Feedback, please: Cover Options-- Round 2

Good morning!

First, I'd like to thank everyone that responded to my blog post earlier this week (through any of my social media accounts) to provide feedback on the cover options for my new novel. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to look through the options and provide constructive feedback. Thank you!!

The following is the vote tally:

Option #1: 5

Option #2: 2

Option #3: 2

Option #4: 6

Option #5: 2

Option #6: 2

As you can see, #1 and #4 were the favorites. But, in both cases, I received suggestions for improving them. 

For example, one reader suggested trying different font colors for option #1. Originally, the title was yellow/gold. I sent her 3 more options: black, pale blue, and purple. We agreed that purple was the best choice. What do you think?

Option #1-- Font Color Choices:

 

 

With Option #4, several people suggested that I recreate the image using the broken mirror. I created this cover last year-- before I brave enough to sacrifice the mirror in the pursuit of art. (It's such a pretty mirror that I hesitated to break it!). Oh-- and before I could recreate the photograph, I had to reassemble the broken mirror. LOL

Since some time had passed, I wasn't able to position the objects in the photo exactly the same as before but I tried. I used 2 slightly different photos.

Oh! I also decided to play with different fonts. At the moment, these two are my favorites.

Cover Option #4-- With and Without Broken Mirror

            

What do you think?

And, me being me, I did some more playing around with both the cover options I shared earlier this week plus a few more. I also added "a novel by" to each of the cover options. So, in addition to #1 and #4 above, there are the following options:

 

Cover Option #2: I added "a novel by"

 

Cover Option #3: I adjusted the author name so it's at the same angle as the book title and added "a novel by"

New Options:

Cover Option #7: Just playing with different photograph and background choices. This one also has a wider feathering effect on the edge.

 

Cover Option #8: For this one, I went with a simpler approach. There's a plain white background and no feathering effect on the edge of the photograph.

 

And, last but not least--

Cover Option #9: This one uses the same photograph as #7, but a different filter. I also used different fonts and colors. The photograph is also smaller, so the emphasis is on the text.

 

 

So, what do you think?  I know it's a lot of options... but, it's good to have choices, right? 

Thanks again for all of your help. I really appreciate it. 

Now to get back to editing the manuscript that goes with these cover choices...

~ H. S. Contino

Feedback, please-- Cover Options

Good afternoon,

I apologize for not posting any new blog posts lately. I've been busy with projects-- including editing my latest novel, "The Other Mae." I'm making progress, and I plan to self-publish it later this year. But, I'm not feeling confident enough to set a release date yet.

I'm currently between drafts, so I thought I'd spend a few days working on the book cover design. I shared a few options last year, but I didn't love any of them. So I've been playing with additional designs, fonts, font colors, and background images.

The following are my current favorites. What do you think? I'd love some feedback!

 

Option #1: I love the swirling font on this one, but I'm worried that it might be too hard to read. 

 

Cover Option #2: I played with placing the title text on top of the mirror in this one. I might adjust the font size and spacing some more. 

 

Cover Option #3: For this one, I played with placing the title of the book on top of the journal (which plays a role in the story). I also zoomed in on the background image, so you can't see the other items as clearly. I was hoping that added some mystery. Each item is relevant to the story.

 

Cover Option #4: This one is from the batch of covers I made last year. I used a feathering effect on the photo edges to make it look a little bit like a watercolor. Overall, I think this cover looks elegant and fits well into the women's literature genre. 

 

Cover Option #5: This one is similar to some of the other options. I used a feathering effect on the image, but this time I didn't zoom in. Instead, I framed the text around the image. 

 

The last cover option (#6) is more experimental, and I'm not sure what I think of it. I was playing with the mirror and distorted images. What do you think?

 

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I really appreciate it!

~ H. S. Contino

Fan Mail Friday!

Good morning!

Can you believe that we're approaching the end of 2021? Time sure does fly by!

For this month's Fan Mail Friday, I'm sharing another older review. This one is for a collection of pet and animal stories that I published back in 2013. I self-published the book so I could easily donate a portion of the sales to a local animal shelter. I initially chose Pacific Cove Humane Society because they were fund raising to build a new local shelter. Eventually, the organization re-reviewed their priorities after realizing that there was no longer a need to build a second shelter. Since then, I've been making donations to the Coos County Animal Shelter.

"Paw Prints" was a lot of fun to write! It's a bit of a memoir since it includes numerous stories about myself, my childhood, and the pets that I've had over the years. I also invited a few friends to contribute stories to the collection-- including my mother and sister-in-law.

 

The best part? The photo on the cover is Loki, my black Labrador Retriever. She's a puppy in the photograph, but she'll be 10 in February 2022. Like I said earlier, time flies by!

 

 

I hope you all have a great weekend! 

~ H. S. Contino

Fan Mail Friday!

Good morning!

It's Friday, so you know what that means:

Have a great weekend!

~ H. S. Contino

www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner

It's Fan Mail Friday!

 Good morning!

It's nearly Halloween. Have you chosen your costume(s)? Feel free to share in the comments section!

For this month's Fan Mail Friday, I'm sharing an older review of one of my books. "Shorts" is a collection of short fiction (short stories and poetry) that I published back in 2013. It's a diverse mix of stories and genres. Appropriately, the review mentions one of my Halloween themed stories.

 

Have a sugar filled weekend!

 

~ H. S. Contino

It's Fan Mail Friday!

TGIF, everyone!

I just wanted to share the following:

 

 

I love that they posed the lizard so she's holding a pencil! Tanks so much for your positive feedback! :)

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

~ H. S. Contino

www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner

Introducing Fan Mail Fridays!

 Good morning!

You've heard of "Meatless Mondays" and "Throwback Thursdays." Today I'm introducing a new one: Fan Mail Fridays. Once a month or so, I'll share a positive review of my books or handmade crafts from either Etsy or Good Reads.

As my fellow writers, artists, and other creative types know, it's easy to get discouraged. Most people don't pursue artistic pursuits to get rich. We do it because we love it. Creating art-- whether it's writing books, painting, crafting, making music, etc-- is hard work. Most people only ever see the finished result, but those of us that create know how much hard work goes into creating our art. 

We also know about all of the failures. The projects that simply didn't work out. The ideas that were better in concept than reality. And we're familiar with the sad reality that sometimes we aren't at the skill level that we need to do a project justice. To be fair, we get a little better with every project and every time we practice... but, we're only human.

With all of this in mind, it can be really nice to receive positive feedback. And it's worth occasionally going back and re-reading our fan mail.

To get this new series started, I'll be sharing one of my most recent pieces of fan mail. It's a positive review that I received for my most recently published book, "Alternatives." The novel was a "labor of love" as the expression goes. Working on it helped get me through the 2020-- which, as we all know, was an incredibly challenging year! Overall, I spent 2 full years working on the novel. Since I was working with a shoestring budget, I did everything from coming up with the idea, writing the story, editing and formatting the manuscript, and designing the cover. It's not perfect, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm so relieved that my readers enjoyed the book too!

 

 

Thank you, Earnie and Ellie Efforts, for your positive feedback. I'm so glad that you enjoyed reading my book!

 

~ H. S. Contino

Let's Connect!

 Good afternoon!

I hope that everyone is enjoying their last few weeks of summer. The weather here on the Oregon coast has been gorgeous! Loki and I have been enjoying lots of long walks! We're so blessed to live in an area with an abundance of natural beauty to enjoy!

 

Just a quick post today. Someone recently mentioned that they had trouble finding one of my social media accounts. So, I thought I'd make it easy for everyone and list them all here. I use most of the popular social media platforms, but I spend the most time on Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to visit my social media pages, follow me, or send me a message. I love hearing from readers and befriending fellow authors/artists/creative types!

 

Facebook:

Author, H. S. Contino https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHSContino/

Reprieve's Corner https://www.facebook.com/ReprievesCorner

Twitter:

@HSContino  https://twitter.com/hscontino?lang=en

 

Pinterest:

User name: Reprieve's Corner

https://www.pinterest.com/ReprievesCorner/_saved/

 

LinkedIn:

H. S. Contino, Writer & Small Business Owner at Reprieve’s Corner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/h-s-contino-0ba72929/

 

Instagram:

User name:  hscontino  

https://www.instagram.com/hscontino/

 

Tumblr:

User name: hscontino

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/hscontino

 

Blogs:

Blogger https://hscontino.blogspot.com/

WordPress https://hscontino.wordpress.com/

 

HubPages:

User name: HS Contino (Reprieve26)

https://hubpages.com/@reprieve26

 

Amazon Author Central:

User name: H. S. Contino

 https://author.amazon.com/home

 

GoodReads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6916217.H_S_Contino

As you can see, I've signed up with numerous platforms over the years. I know that everyone has different preferences and favorites when it comes to social media, so my approach has been to create accounts where people can find me (and by extension, my work).

Have a great week everyone!

~ H. S. Contino

Book Title Announcement: "The Other Mae"

 Good afternoon!

Thank you all for your comments and feedback on my recent post, "A Rose by Any Other Name." After giving it a lot of thought and considering dozens of options, I settled on a new name for my most recent novel: "The Other Mae." (I'm still working on the cover art).

I like this title for several reasons. The story is about a woman finding herself after a traumatic attack that leaves her with amnesia. The main character's full name is Ellie-Mae, but she shortened it to Mae as an adult. I like how the new title plays on the word "me." The novel chronicles Mae's journey of self discovery as she slowly heals both physically and psychologically from the attack. It's the story of Mae finding herself. 

* Spoiler Alert *

At one point in the story, Ellie-Mae comes across some of her old journals. As she reads them, she gains insight into her life before the attack; but, she often compares herself to the person she was before the attack-- in other words, "The Other Mae."

Phew! I really like the new title, and I'm so relieved to have finally solved this problem. I wrote the initial rough draft of the novel back in the fall of 2019. I gave it the working title "This Forgotten Life," but I was never happy with it.

 

I'd also like to acknowledge my friend and fellow writer for her help. She uses the pen name "Tatiana Foxx," and she writes erotic romance. Thank you, Tatiana, for helping me brainstorm title ideas and providing feedback. I really appreciate your help!

Feel free to check out Tatiana Foxx's webpage and sign up for updates. She's currently working on her first novel, "Not My Alpha."

Tatiana Foxx Romance

 

Happy reading (and writing) everyone!

~ H. S. Contino

And the winner is...

 Good afternoon!

Just a quick follow-up post today. Thank you to everyone that participated in the recent giveaway for my new novel, "Alternatives." The deadline to enter was Saturday, July 31st, 2021. So, on Sunday morning, I wrote down all of the names and randomly drew one.

 

Drum roll, please! And the winner is... Doc!

 

Small world, Doc also happens to be one of my neighbors. (Since two of my books are about local history, it's not really surprising that the majority of my fans live on the Oregon coast). Yesterday afternoon, I signed a copy of the book (along with a personalized message) and walked it down the street to deliver it. How's that for personalized customer service? 😉

Doc, I hope you enjoy reading the book!

Happy reading (and writing) everyone!

~ H. S. Contino 📚

"A Rose by Any Other Name..."

 Good morning,

As Shakespeare famously said "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." For today's post, I would like to get our little community involved in my current writing project. In particular, I could use some help coming up with a better title for the novel.

The working title for this project is "This Forgotten Life." I wrote the initial draft immediately after I completed the rough draft of what eventually became "Alternatives." but the novels are very different. There are a few common themes including families and overcoming past hurts, but the novels are very different. "Alternatives" is a soft science-fiction story with a strong romantic story line."This Forgotten Life" is a little harder to classify. It's more mainstream fiction with a strong dramatic flare. It could also be described as "Women's Lit" since a big part of the story is about the main character trying to find herself after a traumatic event.

"This Forgotten Life" is an accurate title for the novel, and I have been experimenting with some cover options using this title. The following are a few of my favorites so far:

The current title could work for the book, but... it's kind-of a boring name. I'd like something with more oomph! For example, I'd love to work the word "shattered" into the title. The word accurately describes what happens to main the character in the 1st scene in the book. A single event destroys everything, and she's left to pick up the pieces. And the image of a broken mirror or shattered glass on the cover would be powerful and carries a lot of emotional weight.

 I also love the concept of Kintsugi, which, according to Wikipedia, "is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum..." It also involves accepting (and embracing) imperfections.

Kintsugi provides the perfect metaphor for what the main character experiences throughout the course of the book. In the beginning, she's shattered and broken, but with work she slowly puts the pieces back together again. She becomes a better person through her journey of self-discovery. Unfortunately, there is no English translation/equivalent. And I'm worried that if i tried to use the Japanese term then I'll be constantly having to explain it to people. It's a great concept, but as the title of a novel it may be too abstract.

The problem is that every time I come up with a more exciting title, I discover that it's already in use by another author (through a title search on Amazon or GoodReads). While technically, I could still use those titles, I would prefer to come up with something unique.

That's where all of you come in. Suggestions, please! Feel free to leave a comment on this blog post or send me an email.

 

I'm still working on the back cover text for the book, the following should give you a general idea about what the book is about:

In an instant, her life changed forever...

Thirty-seven year old, Ellie-Mae Rossi was happily married with three children and another on the way when, in an instant, her life was changed forever. Waking up in the hospital, the doctors realize that she's lost twenty years of memories.

Reverting to her 17-year-old self, Ellie-Mae is forced to confront the hopes for her future that never realized and past betrayals that had long been forgotten.

With her sense of self shattered, Ellie Mae struggles to put the pieces of her life back together.

 

 Possible titles:

This Forgotten Life (working title)

Finding Ellie-Mae

Finding Kintsugi (to abstract?)

Shattered Sense of Self (too much alliteration??)

Your suggestion here!

 

Themes: journey of self discovery, picking up the pieces, healing, overcoming challenging, betrayal, broken dreams, disillusionment, past hurts, overcoming amnesia/memory loss, rebuilding relationships, forgiveness

So, what do you think? All feedback welcome!

Okay, I better get back to work. I'm currently working on the 3rd draft of the novel. It's been slow going, but I'm slowly making progress. More updates soon!

Happy reading (and writing) everyone!

 

~ H. S. Contino 📚

It’s Camp NaNoWriMo!

Good morning!

As my regular followers know, I’m a huge fan of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and I’ve written about it in the past. For those that are unfamiliar, NaNoWriMo is basically a huge online writing community. They’re run by a non-profit organization and their basic mission is to encourage people to write.

November is the official National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Every year, tons of people from around the world sign up to participate. The goal is to write a full length novel with a minimum of 50,000 words within the month of November.

“30 days and 30 nights of literary abandon!”

The best part is the online community. There are forums, pep talks (often from well known and successful authors), and other online resources. You can also join writing groups and add writing buddies. All of the above comes together to create a supportive community for writers— where we all do our part to help and encourage each other.

Like I said earlier, I love NaNoWriMo!

The November big event was so popular that they eventually created Camp NaNoWriMo which is held in April and July.

The great part about the Camp NaNoWriMo events is that they’re much more laid back and the writing goals are flexible. You can also choose to work on any writing project and choose your word goal. I usually use the camps to work on editing existing rough drafts. Having the NaNoWriMo community support is incredibly motivating!

This month, I’ll (once again) be working on editing the rough draft of “This Forgotten Life.” You may recall that I worked on the same project during April’s Camp NaNoWriMo too. In fact, I’ve been working on the manuscript— off and on— for the past six months. I’ve been making progress— at a snail’s pace.  I’m hoping that Camp NaNoWriMo will help motivate me to get more work done.

 

 For my fellow writers (and those that dream of becoming a writer), feel free to look me up on the Camp NaNoWriMo webpage and add me as a writing buddy. My nickname is “Reprieve26” (the combination of my favorite word and number).

NaNoWriMo.org (http://nanowrimo.org)

Have a great week!

H. S. Contino

E-mail Notifications

Hi!

Just a few technology related updates...

I currently maintain two official author blogs-- one on Blogger (https://hscontino.blogspot.com/) and one on WordPress (https://hscontino.wordpress.com/)-- so readers can choose their preferred platform. Although I initially created the blogs to promote my writing career (updates on my writing, books in progress, book festivals, and author talks), I also like to post about other topics that are important to me. The basic theme of my blogs are creativity and creative outlets. But, I also write about current events, fun things to do, and some of my other hobbies (including crafting, drawing, geocaching, and amateur astronomy).

I recently learned that Blogger is disabling their subscribe by email feature. Despite my best intentions, I'm not very good at keeping up with a regular blogging schedule. As a result, the email feature was helpful for letting people know when there was a new post available for them to read.

So, I've been exploring other options. I recently created a Mailchimp account: https://mailchi.mp/[xxxxxx]/please-subscribe-to-my-author-blog

If you'd like to continue to receive email notifications when I publish a new blog post, please subscribe through this email message. Or, you can subscribe to my WordPress blog. (As far as I know, they're planning on keeping that feature).

As always, thanks so much for supporting my writing or visiting my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner (www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner). I really appreciate your support! Without you, I wouldn't be able to pursue my passions-- which all involve some sort of creative outlet! :)

Have a great evening!

~ H. S. Contino, author-in-training

Welcome to the world, baby book!

Good afternoon!

 

A little while ago, the postman delivered the box that I had been waiting for... After two years of hard work, my novel "Alternatives" is finally here!

 

 

I have a box of signed copies ready to enter the world. If you're interested, they're available in both print and e-book (Kindle) editions. I've included the links at the bottom of this post.

 

 

 ***

Book Blurb:

Sci-fi meets romance in this quirky read!

Theoretically, there exists a parallel version of reality for every possible outcome of our life choices. What if you were given a glimpse into your alternative lives? What version of yourself would you see? How would it influence your future decisions?

Francis Marino's quiet life on the Oregon coast was interrupted when two military officers arrived on her doorstep with a bizarre story and urged her to come with them. Thus began an unexpected adventure that forced her to leave her comfort zone and confront many of her beliefs about the world we live in.

As the commander of a highly classified military facility, Colonel Dominic Davis was dedicated to his job. But, after being exposed to an alien device, he is given visions of two alternative realities. Dom realizes that he needs to make changes-- both personal and professional.

Life on Earth hangs in the balance...

 

***

 If you're interested in purchasing a signed copy, they're available through my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/ReprievesCorner/listing/1037439983/alternatives-by-h-s-contino-autographed?utm_source=Copy&utm_medium=ListingManager&utm_campaign=Share&utm_term=so.lmsm&share_time=1623890586887

If you'd prefer an e-book copy, they're available in a Kindle format through Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TP1KTCQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

 

 

Thanks everyone! As always, I appreciate your support. Without readers, I'd have no one to share my books with!

~ H. S. Contino

 

New Blog Series: Out & About

Good morning!

Inspired by the gorgeous weather we’ve been having, I’ve decided to start a periodic blog series called “Out & About.” As the name implies, the posts will discuss my adventures away from my computer and keyboard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Living on the Oregon coast, we are blessed with an abundance of natural beauty. There are tons of outdoor activities to choose from– walking/hiking, camping, kayaking, beach combing, geocaching, swimming (just not in the ocean– brr!), … Just to name a few!

There are also quite a few annual local events and celebrations including North Bend’s July Jubilee (which celebrates the city’s birthday), Coquille’s Gay 90’s, Lakeside’s Crawdad Festival, and Coos Bay has several including the Fun Festival and Blackberry Arts Festival.

Coos County is also proud to be the home of Shore Acres State Park. The land was once owned by Louis Simpson, the father of North Bend. The mansion is long gone, but the gardens and caretaker cottage are still there. People come from all over every summer to view the gardens (my particular favorite is the wide variety of roses). And then, every winter, volunteers decorate the entire garden with lights. Some of them are even animated! Once again, lots of people travel to the coast to view the light display– which gets a little bit bigger every year (my favorite is a small display of forest animals including a porcupine– my spirit animal!).

 

 

And a list of things to do on the Oregon coast wouldn’t be complete without mentioning our excellent museums, visitor centers, historical markers, and memorials.

I love the Oregon coast. Can you tell?

I plan on writing an “Out & About” once a month or so. I’ll include photos and information on how to check out the places yourself (if you’re in the area).

So, stay tuned…

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

 

~ H. S. Contino

 

 

E-mail Newsletter Idea

 Good morning!

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful June day wherever you are in the world. Personally, I love summers on the Oregon coast. We usually have several months of mostly sunny weather, but it never gets too hot. The coastal "breeze" (an inside joke since it's usually more like gusts that can knock you on your butt is you're not paying attention) keeps us comfortable.

 

Just a short post today. I recently received a bit of writing advice, and I wanted to run it by my blog followers. So, here's your chance to share your opinion. :) I have a question for everyone:

 

Would you be interested in signing up for a periodic e-mail newsletter?  

 

If I decide to go forward with this idea then I'd probably write the e-mail newsletters 2-3 times per year with updates on my writing-- projects I'm working on, upcoming author talks and markets or festivals I'll be attending, etc. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this idea in the comments below or send me a private email.

Okay, feel free to return to enjoying this gorgeous summer day!

As always, thank you for reading!

 

~ H. S. Contino, author

"Alternatives" Pre-Orders!

The view from my computer desk.

Good morning! It’s shaping up to be a gorgeous day here on the Oregon coast.

Once again, I’ve been neglecting this blog, but I had a good excuse. I received the proof copy of my novel “Alternatives” in January and I’ve spent the months since then painstakingly working my way through edits and revisions. I’ve also been corresponding with my beta-readers to apply their recommended changes to the manuscript.

The good news is that I’m almost ready to release the final edition of the novel into the world. Phew! I’ve been working on this project consistently for nearly two years, so getting so close to the finish line feels like a huge accomplishment.

They always advise writers to “write the story that you want to read”— and that’s exactly what I did. As one of my beta readers told me, this “book is so you”! The novel is soft sci-fi (science fiction without a lot of hard science or “techno-babble”). There’s also a strong romantic story line. Being a “me” book there are quirky characters and lots of pets. I also intentionally incorporated several references to the Oregon coast, sci-fi TV shows and movies, and pop culture. And an acoustic guitar makes a cameo! It’s basically a mash-up of most of my favorite things

Brand new proof copy...

 

Just a few changes...

Proof copy several months and many edits later...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that I’m getting close to the finish line, I’ve created a list of people that would like to pre-order a copy. This will also help me figure out how many copies to order from my publisher. Please message me if you’re interested in purchasing a copy. (Details: paperback, 400 pages; signed by the author; $15 per copy plus shipping).

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the support!

~ H. S. Contino

PS– Due to the pandemic, I’ll be mailing out the signed copies of my book. I’ll have them available for sale through my Etsy shop, Reprieve’s Corner. Eventually, I’ll be returning to selling books in person at local craft fairs, farmers markets, and book fairs. I’ll also be lining up some book talks– eventually. But, for now, the case numbers in this area are still to high for me to feel safe hosting an indoor event.