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

December Specials & Upcoming Markets

 Good morning!

Can you believe that it's December already? This year has flown by!

I've just got a few updates today. First, I'll be continuing to discount everything in my online Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner, through the end of the year.

 

 

December Specials:

Autographed Books 25% Off (all titles-- including my new novel, Alternatives)!

Handmade Jewelry 50% Off! 

All Handmade Crafts, Vintage, & Supplies 40% Off!

 

 

 

Upcoming Markets:

 

Coquille Eagle's Holiday Craft Bazaar

Friday, December 3rd-- open 9 am until 5 pm

Saturday, December 4th-- open 9 am until 4 pm

Location: Coquille Community Building, 115 N Birch Street, Coquille, OR 97423

This annual event always draws a large variety of local merchants. There are usually a few non-profit groups as well (including the local human society). Additionally, the Coquille Eagles usually have a booth where they sell fresh baked donuts-- yum!

Pony Village Mall Holiday Craft Faire

Saturday, December 11th from 10 am until 4 pm

Location: Pony Village Mall, 1611 Virginia Avenue, North Bend, OR 97459

This will only be my 2nd time participating in this particular market. Last time there were a variety of vendors-- some selling handmade items and some resale. Please, feel free to check it out!

 

(Shore Acres Light Display)

As you can see, it's a scaled down list for me this year. Unfortunately, the combination of the global pandemic and my personal health issues have taken their toll on be over the past two years. As much as I enjoy participating in local markets (and visiting with members of our community), I've had to reduce the number of markets that I participate in.

As my regular readers know, I'm not the most consistent blogger. So, in case I don't post again before then, I'd like to wish everyone a very happy holiday season and a wonderful new year!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post and for supporting my little crafting and writing business. I really appreciate it!

Happy reading!

~ H. S. Contino

Black Friday Came Early!

 Good morning!

I know that the past two years have been rough on a lot of people (myself included). Going into this holiday season, many of us have a limited budget to purchase gifts for our friends and family. With all of this in mind, I'll be running a series of sales in my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner, from now through the end of the year.

                                                  

For the month of November:

 

Save 30-40% off ALL handmade crafts, vintage, and crafting supplies!

Save 20% off autographed copies of my books! 

Free shipping on orders of $35 or more (US only) 

 

www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner

 

(These sales end on November 30th, 2021, but I'll be creating new ones for December).

 

 Please, feel free to take advantage of these deals and help spread the word!

 

Happy fall everyone!

~ H. S. Contino

2021 Florence Festival of Books

 Good morning!

Mark your calendars! This Saturday is the Florence Festival of Books. I hesitated to write about this before because I was worried that the event would be cancelled due to the current coronavirus surge in Oregon. However, I received an email this morning from the event sponsor and we're still good to go.

As my regular followers are aware, I'm a big fan of the Florence Festival of Books. It's one of the largest annual book festivals on the Oregon coast. The first annual event just happened to be in 2011 which was the year I published my first full length book, Shipwrecks of Coos County (Arcadia Publishing). I had good timing! Because of this I can proudly say that I have had a booth at every Florence Festival of Books.

 

Last year (2020) would have been the 10th annual event but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus. As I mentioned earlier, I was worried that year's event would be cancelled as well-- especially since we're int he middle of a virus surge-- but they're going forward with the event. In order to keep everyone safe, there will be some additional rules and restrictions. For instance, everyone-- both attendees and authors/publishers-- will be required to wear masks. They're also encouraging us to have hand sanitizer available at our booths and the event hosts will be setting up hand sanitizer stations throughout the building.

The Florence Festival of Books is a great venue. Every year it gets a little bit bigger. The majority of the booths are for authors, but there are usually a few publishers as well. One of my favorite parts is the diversity. The event draws a mix of traditional and independent (self) published authors who represent a variety of genres and reading levels. 

My booth at the 2019 Florence Festival of Books.

 

Since I usually attend the events alone, I don't get a lot of time to wander through the booths. But the venue does provide volunteers that are available to watch your booth for short periods of time. I like to take advantage of this opportunity to walk around, say hello to the authors I know, and purchase a few new books for my personal collection. 

 

There's something for everyone! During past events, I've visited with fellow authors that write books for kids through adults, fiction and non-fiction, and a variety of genres. My personal favorites are local history, science-fiction, and I have a soft spot for children's books (I have a healthy inner child!). But, the event draws a variety of other genres as well includes graphic novels, romance, and mystery.

***

The Florence Festival of Books is held at the Florence Events Center which is located at 715 Quince Street in Florence, Oregon. It's a two day event.

On Friday night (September 17th, 2021) they will have a presentation featuring Melody Carlson as the keynote speaker. There will also be an educational panel featuring local authors Bob Welch and Bill Sulllivan.

The actual book fair will be held this Saturday, September 18th from 10 am until 4 pm. Attendance is free, but there will be numerous books available for sale. They also have a small cafe that sells food and drinks.

If you're in the area, please stop by my booth and say hello! If you mention this blog post, I'll give you a 25% discount toward the purchase of any of my autographed books.

I hope to see you there!

~ 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

Liquidation Sale (Save up to 50%!)

 Good afternoon,

I usually try to put a positive spin on my posts, but the truth is that the past year and a half have been incredibly difficult. In addition to my writing and running my home-based crafting business, I usually have a part time job. Book and crafts sales can vary a lot from month to month, so it's good to have a steady source of income. Unfortunately, I lost two jobs last year due to the pandemic.

Once again, I tried to remain optimistic. I used my additional free time to catch up on projects around my house, make new craft inventory, and work on editing the manuscripts of two novels.

Understandably, with everything that has been going on over the past year and a half, people have mostly been spending their money on essentials. And for most people this doesn't include books or handmade crafts. As a result, my sales have nose dived.

 

 

With all of this in mind, I've decided to have a liquidation sale in my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner. From now through August 1st, 2021, all of my crafts and craft supplies are 50% off and autographed copies of my books are 10% off. Free shipping on orders of $35 or more (US only).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's hoping that from now on things start looking up!

As always, thank you for reading and for supporting my creative efforts. I really appreciate it!

~ H. S. Contino

Win an Autographed Copy of "Alternatives" by H. S. Contino!

 Good morning!

I hope that everyone had a great weekend. On a personal note, I celebrated my birthday on Saturday. Being an introvert and a science nerd, I celebrated by first watching a webinar hosted by The Planetary Society (https://www.planetary.org) on near Earth objects (NEO's) then going geocaching with a friend. We ended the day by getting dinner and just sitting and chatting for a while. And, of course, there was dessert! These may not sound like exciting plans to my extroverted readers, but-- for me-- they were perfect. :)

 

Just a short post today. I've decided to have a book give away for my latest novel, Alternatives (available for sale through Amazon). In the past, I've hosted a few book giveaways through GoodReads. Unfortunately, they have since started charging authors. So, I'll be doing this the "old school" way. To enter to win, simply comment on this blog post or send me an email. I'll print out all of the names on slips of paper, put them in a bowl, then choose a random winner.

Pros and cons-- the book giveaway would receive more attention and participants through the GoodReads webpage. And, of course, the purpose of the giveaway is to draw attention to my new book. But, since my blog gets a lot less traffic, your odds of winning will be much higher. Silver linings!

 ***

Book Giveaway Details:

I'll be giving away 1 print copy of my novel, Alternatives. I will sign the book before shipping it. Both the book and shipping will be free. So, there is no cost to participate. 

Readers have from June 29th through July 31st, 2021 to enter the contest. To enter, either comment on this blog post or send me an email (H.S.Contino@hotmail.com).

Winner will be chosen randomly. I'll contact the winner the first week of August. I'll send them a link to a "custom order"/reserved listing on my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner, so they can provide their mailing address.

The book will be completely free, but I would appreciate a book review (through Amazon or GoodReads). However, this is not a requirement.

***

 

About the book:

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 alternative realities. Dom realizes that he needs to make changes-- both personal and professional.

Life on Earth hangs in the balance...

 

***

Have a great week everyone!

~ H. S. Contino

 

Today's "Fluff Piece"

Good morning!

Since all of my recent posts have been serious, I decided that it was time to write about something light-hearted. A "fluff piece" if you would...

 "The name is Fluff... Sir Fluff."

 

Sir Fluff is my four year old house cat-- although he would disagree with that description. While I'm typing this, he's outside exploring my yard-- after he snuck out this morning and refused to come back in (and he's faster than me!).

 

He earned his name because he's the first long haired cat that I've ever had. My niece and nephew picked him out for me from a litter of kittens that our local humane society was adopting. He's since grown into his fur, but as a kitten he looked like a grey fluff ball:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Fluff is a conundrum. On one hand, he's a sweet, affectionate cat. He loves snuggles, curling up in my lap when I'm reading, and he even gives hugs! On the other hand, he's incredibly mischievous! Sometimes it's cute-- like when he hops onto my back when I'm doing yoga or when he hops onto my shoulder to "help" me with manuscript edits:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other times, Sir Fluff makes me grr! For instance, when he decided that the wallpaper trim I installed in the attic made a great scratching post (despite the fact that there are actual scratching posts in nearly every room of our house!). I've also had to use rubber bands to the door handles of every cabinet in the kitchen in order to keep him out. There's nothing worse than retrieving a plate only to discover that your long hair cat has been using it as a bed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, overall, Sir Fluff is a great cat and he certainly keeps us all entertained! For instance, he sleeps in the strangest positions-- often with a leg or two sticking out straight:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Fluff also hero-worships his big sister, Loki the Labrador. He loves following her around and copying her:

 

 

 

 I hope this fluff piece made you smile. 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

 

Out & About: Circles in the Sand

 Good morning!

Welcome to the first entry in my new series, “Out & About.” Today we’ll be talking about “Circles in the Sand.” This is a local event that people can check out every summer– and it’s a lot of fun.

 

 

“Circles in the Sand” was created in 2011 by local artist, Denny Dyke. He draws elaborate labyrinths in the sand on the beach near Bandon, Oregon. The designs are both beautiful and interactive. The artist creates paths for people to walk through his designs. He also includes a place for people to sign their names in the sand. 

 

 

As Denny Dyke states on his webpage: “The intention of Circles in the Sand is to share love, joy and kindness.  Team Circles will be creating a sandy path surrounded by intricate designs and artwork for everyone to enjoy a walk on the sand path.” (Circles in the Sand)

 

Since the drawings are made in the sand, they’re temporary. Most drawings take around 2 hours to complete then visitors have 2-3 hours to visit and enjoy them before the tide comes in and washes it all away.

The drawings are completed on the beach below the Face Rock Viewpoint, so visitors can get an aerial view of the entire labyrinths before walking down the wooden steps to the beach to get an up-close view.

Each drawing has a central theme. For example, when my family visited recently, it was “You are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.” Appropriately, there were suns, stars, and moons incorporated into the design.

 

Since it’s clear that a LOT of work goes into each drawing, I thought it would be good to credit the entire team behind the “Circles in the Sand” (from their webpage):

• Denny Dyke, Labyrinth artist and founder
• Christine Moehring, Sand artist
• Bethe Patrick, Sand artist
• James Ferreira, Labyrinth artist
• Jacquie Ferreira, Shell/Sand artist

 

 

After walking through the labyrinth, it’s fun to check out the local tide pools which are always overflowing with local marine life. On this particular trip, I was with my nieces and nephew. It was fun showing the different animals to them– especially the well disguised little crabs and pointing out the sea stars (starfish) that were in the middle of consuming shellfish.

 

I’m looking forward to sharing my future summer adventures (away from my computer and keyboard) with you! Until then, happy reading everyone!

~ H. S. Contino