Wizards Keep Publishing is not only dedicated to bringing quality books to the public but also community relations. With that in mind Wizards Keep Publishing is starting an annual High School Writing Competition for local High Schools. Please see THIS page for more information concerning the competition.
Author Archives: wizardskeeppublishing
Coming up
Wizards Keep Publishing just signed on a new Author. More information to come regarding this strong female based science fiction novel.
Authors Supporting our Troops
For the last two years Armand Rosemilia has done a great job at keeping up the Authors Supporting our Troops book campaign.
If you have not heard about the ASOT then let us at Wizards Keep Publishing introduce you to a wonderful group of people who want to support our troops as they are deployed overseas.
Authors Supporting Our Troops is a ragtag group of authors, including the owner of this company who have come together to send books to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who are deployed overseas in response to their countries call for duty. While deployed our service members do not always have access to multiple forms of entertainment. Armand and the authors who have selflessly donated their books or money for shipping help our service members relax.
Wizards Keep Publishing will be assisting in any way possible by supporting our authors in donating books to the event. If you are an author and wish to donate books, here is the link for the facebook group. Authors Supporting Our Troops
If you want to help with Shipping you can either email through Authors Supporting Our Troops on Facebook or you can buy a shirt here.
The Importance of Covers
So I was perusing though a website of books looking for something to catch my eye. This got me thinking as a rolled past many books for one reason, and one reason alone.
The cover was bad.
I don’t necessarily mean that it was bad in that it was all black, or the font was all wrong, I mean that it was visually unappealing and when there are approximately 4,000 books being published on Amazon a day vying for the reader’s attention the cover has to speak to the book and to the reader. This is especially true of a publishing company. If we do not put out the best cover that we can for each and every book, the author is not going to get the visibility that they deserve and we will not get the credit, money, or future contracts that we believe we deserve. So I am going to go though a couple of things I have seen that automatically make me look the other way.
1) An adult or YA cover that looks like it was drawn up by a 6 year old. I know that sometimes it is cute, but really, take pride in your work and make sure that the cover puts a good face on your book. I read this one book for a blog that I was part of. It was a good book and I did not see the cover until I was writing up my review. If I had honestly seen the cover before reading the book I don’t know if I would have. The cover was abstract, was drawn freehand without any cleaning up, and just did not look appealing. In some cases this type of cover is appropriate but use sparingly.
2) A cover that has nothing to do with the book. This gets me to another pet peeve of mine, the title of a book, but that will be in a future post. The cover needs to draw the reader in, show a bit of the book, and really enhance what you have going on. You, the author just spent a good portion of your life writing this book, again take some pride in it. I read this book, it was okay, the back cover did not relate to the book at all (see #3) but it was okay. The cover was almost all white, with the title across the center and had no information about the book other than a ring of dark. That never came up in the book so why was it on the cover?
3) The back writing. When you are doing the blurb about your book, do not be too vague, people want to know what they are getting into. Use a little of your book as a teaser, tell a little about the main character(s), do something. Using weasel words, or ideas that really do not directly apply to your book will just have people pissed off and returning it. If you have a book about a person named Fred that flies into the future, write that “Fred, the time traveling XXX” Some authors even do a little bit of spoiling on the back cover, I am personally not in favor of that, but to each their own.
4) Copyrighted images. Okay this one is a big one, it is more about legality and less about personal opinion. Just because a picture is online does not mean it is in the public domain. It does mean that someone took the time to take a picture and put it online for people’s viewing pleasure. When an author, publicist, publisher, or cover designer just randomly takes a picture from the internet, it could very well be copyrighted, which means illegal for reproduction. This goes for celebrities, cartoon characters, even geographical landmarks. If you want a picture of the Grand Canyon, either pay for a picture, go take one yourself, or hire someone to take one. Along these same lines is when people take real photos and just mush them together on the cover. Unless you have a talented Graphic Designer like what Wizards Keep Publishing has, or you are yourself talented, this will never look right. There are different light intensities, different angles, even different fuzziness ratios.
There are so many talented artists out there that many are even creating already made covers. You find one that looks good, they add your book information to it, and ta da you have a nice, professional looking, visually appealing cover that will bring readers to you. In our affiliate page we will be adding some of the artists that we know or have used in the past. This is not to say you have to use them, but spend the money and find a good cover artist. Trust us, it is worth the money
Sad day for the writing and artistic community.
So while most of our posts are going to be about writing and the publishing industry, we here at Wizards Keep Publishing want to take a moment to send out thoughts out to France and all of the family and friends of those killed or injured in the Charlie Hebdo attack that occurred January 7, 2014 in Paris.
For those who don’t know Charlie Hebdo pushes the line every week with their satire based magazine that pokes fun at political and religious events and traditions. This political satirizing is not new, in fact it has been going on since the 1800s, most notably during World War I and World War II where events and politicians were not immune for the pen and paper. To put your face out in the public light during that time, one expected to have been a figure of satire.
While not countries have the freedom of speech that the United States has, France is a very liberal bastion of speech and to see this occur there is heartbreaking.
So along with other publishers and artists, #jesuischarlie.
The Apprentices on Sale!!!
Starting tomorrow Wednesday December 3, 2014 The Apprentices will be on sale for $0.99 for the rest of the year.
Yes you heard right, this great fantasy is available for $0.99 on Amazon and Smashwords.
The paperback will still be 9.99 BUT we are also offering a signed copy of The Apprentices for 9.99. All you have to do is email us at Wizardskeeppublishing@gmail.com with your address and who you want the book to be dedicated to if that is your thing. After we get your email we will ask that you transfer the money to Paypal. All books will sent so they arrive prior to Christmas.
Want to Review our books?
Are you a blogger or reader and want to review our books, sometimes before they are published? Or do you have a blog and want to showcase some of our works?
If you do please fill out the contact form below and let us know what you are interested in.
Cover Reveal!! The Apprentices by Dana Journey
So after multiple versions, I present the finalized cover done by the wonderfully talented Artful Raven Studios.
Front:
Front and Back:
“The burning was too great to withstand, I let go. My mind, still functioning, allowing me to watch and possibly understand, but this time I was not going to regret my body’s actions.”
Lyndon a student on his way to training, an old forgotten lighthouse and a simple life turned upside down by a scroll, and a man in a dream. Not only is his life in Townsend coming to an end, but his life itself may be in danger. The power that had been there all the time, just waiting to escape, A power so great and deadly for everyone around if he cannot learn control.
From Slavers, to the Keeper of a deadly Library endlessly burning, Lyndon must learn about himself before he is thrust into a war and web of deceit and treachery that leads to a rag tag group fighting for their survival.
With immortals and mortals seeking to ruin his path, will Lyndon learn to lead the four apprentices and balance being a leader and a friend. Or will his future end with the destruction of the known world and the end of the Guardians?
Available on:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Sony
Itunes
First Look !!! The Apprentices by Dana Journey
Hello All,
I am proud to announce that Dana Journey’s first book will be hitting the proverbial shelves on November 15th. The Cover Reveal will take place on November 10, 2015, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Synopsis:
“The burning was too great to withstand, I let go. My mind, still functioning, allowing me to watch and possibly understand, but this time I was not going to regret my body’s actions.”
Lyndon a student on his way to training, an old forgotten lighthouse and a simple life turned upside down by a scroll, and a man in a dream. Not only is his life in Townsend coming to an end, but his life itself may be in danger. The power that had been there all the time, just waiting to escape, A power so great and deadly for everyone around if he cannot learn control.
With his life turned upside down and a friend by his side. A friend whose secret may change everything. A secret which may could also aid Lyndon in his newly destined path.
From Slavers, to the Keeper of a deadly Library endlessly burning, Lyndon must learn about himself before he is thrust into a war and web of deceit and treachery that leads to a rag tag group fighting for their survival.
Lyndon’s existence may rely on his friends as well as his internal fortitude. The fate of his friends, and the world could rest on the shoulders of a young, berserker. With immortals and mortals seeking to ruin his path, will Lyndon learn to lead the four apprentices and balance being a leader and a friend. Or will his future end with the destruction of the known world and the end of the Guardians?
Wizards Keep Publishing, an Imprint of Allegiant Publishing Group 