So, it's been a while since I last blogged, but that doesn't mean things haven't been moving forward. In fact, there's been significant progress on a few different fronts.
First off, Book One in my "Find Your Truth" series, "Your Truth is Out There" has come back from editing and is now with my beta readers. I received some great feedback from my editor and have already gotten some excellent early suggestions from my beta readers. I suspect the book will be ready for a final proofing by the end of June.
While working on finalizing the copy, I've also been trying to nail down my cover art. I've been reading science fiction novels since I was a kid, and have always been a huge Isaac Asimov fan, particularly his "Robot" and "Foundation" books. I remember how much I liked the books, and how much I was always drawn in by the covers. Several months ago, I did some research into who the cover artist(s) were for some of my favorites titles. One of the artists who did some particularly memorable work is a gentleman named Stephen Youll. On a lark, I looked up his website and contact information and reached out to him. Stephen was extremely gracious and told me that in addition to his other work, he also creates covers for self-published authors. We discussed the project further, but at that point in time, I couldn't make the necessary financial commitment. Even though Stephen offered me a very attractive deal, I simply couldn't afford it. As the weeks and months passed and my book moved nearer to completion, the idea of having a Stephen Youll cover continued to play on my mind. Then, he accepted my friend request on Facebook, and I began seeing more of his most recent work. That, combined with the growing excitement over the completion of my book made it clear to me that if I didn't at least discuss the possibility with Stephen again, I would regret it. We reconnected this past week and discussed my vision for the cover. Stephen was very excited about the concept and we subsequently agreed to financial terms. With that, I'm very pleased to announce that the cover art to "Your Truth is Out There" will be designed by none other than reknowned sci-fi artist Stephen Youll. If you're unfamiliar with his work (or not sure if you're familiar), check out his web site at stephenyoull.com and/or look for his page on Facebook.
While we're on the subject of covers, let me say that it's worth spending the money to highest quality cover possible. This is the first thing your potential reader will see and should represent your work in the best possible light. As an avid reader, especially in my younger days, I cannot tell you how many great books I discovered simply because it had a great cover. A strong editor and a great cover are two areas where an author should never skimp.
While all of these developments with Book One have been taking place, Book Two is also progressing nicely. The first nine chapters are almost complete and am very excited with the way the story—and these characters (including a few new ones) are moving forward. I'll continue to keep you posted as the story takes shape.
In the meantime, be on the lookout for a mid-summer launch of Book One: Your Truth Is Out There, complete with a Stephen Youll cover!