Gabriella Hewitt

Transcripts from emails between Vanessa and Gabriella
***

I’m Vanessa Hawthorne and I’ll be doing your cover for Dark Waters. You can
see my work at www.vanessahawthorne.com or on the Samhain site.

Here’s a first pass at your cover. Please take a look and let me know what
you do and don’t like about it. If you don’t like it at all, it’s okay to
tell me that, too. I want you to be happy with your cover.

Thanks,
Vanessa

***

Hi Vanessa,

Thank you so much for all the effort you have gone to for my cover.
I’m really excited to have my first book coming out with
Samahain and have been really looking forward to working with you.

I realize that in the art cover form I included several pictures
of the ocean at night. Seeing it in on a mock cover made us realize that it
appears very dark. The cover comes across as very black. The woman’s hair
disappears into the blackness.

Dark Waters is romantic suspense (there’s a little paranormal twist but it’s
essentially RS genre) and it is set in Puerto Rico. The heroine is a NY
Latina transplanted to Puerto Rico. She’s tough and independent.

I’m thinking out loud here, but would it be possible to have more sunset
type colors such as purples and oranges rather than the black? I want to
convey a Puerto Rican feel if possible. Also, the female on the cover is
very fair in skin tone. Is it possible to get someone who looks more Latina?

Last, (and I’m feeling smaller than a bug bothering you like this) the fonts
are fine; it’s the way the title and author cut horizontally across the
cover we’re not sure about. It might look differently with more color in the
background. It’s hard to say, but I thought I should be honest and mention
it.

This is my first time working on a cover. I know it’s important
that we all get this right. I really do appreciate your time and attention
and I hope I haven’t confused you.

Thank you so much for being understanding and flexible. I really appreciate
this. In many ways it’s hard to know what you want until you actually see
something in front of you. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for
you to try to translate an author’s image into a cover. Your job seems so
much harder than mine.

I really look forward to working with you and to seeing what you come up
with this next time around. Again, many many thanks!

Gabriella
***

It’s my pleasure. I love working with authors to help bring their vision to
life.

That said, here’s another pass. Again, let me know what you like and don’t
like. Both these images come from Puerto Rico, btw.

Thanks,
Vanessa

***

Hi Vanessa,

Thank you so much for working with me on this. I checked out
the second cover. Love the background so much better on this one. It’s
gorgeous. The model, though, still doesn’t have the right skin tones or
Latina look. Also, the font for Dark Waters looks too romantic. The harder
font you used in the first cover (or something like that) probably works
better.

These are two Samhain covers that I like. Maybe this is what you
were going for with the first cover you produced? Sorry, I couldn’t get the
covers to copy so I’m putting links.

http://samhainpublishing.com/print/the-devlin-group-adrenaline-print

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/what-mattered-most

What I like is that sense in one frame the romance/normalcy/tropics and
in the other frame the danger (with the gun in evidence). I hope I’m making
sense. In any case, this is an idea but we don’t have to go in that
direction.

I’m attaching some photos to give you an idea of the Latina look we’re going
for. The model doesn’t have to be front and center on the cover. She could
be faded into the background or less prominent or even looking away.

I think we’re getting very close and although I know this is a lot of work
for you, I find it very exciting to try to capture the image we want with a
professional artist. It’s a fascinating process. Thank you so much for your
patience and if you want to run anything by me again, please don’t hesitate
to holler!

Gabriella
***

Hi Gabriella,

You’re most welcome.

Yes, I like those covers too. My favorite covers are the ones that have some
element of danger to them, as they seem the most interesting. So, my
question to you is, what element of danger do you want to focus on? You
mention witchcraft and the chupacabra in your cover art request. If we go
with something like a chupa, I think it should be either blurred or in the
background or somehow faded/grainy. Maybe just a hint of teeth. Something
like that. Let me know your thoughts.

Thank you,
Vanessa
***

Hey,

While I was waiting, I decided to play a little. Please let me know what you
think of this cover.

Thanks,
Vanessa
****

Hi Vanessa,

Let me apologize for the delay.

On this latest cover, visually it’s stunning. I’m not sure about the man’s
eyes at the top, only because my impression is this should represent the
hero, but the face looks sort of evil with the eybrows slanting down like
they are. El Chupacabra is a creature that doesn’t look human. If this is
meant to be the hero, I would choose someone else, very Latino with a sexier

look. And maybe a different, more dramatic font for Dark Waters. But this
cover is gorgeous. Does that make sense? LOL!

Now I’m totally confused as to what direction to go . Maybe thinking of going with your suggestion of the woman on the cover and then faded in the background a blurred image of a creature (el chupacabra) appearing to attack her. And thought to put the font for Dark Waters as if floating, wavering in the water. What do you think? Decisions, decisions…aaaah!

Does any of this help? I feel like we’re creating more work for you, but I’m
finding this a fascinating process in trying to capture the image/feel that
we want. I really appreciate your patience and your incredible
imagination!

Gabriella

***

Hi Gabriella,

No need to apologize. I do understand.

Okay, I took out the guy. Then I added in some wolf teeth, close up, and
didn’t care for it at all. I’m from Arizona so know all about the
chupacabra, also called the goat sucker. Obviously I can’t get a picture of
one, so the wolf teeth had to suffice. I didn’t like it. At all. I do not
think we should go with any kind of monster on the cover.

I’m attaching the latest iteration, which has no hero or heroine on it. We
*could* put a silhouette of the heroine on it, but I don’t think it’s
needed. The lack of people on the cover only adds to the mystery, which I
think will help your sales.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,
Vanessa
***

Hi Vanessa,

I LOVE it! I’m very happy with this cover. It’s stunning,
gorgeous. It looks professional, sharp and mainstream. It’s a work of art!

So what do I do next? Do I leave the cover in your hands to take it to the
next level? Is there anything else I should do?

I want to thank you so much for all your patience in sorting out
our various thoughts and translating them into a picture. I’m so excited
by the result and hope that Scott and Chrissy both approve.

If there is anything else you need, please let me know. It was terrific
working with you and I hope to have the opportunity again.

All the best,
Gabriella

***

Hi Gabriella,

Thank you so much. I’m glad you’re happy with it.

I’ve sent the cover on to Scott. He and Crissy confer and decide if anything
needs to be changed. Usually it’s only the font that changes, and if that
happens, I’ll send you a revised cover. Either way, I’ll let you know it was
approved.

Thanks for the opportunity to work with you both. I enjoyed it very much.

Thanks,
Vanessa
***

Hi Gabriella,

Thanks for waiting. Scott made a change to the position of the title and
author name. This cover is approved.

Here it is!

Thanks,
Vanessa

I love the new line-up this season on t.v.
Already watched a few and have to say finally the t.v. is worth watching again!

Thirteen Sci-fi & Paranormal TV Shows 1. Heroes 2. Bionic Woman 3. Chuck 4. Reaper 5. New Amsterdam 6. Supernatural 7. Smallville 8. Moonlight 9. Flash Gordon 10. Ghost Hunters TAPS really means Totally Awesome Program – the S stands for scary 11. Battlestar Gallectica 12. Dr. Who 13. Stargate Atlantis Come back all next week as we hold the Sci-fi Junkies convention with today’s top Sci-fi authors!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

When the manuscript for Dark Waters (originally Ice Predator) came across your desk, what did you think after reading it?

I’m pretty sure my first thought was… hmm. I’m hungry. I wonder if I have any ice cream. *grin* Really, though, Dark Waters holds a special place in my heart—it’s the first book I acquired at Samhain. When I read submissions, I start out with my reader hat on, rather than my editor hat. I’m looking for a story that will grab me, pull me in, and keep me captivated ’til the end. If, while I’m reading my editor self doesn’t poke me, pointing at grammatical errors, or giant plot holes, or character issues, then I know that this story has definite potential. When I finished DW, I just knew that this book was one I wanted to work on.

How long did it take to come up with a new title? And why Dark Waters?

It took a couple of weeks, I think. While I really liked Gabriella’s idea of having a series of books centered around a government agency team, I was a little worried that readers might not recognize that ICE referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and might think of the cold, which is definitely not the kind of thing we want people thinking when it comes to romance novels! So I asked Gabriella if she had any alternate suggestions. While she thought about it, I also took it to the other editors. We bounced some ideas, threw a couple of suggestions back and forth before we agreed on Dark Waters. What I like about this title is that it opens up a lot of possibility for more “Dark” stories down the line, and still relates perfectly to this story, which is set in Puerto Rico, on the water, and is a pretty dark and dangerous story, what with el chupacabra running around, causing havoc in Frankie and Rico’s lives.

Can you describe the arduous process a manuscript has to go through before it is published?

From the editing side of things, a manuscript goes through a pretty rigorous process. Once a manuscript is contracted, I format it in our house style and start my first edits. This is a pretty intense read-through, where I go through with both my editor and my reader hats on. While my editor self is looking for the grammar, the spelling, the formatting stuff, my reader self is going through and asking all the questions that come up—things that don’t really make sense to me or that I’m confused by… like character development, plot consistencies, story timelines, that kind of thing. Then I send it back to the author for her to make any necessary changes or revisions. Then I do it all over again. I find the second read-through catches the things I may have missed the first time around, and makes sure that the revisions work with the story. And it goes back to the author again. At this point, I give the manuscript a third read, and decide if it needs to go back to the author to fix anything that might have been missed the first couple of times. If it does, we’ll go back and forth until I’m confident that it’s is ready to go. Once the story is ready, I send it to a final line editor. The FLE goes through the manuscript twice, looking for anything we might have missed during the edits. Once the FLE is done, the author gets one last look at it to address any changes. Finally, I give it one last proofread, and I send it off to our publisher to get it ready for release.

Any last thoughts or comments? Say working with a major nit-picky author like Gabriella?

I didn’t find Gabriella majorly nit-picky at all. *grin* I think an author needs to be a very active part of the process. If being nit-picky means polishing a story until it shines before submitting it to a publisher, and working closely with the publisher’s team to make the story the very best it can be, then I’m all for it. It shows you have pride in your work and that you are a professional who is determined to succeed.

And I had a lot of fun working with Gabriella on this book. I hope we get to do it again, soon. J

Laurie M. Rauch, Editor

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
“It’s all about the story.”
www.samhainpublishing.com

Dark Waters is now available from from Samhain Publishing. I’m so excited.

Thanks so much everyone for all your enthusiasm and support over these many months. It truly is appreciated.

Here ’s the trailer you voted on!

Check it out at youtube.com

The New Covey Awards polls have opened! Head on over and vote for your favorite cover. And you definitely score points if you vote for me (Dark Waters by Gabriella Hewitt, in case you needed a little hint). LOL! See you there.

We’ve got a really exciting lineup planned for October. All I can tell you is it’s out of this world!

So drop by next week as we launch Dark Waters with some behind the scenes looks and keep your eyes peeled for an annoucement that will knock your socks off!

Stay tuned…

Hard at work putting together stuff for the release of Dark Waters next week. So I’m posting one of my favorite TT’s. Check back all next week to see to see the trailer and Behind The Scenes: The Making of Dark Waters.

Happy TT!

Thirteen Pleasure Enhancers for Foreplay (some tasty and some not so tasty) 1…. Cherries – Marachino cherry juice that cherries are loaded with sexual stimulation. Certain cherries, those with more musky scents, are said to stimulate pheromone production. (Want to suck on a Shirley Temple right now) 2…Ice – (just thinking about its many uses already gives me shivers) (Try this little treat: A combo of ice and cherries; Pop those cherries in the freezer then roll them across your lovers’ skin) 3…Whip Cream – (need I say more ) 4…Oysters – the soft, moist texture and appearance of the oyster trigger sex hormones. (Peronally, slurping something that looks like a woman’s hot spot isn’t very attractive to me but hey, to each to her own) 5…Tomato – Pomme d’Amore translates to Apple of Love 6…Mastic Gum – According to legend, a Middle Eastern sultan used it to boost his sexual prowess right before he went into his haram. Mastika is only found on a small Greek island and no where else on earth. 7…Spanish fly – crushed up emerald-green beetle often given to farm animals to incite them to mating, the original Viagra for men. (Eeeeww) 8…Sea Cucumber – (This is just plain gross. EEeeww) 9…Strawberry (There is a cute scene where the heroine in Gena Showalter’s Playing With Fire teases the hero w/ it in her mouth) 10…Chocolate – it melts in the mouth and releases serotonin in the brain, which produces feelings of pleasure. (Chocolate syrup squeezed over lickable spots makes for yummy foreplay) (Try this little treat: A combo of strawberry and chocolate;strawberries dipped in chocolate, mouth-watering sin) 11…Banana – its shape, but also its creamy, lush texture, enhances male performance. (I think Dh gets a kick out me biting into it. HEHE) 12…Caviar – stimulates the formation of testosterone, maintaining male functionality. (expensive kicks) 13…figs – Ancient Greeks tradition for seasonal crops were celebrated in a frenzied copulation ritual (massive aphrodisiac!)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Dark Waters drops September 25th at www.samhainpublishing.com

And I’m celebrating the release of my first novel by going BEHIND THE SCENES and giving everyone a glimpse into THE MAKING OF DARK WATERS.

So check back next week as I blog with the dynamic Samhain team who made Dark Waters possible.

See you soon!

UPDATE: I’ve put up an EXCERPT on my Bookshelf page. Go take a peek and tell me what you think.

How many times have you walked into a bookstore and picked up a book by an author you’ve never heard of simply because the cover caught your eye? I know I have. I run my eyes along the spines on the shelves and a vibrant color or bold font for the title will often catch my eye, getting me to lift that book off the shelf and check it out. So in recognition of the cover artists who do such a fabulous job we have…da…da…da…dum…The New Covey Awards!

The NEW Covey Awards recognizes the importance of Covers in the book purchasing decision. Every month we award two covers with the coveted NEW Covey Award, one for Most Eye-Catching Cover and one for Most Relevant Cover.

For those of you who are authors, go enter your covers. You never know, yours might be the winner. And for readers, stop by and find out who you can participate in the voting. Hint. Hint. Dark Waters will be in the running.

UPDATE:Our cover and blurb are up on the New Covey Awards blogsite. So head on over and see how beautiful we look!

Okay, I admit it, it’s no holiday here in Tokyo. I remember Labor Day as that last day before school starts. Back in NY we’d live up that last weekend, all the while getting psyched up for that first day with a new teacher and catching up on the news with all our friends.

Well, at least my kids started school on Monday. It was a blessed relief to have a few hours to myself. Unfortunately I had a PTA meeting that first day back too. I will be so glad when my PTA duties are over. This is year two and with three kids that means I’ve got one more year of obligation to fill. If Japan had to copy PTA from the US couldn’t they have copied the optional part of it too? LOL!

Other than that I have a huge stack of books I picked up in the US. I’m hoping to tackle the pile little by little. I then discovered that several books form authors I like have decided to come out in September. After my bookstore bills in the US, think hubby will notice a bill from Amazon slipped in? Hmmm….that’s what I thought too. Maybe I’ll wait one more month to give him more time to digest the numbers.

Some people are addicted to clothes; others to food; for me it’s books. It’s been like this since I was kid and I don’t think I’m going to change now.