One of my favorite parts of being an indie author is the opportunity to be fully involved in every aspect of a book’s creation. I’m a total Type A personality, and I’ve never been okay with people telling me what to do, so this complete control is essential for me.
At times, it can be a little daunting though. There is always a long list of things to do that could potentially keep me from writing.
And that’s the whole point of being an author, right? The writing?
Well, yes.
But it’s also my responsibility to make sure my book has the best chance to shine. While it’s true that I have a team of people helping me get my book from the first draft to the final product, all decisions are solely mine. From the story itself, to who I hire as editors and proofreaders, to the formatting—it’s always up to me to make the call.
Thankfully, it’s not all work. Which leads me to my absolute favorite part of book production (besides the actual writing, of course!):
The covers.
I could go on and on about how much I anticipate creating a new cover. My amazing designer has been absolutely fantastic to work with for the Buena Hills series, and five books in, it takes very few tweaks to get the right fit for a particular book. I can’t describe the giddy feeling I get while waiting for the initial mockups to arrive in my inbox. I’m one who literally judges a book by its cover, and I’ve been known to start reading a story just because the front of it caught my eye.
Ahem … The Black Swan of Paris, I’m looking at you …
You might be asking why I’m telling you all of this. And I have my reasons. The most important being that I can finally share the cover for the latest installment of the Buena Hills series!
I have my covers created pretty early in the book writing process. They’re such great motivators to get me to finish a book, especially while I’m slogging through the murky middle. Having the cover already finished always provides a sense of urgency, and sometimes a guilt trip, to keep me going on days when I’d rather be doing anything but write.
But it’s also a curse.
Because once I have a cover in front of me, I just want to share it with the world too. I can take a secret to my grave, but I’m terrible when it comes to holding back surprises. Just ask my husband. And my kids. They’ll give you the honest truth.
I hate waiting.
So it’s a good thing I don’t have to wait any longer to share this brand new cover with you!
Without further ado, I give you the cover for Book 4 in the Buena Hills series:
Isn’t it beautiful?
I love the warm colors and dreamy vibe. And the accents that play into some of the themes of the book—like a cozy fall afternoon in book form.
But wait!
The cover isn’t the only goody I have for this post. Keep reading for a look at the official blurb.
He’s lost his faith in love—and himself. She’s not ready for an instant family. Happily ever after never felt so out of reach.
Christian Gustafson has it all: all the bills, all the chores, and all the responsibilities of raising his two young daughters alone. Between his demanding job, a never-clean house, and his oldest child’s struggles, he barely has time to sleep. So why is he designing a website for his best friend’s sister? Right. To repay him for his endless support in the three years since the divorce. One website. That’s all. Even if Hallie’s calming presence and unwavering kindness make him feel like his head and his heart are in an all-out war.
All her life, Hallie Abernathy has only wanted one thing: her very own bakery. Except taking Hallie’s Cakes from a college side gig to a full-time operation is about to tank her bank account. Now the website she’s creating—a last ditch effort to expand her reach—is giving her grief. Thankfully, her brother enlists his best friend to help, with one important caveat: Don’t fall for Christian. Okay, no problem. She has all she can manage keeping her dreams afloat without his kids in tow. But could his help be exactly what she needs to save her business—and complete her heart?
Amidst their rising doubts, can they cling to their growing connection? Or will fear keep them apart forever?
I can’t tell you how excited I am to release this book to the world. It has been a long time coming. The story behind how this book came to be dates all the way back to when my first book was published. I’ll share it with you in a later post, so I hope you’ll stick around.
Until then, happy reading, my friends!