Creating a Book Cover: Flirting with Chaos

I love Book Covers. I have an awesome New Adult Contemporary Romance with coming out Fall 2013. 

Currently, Omnific and I are in the first stages of the publishing process to make sure everything is perfect, which means editing, revising, and more editing. 

But, I LOVE COVERS! So I asked my good friend and talented artist

Jackie Sheats

to make me a Mock Cover for my book Flirting with Chaos and explain her process to us. 

First let me tell you what I asked for....

Flirting with Chaos deals with two mentally unstable rich kids, Rain and Jude. Rain is an artist. Jude is a rising rock star. 

In this book, I played with the idea of how insanity influences artists' creation process as well as how it could impact love. Rorschach signs

come up a lot in the book, as art, theme, and within the plot-line. FYI, the Rorschach test is several inkblots used by psychologists to examine a person's personality characteristics and emotional functioning. 

So I asked Jackie to incorporate the Rorschach symbol in the cover. Let's check out her work!

Jackie Explaining Her Process

1. The first thing I do is put my lovely source images onto one canvas. Generally when working on a book cover I use these settings for a new file. 1500x2400px 200dpi.

What do those settings mean? It means about 4 hours in my computer starts freaking out because it's over worked. Unlike myself, I am a well oiled machine!

Those settings for your file are about as big as a cover will ever be requested for upload. I choose to do it the biggest as possible. I do this because bigger is always better.

Also it is easier to go smaller then bigger when it comes to working with photos. The 200 dpi is the resolution which I have found to be perfect to not over work my computer, and it is the perfect medium.

2. With both my images on the same canvas I flick this magic switch that turns the top layer (the man and woman) into a clipping mask. Translated, it will only show where the ink blot is. 

Neat huh? Well it gets better.



3. To make it more believable I use a soft brush to erase the areas in the ink blot that are meant to be white. Also I start to fade the image of the man and woman so you can see the ink blot, and also draws your attention to the center. So basically making your eye do what I want it to, because I have that kind of power.

4. I add the check, play around with some settings. Work even more magic because I am a wizard. Use a soft brush with adjusted settings to fade some black in. Make that white not so white.

5. Finally, I use some layer effects to doll up the text. Throw a stroke in there, a drop shadow, and a little stain. What comes out is brilliant cover, a day spent at my computer, and a very sore back end. 

Don't even think this is easy. This was just one of about 12 different designs I went through. I just make it all look that easy.

Thanks Jackie!
JNSheats.com

She also went through this process a whole lot because I am a crazy author that didn't know what I wanted. We went through several covers before I finally picked one. 

Check out the others!

If you're interested in the release of Flirting with Chaos, go to my website Kenya Wright and sign up to follow by email!!

ECHO Book Tour Kick-Off + Int'l Giveaway

ECHO BLOG TOUR hosted by Xpresso Book Tours & Good Choice Reading Blog Tours

Today is the kick-off for the virtual tour featuring my novel Echo, a young adult science fiction adventure. Click on the above image to see the Goodreads page.

Over the next three weeks, Echo will be featured on 50-70 different blogs. Each tour stop will feature a guest blog post written by me, review (not written by me), interview, excerpt, teaser, character highlight, or character interview. It should be a lot of fun, with lots of information being revealed about Echo and its characters.

There will be two big giveaways, offering bookstore gift cards, paperbacks, and ebook copies of the book. Plus, some blogs may hold their own mini-giveaways for one ebook each.

You can find links to this week's tour stops here. These will be mostly reviews. Sometime during the next week, I'll update this post to link to the remaining tour stops. Those will be mostly non-review posts. I intend to visit each blog, so feel free to ask me questions in post comments throughout the tour.

Here's the first of the two big giveaways. It's international.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Captured (Book 2 of Vampire King Series)

Captured by Kenya Wright

(Book 2 of Vampire King Series)

Release: Feb 2013

Summary: Can she escape him or was she captured the whole time?

The human town of Freemont burns. Someone is hunting Brie. It seems she is more than a domina. But what is she? And why is she being pursued as if she is the solution to a puzzle the Quiet King has never solved?

Samuel and Brie are forced to align with another, one that holds many answers and incites even more questions. Their journey drags them back to Capitol City, to the nightlife, in which sex and secrets mingle together underneath the two moons’ light. All this time Brie thought she’d escaped from vampires, but now she wonders if she was captured the whole time...

“I don’t need to be a king for you to be my queen.”

That statement is put to the test as Samuel and Brie discover that she is more than a regular domina and reminiscent of another that existed long ago, one with powerful blood.

I loved writing this book because I got to explore this amazing planet where love and blood tend to be linked together. I had fun, diving deeper into the Quiet King's life, revealing the other creatures, and presenting the political intrigue of Capital City.

But most of all creating the sex scenes may have been the best part of the process.

"I’m going to spend every free moment f***ing you until you beg me to let you stay. His voice unfolded in my mind like the slow melody of a violin. He left a trail of kisses from my lips to my neck. His hands continued to journey between my thighs. An ache so strong that I thought I’d die swelled within my folds, begging him to fulfill it."

Cover Reveal: Possession by Alicia Wright Brewster

Fellow Fantasy Floozie is showing off her hot new cover! Check out Ms. Alicia Wright Brewster's new book, coming out in April 2013!



Possession
First novel in the Forsaken series
by Alicia Wright Brewster
Publication date: April 25, 2013
Publisher: Dragonfairy Press
Book Summary:

It's been less than a week since fallen angel Six escaped from Hell and cast aside her angelic duties. Six wants friends, a job, and a nice place to live. Maybe she'll take a few night classes and forget about her past. She'll especially forget about Luke—better known as Lucifer.

Luke has other plans. He's determined to draw Six back into his life and back into his bed. To get what he wants, he won't hesitate to call on demons or kill a few humans.

With demons running free all over the city, Six will have to set aside her personal plans. And when a demon makes an offer she can't refuse, it could land Six right back in Hell.

Meet the Author:

Website
Twitter
Goodreads

Alicia Wright Brewster is a mild-mannered lady of average height and above average paranormal obsession. By day, she works in an office. At night she's an author, an electronics junkie, and a secret superhero.

In her virtually non-existent free time, she loves to read, watch movies, and eat food. She is particularly fond of the food-eating and makes a point to perform this task at least three times per day, usually more.

Escape Cover Reveal by Kenya Wright

Finally! There is a cover for my new novella ESCAPE!
I love it and am extremely excited for it to come out in January! FYI, this book will have a few illustrations and is book one in a vampire romance trilogy that follows the same hero and heroine! Thanks for checking it out!!

To get a sneak peak of the world and novel's sketches, Click Here

To get on the email list to be notified of Escape's release, Click Here



Author: Kenya Wright

Date of Release: January 2013

Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing

 

Book Summary: A domina’s only purpose is to birth vampire children for the Quiet King. Brie has been a domina for two years. After witnessing the slaughter of babies, she plans to escape and seeks help from Samuel, a vampire known for aiding many out of slavery.

However, Samuel has only one policy. He won’t help dominas run away from the king. The penalty is too high and their blood triggers powers in him that he doesn’t want released. So Brie is forced to lie and Samuel is lured in by her blood. Something emerges within them that they can’t deny, overwhelming their every cell and igniting an all-consuming hunger that neither can escape.

When an Orgy is Absolutely Recommended! Sex Giveaway!

MeShack Takeover!

Don't forget to enter the Sex Giveaway at the end of the post!!



For those of you poor ladies out there who don’t know who I am:

• Hello, I am the Were-cheetah of your dreams.
• God of Sensuality!
• Reaper of Multiple Orgasms!
• Stimulator of feminine flesh and other soft things needing stimulating!
• Many also know me as the lead singer of Mahogany Groove!
• While others remember me from the books Fire Baptized and Caged View (my author made me say that).

Trey Songs TRYING to be MeShack!

But none of that really matters, because at the end of the night when I spread your soft thighs, venturing down to taunt and tease your treasures. . .you will all call me god. . .like all of the others before you.

And I will. . .

*MeShack stops talking.

Sorry. I’m back.

The fantasy floozies were wielding knives and baring their teeth at me. Apparently, I went too far off topic.

*MeShack clears his throat.

So today I am here to talk about when Orgies are absolutely recommended.

Why do I capitalize Orgy?

Well I’ve been involved in many so I can argue that a Big O is definitely required.

*MeShack laughs to himself!

I’ll be here all night ladies!

Okay, seriously.

In my supernatural caged city called Santeria, many Shapeshifters live there. I’m talking Were-dogs, Were-wolves, Were-tigers, Were-lions, etc. . .even and I hate to admit this. . . even Were-rats.

Although Humans like to lump all of the Shapeshifters together in one species group, we are very different creatures. In my unbiased opinion, Were-dogs and Were-wolves are mangy little creatures that should be shot.

While any Shapeshifter from the Were-cat family is Totally Awesome!

However, I can’t deny that all Shapeshifters have one thing in common, SEASON!

Ace definetly knew about the Season!

Season is like a second puberty phase for Shapeshifters.

Poor guy understands the Season!

It‘s when the beasts inside of us begin their puberty, causing hormones to bounce inside of our human forms. In other words, we are horny as hell! 

A Shapeshifter’s Season usually lasts for seven to ten years. Once the Season is complete the Shapeshifter searches for his or her mate.

I’ve discovered from personal experience that a Shapeshifter should NEVER commit to someone when they are in their Season. It’s pretty much impossible to stay faithful. However, if you must commit to the love of your life. . .PLEASE make sure your lover doesn’t have the ability to control and create fire. I made that mistake and was sent to the burn unit many times. Shout out to supernatural burnologist, Dr. Mason!

My best advice, to all Shapeshifters and those who are in love with them, is WAIT until after that person’s Season ends!

I recommend Orgies for three reasons. One, no emotional connections, just in and out, and then see you later!





Two, lots of variety.



Three, for some reason I have found the food at Shapeshifter Orgy events to be scrumptious. If you want to try an orgy, definitely try a Shapeshifter one.

So that’s it boys and girls! Its time for me to go. . .I've got an Orgy starting at 8 and I can't be late!

FYI, I am currently in my Season for all you interested in making me purr. Please enter the Sex giveaway below! As you see there are TEN possible winners!

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