Tag: cover art

Well-Behaved Women – Awakening — Now Available!

On By ronsonbeckIn Cover art, Well Behaved WomenLeave a comment

Cover reveal time! Behold, the front and back covers for Well-Behaved Women – Awakening!

Cover design copyright 2018 Patricia Lupien. Photographs copyright 2018 Lauren Dubois.

That of course means the book is now available! It’s already up on Amazon and will be going up on Barnes & Noble and Kobo soon.

Now, let me tell you the story about how this cover came together.

I came up with a concept back in December 2017, inspired by the triptych covers from DC’s Trinity series.

Copyright DC. Art by Jim Lee.

Yeah, I wanted something cool like that. And my idea was to feature the three main characters — Rose, Julie, and Anne — in their modern and original incarnations (that will make sense once you read the book). This is what I sketched out as a concept rough:

Copyright and art (reluctantly) 2018 Michael Bailey.

I recruited models Jen MacPherson, Kateri Chambers, and Renee Sutherland to be my Rose, Julie, and Anne respectively, and we did a daylong photo shoot at my place (briefly documented here).

Tricia Lupien, my crack cover artist, took those photos and got to work.

This is when the first in a series of happy accidents began.

The first thing Tricia produced was a series of cameo-style graphics — the character’s profiles in silhouette — she’d originally intended to put on the spines somewhere. I took those and started toying around with some promotional graphic concepts, and came up with this series of images:

I had no idea how useful these would become.

Meanwhile, Tricia forged ahead with the covers and came up with this, which employed my color scheme and cameo:

Artwork copyright 2018 Patricia Lupien.

My original concept would have had Rose in her original incarnation, rendered as a painting or illustration, behind modern Rose. Tricia got as far as actually creating that version (at right) when she decided that the entire concept wasn’t working — and I had to agree. It all sounded fantastic on paper, but once we got into the actual creation process, we realized its flaws and made the tough decision to start over almost completely.

Almost.

Thanks to my experimentation with promo graphics, we actually had a promising basis for a totally new concept, so Tricia springboarded off of that, and within a day or two she had the brand-new and MUCH more awesome cover you saw at the top of this post.

Addendum: we love the illustrated version of Rose and don’t want her to go to waste, so she’ll be popping up on some promo materials down the road.

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Weekly Update – May 8, 2018

On By ronsonbeckIn Action Figures, Business of writing, Comic books, Event, Novels, Renaissance faires, Strongarm & Lightfoot, Well Behaved Women, Writing process, Young AdultLeave a comment

The New England Speculative Writers‘ Kickstarter campaign for The Final Summons anthology, set for a February 2019 release, is still going! We have a little more than a month left to hit our stretch goals, the first of which is $1,475 to cover compensation for our editor.

For readers, that means you can still contribute to the campaign and pre-order the book, which will feature my short story The Going Rate for Penance and 13 other fantasy, horror, and science fiction tales from New England-area authors.

By backing this project on Kickstarter, you can pre-order your e-book copy now for $5 or a print edition for $25 — which also includes a copy of the e-book! For a larger contribution you can have a copy donated to your local library. Visit the project’s official Kickstarter page and learn more about the authors, their stories, and what you get for pledges as little as $2 and as large as $50.

WRITING PROJECTS

Well-Behaved Women: The current draft of book one is off to my editor and book two is nearly done. I know I said that last week, but I mean it this time. Really.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – book four: First draft in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: Fourth draft written. Tentatively scheduled for a February/March 2019 release.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress.

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins (audiobook): Review completed, final editing in progress.

APPEARANCES & EVENTS

MISC.

The New England Speculative Writers group has launched a new promotion for its newsletter, and you can get not one but two free books out of the deal! Simply click on this link and sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll receive e-book versions of the two collections pictured here, featuring novel samples from NESW members. The fantasy collection includes the first two chapters of The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich.

If you’d like to make sure you don’t miss any news from me, remember that I have a weekly newsletter that features some of the stuff you see posted here plus new, newsletter-exclusive material. Click this link to sign up.

Weekly Update – May 1, 2018

On By ronsonbeckIn Action Figures, Business of writing, Comic books, Event, Novels, Renaissance faires, Strongarm & Lightfoot, Well Behaved Women, Writing process, Young AdultLeave a comment

Wow! It took less than a week for the New England Speculative Writers‘ Kickstarter campaign to reach its fundraising goal! That means the basic expenses for The Final Summons anthology, set for a February 2019 release, have been met and now it’s on to the stretch goals — the first of which is $1,475 to cover compensation for our editor.

For readers, that means you can still contribute to the campaign and pre-order the book, which will feature my short story The Going Rate for Penance and 13 other fantasy, horror, and science fiction tales from New England-area authors.

By backing this project on Kickstarter, you can pre-order your e-book copy now for $5 or a print edition for $25 — which also includes a copy of the e-book! For a larger contribution you can have a copy donated to your local library. Visit the project’s official Kickstarter page and learn more about the authors, their stories, and what you get for pledges as little as $2 and as large as $50.

WRITING PROJECTS

Well-Behaved Women: The current draft of book one is off to my editor and book two is nearly done.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – book four: First draft in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: Fourth draft written. Tentatively scheduled for a February/March 2019 release.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress.

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins (audiobook): Review completed, final editing in progress.

APPEARANCES & EVENTS

  • CANCELLED – The Blackstone Valley Authors & Artisans Festival. This event has been rescheduled for the fall, and it’s unlikely I’ll be able to participate.
  • The Connecticut Renaissance Faire – Saturday, September 15, 1 to 3 PM. I’ll be returning for the annual Meet the Author series.

MISC.

The New England Speculative Writers group has launched a new promotion for its newsletter, and you can get not one but two free books out of the deal! Simply click on this link and sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll receive e-book versions of the two collections pictured here, featuring novel samples from NESW members. The fantasy collection includes the first two chapters of The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich.

If you’d like to make sure you don’t miss any news from me, remember that I have a weekly newsletter that features some of the stuff you see posted here plus new, newsletter-exclusive material. Click this link to sign up.

Weekly Update – April 24, 2018

On By ronsonbeckIn Action Figures, Business of writing, Comic books, Event, Novels, Renaissance faires, Strongarm & Lightfoot, Well Behaved Women, Writing process, Young AdultLeave a comment

In case you missed the announcements on social media over the weekend, the New England Speculative Writers group announced it is releasing its first anthology, The Final Summons, in February 2019, and my short story, The Going Rate for Penance, will be in it!

By backing this project on Kickstarter, you can pre-order your e-book copy now for $5 or a print edition for $25 — which also includes a copy of the e-book! For a larger contribution you can have a copy donated to your local library.

The project’s goal is $1,125 but the book will be delivered even if the fundraising goal is not met (any shortfall will be absorbed by the NESW group).

Visit the project’s official Kickstarter page and learn more about the authors, their stories, and what you get for pledges as little as $2 and as large as $50.

The Going Rate for Penance, one of 14 stories that” appear in the collection, is a freestanding adventure set in the world of The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot.

The NESW group received dozens of submissions from talented writers from across New England, and my story made the cut, so I’m especially proud of this achievement. This will be my first anthology and I can’t wait for it to hit the shelves!

WRITING PROJECTS

Well-Behaved Women: I worked up a fresh draft of book one last week to iron out some stubborn wrinkles in the text, and now I’m working on a fourth draft to hammer out a few more.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – book four: First draft in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: Fourth draft written. Tentatively scheduled for a February/March 2019 release.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress.

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins (audiobook): Review completed, final editing in progress.

APPEARANCES & EVENTS

MISC.

The New England Speculative Writers group has launched a new promotion for its newsletter, and you can get not one but two free books out of the deal! Simply click on this link and sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll receive e-book versions of the two collections pictured here, featuring novel samples from NESW members. The fantasy collection includes the first two chapters of The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich.

The NESW is also sponsoring a special newsletter subscription promotion for its individual members. Get free short stories, collections, novel excerpts, and full novels just for signing up for an author’s newsletter.

If you’d like to make sure you don’t miss any news from me, remember that I have a weekly newsletter that features some of the stuff you see posted here plus new, newsletter-exclusive material. Click this link to sign up.

Weekly Update – April 17, 2018

On By ronsonbeckIn Action Figures, Business of writing, Comic books, Event, Novels, Renaissance faires, Strongarm & Lightfoot, Well Behaved Women, Writing process, Young AdultLeave a comment

Big announcement coming! Keep an eye on this website and my social media for some cool news dropping on Saturday!

WRITING PROJECTS

Well-Behaved Women: I worked up a fresh draft of book one last week to iron out some stubborn wrinkles in the text, and now I’m working on a fourth draft to hammer out a few more.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – book four: First draft in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: Fourth draft written. Tentatively scheduled for a February/March 2019 release.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress.

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins (audiobook): Review completed, final editing in progress.

APPEARANCES & EVENTS

MISC.

The New England Speculative Writers group has launched a new promotion for its newsletter, and you can get not one but two free books out of the deal! Simply click on this link and sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll receive e-book versions of the two collections pictured here, featuring novel samples from NESW members. The fantasy collection includes the first two chapters of The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich.

The NESW is also sponsoring a special newsletter subscription promotion for its individual members. Get free short stories, collections, novel excerpts, and full novels just for signing up for an author’s newsletter.

If you’d like to make sure you don’t miss any news from me, remember that I have a weekly newsletter that features some of the stuff you see posted here plus new, newsletter-exclusive material. Click this link to sign up.

Weekly Update – April 10, 2018

On By ronsonbeckIn Action Figures, Business of writing, Comic books, Event, Novels, Renaissance faires, Strongarm & Lightfoot, Well Behaved Women, Writing process, Young Adult3 Comments

Last week was the big photo shoot for Well-Behaved Women, and I could not have been happier with the results. Lauren Dubois and Tricia Lupien, my photographer and graphic artist respectively, were a well-oiled machine and they wrapped everything up in a few brisk hours. It helped that my models, Jennifer MacPherson, Kateri Chambers, and Renee Sutherland, were on the ball from start to finish, along with my wife-slash-costumer Veronica.

It’ll be a while before any official cover or promo art will be ready, but in the meantime I am proud to present a selection of the best photos from the day. Enjoy!

(Apologies for the weird layout. This site is only so versatile. All photos are Copyright 2018 Lauren Dubois.)

WRITING PROJECTS

Well-Behaved Women: I spent a few days last week going through book one and working up a third draft. I’m still waiting to hear back from a couple of test-readers before I do a final pre-edit draft. Meanwhile, I am inching my way through the climax of book two.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – book four: First draft in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: Fourth draft written.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress.

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins (audiobook): Review completed, final editing in progress.

APPEARANCES & EVENTS

MISC.

The New England Speculative Writers group has launched a new promotion for its newsletter, and you can get not one but two free books out of the deal! Simply click on this link and sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll receive e-book versions of the two collections pictured here, featuring novel samples from NESW members. The fantasy collection includes the first two chapters of The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich.

The NESW is also sponsoring a special newsletter subscription promotion for its individual members. Get free short stories, collections, novel excerpts, and full novels just for signing up for an author’s newsletter.

If you’d like to make sure you don’t miss any news from me, remember that I have a weekly newsletter that features some of the stuff you see posted here plus new, newsletter-exclusive material. Click this link to sign up.

Weekly Update – April 3, 2018

On By ronsonbeckIn Action Figures, Business of writing, Comic books, Event, Novels, Renaissance faires, Strongarm & Lightfoot, Well Behaved Women, Writing process, Young AdultLeave a comment

The New England Speculative Writers group has launched a new promotion for its newsletter, and you can get not one but two free books out of the deal!

Simply click on this link and sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll receive e-book versions of the two collections pictured here, featuring novel samples from NESW members. The fantasy collection includes the first two chapters of The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich.

And if that’s not enough, the NESW is also sponsoring a special newsletter subscription promotion for its individual members. Get free short stories, collections, novel excerpts, and full novels just for signing up for an author’s newsletter.

WRITING PROJECTS

Well-Behaved Women: The photo shoot for the covers was last weekend, and it was even better than I’d hoped. I can’t heap enough praise on my models, Jennifer MacPherson (who doubled as makeup artist), Kateri Chambers, and Renee Sutherland, my photographer Lauren Dubois, my graphic artist Tricia Lupien, my wife/costumer/hair stylist/photographic assistant Veronica, and Beatrix and Bowie for being the day’s set dogs. If you want to check out my behind-the-scenes photos, go to my Instagram page!

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – book four: First draft in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: Fourth draft written.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress.

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins (audiobook): Review completed, final editing in progress.

APPEARANCES & EVENTS

MISC.

If you’d like to make sure you don’t miss any news from me, remember that I have a weekly newsletter that features some of the stuff you see posted here plus new, newsletter-exclusive material. Click this link to sign up.

Today’s Random Silliness

On By ronsonbeckIn Novels, Strongarm & LightfootLeave a comment

My cover artist Tricia Lupien is hard at work on the cover for The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich and has been sending me teases along the way. Apparently she was in a goofy mood yesterday and she sent me this, so I thought I’d share.

Artwork by and Copyright Patricia Lupien.
Artwork by and Copyright Patricia Lupien.

And remember to check out the first two chapters of the book here!

Cover Reveal! Well, Sort Of…

On By ronsonbeckIn Strongarm & LightfootLeave a comment

As I write this, it’s a little after six on the Sunday of my vacation. Veronica is dead asleep, so I have time enough to take care of this cool thing.

Last Saturday, my editor finished her work on The Adventures of Strongarm and Lightfoot, and after I get home I’ll start working on final revisions and formatting, and be ready for a sneak-peek of the first two chapters next week! In the meantime, here is the cover mock-up for the book, courtesy of Tricia Lupien. Obviously the final art has yet to be inserted, but she nailed the overall look I wanted for the cover. Anyone want to guess what the vibe is?

Cover Blank