In Which I Unabashedly Praise Adult Males Who Unabashedly Read YA

No really, I'm not kidding.

Something I've learned as NOT A DROP TO DRINK makes it way into the world is that my fan base has a very strong adult male contingent. Yes, really. One of the coolest experiences I've had so far as an author was to have my own work quoted back to me - and it was male dialogue coming from an adult male, wanting to know how I could write a man so well. And that was one hell of a compliment.

Recently my brother-in-law broke his wrist and was spending his downtime in the local bar / eatery with a group of winterized farmers. Having been laid up for awhile, the b-in-l had decided that he might as well read my book. And oddly enough he read it in two nights and really, really liked it. So he mentioned this at lunch with a group of farmers - none of them under 30 - and over the course of the conversation, each reluctantly shares that they too, had read it... and really liked it. In fact, my b-in-l returned to me with a list of book related questions from the group.

I really can't tell you how happy this made me.

Don't get me wrong, I've had lots of teen fans and adult women tell me they liked the book as well. But the longest and most in-depth conversations I've had about my book have been with adult males. In person, over email, through Twitter and Facebook, adult males are telling me how much they enjoyed reading a YA book with a female main character.

And that is so awesome.

Behind the Scenes of a Cover Shoot with Erica Cameron

Today's guest for the CRAP (Cover Reveal Anxiety Phase) is Erica Cameron, author of SING SWEET NIGHTINGALE, available March 4 from Spencer Hill Press.

 Did you have any pre-conceived notions about what you wanted your cover to look like?

While I knew I wanted my cover to be representative of the story and not just some pretty, but pointless, image, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted it to look like. My creative brain just doesn’t work like that!

How far in advance from your pub date did you start talking covers with your house?

The very first conversations I had with my editors were almost two years out. Just after they bought the book, they mentioned a few things about the plan for the cover. Over the next few months, we began clarifying our plans as the cover designer, Jeremy West, read the existing draft of Sing Sweet Nightingale. The cover shoot happened in March of this year, almost exactly a year away from the release date.

Did you have any input on your cover?

Yes! Spencer Hill was really fabulous about this. They asked for my ideas and my descriptions of the charters and the world as well as my thoughts on concepts they developed.

How was your cover revealed to you?

The first time I saw it was as a PDF attachment in email during a Skype call with my editors. They wanted to see my reaction!

Was there an official "cover reveal" date for your art?

Yes! I had a fabulously fun time revealing the cover and reading half of the first chapter at Book Expo America (BEA) in New York this past May. On the same day, the cover went live online and the response was amazing. Everyone loves Jeremy’s work.

How far in advance of the reveal date were you aware of what your cover would look like?

I saw it for the first time about a month before the reveal.

Was it hard to keep it to yourself before the official release?

OMG YES. I managed not to show it online, but pretty much everyone I see on a daily basis got to see it before the official reveal.

What surprised you most about the process?

For me, I was surprised when my editors and my cover designer invited me to the cover shoot. From what I understand, the authors aren’t generally there for that part of the process, but I wouldn’t change that experience for anything! It was so fantastic to see it in person and talk to the cover model. The whole day was a blast!

Any advice to other debut authors about how to handle cover art anxiety?

If you have concerns about the direction of a concept, be honest. In a polite, respectful way. Depending on your house, there’s no guarantee the art team will listen to you, but not saying something won’t help anyone. Often, the best way to go is to bring your agent into the mix and let them voice your problems. They’re more likely to handle the situation without getting emotionally invested in the answer, which is good for you in this case!

Below are Erica's pictures from the cover shoot session. What a lucky author to be present during the creative process!

Thursday Thoughts

I think everyone knows I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to romantic love. Recently someone asked me what, if anything, could reverse my thoughts on the subject. I have three answers.

1) If I found a man who says my name the way Frodo says "Sam" every single time in Lord of the Rings.

2) If I found a man who yells my name when I'm in danger the way John Watson yells Sherlock's when he's on the edge of a rooftop.

3) If I found a man who said, "Clever girl" to me the same way the gamekeeper in Jurassic Park does to the velociraptor.

My stipulations:

1) Said man is also not allowed to say "po-ta-toes" every time we have them, because I'm Irish and that would get old fast.

2) I do not die (even fake die) at the end of this scenario at which point my man goes and finds another woman and marries her.

3) The man in question cannot be wearing shorts and khaki socks up to his kneecaps.