A Brand New Cover for Truth

That’s right, this is the unveiling for an updated cover for Truth, the first book in my Makilien Trilogy. As sudden as this may seem, I’ve actually been trying to get this done for over a year. It went through a couple changes and gave me a lot of frustration at first. Then, about a month or so ago, I tried a different background photo, one I’d actually had for a while, and it all came together perfectly. I’m just thrilled with it. I think it captures the mood of Truth perfectly. Now, why have I done this? Well, my original cover, as much as I loved it at the time, did not match the last two of the trilogy. This is a tip for all writers—if you’re working on a series, know what all the covers will look like before you publish.

 

 

So there it is. What do you think? Do you feel it captures the essence of Truth better than the old one? Look better as a trilogy now?

The new cover is showing up on Kindle, and I’ve uploaded the new files to CreateSpace. The new paperback should will be available in the next couple weeks providing I don’t have to order too many proofs to get the colors right.

Now, on Facebook, I promised two announcements, didn’t I? As if I don’t have enough projects going, I’ve decided to create a Makilien Trilogy 3-in-1 book. At first, I was only going to do it for Kindle, but I think, if I’m really creative with formatting, I can actually make it into a paperback too. (Fingers crossed on that.) It will be between 600-700 pages, but how could I resist making a giant Makilien Trilogy book like the 3-in-1 Lord of the Rings books? The most exciting thing about this is that I get to create a whole new cover! I’m very excited about that. Want to be part of the fun? If you have a blog and would like to be part of the cover reveal, just send me an email. (Postcard in the far right sidebar.) As part of the cover reveal, it means you get to see the cover at least a day before everyone else. ;) It will probably be a few weeks though. I don’t even have the photos for it yet, but I hope to get around to it soon. I also plan to hold my first giveaway once the book is finished, so this should be a lot of fun.

I have one more announcement pertaining to Makilien, but I can’t reveal that just yet. It will be sometime in the next couple months, I expect. No, it’s not a whole new book (sorry), but I think fans will like it. :)

Trust Cover Costume

With the release of Trust fast approaching (I’m planning on a November release date, if all goes well), it’s time to start sharing things such as the cover, synopsis, book trailer, and all that good stuff. To start it off, I wanted to share a little about the costume that will appear on the cover. This one didn’t have nearly as many pieces as the Courage costume, but it’s a costume I’ve wanted to make for quite some time.

 

First we have the shirt. I’ve wanted to make a dress or shirt this color for a long time. The pattern I used was New Look 6179. It was a wonderfully simple shirt to make. I chose it because the drawstring neckline reminded me of a historical shift, and I thought it worked well for a fantasy outfit. The only modifications I made were to the sleeve length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we have the overdress. This was another piece I’d wanted to make for a long time. This was quite the project. I used a grand total of 350 metal eyelets! All put in by hand. It took about three days of working hours at a time to attach them all. But I love the result. It turned out just like I hoped. The skirt of the dress has eight separate panels, which I can either lace or leave open, obviously for the easy of riding, combat, and other such activities. For underneath I have a matching pair of khaki pants. Like my Truth dress, I used McCall’s 5499 for the pattern. I again modified it to lace up in the front instead of the back, and I removed the sleeves. It is made out of 100% linen in it’s natural color, which is gorgeous and really adds to the historical feel of the outfit. It smells very natural too. :)

 

 

The primary inspiration for this costume came primarily from this outfit worn by Marian in BBC’s Robin Hood (the first two seasons are fantastic, by the way). I LOVE the aqua shirt and how it goes with the gray.

 

 

 

 

Inspiration for the construction of my overdress came directly from this dress (another Marian outfit). I just loved the idea of all the skirt panels lacing together. It was very out of the ordinary.

So there it is, the Trust costume. Now all that’s left is to release the cover. Are you excited? Fantastic, because I’m setting the official release date of the cover and book synopsis for this Friday, October 5th. Make sure to check back! I can hardly wait to share this new cover.

New Author–Pamela Kay Murphy

I am very pleased to introduce the new Living Sword Publishing author, my mom, Pamela Kay Murphy! After everything she has taught me over the years (I wouldn’t be where I am today with my writing if not for her), it’s been so much fun watching and helping her get to the point of publishing, and it’s especially fun to have her published through my company. Her first book, Wooing Sam Walker’s Widow, a contemporary Christian romance, is available in eBook on Amazon and Smashwords right now. In a few weeks it will also begin to show up on other eBook retailers like Barnes & Noble and iBooks. She just ordered her first proof copy of the book so it shouldn’t be too long before the paperback is also available. To find all the information, you can visit her blog here:

http://pamelakaymurphy.blogspot.com/

You can also find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamelaKayMurphy

If you like contemporary romance and family relationships, make sure to check it out!

Courage–The Cover

And here it is!  The cover of Courage, the second book of the Makilien Trilogy. I have been waiting with giddy anticipation to finally share it. I think it almost has to be my favorite of any cover I’ve done so far. Maybe because the “feel” of it matches the story so well. I am extremely pleased with how it turned out. When you begin a project like this, especially when you’re taking the photos, you really don’t know how well it is going to come together. But it did far easier than I was expecting, and a lot more quickly. It was just one of those “meant to be” things I am always so thankful for. I can hardly wait to share this next part of the adventure.

 

 

 

Now, along with the cover release, I have also given the Makilien website a makeover, which is now live. You can take a look at it here: www.makilien.com. I’m very excited about how it turned out as well.

I am just about to start my final read through of Courage so it won’t be too long now until it is in print!

Courage Cover Costume

A few of the supplies I used.

In the past couple months, one of my focuses has been working on the costume that will be on the cover of Courage, the second book of my Makilien Trilogy. It was one of the biggest things left to complete on the way to publication. It has also been one of the biggest costume projects I’ve ever undertaken. There were so many pieces involved, pieces that really took a lot of time and effort to put together. I tried a lot of new things with this costume as well. At times it was frustrating, but on the whole, it’s been a very enjoyable process. I love to see a costume I’ve designed come together. Now that I’ve successfully completed it, I wanted to begin a little series of upcoming posts on the creation process. Over the next couple of weeks you can expect posts detailing the creation of each piece of the outfit, including photos. All this will lead up to . . . *drum roll* . . . the very first look at the cover. The costume itself consists of the dress, a vest and overskirt, chain-mail, and a pair of vambraces. First up will be the dress. Be sure to check back on Wednesday to get a closer look at the foundational piece of the outfit!

Truth–Now available in paperback!

The paperback version of Truth (Makilien Trilogy – Book 1) is now available for order on Amazon for $12.99!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Makilien-Trilogy-Book-1/dp/0983774005/

Truth eBook now available!

I’m excited to announce that my newest book, Truth (Makilien Trilogy – Book 1) is now available in eBook format for $2.99!

 

For some reason it is taking much longer than normal for the paperback to become available on Amazon, but it should only be a couple more days. I will announce it as soon as it is available. For those interested in the eBook, here are the links to purchase it:

 

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Makilien-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B005CX90LK/

 

Other eBook formats: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/73865

Truth–Back Cover Text

Today, following the release of the cover of Truth, here is the official back cover text:

 

* * * * *

 

“What are we living for? Just to live? What is the point? Don’t you think there should be a purpose?”

 

Trapped in a village no one is allowed to leave, Makilien yearns for the answers to her questions about life and the world outside the village walls. Yet no one but her closest friend seems to understand or share her desire. Despite her family’s fears and warnings of the consequences, she is determined to find answers.

 

The unexpected arrival of a stranger, and the knowledge he possesses, drives Makilien to drastic action. Confronted with a world she knows nothing about, she must choose carefully who to trust as both good and evil lurk in all places. As a battle looms, one in which will be determined the fate of all, she must decide whether to believe in the One who is truth or fall prey to the lies of the enemy.

 

The adventure begins here . . .

 

* * * * *

 

Are you ready for it? :)

The Cover of Truth

Today I am excited to share the cover for Truth, book 1 of the Makilien Trilogy. I’ve been working on Makilien for so long, never quite knowing what the covers would look like. I had vague ideas, but it’s never the same when you actually do it. It took me a while to figure out exactly what I wanted to do with the photo, but after playing with it for a couple of hours one afternoon, it suddenly just all came together. I am very pleased with how it turned out. It has the fantasy feel I wanted, and I think it captures the mood of Truth.

 

Now I just have to finish getting through all the technical stuff, and it will soon be ready for print!

The Search for an Agent

I've come to the moment of taking a new step in my writing career and ministry. A step out of independent publishing and, hopefully, into traditional publishing. I've begun my search for a literary agent. I never imagined reaching this point, and let me tell you, nothing in writing has been quite as scary as sending out that first query letter.

 

Writing a query letter has always been something I've adamantly avoided. I hated the thought of it because it just was not something I thought I'd ever be able to do with any degree of skill. (Turns out to be easy when compared to trying to put together a book proposal.)

 

Over the last several weeks, I have spent hours on my computer doing all kinds of research on queries and agents until my eyes would hardly focus. I found some great sites that were invaluable when I sat down to write my query letter. Time will tell whether or not it will be enough to interest an agent, but while I wait, I thought I would share some of the most helpful pages I discovered. So be sure to check back in the next few days.

Finding Faith - Now Available!

After more proofs than I usually have to order and a lot of working with Photoshop to get the cover right, I'm very excited to announce that Finding Faith is now available. It's $13.99 and can be ordered from Amazon or CreateSpace.

 

Amazon

CreateSpace

 

To see all of my available books, visit my Amazon author page:

http://www.amazon.com/Molly-Evangeline/e/B0035BNPAS/

Finding Faith Delays

I always planned to release Finding Faith this month and worked very hard to do so, but I've hit a few delays. I've ordered two proofs now, but on each the cover is much too dark. I really love this cover so I want to get it as perfect as possible. That means at least another week or two before it will be available. I have to wait a week to get each proof. I'm going to order my third one tomorrow and hope it looks good, otherwise I'll have to make some adjustments and try again. But hopefully it will only take one more try. I will post as soon as I get a proof I'm happy with and approve it.

New Cover for TPDP

I've been working hard lately on an updated edition of The Pirate Daughter's Promise to print with CreateSpace. I finally got to the point today where I uploaded the new files and am waiting for them to be approved so I can order a proof. I wanted to share a picture of the new cover, which I really love. I like the old one too, but this one represents the story better.

A Captain's Heart Cover

Here finally is the cover of A Captain's Heart. It took me more hours than I care to remember to finally come across the photos for it, but I am so happy with how it turned out.

Delays for the better...

I know, I've been promising the release of A Captain's Heart since August, but taking so much time has been for the best. I thought once summer ended, I wouldn't be so busy and could focus on my writing, but this fall has been incredible and just as busy. God has done amazing things in my life in the last two months that are now really contributing to my writing. It's quite a cool story that I want to post about sometime, but long story short, I've come to know a wonderful group of believers and am now part of a Bible study that really hopes to become a local church. The people I've met and have become friends with have been so encouraging and helpful to my writing. Already I've learned things that have made me go back and change things here and there in A Captain's Heart to be clearer and better understood. That is one reason I'm glad publishing it has taken so long. I've also gone back and slightly updated Every Tear, which is in the process of being done now.

 

As for the progress of A Captain's Heart, it is almost done. Mom only has a couple of chapters left and has the cover mostly finished, so now it's pretty much up to me to read through it once more and format the pages. I am determined to have it done this month so it's out before Christmas.

 

Another project I have going is I've decided to re-print The Pirate Daughter's Promise with Createspace. It will be an updated version, but not too different. Just little things I've felt I wanted to change or add to. It will also have a new cover, which I'm very excited about. I will write more about it once I get farther, but I'm hoping it won't take long. I'd like to have it published within the next month or two.

Quick Update

I just wanted to write a quick update on the progress of A Captain's Heart. I plan for it to be available by early next month if all goes well. The great news is I finally found photos for the cover which I just love. I was beginning to think I'd just have to settle for something. I spent countless hours searching through stock photos. I wasn't even sure what to search for anymore, but it really paid off. Mom and I will probably begin work on the cover very soon, and I will post it here as soon as it is finished along with the text from the back cover so you can get an idea of what the story is all about.

Every Tear now available!

Finally, after a slight, unexpected delay, the day I've been waiting for ever since The Pirate Daughter's Promise came out a year ago.  Every Tear, book 2 of my Pirates & Faith series is now available from my CreateSpace E-store and from Amazon. Follow the links below to purchase it, and if you have a little time after you read it, reviews on Amazon are greatly appreciated.

 

Buy from CreateSpace

Buy from Amazon

A Slight Delay

I meant to write a blog entry last week, but never got to it. It was quite a busy week. I got the first proof of my book last Thursday. It was very exciting and a little scary. I didn't know what I'd find when I opened up the book because I'd had so much trouble embedding the fonts into my PDF before I submitted it. I was afraid the special fonts I purchased and used for the chapters and dividers wouldn't show up, but they all did to my great relief. Everything looked great except that the margins were about a quarter inch off. I thought it was just because it was a proof and they are notorious for being not as precise as the final product. So I wasn't too concerned about it and approved the proof which made it available from CreateSpace. I was so excited and went around posting the purchase link on all my different sites, but then Friday afternoon I got an email form CreateSpace saying they'd made a mistake and my PDF wasn't processed with the right margins. In order to fix it, my book had to go back into the proof review stage, and they had to send me a new proof. I was pretty disappointed, but the way they handled it was great. They sent me a new proof right away, even shipping it two day air. I got the new proof yesterday, and it looks perfect. Now it's finally available again.

A couple of pictures of my two books:

New Website

Just a blog worked for a while, but with Every Tear coming out I felt like I needed a real website and finally started making it yesterday.  I made it through Weebly which is one of the easiest things I've ever done and had it pretty much finished last night.  You really don't need any website creation experience so I highly recommend it.  Then I just bought my domain name through GoDaddy today and set it all up.  It worked great.  Check it out:

 

www.mollyevangeline.com

 

Now, as for progress on Every Tear, I think I'm finished.  The manuscript is done and so is the cover.  I'm now just waiting to get Adobe Acrobat which I had to order to make the manuscript into a PDF.  As soon as I get it, I'm all set.  I'm guessing the book will be available around the second or third week of May at the latest.  That's what I'm hoping anyway.

Making a Lot of Progress

Mom and I got so much done yesterday.  I had decided to put an author photo on the back of Every Tear and was thinking of getting a professional photo taken but decided to see what we could do first so I wouldn't have to pay for photos.  So yesterday morning Mom took a bunch of pictures of me around some of our neighbor's old farm buildings and after working with the photos in Photoshop, I am so happy with the result.  Anything I can do to save on money is a great thing.

 

Later in the afternoon yesterday Mom started working on my cover layout.  We just worked more on it this afternoon too.  I've been watching and telling her the different things I have in mind and it has come together amazingly.  We really haven't worked on it that long, but I think it's pretty much finished.  I can hardly imagine having any publishing company do this for me.  It is WAY too much fun to do it ourselves.

 

Then, last night, Mom helped me finish up the book trailer, and I bought everything I needed for it.  I finished putting it all together today and now am very excited to get to share it with everyone.

 

Oh, I also have a name for my pirate series now, Pirates & Faith.  Once I put it on the book, it seemed perfect.