Rachel Rossano's Blog

Having just finished up the rough draft of Mercy, the third novel in the Novels of Rhynan series, I am now plotting the fourth novel. Tentatively titled Courage, this one is going to feature a lot of old favorite characters, but the chief of them, is my hero, Darnay. Readers have glimpsed him growing up as the series has gone on. So, here are some glimpses of what we have already seen.

My hero, Darnay, first appears in Duty as a precocious five-year-old meeting his new stepmother for the first time. The quote is from Brielle's POV.

    “Darnay, say hello to your new mother.” Anise propelled him forward with a gentle push between his shoulders.
    He obediently bowed and offered me a hand in friendship, the one not clutching the toy sword. His dark eyes clearly communicated his unease.
   I clasped his hand firmly. “I am pleased to meet you, Master Darnay.”
   Darnay squared his shoulders and lifted his chin. “Father said I am to call you mother, but–” He lost his nerve.
   “You can call me Brielle.”
   Profound relief passed behind the boy’s eyes, but like his father, little emotion appeared in his features. I found the boy’s reserve disquieting in many ways. It hinted at the difficulty of his young life. To grow up without a mother and rarely see one’s father appeared to have aged him beyond his seasons. I wanted to hug him. I wondered if he looked like his father when he laughed. Most pressing of all was the desire to show him all the love my parents gave me.
   “Have you eaten this morning?” I took care to address the question to the two children.
   “Not yet. We traveled all night,” Elise offered without emerging from the safety of the woman’s skirts.
   “You didn’t sleep?”
   “We slept in the wagon.” Darnay grimaced.
   I attempted the same thing a few years ago and did not sleep a bit.
   Elise tugged at my mother-in-law’s sleeve. “I’m hungry.”
   “I am too. Come, I will find us all some food.” I smiled at Elise and offered my hand. “There were some lovely smells coming from the kitchen when I passed it.”
   Elise regarded my outstretched hand with suspicion. I immediately regretted offering it.    Doing so had pressed an intimacy she obviously was not comfortable with. Yet, I didn’t feel it was wise to retreat now.
   “She won’t hurt you.”
   Elise looked up at Anise. “How do you know?”
   Anise and I shared a smile. Darnay observed the exchange with a frown. Then he studied me as though measuring my character. My stomach tightened as I recognized Tomas’ habit of weighing people. “I like her face.”

In Honor, he crosses the page a couple times since he knows both the hero, Dentin, and the heroine, Elsa. One thing is true about ten-year-old Darnay, he has definite views on a number of things. The following is from Elsa's point of view: 

   Lord Irvaine opened the door wide. The children greeted me as I entered. Darnay claimed my left hand and began to tell a long story about his riding lesson.  Linora ran up and demanded I pick her up. Lander followed her and twisted his hands in my skirt while asking me repeatedly for Apino, his favorite stuffed horse.
   “Children, please,” Brielle protested. She reached to pick up Linora, but Lord Irvaine intervened. “Give Elsa room to breathe. Uncle Dent gave her a scare.”
   “Uncle Dent!” Darnay turned to survey Lord Dentin in horror. “Never hurt a lady.”
   “Darnay?” Lord Irvaine’s warning tone was all it took to silence Darnay, but the look he exchanged with Lord Dentin made it clear he sided with his son.
   “It was an accident,” Lord Dentin protested.
   Darnay’s crossed arms made it clear he didn’t believe it.

In my just finished novel, the unpublished Mercy, he plays a passing role as he interacts with Willard, the hero. In that one he is only fourteen, but is secure in his place in the world.

   “Willard!” Young Darnay approached from the direction of the house leading a horse. “When did you descend upon us?”
   Even as a lean lad in his teens, the son of the Earl of Irvaine already presented the image of a knight. Tall and lean as his father and as broad of shoulder, he already had a reputation for catching young ladies’ attention, but like his father, he ignored them.
   “I have been in the city a piece already.” I met him midway, and both of us paused. The mount with him nosed my shoulder. I scratched her forelock and rubbed the offered nose.    “Trouble with the family means I will most likely be sleeping and eating here for the foreseeable future if Dentin allows it.”
   “You know he will,” Darnay gave me an assessing look. “Though I would recommend giving your hair a once over before you head in to see him.”
   I lifted my hand to my head and made a half-hearted attempt at straightening my unruly hair knowing full well I would most likely need to wet the whole to make any headway. “I was catching up on lost sleep and didn’t stop to seek out a reflective surface.”
   Darnay’s crooked grin didn’t give me any reassurance that I had improved things. “You should ask Bess for a comb when you go through the kitchen. She always lends me one before I present myself for inspection.”
   “That is because she is sweet on you,” I teased.
   “Hardly.” Darnay rolled his eyes as the horse pulled on the lead to inspect a tuft of grass at our feet. “She has her heart set on someone completely different.” He tugged on the horse to get her moving again. “Don’t forget to ask her,” he called over his shoulder as he left.

I am excited to meet grown up Darnay in Courage as he works with his Uncle Dentin to defend the Queen of Rhynan, the young crown prince, and investigate Lord Warhorne's claims that he found an alternative heir to the throne of Rhynan. 

Do you enjoy series where characters keep reappearing in different books?Which Rhynan character would you like to see reappear somewhere in an upcoming book?

Rachel Rossano loves to talk about writing, books, and movies. Wandering around worlds of her own creation is her favorite pastime, and the housework tends to suffer when she is in the midst of writing a novel. She is happily married to the man who inspires all of her heroes. Together they are adventuring through life with their three kids.
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About the Book After duty as an ambulance driver in World War I, Ellie Morgan returns to Chicago to take up her share of the work in her grandparents’ department store. Ellie doesn’t want to alienate her family or disappoint them, but despite a six year effort to settle in, she feels increasingly trapped in store routine. Meanwhile, her grandmother urges her to marry a local politician and help him succeed in his chosen field. Ellie’s grandfather, however, wants to see her happy and independent. “Go West, young woman, go west,” he advises paraphrasing a popular quotation of the day. So with Granddad’s help, Ellie secures a job on a ranch in Colorado and sets out to prove that she has the necessary character to succeed at a third vocation.
When Aldon Leitzinger meets Ellie’s train in Clifton Colorado, he introduces himself as the foreman of the ranch. But the more people Ellie meets in the community, the more apparent it becomes that she is in demand to fill a number of roles for which she is not prepared. Desperate to prove herself, she settles in to please everyone, a task that puts her at risk of failure in every attempt at finding a new and happier life.
Buy on Amazon! 

About the Author DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”
Giveaway
DiVoran has five prizes for five people! First to go will be the beautiful art cards and then we’ll have the two eBooks. Enter below:Giveaway link


Excerpt Ellie heard the upstairs window slide open. Cathy barely had to raise her voice to be heard. “Take the stick and fish the diapers out of that big galvanized tub where they’re soaking and throw them in the pot hanging from the tripod. I already put in the soap flakes. Stir them around then take them back out so you can rise them in that other tub. That’s cold water, so you can wring them out before you hang them on the line.
By the time Ellie finished the difficult chore she almost wished she hadn’t offered to help. She sat down on a rock and rested her back against the rough bark of a tree. When she woke she was being gently shaken…
Author Interview
1) Where did you get your inspiration to write this book?
The idea of writing a historical novel popped into my head in the kitchen of an upstairs apartment when I was worrying about how to get the grease off the wall. I stopped worrying and started writing. But then…I got so excited and absorbed that I knew I’d neglect my family if started writing a book. Whatever a single minded person is, that’s me. Over the years ideas came, and I believe an unconscious sorting process went on for a long time. Finally, when our children were almost grown, I felt it was time to begin. Even then, though, I wrote other books first. Maybe I was practicing for Go West.
2) What kinds of research did you do?
A lot of the research came from my own memory and experience. The setting is a place I love and I used elements of the people I know for characters. But, I was also delighted to use the Internet, movies, TV, books from the library, and those that I owned or purchased. Friends could be resources too.
3) What was your favorite aspect of your heroine's character?
Because she has a great deal of energy and curiosity, Ellie likes to learn. Her curriculum, however, changes the moment she arrives in Colorado to work as household helper, companion, and ranch hand.

4) Why is the theme of the book important to you?
To answer that question, I will tell this small story. I finished watching the series, “Legacy” on Feeln last night and in that episode it is brought out that the daughter of the family, Alice, is a peace-maker and doesn’t understand why people can’t get along with each other. I suppose I have a lot of that in me, too. I understand that in stories meanness is often necessary as a contrast to niceness, but I have never wanted to major on abuse rather than peace.
5) Why did you choose this time period to set the book in?
The fairy tales I read as a child took me to fairy godmothers, castles, and moats. Later, I read Nancy Drew and Judy Bolton and when I was a young adult I got deeper into kings and queens with Jean Plaidy’s books. Eventually I dove into the Victorian age and after the beginning of the second millennia, I slipped naturally into the 1920-s because that was the setting for many of my mothers’ stories.
6) What was your favorite part about writing this book?
When I ran into the daughter of an old friend, we got to talking about writing novels. She had always wanted to write one, and by then, I had finished three, so we decided to get together every week on her day off. We read each other’s work aloud ad that helped a lot. That was Rebekah Lyn and she has now exceeded me in number of books published, but we are still good friends and I appreciate the hours we had that increased our confidence it writing novels.
7) Are you planning more books to follow this one?

Yes, I have more than one book idea to choose from, but know yet which one I’ll take up next.
8) What is your favorite place to write?
Our home has a comfortable porch where I can get my thoughts and prayers together in my journal, but my scriptorium, which was once our daughter’s bedroom, hosts my computer, so that’s an excellent place to write, too.

Rachel, you do a good interview. Thanks for choosing me. 

Tour Schedule  July 10 Bookish Orchestrations – Tour introductionRebekah Lyn Books – Author InterviewJanice's book reviews - Review
July 11 Frances Hoelsma – Book SpotlightRachel Rossano's Words – Author InterviewWritings, Ramblings, and Reflections – Character Interview
July 12 Shout Outs – Book Spotlight
July 13 Laurel's Leaves– Author InterviewGod's Peculiar Treasure Rae – Book SpotlightOld Things R New – Book Spotlight
July 14 Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Book SpotlightStephany's BLOG Snippets – Character Interview
July 15 Bookish Orchestrations – Giveaway Winners

1. Author You've Read the Most Books from:            Diana Wynne Jones or Rick Roidan or Sarah M. Eden, or…I am not sure.
2. Best Sequel Ever:            Tricky one, umm…Fusion Fire by Kathy Tyers. That one was awesome!
3. Currently Reading:            Swan Lake by K. M. Shea
4. Drink of Choice While Reading:            Orange La Coix sparkling water
5. E-reader or Physical Book?            Either, though I am partial to a physical book for tactile and eye strain reasons and my ereader for portable reasons.
6. Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated in High School:            It was a toss up between Mr Rochester in Jane Eyreand Mac from Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott was my crush. I am a sucker for unrequited love as long as it is genuine.
7. Glad You Gave This Book a Chance:            Kimberly Rogers’ Tiger’s Paw sucked me into her incredible characters’ lives and began a precious friendship with the author.
8. Hidden Gem Book:            9. Important Moment in Your Reading Life:            When I realized I didn’t have to settle for the ending the author wrote. I could always go an rewrite things the way I wanted them to be.
10. Just Finished:            Rereading the ending of Rumpelstiltskin by K. M. Shea to reassure myself she was capable of a solid happily ever after ending.
11. Kinds of Books You Won't Read:            Horror books, especially those by Orson Scott Card. They get inside my head in creepy ways. I have an overactive imagination.
12. Longest Book You've Read:            My own monster project, Living Sacrifice
13. Major Book Hangover Because Of:            I finished writing two novels this year, and I am trying to make through a third. Nothing beats an author book hangover.
14. Number of Bookcases You Own:            Somewhere around thirty, I think. We love books at our house.
15. One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:            Rose in Bloom, Jane Eyre, most of Sarah M. Eden’s books, all of Diana Wynne Jones’ books, um… I like to reread books…
16. Preferred Place to Read:            In bed or curled up on the end of my couch in the living room.
17. Quote that Inspires You/Gives You the Feels from a Book You've Read:            "Because, he said, ‘I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you - especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. As for you, - you'd forget me.’ – Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
18. Reading Regret:            I have too many to count. Not finishing The Three Musketeers, I suppose. I fell in love with Athos, but it wasn’t enough for my teenage self to wade through all the French references that completely confused me.
19. Series You've Started and Need to Finish (All books are out in the series):Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Roirdan. I suspect my son is going to outpace me at this rate.
20. Three of Your All-Time Favorite Books:            Only three? The Bible, Jane Eyre, and
21. Unapologetic Fangirl For:            Masquerade by Kimberly Rogers because I love Merek. ;)
22. Very Excited for This Release More than All the Others:            The next Jonquil novel from Sarah M. Eden
23. Worst Bookish Habit:            Ignoring work to read a book instead.
24. X Marks the Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:            Great Harry by Carolyn Erickson
25. Your Latest Book Purchase:            According to Amazon my most recent purchase on Kindle was The Complete Works of G. A. Henty, and in print, it was Famous Men of Modern Times by John H. Haaren (a textbook for my kids for next year).
26. ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):
            It would be Masquerade by Kimberly Rogers because I have to know what happens next. ;)
Thanks for tagging me for this quiz, Rebekah DeVall!
I am going to tag anyone who would like to do it. I would love to read your answers, so please give me a link in the comments. :)

All three books release on August 7thStay tuned on Kendra’s Blog, knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com, for details.


Poison Kiss

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34854999-poison-kissKindle preorder link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072SF4RRM
About the BookEveryone knows that Sleeping Beauty's curse is triggered when she pricks her finger on a spindle and that she is awakened by true love's kiss ... but what happens when the wicked fairy decides to switch things up?
Edmund didn't mean to put Auralea to sleep, but now it's up to him and the famous Puss in Boots to figure out how, exactly, a spinning wheel is supposed to awaken her.
About the Author Kendra E. Ardnek is a homeschool graduate who picked up a pen at an early age and never put it down. The eldest of four, she makes her home in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her parents, younger siblings, giant herd of giraffes, and honor guard of nutcrackers. 
You can connect with Kendra on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Twisted Dreams
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34597569-twisted-dreamsKindle preorder link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721T37DF/
About the Book“I, Calandra, of the Wingans, do bestow upon you, the Princess of Hanover, a gift. You have been given long life. I cannot interfere with that, but when you are sixteen years of age, you will prick your finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into an everlasting sleep.” She stepped closer so that she could be heard only by Liesel and her parents. “Then you will at last see the truth. Be wary. Be wise. Your fate rests upon yourself.”
On her sixteenth birthday, Princess Liesel Rosanna falls victim to a sleeping curse—but wakens in another world, a prisoner of war. As the bait in a trap for her fiancé, the crown prince of Hanover, Liesel longs to escape back to the fairy tale world. The world where she is only wanting a true love’s kiss to set everything to rights.
As situations quickly grow dire, Liesel must choose which story to live, which life is real. The fate of her country rests on her decision.

About the Author Morgan Elizabeth Huneke is a homeschool graduate who lives in Georgia. She has enjoyed creating characters and writing stories since early childhood. Books have always been a big part of her life, never more so than when working at the local library. Her other interests include reading, playing and teaching piano and violin, and politics. She is the author of Across the Stars and The Experiment as well as the Time Captives fantasy trilogy.
You can connect with Morgan on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Rosetta Thornbriar
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35391254-rosette-thornbriarKindle preorder link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072SF4GXZ
About the BookOnce upon a time, way out west...Back when they were young'uns, Fleur Guardstone proposed to Rosette Thornbriar with a cigar band ring. However, not long after, she disappeared back into the forest and hadn't been heard from since. However, when Fleur hears reports of smoke coming from that woods, he's determined to find out if it is, indeed, his dear Rosette. If he can get past all of the briars.
About the Author Rachel Roden is a natural story teller, capable of weaving the most hilarious of fairy tales. She fell in love with the Lone Ranger in her teens, but ended up with a basketball referee instead. Together, she and the Ref homeschool their four children in the Piney Woods of East Texas, as well as any other odd kid who ends up in their house. She might also be the sole human who still uses math after college.
You can connect with Rachel on her blog, twitter, and Pinterest.

ROOGLEWOOD PRESSis now accepting entries for
FIVE POISONED APPLES!

THE FINAL FAIRY TALE CONTESTRooglewood Press invites you to join the adventure of the Five Poisoned Apples creative writing contest!CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.

The cover model/photographer is WYNTER CLARK. If you'd like to link to her photography website,  here it is .


And, as always, our gorgeous cover design was done by the amazing JULIA POPOVA,  whose website is here .

Let the writing commence!

 About the Book Caroline and I walked out the back door and went into the barn.“What are we going to do?” Caroline asked.“Head out on our own. Saddle Whitey, please.”Caroline’s mouth gaped open. “They’ll find us.”“I know.”Caroline sighed. “What can we do then?”I shook my head. “We can stick together. Always.”
Tragedy stole everything from him … except her …
Three years ago, an illness orphaned Henry and Caroline Sullivan. The harsh years at the orphanage have forged a strong bond between the pair.
But Henry’s about to age out.
He must choose whether to leave his only family behind in relative safety, or take her with him as he pursues dreams of owning a farm. Henry trusts that God has a plan for him, but little does he know that others have plans for him and his younger sister as well. He will need all his faith to find the right path.
Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
Note: 50% of my income from this series will go to the World Orphans organization.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DL3Z9Thttp://books2read.com/alltheway
How I Pick the TitlesGuest Post by Faith Blum
If you’ve seen my books at all, you have probably noticed that I use hymn titles for my book titles. I often get asked how I decided to do that, but have never been asked how I pick the hymn to use until I was trying to figure out what to write for this guest post.
Do you pick the theme or hymn first?I always pick the theme first. Well, almost anyway. I think I picked the hymn once. That’s about it. I usually know the theme of the book and then find a hymn that goes along with it, is public domain, and could have been known during the time period I write the book in.
How do you pick the hymn?Sometimes it’s because I like the hymn and want to use it. Be Thou My Vision was that way, actually. That was one that I picked the hymn first and then the theme. I knew the hymn had Irish roots and the main character was Irish, so I wanted to incorporate it.Other times, I flip through one of the hymn books we have and try to find one that will work.For the Orphans of the West series, I knew they would all have the basic theme of God’s leading/God being a shepherd and I found a set of three hymns that fit that theme perfectly. When I decided to add a fourth book to my series, I found another hymn in that section to fit the story.
ConclusionSo that’s how I do it. If you are an author, I would love to hear how you pick your titles. If you aren’t an author, what would you choose for a book title for your biography? About the Author Faith Blum is a 20-something author of multiple books in various genres. She loves to write, read, play piano, knit, crochet, sew, watch movies, and play games with her family.  She lives in Wisconsin with her family on a small family farm where they raise goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and have 2 dogs and a varying number of cats.Faith’s goal in her writing is to encourage Christians in their walk with Christ. If you enjoyed this book, go to her website to sign up for her Monthly Newsletter so you can get an email with fun facts, giveaways, and so much more every month. You will also find links to her other Social Media sites on her website. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her.Double Sale
For May 26-31 only, get both books in the Orphans of the West series for just $0.99 each! They are both available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and more.
http://books2read.com/saviorlikeashepherdhttp://books2read.com/alltheway
Giveaway


Three prizes, three winners! The grand prize is a Savior, Like a Shepherd notebook and paperback. Sorry, but the lantern isn’t mine to giveaway. In second and third prize, the winners will receive a free eBook of All the Way My Savior Leads.
Note: The grand prize is open only to those in the continental US, but the other two are open to all.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule May 26 Bookish Orchestrations-Intro PostAnnie Louise Twitchell -Review
May 27 Letters from Annie Douglass Lima-Book SpotlightZerina Blossom’s Books-Review
May 28 God's Peculiar Treasure Rae-Guest Post: Why Henry?The Book Corner-Review
May 29 Sarah Allerding-ReviewWritings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Character Q&A with Henry
May 30 Frances Hoelsma-Book SpotlightPurposeful Learning- Review
May 31 Rachel Rossano’s Words-Guest Post: How I Pick HymnsWritten Rest-Review
June 1 Bookish Orchestrations-Giveaway Winner 

My guests for the interview are from my current WIP, White Bear, which is a (ready for it?) contemporary inspirational retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun West of the Moon. Willow Aure and Orson Kent are an unlikely pair when it comes to parents. This is bound to be interesting. :) Overall, how good is their relationship with their parents?Willow’s relationship with her parents is good, but complicated. As the surprise fourth child born when the three elders were in their teens, Willow grew up in limbo between being the baby of the family and being treated like an only child. Willow’s mother died of cancer a handful of years before the beginning of White Bear and the memories of her passing still resonate deeply in Willow’s consciousness. Willow’s relationship with her aging father is much closer. When his world fell apart, she was the one to step in to pick up the pieces and try to put him back together again, at the cost of her own life being put on hold.
Orson’s relationship with his parents is complex and contentious. He never knew his mother. His father, a self-centered egotist, has withheld any information about her from him. Even in adulthood, Orson is constrained from finding out more about her because his father threatens to cut off Orson’s contact with his half-sister if Orson tries. No matter what Orson does, he cannot seem to please his father. The two of them have been at odds for as long as Orson remembers. Despite his best attempts at establishing peace, his father refuses to have anything to do with it. Most discussions end up in a yelling match and threats of one form or another. Do they know both their biological parents? If not, how do they cope with this loss/absence and how has it affected their life?Willow’s biological family has been a part of her life since she was born.
Orson keenly feels the lack of a relationship with his mother. He yearns for some connection with the woman who bore him. It is one of his motivations for keeping up his side of the twisted arrangements with his father. He hopes to someday know the truth. How did their parents meet?Willow’s met as young adults and dated and married in the usual way. She doesn’t know much more than that.
Orson’s parental story is a mystery. How would they feel if they were told “you’re turning out like your parent(s)”?Willow would be delighted to be compared to her parents since she loves them deeply and admires them.
Orson would be horrified to be compared to his father. He regularly goes out of his way to point out how they are different despite their obvious physical similarities. What were your character’s parents doing when they were your character’s age?Willow’s parents were getting married and starting a family at about the age that Willow is in the story.
Orson’s father was womanizing, drinking, and well on his way to building a business empire at Orson’s age. Is there something they adamantly disagree on?Willow has never understood her parent’s lack of concern over the over animosity shown her by her older sisters. She struggles to understand why they never intervened during the early years when her sisters would gang up on her and attack her with words.
Orson adamantly disagrees with his father on so many things that he struggles to find something they even sort of agree on. It makes for a hard relationship. What did the parent(s) find hardest about raising your character?Willow was the surprise. Going back to babyhood while raising teens was a struggle for the couple, but they managed with love.
Orson was a thing, someone to be fed, groomed, disciplined, and educated with as little personal oversight as possible. Hard to not feel like one is an inconvenience when treated so. What’s their most vivid memory with their parental figure(s)?Willow remembers her father comforting her after falling from her bike. He listened to her worries and concerns with patience and quiet advice.
Orson recalls confronting his father over the identity of his mother when he was ten. It is not a pleasant recollection. What was your character like as a baby/toddler?Willow remembers being called a happy baby, content and eager to please. Her sisters complained that she cried too much and cost too much, but they aren’t reliable resources.
Orson doesn’t know what he was like because his nanny from that time period was fired. Why and how did the parents choose your character’s name?Willow’s parents had a penchant for strange names. They hoped it would be an indicator of her nature and her ability to weather life’s storms like her namesake.
Orson, which means bear, was chosen because it was a variation on his father’s name, Ursa. Also, both men resemble bears in size and appearance.

Sooo.... What do you think?
Want to know more?

Welcome to Day 3 of Indie eCon 2017! There are a lot of other resources on a wide variety of topics on the blog of our awesome coordinator Kendra E. Ardnek. I also have another post over there today so don't forget to check it out too! :)

By Rachel Rossano
The first key to creating a unique cover design is to focus on your story. Know its genre, characters, themes, and feel. Your book will be different than anything anyone else has ever written because you wrote it. Figure out those differences and make sure they’re expressed in your cover.
The second step, although it might feel like a step backward from originality, is to spend time browsing covers of similar books in your genre. You need to get a feel for the general look readers are going to expect. Your readers should to know the genre of the book almost immediately when they first see your cover. Learning what will work and what won’t is a good starting point, but keep your mind open to the possibility that the design, like your story, might turn out slightly different than planned.
Next, you’ll need to look for a starting place. My first step as a designer, after getting to know my client and their book, is to go looking for an image as a starting place. Browse stock image sites. Whether it’s a character, a setting, a color scheme, or an atmosphere, you need to find a piece of visual inspiration to get you going and an anchor around which to build your cover.
Once you have your inspiration piece selected, it’s time to build the rest of the cover. Use elements that enhance and add to the visual storytelling, but don’t overdo it. Overly crowded covers can be eyesores and could give the wrong expectations of the book inside. Remember, this is going to be your readers’ first impression of your book. You want it to be professional and appealing.

After finding all of your elements, I suggest you assemble them in a rough layout so you can get a feel for how everything is going to work together.

Now, it’s time to play with fonts. Keep it unique, but readable. Legibility is key. Also, the title needs to take up about a third to a fifth of the cover image for it to be visible when the cover is on Amazon and other websites that shrink it down to a thumbnail size for their listings. Also, try to keep the number of fonts down to one or two. Too many will give the cover a sloppy or overdone look. Balance simplicity and detail. Typography is a challenge all its own.
Last of all, tweak the cover to the point of perfection. Clean up the edges and double check color, spelling, and other aspects. Sometimes the tiny nudge of an element can do wonders for the overall appearance. Once you’re finished with your first draft, I recommend running your cover by a designer and a reader you trust to give you honest feedback. Don’t present it to a committee unless you’re clear on your vision and not easily swayed by highly personalized advice. Listen and evaluate the input before letting the cover sit for a day. Then, if you’re still in love with it, and confident that it will do your book justice, I think you have a winner that’s ready for use.

* The cover used in this article is not finished completely and for demonstration only. If you are interested in it or something similar, contact me.

About the Rachel Rossano When Rachel Rossano isn't absorbed in writing and publishing books, she designs covers and other art for herself and other authors under the business name Rossano Designs. With over fifteen years of experience in the indie publishing business, she has seen and learned a lot. Always eager to help other authors, she loves talking shop, whether it is writing or design. 

Author Rachel Rossano
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 Guess who I bumped into over at Indie e-Con? Here is how it happened...




I ran across the convention center's main lobby. I was late, a perpetual state I had been fighting to overcome all day. 
Dodging an overenthusiastic lad in a Robin Hood costume who appeared to be wrestling to get the upper hand over his bow and arrow, I just missed being hit by his elbow as he swung around. I scooted between to buxom ladies dressed like Princess Leia. Apparently they had misunderstood the Indie eCon theme. Star Wars definitely didn't qualify as indie. On the other hand, going against the norm was definitely a trait of a good indie author. I was debating whether to attempt the crowded stairs before me or the obstacle course between me and the elevators. Either way I needed to be on the second floor and pronto.
As I debated, a small disturbance behind me made me turn around.
"I told you it was her. Look she even has a name tag." A young woman about my age approached. Dressed as a medieval noblewoman in greens and golds that set off her wildly curling red hair to advantage, she approached me with a smile.
"I imagined her taller." The tall warrior with dark hair and piercing brown eyes behind her assessed me sternly. To be honest, he was only a bit over average, but for a short woman like myself, that was tall. 
“It is definitely her,” the lady declared as she leaned down to read my name tag.
“Who are you?” I asked. I had never been recognized at a convention before and definitely not by costumed guests.
“Hey Tomas!” The tall warrior bellowed and motioned for someone I couldn’t see to join us. An even taller man, also dark of hair approached with a petite brunette more my size on his arm.
“Elsa wanted to check out the book signing tables,” the newcomer explained to the glaring shorter man. “Something about a gift for Constance for watching the children.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” the red head replied.
“Who are you?” I demanded again. I was extremely late now, but I couldn’t help delaying more now. This group looked very familiar and I had a sneaking suspicion I knew them from somewhere.
“Don’t you recognize your own characters?”
The glaring man claimed the petite lady’s arm possessively. Only then did it click. They were Dentin and Elsa.
“About time it sunk in.” The redhead that had to be Brielle laughed.
Tomas stood silently next to her with his arms crossed as though all of this wasn’t his idea, but his almost black gaze followed her every move. It all made sense now.
“Where are Constance and Willard?” It wasn’t the best response, but it was all I had at the moment.
“Watching the children for us,” Elsa explained. “I know we are keeping you, but we just wanted to say hi before we headed back.”
“Can we grab lunch?” I had completely given up on catching my class by then.
“That is a wonderful idea,” Brielle said.
“Where is the best place to get meat pies around here?” Dentin asked.
Elsa poked him in the ribs. “They don’t do meat pies here. Only fruit.”
Dentin didn’t respond, except to wink at me before following the chattering women as they led the way toward the food. Tomas silently offered me his arm and we set off to enjoy the best lunch I ever had.


Who would you like to meet next?

Willard Naron and Constance Rendare are the hero and heroine of my current WIP, Mercy: Third Novel of Rhynan. The questions are from February 2017 questionnaire offered by Beautiful People. 
How and why did they meet?
Willard and Constance first met while traveling from Monmora to the capital city, Caraway. He helped her carry a heavy bin without asking if she wanted help.
What were their first impressions of each other?
Willard stole Constance’s shoe, so it wasn’t exactly love at first sight for her. However, he did give it back along with temporary replacements for her currently holey ones.
Willard, for his part, was struck first by her wildly curly blond hair, but he quickly learned to admired her tenacity.
How would they prove their love for each other?
Willard is plotting to take something of sentimental significance and make it into something beautiful and of long term usefulness.
What would be an ideal date?
Just catching a moment to discuss the future beyond their current situation would be pleasant.
Is there something they emphatically disagree on?
Not yet, but the book isn’t over yet.
List 5 “food quirks” they know about each other. (Ex: how they take their coffee, if they’re allergic to something, etc….and feel free to mention other non-food quirks!)
She loves bread, but rarely gets to enjoy freshly baked loaves or rolls. He has a weakness for stew, but otherwise is pretty much amenable to anything.
What’s one thing they know about each other that no one else does?
Willard knows about the horrors of Constance’s past marriage. Constance completely understands his difficulties with his parents, especially his father.
What’s one thing that they keep a secret from each other?

Great affection has grown between them, but neither of them have spoken of it yet.

Anything else you would like to know about Willard and Constance?