COVER REVEAL!

 

 

After the overwhelming enthusiasm for more books in my time-crossing series, Waters of Time, I’m excited to announce TWO more books are slated for release!!

 

Book 3, STAY WITH ME, releases Dec. 6, 2022, and Book 4, WAIT FOR ME, releases May 9, 2023.

 

STAY WITH ME continues the adventures with the miraculous holy water and gives Sybil Huxham and Nicholas Worth their happily-ever-after!

 

I’m thrilled to pieces with the way the cover turned out! I love the balance of modern and medieval, the movement of the hair (representing the motion of time), the bokah dots (representing water drops), and the green tones (representing the color of water).

 

And without further ado, here is the lovely cover (courtesy of Roseanna White Designs). 

 

 

Here's a little more about the book:

 

As a private investigator, Sybil Huxham has seen her fair share of bizarre occurrences. But nothing in her career has been more perplexing than the miracles she’s witnessed as a result of people drinking ancient holy water. When she discovers more of the rare holy water, she experiences strange overlaps with a nobleman in the Middle Ages who is languishing in a dungeon, accused of treason and condemned to die. To save his life, she finally crosses to the past completely.

 

Nicholas Worth has never met a woman quite like Sybil, and as the two run for their lives into the Weald, they find refuge among a community of outlaws. With both of their reputations on the line, they have little choice but to marry. As they get to know each other, an undeniable attraction develops. But danger and disease chase after them, drawing ever closer. Will they be able to escape the threats? And will Sybil choose to stay with Nicholas in the past, or will she be ripped apart from him forever?

 

The book is available for pre-order here: Amazon (And have no fear, it will be in both ebook and paperback!)

 

To find out more, visit my website here: http://jodyhedlund.com/books/stay-with-me/

 

 

COVER REVEAL!

 

Are you ready for more books in my Knights of Brethren Series?!

 

I hope you have been looking forward to seeing Books 3 & 4 which I am super excited to share with you today!

 

Book 3 is ENSNARED and continues the adventures of the Knights of Brethren, the special group of knights that serve with King Ansgar (from Entwined Book 2). This newest installment gives dashing and daring Gunnar his happily ever after and involves a quest for a holy chalice rumored to bring healing. 

 

Here's a little more about the book:

 

Nursemaid to the Earl of Likness’s two young daughters, Mikaela despises the earl for his cruelty to his subjects, and she longs for the day when she can make a difference in the lives of her suffering friends and family.

 

As one of the Knights of Brethren, Gunnar is on a mission to find the sacred chalice for the queen, convinced it’s the cure for her deadly bleeding disease. His quest takes him home, and he soon learns his brother, the earl, may know more about the chalice than he lets on.

As Gunnar reunites with Mikaela, the maiden he’s always loved, he tries to keep his feelings for her a secret, desperate to protect her from his brother. But as they venture into the perilous Hardanger Forest and battle to survive, will Gunnar realize her love is worth fighting for?

 

 

ENSNARED

 

Releases June 14, 2022

 

Pre-order: Amazon

 

Book 4 is ENRICHED and tells the story of Torvald and his journey toward true love as he works with Gunnar to locate the holy chalice in time to save the queen. 

 

Here's a little more about the book:

 

Lady Karina lives in a convent and expects to become a nun someday. When her wealthy father asks her to help his textile business become more successful by marrying one of the popular Knights of Brethren, Karina complies, ever the dutiful daughter.

During a royal quest to find the sacred chalice, Torvald is called home to save his family’s estate through an arranged marriage to a wealthy maiden. Although willing to do his duty, he’s vowed never to give his heart to anyone after watching his father suffer heartbreak over a woman.

As Torvald weds the kind and lovely Karina, he resists the pull of attraction to his bride. Even though Karina feels the sting of Torvald’s rejection, she chooses to love him unconditionally. As he resumes his search for the chalice and puts his life in jeopardy, Karina makes the ultimate sacrifice for him. Will he have the chance to love her in return before it’s too late?

 

 

ENRICHED 

 

Releases July 12, 2022

Pre-order: Amazon

 

 

COVER REVEAL!!

 

Today, I’m super excited to share with you more about my next medieval series, Knights of Brethren. This is a six-book series, and the first two books release later this year.

 

Set in a new story world with new people, places, and plots, the Knights of Brethren series is loosely inspired by the legends of King Arthur and his knights. (And if you don’t know anything about King Arthur and his knights, that’s okay! Think: stories with handsome and brave knights and you’ll have all you need to know!)

 

While this series is new and changes things up from my previous two series (The Lost Princesses and The Fairest Maidens, which were both set in the same story world), there are plenty of things that remain the same: medieval adventure, dangerous dilemmas, and plenty of sweet romance. 

 

The first book, ENAMORED, sets the stage for the series and is inspired by the wizard, Merlin. In this book, however, the character’s name is Maxim. And instead of wielding magic, he wields his wisdom. Of course, he also wields his influence to woo the woman he loves. If you’re familiar with my writing, then you already know you’ll get a delicious but clean love story.

 

The sequel, ENTWINED, is inspired by King Arthur and his famous sword. In this book, instead of Arthur, our hero is Ansgar, a bold and handsome leader who is on the run for his life. In the end, the Knights of Brethren (inspired by the Knights of the Round Table) help him rise up to defeat evil and win the woman he loves.

 

Enamored and Entwined release later this year, 2021. The subsequent books (involving more knights of the Knights of Brethren) will be released in pairs in 2022 and 2023.

 

Without further ado, here are the covers! Drumroll, please!

 

 

ENAMORED

Releases Nov. 9, 2021

More info. here: http://jodyhedlund.com/books/enamored/

Pre-order here: Amazon

 

ENTWINED

Releases Dec. 7, 2021

More info. here: http://jodyhedlund.com/books/entwined/

Pre-order here: Amazon

 

A HUGE thank you to Roseanna White Designs for putting together such stunning covers! 

 

If you have enjoyed my previous medieval YA’s and want to be informed on Launch Crew happenings for the upcoming Knights of Brethren series, please make sure to join my Facebook Reader Room where I post sign-ups for early reading/reviewing opportunities.

 

 

Book Covers: Are They Important in the Digital Age?

 
A few weeks ago, my publisher posted three cover options they were considering for my next book Unending Devotion (releasing Sept. 1), and they asked for reader input.

*Drum roll please!* The results are in!

And the WINNER is:

Yes, according to my Bethany House publicist, Noelle Buss, this close-up cover was the overwhelming favorite of all those who voted online (on my blog and Facebook Page as well as the Bethany House Facebook Page).

So why else did Bethany House pick this particular cover? Here are a few other reasons:

1. The close-up of a strong heroine is usually appealing to most romance fans.

2. The larger picture would be stronger compared to the others when viewed online, where thumbnail images are so pervasive.

3. When compared to the other two, the close-up actually has several elements to it that make it standout from other covers.

Here’s a break-down from my publicist of the unique features:

• Ambiguity of setting: The setting on a cover is typically used as a quick reference to describe the story, to tell when and where the book is set at an immediate glance. On this cover, taking away the clarity of where the woman is allows more emotion to rise to the surface. The tree branches become more of a character, as you try to guess the woman’s relationship to their ominous feel, rather than passing over them and just thinking “oh, she is in the woods.”

• Narrow color scheme: The simplicity again allows more emotion to be drawn from the cover because the places where your eye lands is more focused and it emphasizes more of the contrast between the woman and the tree branches.

• Less emphasis on the gorgeous factor: A common trick for designing book covers is to focus on the opulent period dress or an exciting setting to attract readers. This cover still retains a sophisticated feel, but the sparseness of the background and the simplicity of the cape gives the cover a fresh feeling while also driving readers eyes to the strong expression on the woman’s face.

Obviously, as you can see, my publisher put a LOT of time and thought into my cover, as they do for every cover of each book they publish. They hire a model, do a photo shoot, and have a special creative team that works together to design it.

Once the team has several options, then they have a meeting where my editors, the marketing department, and the creative team discuss all the possibilities—ultimately trying to decide what cover not only fits the book, but what will attract the most readers.

The question for all of us, as we grapple with the rapidly changing book market is this: How important are book covers in the digital age? Do covers still play a major role in influencing book-buying habits? Or do other things like sample chapters, online reviews, and bookstore rankings play a larger role in a book’s success?

Here’s what my publicist, Noelle, said when I asked her about the importance of covers:

“In a world that is becoming increasingly visual, I don’t think book covers will ever not matter. In a split second, we can decide if it ‘looks interesting’ or not. Reviews and excerpts all demand more time and investment from us when it comes to making a decision. That’s strongly apparent in how readers handle print books, and I don’t see that changing much as they move online."

"That said we are having to be more deliberate in how we think about covers. People will be seeing them in a variety of formats and locations in print and online. And images or colors that look good on a store shelf may not show up as well in a small thumbnail on an online retailer.”

My final thoughts: I admit. I’ve passed over books based on the cover. The writing techniques may have been perfect and story may have been superb, but because the cover looked cheesy or amateur or boring or whatever, I didn’t give the book a chance.

Of course, if the book has a lot of buzz and great reviews, I’m more likely to overlook a dull or poorly done cover. But for new, untried authors the cover-bar is high. Whether traditionally or self-published, there are already a lot of reasons people will say no to a new author’s book. Don’t let the cover be one of them.

What are your thoughts on covers? Do you think they’re becoming less important in the digital age or more? How much do covers influence your book-buying habits?

Special Post: Vote on the Cover of My Next Book!

Dear Readers,

My publisher (Bethany House) is in the process of finalizing the cover of my next book, UNENDING DEVOTION (releasing Sept. 1, 2012). They have narrowed down the cover to three that they like best.

But, now they would like YOUR feedback!

Here's a blurb about the book that might help you decide:

In 1883 Michigan, Lily Young is determined to save her lost sister, or
die trying. Heedless of the danger, her search leads her to Harrison and
into the sights of Connell McCormick, a man doing his best to add to
the hard-earned fortunes of his lumber-baron father.

Posing as a photographer's assistant, Lily can't understand why any
God-fearing citizen would turn a blind eye to the crime rampant in the
towns. But Connell needs to earn a profit from the logging camps he runs
and figures living an upright life is all that matters. Lily challenges
everything he thought he knew but will they be able to put an end to the
corruption that's dominated Harrison for so long?

Please take a look at the three options and tell us which one YOU like the best!

 Cover #1

Cover #2

 Cover #3

If you're unable to leave a comment with your choice of #1, #2, or #3, please feel free to head over to my Facebook Page and vote there!

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

When Should Authors Release Their Book Covers?

Does showing a book cover months in advance of a book’s release day HARM the book’s chances of success?

Certainly there’s some argument for waiting until closer to release. Agent Janet Grant blogged about building marketing “velocity.” She said: “If, as a reader, I’m exposed to these promo items (yes, that’s what a cover is), I soon start to think that the book is old news. Heavens, I’ve watched the trailer, I’ve seen the cover several times…didn’t I read that book already? If I think I haven’t read it, well, I just dismiss the book. I want to read what’s new.”

However, with traditional publication, I’ve realized authors don’t really have much control over the release of their covers. The Bethany House design team finished the cover of The Doctor’s Lady (my second book) in January and sent it to me for my approval. Much to my surprise, a couple weeks later a reader tweeted that she’d seen the cover at CBD.com. Within hours of the cover’s release, more readers began to tweet and blog about it.

Even if I had wanted to keep the cover under wraps until closer to the release date (Sept. 1), there really wasn’t much I could do to prevent it from being splashed around cyberland.

Will the early peek at the cover hurt the sales of my book? Will readers see it now and then think it’s old news by the time it hits shelves?

Worried, I went directly to my publisher’s marketing department with my questions. Here are a few things they said about the release of book covers (along with a few of my thoughts too):

The sales department is already selling fall books. The publisher’s catalog for Fall 2011 is ready because the sales team must begin selling fall books to major accounts months ahead of their releases. A very important part of the sales process is having covers accessible in databases for distributors. Once distributors have the cover, it will then begin to appear on retailer sites.

Retailers won’t begin promoting the book yet. Retailers are more interested in showcasing things that are immediately available, so they'll prioritize currently released books above future books. Thus, the vast majority of readers won’t have access to the early-released covers, unless they actively seek them out.

The early-cover has the potential to keep momentum going. An early unveiling is beneficial, even important, for newer authors because the cover helps keep momentum going without a lot of lag time in between books. Especially if we’re on a one-book-a-year schedule (like I am), the cover release can help diminish the gap and put us back in the spotlight sooner.

Our covers give readers something else to connect to our names. Debut authors don’t have other options sitting on bookstore shelves for people to go purchase, so it could help readers know something new is coming around the corner. Almost every time I get an email or note from a reader, they ask what I have coming next. I already give them the name and release date. Now I can point them to the cover as a visual reminder.

Many readers pre-order books, which can add momentum. Through pre-orders books can generate high sales even before they’re released. And those early sales can draw even more attention to the book. My first book, The Preacher’s Bride, ended up on the CBD Top-Twenty Fiction List before it was released last fall, most likely because of pre-orders.

Social media is changing the face of marketing. The more we hear about a book online, the more interest it builds. We think, “The book must be good if so many people are tweeting about it.” Online repetition has the potential to cause buzz. With The Preacher’s Bride, I slowly built familiarity with my book in the months before release, but then one month prior to the official release date, I turned my efforts into full gear. The prior buzz set the foundation to make the actual release even more anticipated. At that point, I was able to make sure people hadn’t forgotten about my book.

~My Summary: We shouldn’t set off fireworks and throw confetti for six months straight prior to our book’s release. But a slow build-up over the months, including the release of the book cover, can work to the advantage of an author, if done correctly.

What’s your opinion? Do you think an early release of a cover can harm a book’s success, having the potential to make readers dismiss it as “old news”? Or do you think an early release can help build anticipation? Not that authors really have much choice in the matter, but if you could choose, what would you prefer?

And yes, that’s the cover of my next book, The Doctor’s Lady! Because it’s already on Amazon, CBD, B&N, and other sites and readers are already finding it, I’ve decided to go ahead and show it off on my blog now too!

Here It Is! The Cover of my Debut Book!

This is the official cover of my first book, The Preacher’s Bride! What do you think?! ?!

The first time I saw it, I was absolutely thrilled. More than anything I was overwhelmed to see my name, right there, on the front of a book—MY book.

In the last post, I shared in detail how the Bethany House Creative Team designed the cover. If you missed it, click here. I’ll summarize by saying this: A LOT of work went into it!

And no, I’m not taking up Amish fiction. My heroine is wearing a bonnet because she’s a young English Puritan woman, not because she’s Amish. However, I’ve been told “bonnet books” are selling well, so if someone is drawn to mine because they think it’s Amish—hey, I won’t complain!

The talented graphic designer who developed the cover took care with every single detail. The loose hairs and turned up edge of the collar show the inattention the heroine pays to her outward appearance. The tilt of her head shows her modesty as well as her uncertainty. The paper she’s hiding behind her back plays an integral role in the plot.

You may be wondering, like I did, why my cover is ready so far in advance. Even though the official release isn’t until October 1, the Bethany House sales department is already busy at work. They had a meeting last week and are gearing up to begin selling the fall books to their distributors.

The sales team will present my book as one of four historical romances that Bethany House will release at the beginning of October. They can sell my debut book to distributors much better if it’s paired with other authors with established readerships.

Thus the cover, an excerpt of my book, and information about me as the author—it’s all necessary this far ahead as part of the beginning process of getting my book into stores. But it also means my cover is “out there” now in cyberland too—available for everyone to see. Believe it or not, it's already on Amazon for pre-order.

At first, I had a few doubts. If my book cover is out so far in advance, won't it be "old" or anticlimactic when the book actually releases? Will some people see the cover and assume the book is already released? And what about doing interviews this far in advance--will that help or hurt?

I posed these questions to the head of Marketing and the summary of her wise response was this: It won't hurt anything to start some "chatter" or "buzz" now, but it's more important do the promotion closer to the release of the book.

I’m curious to know what you think about publicizing a book cover months in advance of the actual release. Do you think it can help build anticipation? Or do you think it detracts from the glory of the actual release itself?

How My Book Cover Was Designed

When I visited my publishing house a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with the Creative Director of the Design Team and talk with him about my book cover. He led me step by step through fascinating process of how they developed it.

Before I describe this process, however, I need to issue a disclaimer. Not all publishing houses develop book covers the same way. I’m sure even within Bethany House, covers are not all designed in an identical manner.

In addition, the process of cover development may vary between genres. As most of us know, historical romance is currently a popular genre. The costume and designs of past eras often fascinate modern readers. Thus the covers of historical romances may elicit more time and money than other genre covers.

All that to say, the Bethany House Design Team worked very hard on my book cover, and during my visit, I got a glimpse of how it was made.

First, the Creative Director showed me three large bulletin boards in his office. One board was filled with replicas of all the book covers he had developed for spring releases. Another board contained the book covers for summer. And the last board was still mostly empty, waiting for fall covers.

He rubbed his hand over a spot on the fall board and said, “Yours will go right here.” And I just melted. “Really?”

To prove it, he pulled out the file for my book and opened it. There were the initial sketches and plans for the cover, the notes describing the heroine, and all the other information that would help in the design.

Next he explained that they’d looked through the portfolios of models they have on file, found one similar to my heroine, and arranged a photo shoot. They rented the appropriate clothing for the time period, met with the model, and took over 500 pictures.

Fortunately I had the opportunity to sit down in the office of the graphic designer who was at that very moment working on my cover. She showed me several of the possibilities she’d already designed as well as the one she was currently focusing on. Fonts, swirls, background colors, facial expressions, the countryside setting—I was amazed at the attention they give to every detail.

Of course I didn’t get to see the finished product before I left, but I did get to take home a souvenir—a picture of the model, the woman who would now represent my heroine to the world. And for the record, I couldn’t have picked a more perfect model if I’d tried.

In the ensuing weeks, a committee met and discussed the pros and cons of each cover option. They settled upon the one they all liked best and emailed it to me and my agent for our thoughts.

More about my reaction in the next post . . .

We all hear how important the cover is, especially for debut authors. Our names won’t attract readers to pick up our books. The cover has to catch the reader’s eye first. Once the reader picks it up, then the back cover blurb and first page have to seal the deal. But without a compelling cover, we may not get a chance to tempt readers at all.

When my book sits on the shelf next to all of the other books with beautifully designed covers, I can only speculate what will draw someone to pick mine up or pass over it for someone else’s. I hope my cover draws readers, but I have no guarantees.

But I want to thank the very talented Bethany House Creative Team for all their hard work on my cover. The beauty of their design at least gives The Preacher’s Bride a fighting chance.

What do you think of how my book cover was made? Surprised by anything? What makes you pass over some covers and draws you to others?