Hello readers and friends,
Creative book covers are one of the most valuable marketing tools a novelist has because they shape a reader’s first impression long before a single page is read. A compelling cover communicates genre, tone, quality, and professionalism in just a few seconds.
I came up with two of them for my new novel, Fighting Back, which debuts July 3. I thought I had settled on one that depicted Gus and Naomi shooting arrows at an enemy. I bounced it off a few readers, and many said it reminded them of Laura Croft: Tomb Raider. I didn’t like that because the McIntyre Adventure series is set in the Wild West. So, at the eleventh hour, I changed.
The new cover shows Flemming Ibbara, a new character, fighting off a pair of cowboys with a walking stick. It’s a pivotal scene in the book and tells the reader there is action and adventure ahead. The goal, of course, is to attract more readers. I apologize for any confusion it might create.
Ibbara, 18, arrives on the shores of American in the late 1870s, young, naïve, and a fugitive from an unjust legal system in Spain. When Flemming steps onto a busy wharf in Charleston, an older man offers him the opportunity for further adventure. Jacob and Sarah Levine need help migrating to Texas.
Why Texas?
In 1871, Texas passed the Texas Bureau of Immigration Act. Its goal was to rebuild Texas following the Civil War by luring domestic and foreign migrants to the Lone Star State. Periodicals proclaimed Texas as “Home for the Emigrant.” The legislation allowed bureau bosses to negotiate reduced rates for transportation to the state, and some frontier settlements provided housing for newcomers.
The Spaniard could see no reason to end his travels in Charleston. Flemming had journeyed 4,000 miles to get to America. What was another one thousand miles to Texas? Of course, the journey is fraught with danger, delays, and disappointment.
If you find this interesting, grab a copy of Fighting Back. It can be purchased in advance and will appear automatically on your electronic reading device on Friday.
In the meantime, cheers to all of you as we prepare to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. Be safe, take a peek at my new novel, and have a great time.