The problem with that, there was hardly any sex in this story, but how would I know that? Because the story was mine.
When I first wrote Worth the Weight, I knew I’d written the best contemporary romance in the history of the romance genre and the best romance deserved a fantastic cover, right?
I looked at the screen again, seeing the woman, the man, and the cupping and I couldn’t do anything but sob.
This isn’t my story.
I called everyone I could think of to ask their advice. One of them was none other than my critique partner, Desiree Holt.
“What am I going to do?” I cried. “It sucks. It totally sucks.”
“Yep, it does,” she answered. “So what do you want to do?”
Desiree added, “If you want to get published, you’re going to have to have some crappy covers. I know this sucks, but you can accept the cover or pull your book.”
I tried to talk to my editor, tell her how the book didn’t match the cover. Her response? “We know what we’re doing. The cover stays.”
So I did and for years, my book sat there.
The economy tanked and publishers weren’t taking chances on new writers as much as they were before.
I looked over the book again, revised it, and revised it again. I entered it in a few contests and it won one. The agent requested the full manuscript, but never even acknowledged she received the file. Again, a dead end.
It’s what I needed to keep pushing myself forward. I worked on other stories, kept submitting to critique groups, and continued to push forward.
Now, being in the second round of edits, I get my book cover and it’s lovely.
Although it’s been a long journey, it seems my momentum hasn’t wained. My editor wants the next two books as well as another series I wrote while waiting for my first baby to be sold.
Everyday, I see that refrigerator magnet and know no matter how hard things get, no matter how frustrated I feel or how badly book covers might suck, good things do happen for those who weight…I mean wait.
Worth the Weight will be released November 14th, 2012 from Soulmate Publishing.
Love the new cover. The old one was awful. Desiree is right about never giving up. Glad you found a home for your story. Great excerpt.
I’m all for curvy girls getting some loving, but the original cover certainly didn’t match your intent.Your new cover is much classier and romantic. Good for you for sticking to your guns!
Congratulations on the publication of your book! I have several friends who’ve published with SoulMate and their experiences have been good.
As far as covers go, I do think they make a difference in someone picking up the book or exploring further. If I like an author, I’ll buy her book regardless. But if an author doesn’t have a following, I think a bad cover can have a negative effect.
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I agree…the old cover was awful and did not match the story. Great new cover and great excerpt. I look forward to reading the rest of the book. Congrats…and never give up! 🙂
Cheers
Elizabeth Knightbridge
The second cover is much much better. Go you for keeping the faith and not giving up.
The second cover is definitely better. And your story sounds fascinating.
What a difference between the two covers! Thanks for sharing your story. And the excerpt of your book – it was great.