Maybe I need a website?

Yesterday I was very understandably angry about what happened to my YouTube account. It was later determined that my account did nothing wrong and it was given back. I have never used my youtube account for book related purposes (other than watching book reviews), but I was still angry to see it go. The incident did get me thinking about promotions and blogs vs. websites and now I am wondering if I need a website. I know many authors have both blogs and websites. Blogs are usually used to write their ideas in and talk about things that matter to them, while websites are used to promote their books and inform about them. I think one of the areas where I'm lacking is informing people about myself. I'm bad at talking about myself, and never really know what to say on my author bios. I also think that a website would be a great way to introduce myself to a new group of people, but I'm still not one hundred percent sure.

Cover Reveal

Although I am not releasing my next novel just yet (still editing it), I have decided to share the cover.

As you might have guessed from the title, the novel is about werewolves. I will try to put the blurb up soon, or at least give some kind of summary about the novel soon.

Fivver for cover art

I'm just starting out as an author, so I can't afford much when it comes to cover design. I found a website called fivver in my search for a cheap cover and instantly joined it. I liked that I was able to search through the projects until I found one that I liked. I purchased the gig without thinking much of it. I got the cover back the same day, probably about an hour after I had placed the order. I was content with the finished product, but didn't think much about the cost. When you do a five dollar gig on fivver, you only end up getting four dollars after the gig is complete. If I could afford to, I wouldn't use fivver, but I do think it is a good tool. Before everyone starts getting angry and thinking that I am cheating the artist by using fivver, think of this, a new artist trying to start a business. I'm not saying everyone on there is a new artist, but they can use the site to help themselves build a following. They would also have covers to show later on when trying to get more work. I can see both sides of fivver, the good and the bad.

Cover models

They say you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I often find myself doing just that. If there's a model on the cover I usually picture the main character in that book to look like the cover model. Today I got the cover for Hair of The Wolf, which included a cover model. I was a bit shocked at her appearance and my eyes lingered on the cover for awhile. It took me a minute to figure out what was wrong, I had pictured her differently. I had pictured Anyssa to have soft features, like a slightly chubby face that was friendly. I realize that when I read a book I may not be picturing the character the same way as the author did, but now I find myself wondering if the author is always happy with their model. I know that traditionally published authors have no control over their covers, but what about self published authors? I would like to hear more from people about their experiences with book covers and cover models. Did the cover always turn out as expected?

An Idea that won't go away

I have this idea that keeps coming back to me, but it's not for a book. One of the things that I have always wanted to do as an author is connect to other authors and readers, and it's possible with social media, but I think there could be a better way. If I knew how to build websites I would build one where authors and readers could interact on a different level. It wouldn't be like good reads, although it would probably have some elements. Authors would be able to search for reviews with ease and vice versa. The website would allow people to search for categories that they enjoy reading in, and allow other authors to connect with each other for promotions, book cover quotes, and allow them to recommend books besides their own. Maybe I haven't been looking in the right place for this, but I would love a website like to this exist. I wish I had the tools to build it.

Why can't we get a decent female superhero movie/tv show?

Recently I commented on a youtube video about a Black Widow movie. I said that I was not in favor of it, which sparked a debate in the comments section. People went crazy, until I put my reasoning. I don't think Scarjo can carry a movie. I've seen Lucy and thought it was a decent movie, but I wouldn't have gone to the movies to see Lucy. I also don't enjoy the way the character was treated in the comics. I also think that she's not the best comic book character to get a movie. Her story has been told, and she's also better as a supporting character. Something else that really gets on my nerves is that female superheros usually have to have female villains. While their rouges galleries are smaller, I'm sure the producers have their pick of great comic material to work with. Why not pick a good story and improve on it? Story means a lot to me when I go to the movies, as I'm sure it does most people. Is the movie industry afraid to give us a female character who might not make it out alive? I came across an article when I first started writing about how you need to put your characters in danger if you are writing fiction. No one wants to read a book about a heroine who faces no risks. Anyway, sorry if I was rambling.

My first author interview

As a self published author, I am always looking for new ways to reach readers. One of the things I couldn't wait to do was an interview, so after seeing a post asking for authors to do interviews, I reached out to another blogger. The interview can be found here.