At last, the time has come—my new book cover is out! I had decided the old cover didn't represent my book, the story, or the future of the series. But the new design has taken the brand, I think, to another level. I might be biased, but I think a bestselling author would be proud of this design!
I cannot thank Peter at BespokeBookCovers.com enough. If you want a book cover like mine—or just something that stands out and gives your book the professional look you're searching for—then give them a call. You won't be disappointed. They even have another website, BespokeAuthor.com, with everything you need to get your book designed and published.
So, if you haven't seen the cover yet, here it is:
🤝 What I Learned About Hiring Designers
I previously approached GetCovers.com, who are by all means a budget-friendly option. While they didn't produce the exact vision I wanted (perhaps they deal more with romance and sci-fi than Adventure/Thrillers), I have to commend them on their service. They still gave me a full refund of $60 after two designs, which is more than fair. If you have a budget that is next to nothing, give them a try!
🎯 The Review Strategy: Book Clubs and Pudding
Now what? I need to get the book back out there, but more than anything, I need more reviews. So, free copies will be available somewhere soon.
Ironically, the inspiration for my next strategy came from the spam emails I wrote about last week (which you can read here: "The Scammers" blog post. Those scammers made me ask: Are there any legitimate book clubs in my home city?
A bit of searching revealed two groups. One declined, but the other, charmingly called the Book and Pudding Club (sounds exactly like my kind of club!), has said they would love to do a Q&A with me in the New Year!
I initially offered them free ebooks, but I am upgrading that now to free paperbacks with the new cover. It's a cost, but one I feel will pay off with future promotions with a local club. They meet on the first Wednesday of every month at a local café to discuss books, consume hot drinks, and pudding.
My plan is simple: I'm hoping to deliver the books to their next meet-up, pop in to introduce myself, and leave. When I go back in the New Year for the event (and some pudding, of course), I hope they've read the book and are ready to fire me with questions—which I will then convince them to turn into reviews!
If you are an author, just google book clubs in your area—you may be surprised! It's an excellent avenue for generating reviews.
💎 An American Treasure Update: The Final Hurdle
Book 2, An American Treasure, needs a cover. That's all it needs.
It's November, and next month is December. I don't think it would be prudent of me to pay out another load of money on a second book cover unless I sell enough books to pay for it—and that is highly unlikely right now.
For now, you can join my mailing list where you will get an excerpt of An American Treasure, which includes the prologue and the first 10 chapters to get your mouth watering.
Personally, I enjoyed writing Book 2 the most. It wasn't an experiment anymore; the characters had developed, and the antagonist in An American Treasure was so fun to write. It had my brain working overtime trying to work out how old-time ciphers worked and how I could make them as real as possible in the storyline. If you enjoyed An Irish Mystery, I know you will enjoy this sequel!
🚨 Scammer Alert: They Are Everywhere
Just when I thought I was done typing, I got a new scam attempt—this time on Goodreads! Yes, they are hitting that site now, too. I instantly defriended them and reported the account as spam. I wouldn't mind, but who is Brad?
This is what it's like every day: spam after spam after spam. Usually, it's emails or DMs on social media, so seeing it on Goodreads was a new experience.
📚 What Am I Reading? (Continuing the Action)
I am still deep into the Troy Stark Thriller series. After finishing Book 1, Rogue Force, I immediately bought Book 2, Rogue Command.
I am about 78% through and, like the first book, it’s exactly my kind of read: fast, action-packed, and full of intrigue. I've been flying through it this week because there are no fluffy edges—you know exactly what you are dealing with. It follows the kind of action hero trained to kill and little else, and the story just keeps charging forward. I may even be finished by the time this post goes live! I'll let you know my final thoughts next week.
About Me:
Hello and welcome to Swmming Upstream the home of my blogs. I am D.C. Salmon and I write pulse-pounding adventure thrillers that blend real-life unsolved mysteries with modern-day action.
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