book cover design

This is it! The Cover for My New Book: Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift

Posted by Barbara Techel

This is it! The Cover for My New Book: Wisdom Found in the Pause - Joie's Gift

I want to say a very special thank you to all who either sent me a personal note via email, left a comment on the blog post about voting, or left a comment and/or voted on my Facebook page last week. There were close to 400 of you who shared your thoughts!

While I must admit I was leaning a wee bit more toward the cover above, I was still torn. Reaching out to you for your feedback, I took into consideration the many helpful suggestions and thoughts. I took them back to Caryn, my book cover designer, of Lantern Glow Design.  She was able to lighten the background, make Joie pop a bit more, and make the reflection a bit clearer in the water. I’m very happy with the final result!

What I love about this choice is how warm and inviting it is. While I loved the image of the sky in the background also, I felt that didn’t convey the same warmth I was shooting for. But the GOOD NEWS is that the sky photo fits perfectly for the inside of the book!  It just so happens that this book is divided into two sections and the sky photo will introduce Part Two:

Part One is titled “Joie” and it’s about how Joie came into my life, how we worked through her physical challenges, developed a deeper bond, and the exciting time we had when we were on the set of the film The Surface where as you may recall she plays a small part in the movie.

Part Two is titled “The Pause.” After Joie passed away in August of 2013, I took a two month sabbatical. It’s during that time of reflection and learning to just be that I was able to accept letting go of a chapter in my life that my identity had been so closely tied to, and how I learned to accept and see the many blessings that being in transition is all about. I discovered much wisdom in slowing down and taking time to listen to my heart, hence the title: Wisdom Found in the Pause.

I’m still shooting for a fall 2016 release though don’t have a specific date yet. The formatting of the book is going well, which I’ve undertaken myself this time around. Oh how I love all the resources we now have available for independent publishers!

So please do stay tuned…. and thank you again so very much for all your suggestions and comments. Please know that I truly appreciated each and every one of them!

You are all the best!!

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

Choosing the Cover for My Book. It Wasn’t Easy, but in the End… It Really Was.

Posted by Barbara Techel

I was struck with the disease “analysis paralysis” since the middle of May when I was giving serious thought to a cover for my book.  I did much research and came to find many different points of view from others.  Some of you may also remember I took a poll on Facebook and my blog quite awhile back asking my followers and readers to “vote” between two photos I was considering- one of which is the one I ultimately chose, and the other was a shot of just Frankie herself.  Close to 400 of you chose the cover that I finally decided on.

But to be honest, for awhile I almost wanted to chuck it all and say, forget it. I was frozen in trying to make a decision because I didn’t want to make the wrong choice. And here is why:

As I was making great progress with my book two things happened.  First, I had the opportunity to ask an expert in the field of independent publishing his thoughts about using the photo for the cover. He told me he didn’t feel it was the right choice and said, “Even as attractive as the author is in the picture.”  I asked him if he was willing to work with me in designing a cover, but his schedule was full. But he referred me to two other cover designers. One never got back to me, but the other book cover expert did.  I shared with her the photo and said the other expert didn’t feel I should use it and I asked for her thoughts.  She didn’t entirely agree with expert one.  hmmmmm, I thought.  But I didn’t end up hiring her because she didn’t fit my budget.

Then as you all know, Frankie passed away. That put everything on hold as I moved through the grieving process. I really had no energy to put into my book and felt it important to honor the time I needed to grieve.  I’m grateful I did just that.

Later in the summer I was ready to proceed again.  I came up with a plan C which was to have a local photographer take a new photo of me, facing the camera, and have her photoshop the “new me”  in place next to Frankie of the existing photo I wanted to use. The last expert I had talked to said she thought my existing photo was good, but could I get a new shot of more of my face showing? So that was the reason for me doing this new shoot.  When I mentioned this to my marketing mentor she just wasn’t sure about the photoshop idea.  So she came up with plan D for me. Use the same photo but have a new head shot done of me designed into a oval and placed on the cover along with existing photo.  I was excited to have two options and move forward.

The morning of the photo shoot I was driving to the photographers studio and something didn’t feel right to me.  I then heard a voice in my head and heart that said, “Don’t do the photoshop idea (plan C).” I actually felt kind of sick to my stomach thinking about it.  I shared my concerns with the photographer and she said, “What is your gut telling you?” I said, “Not to do it.” So I scrapped plan C and hoped plan D would work.  I also realized that having a new me photo shopped into the current photo went so against what my book is about.  It was not authentic and I couldn’t bear the thought of doing something that felt “in-authentic.”

Well to get to the final results, I ended up hiring book cover designer, Derek Murphy of Creative Indie. I researched him months before and he fit my budget.  I gave him all the feedback I had gotten, plus the rough layout of plan D. I shared with him my concerns about the original photo and he helped to make the photo even better by cropping it so it didn’t look like I was missing my right arm, which bothered me.  Also with cropping it closer it shows more of my face which I feel better about.   I had about eight other cover designs he did for me. But after giving it all very serious thought, the poll I had done, as well as the research, I felt confident with my choice.  And honestly the bottom line for me was listening to my heart and following that. I also realized there are always, always going to be differing opinions… even among experts!

It was actually a huge relief to me to have finally chosen the cover (as I’m sure it was to John and my mom as they were my sounding boards)! I realized I had gotten stuck in “analysis paralysis.”  I also realized at some point no matter when we are making a choice we just have to make a choice.  If in our heart we feel really good about that choice, then it really should be what we follow.

I”m grateful for you my dear readers, as well as my followers on Facebook who  took the time to vote in my poll and most of all,  I’m so glad my heart whispered to me to do what I felt was right.

Please Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Changing My Book Cover

Posted by Barbara Techel

Months ago I asked for feedback on two photos I was contemplating using for my book cover for my book coming out in early 2013, Through Frankie’s Eyes: One Woman’s Journey to Her Authentic Self and the Dog on Wheels Who Led the Way. Overwhelmingly the photo below is what most of you chose– and I’m so grateful for your feedback. Really! But…..

I just completed an eight week online course of which I was fortunate enough to be offered a free critique of my book cover by Book Designer, Joel Friedlander. This was very generous of him because I know he is quite busy with many projects. I’ll admit I was nervous hitting the send button before sending it to Joel. Why? Because I didn’t want him to say it wasn’t a good photo for book cover purposes. Why? Because I happen to be very attached to the photo. But I also knew from everything I’ve learned from the course and what Joel offered, that the cover is VITAL to helping my book sell. People do judge a book by its cover. I had to let go of the sentimental attachment I felt.

Joel was very kind in his comments back to me and said, “Unfortunately, I think that’s the real problem: the photo is not very good for a book cover I’m sorry to say. If you want to use a photo you might think about getting a pro to photograph Frankie or Frankie and you. The largest element in the current photo is your back–not usually a selling point, even for someone as attractive as this author.”

I’m glad I had him critique the photo so I can now move forward. As I gave thought to this I realized I knew of a pro photographer that was “right under my nose,” so to speak, for a few weeks now.  She will be taking a photo of Frankie which will be used in a 2013 therapy dog calendar that will help raise money for a cancer care fund in our area. It all worked out and the day of that shoot, she will also take some photos of me and Frankie with hopes of getting something similar as the above- but more of a close up shot-with both of us facing the camera or angled somewhat.  If this does not work out, I still have plan C, which I won’t share right now… and because I am truly hoping we do get the shot of Frankie and I that will work for the cover.

I’m always learning in this publishing business and this book means a lot to me and I want it to be as right as it possibly can. After all, I’ve put a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and $$$  into this book, so to not have a good cover could have serious implications. For those of you who love this photo, and again, I thank you so much, it is likely it will end up inside my book as the start of one of the chapters.  I think that’s a good compromise. So…. stay tuned!