Where I’ve Been and Where I’m Headed Next

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 3 Comments

Hello Writer Bees,

Here’s what’s been happening.

After my book, The Case of the Drowned Mermaid, was published, I felt accomplished. Exhausted and accomplished. One of my biggest dreams had been completed. I planned on a short writing break. Life had other plans.

Right after the book release, my partner and I started our home-searching process. For years, we’ve been working overtime and saving up for our first home. And as luck would have it, a wonderful little starter apartment became available during our first week of house-hunting. That’s why I’ve been away. The process has been chaos. As of today, we are officially homeowners!

When I started this blog, my intention was to share writing tips as well as chronicle my writing journey. Now that my story is finished, what will become of this blog? What’s next for me? I feel as though I’m on the cusp of the next chapter of my life. An empty apartment to build a home in. An empty page to write more stories.

It’s time for me to move on from this blog and connect with the writing community in another way. At the end of the day, I’m still a writer that wants to help other writers. The resources here will always remain. Just no new posts from me for now. If you ever need writing advice, Lady Jabberwocky blog will be here.

And who knows? Maybe sometime soon, Lady Jabberwocky will return on a different platform. I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you for coming along on this adventure. You gave me purpose, you kept me writing. For that, I’ll always be grateful.

I’m off to the next adventure.

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky

Writing Process Q&A with Author: Ask Me Anything

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 2 Comments

Hello Writer Bees!

Since The Case of the Drowned Mermaid is finally published, I wanted to open to floor to you guys with a Q & A. At heart, I’m a writer who wants to help other writers. Happy to share from my first hand experience. So, let’s talk about the writing process and self-publishing process, from start to finish. If you any questions, leave them in the comments. I’m here to help as best I can.

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky

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#ReleaseDay: The Case of the Drowned Mermaid is on Amazon!

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 5 Comments

Hello Writer Bees!

Breaking news! It’s here! Officially published!

The Case of the Drowned Mermaid is out now and available on Amazon!

Do me a favor? Please share and spread the word. I’d really appreciate it.

And thank you all for coming along on this journey with me. I can’t believe this day is finally here.

Write with heart.

Love,

Victoria (aka Lady Jabberwocky)

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How I Created My Ebook Cover for Free

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 2 Comments

Hello Writer Bees,

You know, they say don’t judge a book by its cover. And while that is true, writers, including myself, still want to have eye-catching book covers. Readers like pretty things. This is how I made my ebook cover for free. Please keep in mind, I’m no graphic designer or artist by any means. This was the first step in my self-publishing journey.

Creating the Concept

Coming up with the idea for an ebook cover was an interesting challenge. Since my murder mystery takes place in 1925, I wanted the cover image to be reminiscent of the time period. When I began brainstorming, what initially came to mind was Art Deco, an art style that features simplicity and symmetry in geometrical elements, popular in the 20’s and 30’s. Which then led me down the Pinterest rabbithole of art deco patterns and Great Gatsby aesthetics. 

Creating the Cover

Let me address the elephant in the room. Why didn’t I hire a real cover artist? I could’ve hired one. I did look. Nothing wrong with hiring help. There are some amazing talents on freelancer websites, like Fivver and Reedsy. Going into this self-publishing process, I figured I’d try to make a cover on my own and if it was bad, I’d hire a cover artist.

Here’s the real story of what happened. I knew of this site called Canva, a tool where you can create logos, posters, brochures etc. It’s a fairly easy program to use. They have a whole library of images, stickers, fonts. And did I mention it’s free? So, one Saturday night, I said, why not? Let’s see what I can come up with. I already had an image in my head of what I wanted. So I copied some geometric patterns, added the gilded filigree and vintage font, changed to a black and gold color scheme, and poof! Cover complete! Literally took about an hour. And while I’m no real artist, I’m actually pleased with the end result. Honestly, I’m happy I had such a hands-on experience creating the cover.

Tips for Brainstorming Cover Ideas

Need help finding inspiration for your book cover? Try researching other books published in your chosen genre. Think about it, a rom-com book typically looks much different than an action thriller. Whether it’s a paperback or ebook, you want readers to have a hint as to the book’s genre. Also, if you used reference/research images or a vision board during your writing process, look to those for inspiration. Not saying to copy a picture exactly, but the pictures that inspire your work may inspire your cover as well. 

For the published authors, how did you come up with your book cover? What was your process like? Lemme know in the comments.

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky