UPDATE: Within hours of posting this, my designer and I FINALLY made contact! The cover is on its way :)
There are times that, even when you know better--even when there's absolutely no excuse--you bungle things up. Big time.
No one is the exception to this rule. Especially me. And my time is now.
I've spent half my working life in the publishing industry. I get it. I know how it works, what needs to be done, and what timelines need to be met. I know about marketing and all that stuff, too. I know how to release a book right. And because I know all this, I can say with authority that I am doing everything wrong with the release of UnPleasant Grove.
This book is turning out to be a bit of a problem child. First off, it's WAY delayed because Rhea didn't like the first version I wrote and made me sit in a muse-less corner for months until I figured out where I did her wrong. Then, I get everything ready and I have this issue of the cover.
*sigh*
Fyi, I've been stalking my cover designer with zero response. We're talking phone, email, Facebook, IM, text, you name it. For over a month.
No response.
Well, one response this year saying that they would email the cover within a day or so. That was over a week ago, with no cover and no response since.
So what this means is that come Tuesday Book 5 will be available as a e-book, but the physical book will come along when it comes along. For those of you waiting for the actual book, I'm totally sorry. Had I hired someone else, I would have revealed a GLORIOUS cover to your view last year--a cover that would have you panting to crack the book open and see what happens inside.
As it is, for now you're going to have to go on faith that there really is a gem beneath my no-cover book. And I really do hope you like it--paper bag cover and all...
I have a friend who has spent hour after hour talking books and writing with me. She has grown very accustomed to me referring to my characters as muses who come to visit sometimes and the resulting mental journeys--and she does it without ever looking at me like I'm insane.
She sent me the link to this video, and now I share it with you. For the record, I'm in absolute agreement with Elizabeth on this subject. I've tried to explain my process countless times, but she does it so much better.
So if you want to know how I think the creative process works, I'm in agreement with the Greeks.
