"[I] think books like High Summons are awesome. It's a great story of a new adult, Jon, struggling to balance his magic life with the rest of his life.[...] I enjoyed this book. The characters and plot were well developed. I think the author did a great job of crafting a world that is believable and complete. This is a strong debut novel and a great start to a series. It was a book that for sure kept me turning pages." - Teresa, Goodreads
Jon Blythe is sick of waiting for his Yoda. After years of hiding his magic, he's ready to retire from his mortal life, drop out of college, and jump into the world of demon hunters. He just didn't really expect a bleach blond bookstore clerk with light up toys for weapons. Unfortunately, Jordan is Jon's only hope. When rogue magic users come to Rochester with a malicious plan, the odd couple strikes out to save the day. Jordan might not be what Jon expected, but between demons and Econ homework, the demons win every time. Wild nights drag Jon further from normal into the world where his father vanished. Maybe he's becoming an addict. Maybe magic just comes with a price. Either way, he’s hooked.
GUEST POST
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” (George Eliot)
While prejudging is often discouraged, humans are visual creatures. The right color combinations or images will draw attention. Of course, a cover that’s not connected with the actual manuscript can be just as problematic. If you’re a traditionally published author, your say is generally limited. The publishers sent a page off to a designer. The results might not be what you imagined, but often, it will be what sells well. However, if you’re an indie author, you pick the designer, and the good ones are pricy.
So what do you do?
Skimping out on the cover (just like editing) will come back to haunt you. Late redesigns can be a main for marketing. It’s best to think of the cover as an investment. While you race around social media, it’s an image that works as hard as you. Make sure you can describe the following to streamline your cover art process:
1) What does your protagonist look like?
2) What does your love interest or antagonist look like? (In romance, pick love interest. If not, describe the villain.)
3) Where does your story take place?
4) Are there any important symbols? (This can include weapons, seals, jewelry, etc).
Faces sell in romance. A cover with the couple generally does well. In adventure, a face is also useful, but there’s more leeway with turns towards minimalist covers. If you like minimalist covers, go with it but be certain you’ve explored the cover coming out in your genre and category.
If you’re paying for someone to design your cover, there ought to be a contact or agreement which turns the rights of the image fully over to you. The cover artist might want to use the image to advertise their surface. This can be free publicity; however, it’s often best if you have them link back to your website or social media page. That way, anyone who is interested can easily connect with your work.
Cover art can be expensive, but it is your book’s first impression. Make sure it’s a good one.
Good Luck!
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About the author:
Eli Celata was born in Rochester and is currently attending Binghamton University as a doctoral student.
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