by
Parker J. Cole. March 12-21, 2014
Released:
January 27, 2014
Paperback:
337 Pages
Publisher:
eLectio Publishing
ASIN:
B00I3GGSTU
ISBN-10:
0615951635
ISBN-13:
978-0615951638
Author Tour Schedule: http://wnlbooktours.com/parker-j-cole/
About The Book
About The Author
Parker J. Cole is a writer and radio show host who
spends most of her time reading, knitting, writing, cooking, and concocting new
ideas for stories. Her first novel, Dark Cherub, won Best of Spring Reading
2013 from eMediaCampaigns. She lives in Michigan with her husband and their
beloved dog, Sarah.
Guest Post:
The
importance of a book cover cannot be understated. In fact, I believe it is more
important than the blurb. If not more
important, it’s interconnected with a killer blurb. In today’s rapidly
publishing industry, a book cover is a signal that says, “Hey! Read me!” It
attracts the kind of readers you want, tells what kind of author you are, and
it begs the reader to buy or download. It’s the bat signal for Batman. The ‘S’
symbol for Superman. The webbing for Spiderman. The ‘A’ for author.
I heard
some alarming statistics that said 3,500 books are published daily. That’s
absolutely terrifying when you think about it. Readers are bombarded by choices
and in order to sift through them, the first thing they look at is the
cover. If the cover catches their
attention, the next step is they tend to read the blurb. Some books are bought
solely on the cover.
Let’s use
a real world illustration. Imagine your book is a person going for an interview
for a potential job. When your book arrives at the office, to its surprise,
it’s not just an interview for the book but it’s a book fair. Thousands of
books are meandering around showing off their covers. If you book’s cover is
shabby, chances are no one’s going to pick it up. Worse yet, what if the cover’s mundane?
Nothing about it sticks out or previews your book at all. Double whammy!
I know
a lot of indie authors have tight finances but I am a HUGE believer in paying a
professional to do the cover. I can’t draw a straight line but that’s not my
forte. I’d rather give the person who can draw a chance to make us both shine. I
win with a killer cover. The artist wins with adding my book his or her
portfolio.
At the
end of the day, you want to give your book the best first impression you can.
Despite the adage, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,” most people do.
Sneak Peak
MR. AND MRS. SOLOMON GREENE
The
thought of kissing her husband was repugnant. The idea had the attraction of
eating an apple with a worm in it. The longer Celeste Greene thought about it,
the more distasteful it became.
“I
hope you don’t intend for me to actually kiss this man, Reverend,” Celeste bit
out in a carefully controlled voice.
The
minister was a short black man whose gray hair had receded until his head
looked like a polished teak wood surface.
Dark rimmed bifocals rested on his nose and gray bushy eyebrows lifted
in surprise.
“Excuse
me, Mrs. Grane?” His voice was deep and rumbled like gravel shifting at the
bottom of a fish tank.
“I
refuse to kiss this man.”
The
minister closed the Bible in his hand and pressed it against his Santa Claus
belly. He cleared his throat.
“Mrs.
Grane, I have married couples for a good many years. I can honestly say I’ve
never heard a wife speak so about her husband. Although, the decision is yours,
may one ask why you choose not to kiss your husband?”
“Because
I don’t know him.”
Celeste
could see the minister’s confusion as he glanced over at the tall silent man by
her side. She looked at him too but only saw his profile. Her new husband
reeked of unwashed body odor and alcohol, although his clothes didn’t display
any hint of those noxious smells. In fact, his clothes were perfectly tailored
to him, the dark blue suit with its sharp cut and the pastel colored green
shirt under it gave her husband a handsome appearance.
Too
bad the clothes could not do anything about his stench.
Celeste
had no idea her husband had spoken until she realized his mouth moved. He still
chose not to look at her but directed his statement to the minster.
“The name is Greene.”
“Greene?”
“Yes,
my wife’s new name is Mrs. Solomon Greene. With an ‘e’.”
“Indeed?
Well, I do apologize for the mistake.”
Celeste
folded her arms and turned fully toward her husband.
“Solomon,
are you ready to sign the papers so we can get back to the hotel room?”
“Yes,
Celeste. Let’s get this over with.”
A
scant fifteen minutes later and Celeste felt the sun warm her face as she
stepped out of the small church. Of course the June sun blazed brightly in the
sky on this, the most unexpected day of her life. The snow shrouded Rocky
Mountains in the Denver skyline only added to the physical perfection of the
day. Why couldn’t it be rainy and gloomy? Why couldn’t lightning and thunder
shake the ground to mirror the feelings that swarmed inside of her? Why should
the sky be the bluest she’d ever seen it and the sound of the birds that
twittered from tree to tree create a song to accompany her discomfiture?
“I
appreciate that you married me, Celeste Greene,” her husband said from
somewhere behind her.
She
turned, her arms still folded. “It’s the least I could do.”
Gratitude
welled inside Solomon’s heart as he once again realized his wife had none of
the attributes he found sexy in a woman. He had hoped the woman he married
would have the beauty of a gargoyle but a plain face would do just as well.
He
studied his new wife. The top of her head reached his shoulder. She held her
body stiff and her face remained devoid of expression. It emphasized her
unattractiveness. If she never smiled at
all, it would be wonderful.
She
wore a peculiar outfit—a blue skirt that brushed the tops of her shoes, a
blouse buttoned to her neck with long sleeves buttoned at her wrist and her
hands were encased in plain white gloves. It had an old fashioned look to it,
like something from the pioneer days. It obscured her figure and Solomon breathed
a sigh of relief. His belief in God had been restored.
The
Lord had sent an unattractive woman to be his wife. His eyes began to water and
he blinked furiously. He could hardly break down and cry a bucket of tears in
joy right now.
“I’ve
called my driver,” he told her as a metallic glint caught his peripheral vision
and he whirled his head to see a sleek black limousine Hummer turn the corner
and stop in front of them.
Celeste
didn’t respond. Her silence made him
want to click his heels. A woman who didn’t talk incessantly had to be a
godsend. Perfect!
Moments
later, he sat by her side as the vehicle moved. The scenery passed and Solomon
appreciated it as the light of the sun beamed on the ground. The leaves rustled as a gentle breeze wafted through
them and the sight of birds as they flew by lifted his spirits. It was a lovely
June day and he’d found his wife.
Social Links:
Email Address: parker@parkerjcole.com
Website http://www.parkerjcole.com/
Twitter link: https://twitter.com/ParkerJCole
Buy Links:
Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/1cQZVpM
Author Tour Schedule: http://wnlbooktours.com/parker-j-cole/
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