http://thenewcoveycoverawards.blogspot.com/

http://thenewcoveycoverawards.blogspot.com/

Ghost Orchid cover is in a contest for June. If you feel so inclined, my birthday is tomorrow and I would consider any voting that you might do on my behalf a gift. See the link above. :-) Ghost Orchid is #16.

My ghost orchid has bloomed again for my birthday, more buds than ever before at once since it first opened in 2007 (13 the most prior). The eight I saw open were exquisite. I am lucky to have such a gift each year! I wish Joe would come take a photo.

Thank you for your vote. Here is a review by one of the Covey committee:

From:

"thenewcoveyawards"

To:

thenewcoveyawards@yahoogroups.com

There are a lot of elements at play in Ghost Orchid
but they are very subtle and it's only by taking a second look (or when
someone points it out) that you begin to notice them. Very nice indeed.

--- In thenewcoveyawards@ yahoogroups. com, DK wrote:
>
>
Ok. Ghost Orchid is #16. The artwork by Linda Houle of L & L
Dreamspell not only illustrates the mystical aspects of this mystery
novel, but incorporates the Celtic Cross,
the references to the stars at sunset, the dazzling beauty of Neev -
or is it the younger Mel - with the ghost orchid forward, embracing all
with the heart shaped tendrils just as NPR reviews described, "the
ghost orchid, the heart and soul of the story."
>
> Yet,
the elements are subdued in the mist, a discovery for the reader but
revealed for your first glance and consideration.
>

I voted. Good luck, DK!

You got it.

Pretty decent competition this month. But I'd say you have a good chance at the brass ring.

I voted for you (entry #16).

That said, why would you care about this award or even want your book in the running? I skimmed the contestants -some of those covers were purely awful, and most appeared to be self-published. What benefit do you get out of winning?

eta -just saw lin's comment. lmao, figures.

Figures that I voted for her? God, what a snag.


The reason for doing these things, if you actually want to learn something instead of just being a snide bitch as usual, should be pretty obvious.

Just entering is a degree of promotion. People see it. Having an entry is an "excuse" for many to make a round of forums and sites about the entry, another promo op.
Winning is another round of views, puts the link to your book on that site permenantly, gives you a badge for your site and book.
Also, the artists and designers also get involved with promo, and share in the benefits.

The fact that there are pugly entries is because its a democratic, open entry. I realize this is not to your taste.
But to say, eeeew there are bad covers there, why would want to be there (aside from the obvious answer than nobody knows what the field will be until it's posted) shows an ignorance of what is going on, as well as a typical snotty attitude towards people who are out there writing novels, instead of being bitter over their regrets that they never had the guts to give it a shot.

Any other questions?
Would it klll you to vote for dk? Doesn't cost you anything.

Do you have cataracts or something? I said I did vote for her. "Figures" that you'd think this is a worthwhile contest. Exposure? Yah, to a handful of people, mostly other authors.

With those big glasses, why don't you analyze this. How many kinds of wrong are in it?

Or what about this one. It's my fave.

HAPPY BITHDAY! DK!

I voted and hope you win.
You deseve to.

I can't give you a succinct reason for entering. I can say that I appreciate the time you took to look over the contest and vote for Ghost Orchid #16. It's more a popularity contest than actual cover content although there are two selections, one by the viewers who vote and one by a panel.

I had entered this contest many months ago, and it disappeared for some reason. Then, I received an email asking if I was still in to which I replied, "sure."

Preditors and Editors, blog sites and web sites have these contests. Usually, their goal is to increase traffic to the site. For the contestant, it's pure exposure for the most part. It's picked up by web crawlers and googles; and the covers are viewed by all the people asked to vote, across all the people known to all those with covers in the running.

I guess its sort of fun. I'd like you to see it that way. Sure, it's a lot of self-published authors; but there are some with small presses also. I am fortunate to have a publisher that is quality, but they are a relatively new company without a lot of marketing support beyond sending out review copies and a very active web site that includes media releases, book trailers, blog, etc. This is one way I can bring attention to the artistry of their covers; most are unique. I believe Ghost Orchid is one of their exceptional covers; I'd like to have some recognition for the extra attention taken by the artist.

The "winner" in the democratic poll could be the worst cover; but in the meantime, Ghost Orchid has had lots of lookers; and I have had an excuse to reach out to people in my contact circles to say, "Wish me a happy birthday with your votes."

There's no monetary gain. Lin did a great job of explaining participation from the author's perspective. However, I also believe that authors are readers. I know I am. I also know that many of the colleagues I've gained among the self-published and the struggling and the successful - read books. They like books that are quick to read (so they can write in between) and have a story that is unique. Ghost Orchid is a unique story.

I'll be a guest blogger at Dames of Dialogue in a week or two where I spend the blog describing "Inspiration to Publication" for Ghost Orchid, also a unique journey. Once it's posted there, I'll repost to other blogs and here.

I don't hold any author in disrespect who has the courage to publish their work, even if they have made a big mistake in misjudging the quality of their manuscript. They took the plunge; they tried something; they followed their muse. Put me on a golf course and there's a disaster no matter how well I dress or the perfection of my swing. Whatever publishing tool makes the work readable by the public and open to public scruitiny is not a concern to me. I don't judge the work by it's publisher, I judge it by its content. Often, the author has no control over the cover.

My only concern about self-published authors is the plethora of published material without vetting by someone trusted makes more work for the reader in searching for a great read. I also feel sadness for those who relied on their publisher to perfect the work and ended up with a book rampant with errors. Everyone doesn't have the advantage of education or people around them to set them on the path; many write from a passion without the requisite grammar and other skills. I credit them for their passion rather than regaling them for their lack of education.

The opposite is represented by those with excellent grammar, sentence construction and form without passion and without a story that appeals to anyone but the author. Many well- educated people in multiple fields have a novel in them begging to come out, but their expertise gets in the way of great story-telling.

Well, that's a long thank you on a Friday night of a very good day. I would enjoy all those bits Lin mentioned; but I appreciate even more those who take the time to visit the site and vote as a kindness to me. That's special. Fortunately, isn't the cover worth a little credit? I wouldn't ask for a vote for a dud. :-)

Exposure? Yah, to a handful of people, mostly other authors.

Nope, you superilious stupid skag.

People canvass for votes, this brings in eyes or all kinds of people.

You have no idea about what's going on, but pass judgement on it.

As always.

And of course, nobody is supposed to have any fun with their writing work. That would just be so... unwriterly. Unlike people who publish their work instead of cringing away from the challenge, burying their head in a life of hack work and bragging about the paychecks, and turning bitter about it.

You just don't understand what's going and probably never will unless you actually get up the nerve to actually do some writing instead of hiding in your little cave and spitting on the people outside in the sunshine.

Quote :

Fortunately, isn't the cover worth a little credit? I wouldn't ask for a vote for a dud. :-)

Yes, it's very nice. All the more reason to be careful about the company it keeps.

Quote :

People canvass for votes, this brings in eyes or all kinds of people.

Blah, blah, yap. Yah, it's worked out so well for you.

Not too bad, actually.

Not that you have a rat's ass idea what's up, down or sideways, at any rate.

But it's always good to just toss feces over nothing, isn't it?

Go to a site and pick out the covers you can make fun of (because they were just home made by some writer somewhere) and thus try to write off the whole thing, which contains some artwork as good as any anywhere.

Because it's important to feel superior. Especially people who had the guts to follow their heart and write, instead of just building hackwork and wishing they'd done what they dreamed of, letting that sour into this nasty little attack on anybody who's cheating by putting out work from their creative self, instead of just whoring out writing drivel, then whinng about it.

You use the term "cheating" a lot. And "cutting in line."

No cheating or cutting in line ever occurred.

Dk.
I'm in. The cover is worthy of a win.

Quote :

You use the term "cheating" a lot. And "cutting in line."
No
cheating or cutting in line ever occurred.

I have no idea what you're ranting about there, skank. But then, neither to you. As per. Just want to flip something out to have something to say. As per.

Thanks all for the votes - they make a difference to me whether they make a winner of Ghost Orchid or not :-)

lin wrote:

I have no idea what you're ranting about there, skank.

That's because you're old, stupid, and befuddled. That's ok, though. When you really do cheat and cut in line, most people will give you a pass due to your age.

Is this bickering really necessary?

I thought this was a writers forum.

No. But it happens all the time because this stupid old man can't read or understand half of what he sees, and flies off at the handle like a teenager. Most indulge him, but I'm tired of it. He needs his Geritol and 1 pm nap.

Geritol, eh?
What is it supposed to do and does it work?

The nap I can identify with. Resting to recharge is a positive thing.

I think Lin and LC should use their considerable creative talents in a more productive fashion.

How about, instead of attacking and insulting each other, they begin some topics for us to discuss?

Just an idea.

Oh, LC will. She will flood in a bunch of links to dumb news stories to try to bury this thread.
Probably most of them about how amusing it is that somebody got hurt of killed somewhere.

This whole "cheat/cut" thing is a good example of her getting off on tracks that make no sense, to distract from her own lameness.

Which in this one is the idea that people shouldn't enter their cover in a contest because it might turn out that some stupid amateur covers will show up.
Part of her whole idea that people shouldn't publish their work or show their stuff because it's just wrong and anybody who doesn't write hack work like herself is delusional and shouldn't show it to anybody.

Why...she let it slip once. She had dreams of being a novelist and real writer, but choked. Went into the mindless world of writing texts and nailing together outdoor books. Now she's starting to think about maybe pursuing her dream, but probably won't.
And anybody who just goes ahead and writes their book and publishes it and tries to promote it is a loser.
Ironic.