The Hilltop’s Post

Read the entire magazine, but first, do a CLOSE read of the article starting on page 28 and find out how to feed two birds with one worm.#CLOSEReadingisFUNbutMENTAL!

Fascinating insight to the mechanisms and potential solutions to the "yuck" factor. #water #reuse #circulareconomy WC138 SeptOct 2024 - Flipbook - Page 33 (watercanada.net) Overcoming the YUCK! Factor by Stephan Shouldice

I publish my science fiction novels as an independent author, I have not gone down the trad publishing route; I am happy to discuss my reasoning for this decision later. This post is about book covers and may be useful to indie authors. Everyone else - feel free to doze off. Some groundwork. I am colour blind and have appalling visual taste. meh. I attempted the design of my first covers using canva and I thought the results were just fine. I glossed over any consideration of text placement, size and number of fonts and anything related to making a saleable product. I just did two covers and thought they were okay. They were rubbish. First, BookCoverZone, a site which sells pre-made covers. These covers were well designed and allowed me to insert my own text. For my last novel, "Valentine and the Prince", I tried a new company 'Getcovers'. Both companies are excellent, and I would recommend either (or both). Each has pro and con arguments which I shall now discuss. BookCoverZone: I love the sheer quantity of available covers. This is also a con since you have to commit to trawling through hundreds of covers. Since I'm often a bit nit-picky, this wasn't a problem, but it would drive a quick in and out person up the wall. Being able to adjust text size and placement (slightly) is also a plus. And the big pro - I could always go back and edit the text if I changed the title or whatever. Especially the back cover blurb. Cost is not bad. The biggest con is the spine and back cover design, they are very vanilla and don't easily allow for the front design to wrap around. (Yes, I know I could pay more for them to do it, but the money is an issue). I usually bought a cover when I finished the first draft. I would find a cover I liked, and which suited the bulk of my story. Then I would go back into the story and write a scene to reflect the cover. This wasn't a big deal and was also fun. Another big Pro - results were immediately available for me to see. GetCovers. I really like this company. They ask for a detailed brief, and I fell down badly here. My brief was okay, and they produced a terrific cover. But I wanted some edits. This meant I had to pay for another complete design because my edits were a bit extensive. My fault, they produced what I originally asked for. I will use them again and have a better brief next time. Price is very good, even with the double up of rounds. The big Pro - the cover design wraps around the spine and back cover. the result is fantastic and looks good on a shelf. A small con - you cannot change/edit the text once submitted, so get it right. This was a problem for me since I wrote the back cover blurb late one night and thought it would do. Yes, it's okay but next time I'll do better. My conclusions: I like them both. I will give Getcovers another shot with my next novel (two more due out in 2025). If you would like to see my covers, my website is terryhornby.au

Empowering Your Children with Wholesome Stories   Creating an interactive world of mystery and adventure, culture, and education, Britfield is about friendship, family, loyalty, and courage. The first in a seven-book series, Britfield presents a real-world children can relate to and embrace. This fresh approach not only entertains readers but educates them by weaving accurate geography, literature, architecture, and history into the exciting story.   https://lnkd.in/g9yYWrS4

Nothing like a nice updated restroom 🚽 to sit & read your favorite magazine & newspaper articles in a modern setting. Let us take your restroom to the next level. #bathroomremodel #bathroom #axconstructiongroup

Nothing like a nice updated restroom 🚽 to sit & read your favorite magazine & newspaper articles in a modern setting. Let us take your restroom to the next level. #bathroomremodel #bathroom #axconstructiongroup

Three words I find myself typing most often on client manuscripts and proposals: Added to segue. Which means I've added a line or two to help the author segue from one section to another. Here's why: https://lnkd.in/d2ABuWed

Empowering Your Children with Wholesome Stories   Creating an interactive world of mystery and adventure, culture, and education, Britfield is about friendship, family, loyalty, and courage. The first in a seven-book series, Britfield presents a real-world children can relate to and embrace. This fresh approach not only entertains readers but educates them by weaving accurate geography, literature, architecture, and history into the exciting story.   https://lnkd.in/g9yYWrS4

Take a deep dive into the rich tapestry of Tottenville's history with my book! You'll get to know the people and events that have shaped our vibrant community, not just as isolated facts, but as part of a global narrative. Pick up your copy today! #tottenville #tottenvillehistory #angiemangino #author #writer #writersoflinkedin #nyhistory #historylover #booklovers #ny #nyc #authorsoflinkedin

My newest article, on page 8 of this week's print edition of the Wednesday Journal, covers the history, controversy and plans surrounding the new Field Center construction in Oak Park, Illinois. Give it a read! https://lnkd.in/gGFSAJdt