Writing a book has many exciting moments. First, you have that initial spark of an idea and as you begin to develop your story, characters show up and become good friends or perhaps, a not so good friend if it’s one of your less lovable characters. Many hard moments may follow as you dig words out of your brain to get your story down in black and white. Writing “the end” on that final page is always a big moment for me. But in many ways that end is actually a beginning as you send your story off to an editor who may say the story works or may say the story needs more work. Edits follow to make the story as good as possible.
While you and those editors are working to make the words all line up to tell the story, others are thinking about the presentation of the book. A good book needs a good title. Sometimes the writer, me, comes up with a good title. I’ve done other posts here talking about titling. Some of my books carry titles I came up with. Angel Sister. Scent of Lilacs. Other times, the team at the publishers who work with me on the book have a brainstorming session considering my title suggestions and come up with a title that will catch a reader’s eye, fit the story, and be acceptable to all of us. For my upcoming release, that title turned out to be The Refuge. Back copy is written that we hope will make readers decide this book is one they might like.
Here is what you will read on the back of The Refuge.
When Darcie and Walter Goodwin hear of a new cholera epidemic sweeping the area, they join the Shakers whose villages seem immune to the disease. It’s meant to be a temporary stay, but Walter is killed in a riverboat accident. With no family and no money, Darcie has little choice but to stay with the Shakers. To complicate matters, she is expecting a baby conceived before she and her husband came to the Shaker village. Marital relationships are considered sinful in this celibate community, putting Darcie in a unique–and lonely–position. Can the arrival of widower Flynn Keller and his headstrong daughter offer Darcie the hope of happiness . . . and family?
Does that catch your interest? We hope it will along with the picture on the cover.
Ah, yes, that very important cover. One of the most exciting moments in the book publishing journey is seeing the cover that opens the door to your story. What makes that moment even more fun is being able to share that new cover with readers and friends like you. So now that you’ve seen it, you can tell it’s a Shaker book set in my fictional Shaker village of Harmony Hill. You see some beautiful fall colors as the beginning of the story is set in autumn. You’ve gotten a glimpse of my heroine, Darcie, and you might wonder where she’s going and what her story will be.
So what do you think? Do you like the cover? The title?
The book is scheduled for release in April 2019, but it’s already available for pre-sale at several on-line locations. So you can reserve your copy now and get it hot off the press in April.
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Baker Publishing Group
Tell me what you think about the cover and as a reward, you’ll have a chance to win one of my other previous books, winner’s choice. If you already have all of them, I thank you a bunch, but go ahead and enter. Books make great Christmas presents. I’ll draw the winner next Sunday so this is a quick giveaway. I hope to send out a newsletter around Thanksgiving time with a new giveaway, so sign up for that newsletter if you haven’t already. It’s fun to giveaway books. You do have to be at least 18 years old to enter.
As always, thanks for reading.
Comments 63
I enjoy all your books so will surely enjoy this one also.
Author
Thanks, Helen. I’m hoping the new story will be one you and other readers will like. I do think you’ll like my character, Darcie.
Hi Ann! I love the colors on your cover, since Fall is my favorite season. Also, the black fence — one little touch of Kentucky that I’ve always loved. As a teenager, I always thought it was so neat to see the horses grazing inside those perfectly kept black fences. I can’t wait to read “The Refuge.” I really enjoy your Shaker books. =)
Author
Plank fences do make you think Kentucky and horses, don’t they, Debbie? The fences at the Shaker village near me are white now, but they might not have always been that way. There are stone fences at the village too. I’m glad you think the cover works and appreciate you reading my books.
Love the cover, very pretty country scene, and the book sounds like the type I love to read. I really have enjoyed all your books that I have read so far, I’m reading River of Redemption right now, great story!
Author
I hope you’ll like the rest of the story and thinks things should happen as they do in the River to Redemption, Connie. I appreciate you reading my books, and I do hope you’ll enjoy my Harmony Hill book, The Refuge when you get a chance to read it. I’m always excited to hear what readers think about my stories.
I have always enjoyed your books especially the Shaker ones. And like others I love the cover. Thank you for a chance to get this book. God bless, Patti
Author
It’s fun to know so many of you are ready for a new Harmony Hill book, Patti. I really didn’t expect to go back to Harmony Hill for another story, but then Darcie started whispering her story in my ears. Thank you for reading my books.
Yes, I love the cover. Wonderful, and now looking forward to another of your books to read.
Author
Thank you for that, Birdie. I appreciate my reading friends and enjoy it when you join the conversation here on my blog posts.
Beautiful cover! I love the fall colors and the building in the background. I definitely want to read this book. Thanks for writing the books you do, so we can learn more about the history of our country, without having to do all the research you do for us!
Author
You know, Kathy, I feel that way about other historical novels I read too. So fun to discover some history or some new aspects of historical events without having to dig through history books. Novels can sometimes make that history come to life for us. I’m glad you like the cover and even happier you want to read The Refuge. Thank you for that.
It sounds wonderful! I love the cover. Simple yet beautiful. I am really looking forward to reading this one.
Author
I do hope that those who have enjoyed some of my other Shaker books will be happy to go back to Harmony Hill, Linda. I’m doing edits on the story now. It won’t be long until those words fit inside that cover and make it out to readers.
I went from seeing this on facebook to your site. I thought oh no, I do not like this cover { facebook } then onto your site and I love it. The other was only partial. This cover shows simplicity and beauty, The book sounds so interesting, can’t wait to read it.
Author
I’m glad you hopped over her to see the rest of the cover, Judy. I noticed that it only showed part of the cover on FB when I posted the link. The Shakers were known for their desire to be “simple” and live a peaceful life. So it’s good the cover conveys some of that feeling.
Ann,I’m so excited for you as your new book “The Refuge” comes out in April of 2019! Ann,your Shaker books are my favorite and I look forward to reading “The Refuge”! 😊 What I like most about this cover is it is set in the Fall and you can see that the Shaker meeting house in the foreground of the scene. 💜Psalm 46💜
Author
So glad you liked the cover, Emily. I do hope you will also like the story when you get a chance to read it. This story is a bit of a departure in the way I wrote it since I have Darcie’s part of the story in first person. Ever since I first began imagining this story I always imagined Darcie telling the story herself.
What a beautiful cover! I immediately thought of fall time with the trees changing. The house in the distance is beautiful but I would have loved to caught a glimpse of a horse in the field
Author
A horse in the field would have been a good touch, Dana, since a horse does play an important role in this story. The Shakers did have horses they used for work and to pull their wagons. The traders did usually go on foot to do their trading, but they did sometimes go to visit other Shaker villages in horse drawn carriages.
Love the cover with the path and the building in the background. Looking forward to reading it.
Author
The buildings are very true to the Shaker look, Janice. I was happy that those at the publishers wanted to make it look authentic. But then all my Harmony Hill books have had wonderful backgrounds on the covers and have gotten models who looked like I imagined my characters.