prices went so high. We had a 28’ Grady White. Beautiful boat. But we could eat lobster every day for what it cost us to go fishing in the Gulf a few times a month! That takes all the fun out of a hobby. I walk a lot as, like Emily, I have a wee Havanese dog of 12 fluffy pounds and I sew. I am also a licensed realtor, although I have been ‘inactive’ for the last year making a heartfelt effort with my writing. Come to think of it, I have done little else but write in the last year!!
to be continued...
There it is, five random questions from our interview with Muffy Wilson! We have her full interview, don't miss it!
Be sure to visit Muffy's Featured Pages on Rukia. You will find her full interview there and so much more!
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Hello Authors!
My name is Tabby Stirling and I am a book-cover designer and author. I’ve been asked to jot down a few ideas about how to make your cover really stand out and look ultra professional. So here goes!
It is true that everyone can design a book cover. But it is also true that not everyone can design a ‘good’ cover? What do I mean by ‘good?’ Well, of course, it is very subjective, but I always try to design a cover that would sit well on a major bookshops shelf. A design where font and graphics work together to demonstrate the themes of the book and something about the author too. Where colour balances with everything and a few risks are taken in the spirit of artistic endeavor.
I don’t believe that you have to have been to Art school to get it right, but an ‘eye’ is very useful and that, much like the ‘voice’ in writing, cannot be taught (in my opinion.)
So how can you design a cover that will be the envy of your friends and appear professional and creative?
Here are a few tips that I’ve discovered during my time as a designer.
FONT
There are a rich variety of free fonts that are accessible to the designer so be bold and don’t just stick to the fonts that come with Word and I have put a couple of links down the bottom to start you off.
However, fonts can make or break a cover and just because you love the swirling, medieval capitals sprawling across the cover of your historical romance – it doesn’t mean they work.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
A good idea is to remember the old adage about women’s fashion. You can show off your legs or cleavage, but never both at the same time after a certain age.
This is also true of design. If you want 1000-volt cover you can achieve this by using graphics that ‘pop’ with a plain font and colours that balance.
Experiment with graphic placing – sometimes a slightly off-centre graphic can distribute menace much better than those Horror Fonts that are great on a 40’s film poster but not much else.
Less is more. Please go with your instincts. Being bold doesn’t mean that you have to have outrageous fonts, colour and graphics simultaneously. Experiment with colour and font. Always back away from something you are not quite sure of, and don’t ever feel that something isn’t quite bright enough without the hot pink graphics (especially if it is a book on chemical engineering.)
COLOUR
Probably the trickiest one to handle, at least for me. I love colour and often find myself cavorting with highly inappropriate pantone colours for long periods of times. It’s good to experiment, this is how we achieve the final result, but don’t let your experiments get the better of you. One of the easiest ways to spot an amateur cover is the colour scheme used (or not.)
Great roaring oceans of colour, spewing like a Finnish volcano is not always a positive thing. Think about how it will be perceived by others. Try to become less self-indulgent about what you like and what you think will sell.
LASTLY
Be prepared to put time and effort into your design. A full book-cover may take me 12 hours just for the initial mock up before it goes back to the client. And then the inevitable to and fro where ideas are discussed and the design begins to come to life. This is one of my favourite bits – being creative with the client.
What I start with is invariable nothing like the final, approved design and it can be frustrating at times. I think it is important to treat the author with great respect because writing a book is no easy thing and their ‘baby’ deserves attention. However, I would not be doing my job if I didn’t gently point out an idea that I don’t think would work. I will always try it if the client insists, because book cover design is a collaboration and a journey. A quite magical thing really.
I hope this has been helpful. Please feel free to email me with any questions – my portfolio can be found at http://tabathadesign.tumblr.com/ but not all my work is there by a long shot.
Good Luck
Tabby
Email: tabathadesigns@gmail.com

I am a member of a group called The Booktrap. A group of authors who support and help each other to promote their work while allowing readers to access to a variety of great books.
Paula Shene is a valued member of this group and she has started a series of blog posts which I think authors of all genre's will find interesting and informative.
Here is the first one, be sure to leave Paula a comment on here and/or on the Booktrap blog. It is really helpful if you share the blog post on Twitter and Facebook to help others access this information.
Thank you Paula for sharing your blog posts with us.
http://thebooktrap.weebly.com/paulas-this-and-that-blog/wtf
WTF?
thebooktrap.weebly.com

Australian author Margaret Lynette Sharp spent her early years in an inner city suburb of Sydney, moving with her family to a leafy, outer suburb at the age of ten. Her enthusiasm for literature led to further studies, with a particular focus on Short Story Writing.
Shortly after the death of her elderly mother whom she cared for, Margaret met and later married Ronald Sharp B.E.M., the creator of the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ. She believes that, without doubt, he is her greatest fan and motivator.Excelling in English himself, Ron has edited her work.
To date, Margaret has ten titles available: 25 Stories of Life and Love in Australia, A Taste of Life and Love in Australia, The Essence of Life and Love in Australia, Reflections of Life and Love in Australia, 60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences, Long and Short Australian Stories, Encore, Amelia's Call, Michaela Betrayed and Lauren Played.
Welcome Margaret and thank you for joining us today.
What inspired the title of 'Love, Desire and Betrayal'?
I was sitting by the river with my husband Ron and some friends. We were all talking about this book and what it was about. The title just popped into my head. Although the narratives are quite different, love, desire and betrayal are key elements in all four stories.
Who is your target audience for this book?
This book is written to appeal to different groups of readers, for different reasons. Lovers of romantic stories, lovers of poetic literature, and lovers of true-to-life fiction make up my target readership.
What is the biggest source of inspiration in your writing life?
A tough question! Through a process that defies description, an idea --a situation--appears in my mind. It quite often happens while I'm swimming…
How much real life goes into fiction writing?
I write stories of truth, as distinct from true stories. Characters and situations need to be authentic.
What are some of your favourite lines/quotes from your new release, ‘Love, Desire and Betrayal?’
"Carried away by a wonderful sense of fate favouring us with every blessing, I felt a resurgence of optimism. Life was wonderful... and love the pinnacle of happiness."
"Together we walked along the golden sands-- holding hands and stealing kisses as our emotions surfaced. Twice we ventured into the waves; splashing, playing around like kids. But our behaviour changed to that of adults in love as we warmed ourselves on the shore."
Do you have a favorite time of day for writing and why?
I write in the afternoon. I like to go out and about in the morning: to exercise body and mind, and hopefully refresh my creative energies.
Who is your biggest source of inspiration in your writing life?
My husband Ron. He is the one who encouraged me to write.
If you wrote your autobiography what would the last line be?
Whatever I believed in, I gave to it my all.
Have you received any reviews yet for your new book?
This review was received on Goodreads.
Love, Desire and Betrayal
by Margaret Lynette Sharp (Goodreads Author), Ronald William Sharp (Editor)
Mark's review
Jun 27, 14
5 of 5 stars
This quartet of character-driven, page-turning romantic novellas by Ms. Sharp is a phenomenal bargain you should seize upon. Three of the four (Michaela Betrayed, Lauren Played and Amelia's Call) have been published previously to considerable acclaim and enthusiastic reviews from prominent bloggers and authors -- and this reviewer as well, so I won't repeat myself, other than just to say that Margaret Sharp writes stirring romance (with completely authentic and believable heroines) in exquisitely poetic, spare, well-crafted prose that makes her work a delight to read. Check out the individual reviews of the included works, but once you've read one, you'll want to read the others (including the particularly riveting one never before published), and you'll save 65% by enjoying all four together in this superlative collection.
2 likes · unlike ∙ flag
Margaret, thank you for answering my questions, and I would like to wish you every success with your new release.
Sarah Jane
To find out more about Margaret and her books you can find her on:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5753963.Margaret_Lynette_Sharp
https://www.facebook.com/MargaretLynetteSharp?ref_bookmark
https://twitter.com/MargaretLynett1
Margaret's books can be found at:
http://www.amazon.com/Desire-Betrayal-Margaret-Lynette-Sharp-ebook/dp/B00L8KOKZM
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00L8KOKZM/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_s1uQtb0M7TC84
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00L8KOKZM/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_s1uQtb0M7TC84
http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00L8KOKZM/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_s1uQtb0M7TC84
All of Margaret's titles are available on Kindle, and most are also published as paperbacks.
More on Rukia Publishing over the coming weeks, but as I pull together the components for the set up I have been reading old posts on my blogs and this caught my eye.
Christmas Eve 2011
In the Saturday Magazine supplement of the Tasmanian Mercury Newspaper, there is a weekly feature detailing ten items from a readers 'bucket list'.
This extract from the feature called 'I would love to' published on Christmas Eve 2011.
Sarah Jane Butfield, 46, relocated to Tasmania after Queensland's floods. Sarah has four children and three step-children. Despite working full-time she is studying for Diplomas in Journalism and Creative Writing.
I would love to -
1. Finish my first novel and have it published.
2. Learn Italian and spend time in Italy experiencing the culture
3. Complete my diplomas
4. Arrange a family dinner with all of our children from the UK & Australia
5. Meet and speak with the Dalai Lama
6. Spend 6 months in Tibet studying Buddhism and meditation
7. Offer my nursing skills as a volunteer in Africa for 6 months
8. To regain a family home
9. Go on a road trip across the US
10. Be a grandmother... in a few years!( this year actually 2014)
The items highlighted in blue I have achieved and I feel very proud of that, only five items to go then I can make a new bucket list!!
I have discovered a few things about myself on this journey to achieve a new direction in my life, and one of the most important is that - 'I can do whatever I put my mind to,' however far out of my comfort zone it may appear to push me. This is inspiring me to step up without fear and say 'I can' instead of 'I'll try' that tiny word 'can' truly does influence your mindset. I have always prided myself on demonstrating a positive attitude to our children in the hope that they would grow into independent, self-assured individuals who would embrace life with all of its imperfections, but enjoy it at the same time. My determination to be successful in my writing career is escalating and I find myself thinking and working on little else, but I love it. I am so grateful for the support of my husband, friends and family who never fail to meet my requests for listening to story ideas, reading interviews, answering questions about issues I am researching, etc.
I believe in dreaming big, working hard to ensure success and having fun. So as we move forward to the next stage of our dreams, goals and ambitions, our daily mantra continues;
'You have to conceive it, and believe it, to ensure you achieve it.'
This remains posted to our dream board as our daily inspiration. As we tick off our achievements the words gain momentum so my advice is ‘Watch this space!!!!’
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