Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Mary Lydon Simonsen & Cover Design

Thank you, Mary. for being my guest today and for your compliments of my work. You made my day! I am glad that you are enjoying your calendar too. You were my first order!  

I am also a great admirer of your work and talent as a writer. That is a special gift and one that I am thankful you share with us. I believe that talent extends to designing covers too. You are doing a great job with them. I love the one for this latest book. On that note, Mary is giving away an ebook of When They Fall in Love. After reading her interesting post, be sure and leave a comment for a chance to win. Now, please welcome Mary Simonsen.

Thank you, Janet, for the opportunity to visit with you on your blog. I’m a great admirer of your work and talent as an artist, and I have your calendar in my office. In fact, I’m looking at Mr. Darcy at Hunsford Parsonage (April 2013) as I write.

I greatly admire people who are artistically gifted. I can write up a storm, but I have zero talent when it comes to drawing or arts and crafts. When I first self-published my stories, my book covers were very basic, and I was not happy with them. I wanted to provide my readers with a more enticing cover, and so I bought a book cover software program. After reading the complicated instructions, I put it away for a year! Finally, after a pep talk from my husband, I decided to get after it. Slowly, but surely, I started to learn how to work the program.

When I started to look for artwork for When They Fall in Love, I wanted something to reflect the story’s setting: Florence, Italy. I spent hours at WikiCommons looking for royalty-free artwork, and I finally decided on Claude Lorrain’s Pastoral with Shepherds for the front cover and his Repudiation of Hagar for the back cover. I didn’t have to do much with the front cover, other than fluff up the big tree on the left, but for the back cover, I had to get rid of the temple and the people as the scene had obviously not taken place in Renaissance Italy. After cropping the picture and working with the transparency, voila! I had my cover. Here’s a summary of what the novel is about:
 
Spring of 1814 – Fitzwilliam Darcy proposes to Elizabeth Bennet at the Hunsford Parsonage, but his offer of marriage is rejected.

Spring of 1821 – A recently widowed Fitzwilliam Darcy has taken up residence with his six-year-old daughter, Alexandra, at a villa in the hills above Florence and invites Charles and Jane Bingley and their daughter to come for a visit. Included in the invitation is Elizabeth Bennet, who has taken on the responsibility of governess for her niece, Cassandra Bingley.

In the intervening years, Elizabeth’s opinion of the Master of Pemberley has altered greatly, but has Darcy’s opinion of Elizabeth changed? Will they be able to put their troubled history behind them?

When They Fall in Love is set against the background of the greatest city of the Renaissance, a perfect place to start over.


To help celebrate the launch of my latest Jane Austen re-imagining, I am giving away an e-book for either Nook or Kindle. To enter, please leave a comment (it can be about anything you want) and an e-mail address where I can contact you.

Thanks again, Janet.

You may find Mary Simonsen at the two blogs below: 

When They Fall in Love is available on:
Paperback at Amazon


Thanks again, Mary, for being my guest today and for generously offering an ebook of your new book, When They Fall in Love. This giveaway is international. To be entered please leave a comment below. Be sure to include your email address in the comment. To prevent unwanted spam, put your email address with an (at) instead of @.  Winner will be chosen in a random drawing. Giveaway ends at midnight, May 5. Good luck.





36 comments:

  1. Mary, I think the cover is beautiful (both front and back) and, as someone who is fairly technically inept, it was lovely to hear of your adventures and now success with your software program!

    The story sounds wonderful too, so Janet please enter me in the draw! (you have my email address!)

    Cassie

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Cassie. I have you entered in the draw!

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  2. I am a huge fan of Mary's work and would like to be included in the giveaway as well. My email is tara finlay at gmail dot com.

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    1. I have you included, Tara. Thank you for commenting. I am a big fan of Mary's work too, and I love her cover art!

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    2. Hey Tara. Good to see you and thank you for the compliment.

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  3. Patkf2007[at]hotmail.com

    I love artworks that are from different places in the world.

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    1. I do too, Patricia. Thanks for visiting and entering the giveaway.

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    2. Thanks, Patricia. I appreciate you stopping by.

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  4. I know we shouldn't be so influenced by cover art, but I am a weak person. LOL! It catches my eye and my imagination. I love covers that are classically beautiful like these chosen from art sources. I think they set the perfect tone for Mary's story! Congrats on a beautiful book and for its release!

    Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
    sophiarose1816 at gmail dot com

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    1. I think it is natural to notice covers and be influenced by them. The designer wants to catch your eye and make you want to know what's inside. Mary has some lovely covers. I loved the one for DARCY GOES TO WAR,too.

      Thanks again, for stopping by and I have you entered in the giveaway.

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    2. I agree with you both. I have bought books based solely on the cover. My only problem is when the cover does not truly represent the book, and that has happened more than once. But then again, I have a book with a great cover!

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  5. This is the first time I get to see the back cover. Good job, Mary on writing and designing the cover of your new book. Congratulations too. I love all your works that I have read so do enter me for the drawing.

    evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Isn't it a beautiful back cover too! You are entered!

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    2. Hi Sylvia. Always good to hear from you.

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  6. I can write up a storm, but I have zero talent when it comes to drawing or arts and crafts.

    Ditto! I feel like I'm the only woman alive who doesn't know how to use a glue gun or tie a pretty bow. Yay for software that gives us a chance at being artistic!

    ~ junewilliams7 {at} yahoo {dot} {com}

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    1. Isn't software wonderful...if only some of it was more user friendly! A:)

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    2. Hi June. Oh I love that you don't use a glue gun! I thought I was the only person alive who didn't own one. Fortunately, I have a talented daughter who does.

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  7. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I imagine that most people do, so it's worth the effort to make it look attractive. This book is lovely!

    Frawli1978(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by, Ceri. You are entered in the giveaway.

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    2. Thanks, Ceri. I appreciate you stopping by.

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  8. I love the setting--Florence, Italy for this book. Looking forward to reading "When They Fall in Love"

    martitaylor1949(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Doesn't that sound like a lovely setting for a book with Darcy and Lizzy! I can't wait to read this one either AND I heard today that it was one of her best. That makes me all the more enticed!

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    2. Thanks, Marti. I hope you enjoy my story.

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  9. Love the covers, puts my efforts at drawing and painting to shame but I will carry on. Plus would love to read the book

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

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    1. You should carry on, Vesper. All efforts are worthwhile!

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  10. Hi Vesper. Thanks for stopping by. My talent rests in manipulating the great work of others!

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  11. Thanks for the giveaway Janet. I have been faithfully following Mary's career and it I always a red letter day when one of her books is released. I look forward to reading I and hope to win a copy for my NOOK. Best wishes, Laurel Ann

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    1. Thanks, for stopping by and commenting, Laurel Ann. It is awesome that you have followed Mary's career. I am excited to read this new book too. A few days ago I was visiting with someone that had already read it. She told me that she thought it was one of Mary's best! That made me more excited to read it than ever!

      Good luck in the giveaway and thanks again for visiting my blog.

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    2. Thanks, Laurel Ann, for your compliments. You were an early supporter of my writing efforts, and I appreciate it more than I can say.

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  12. It is so beautiful! A terrific cover that does justice to a terrific story.

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    1. Hey, Angie! Thanks for visiting today! I love the cover too and am anxious to read the book!

      Don't work TOO hard! lol

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  13. it was a beautiful day in NYC today!!! should continue for the next 5 days!!!!

    thank you for the giveaway!!!

    cyn209 at juno dot com

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    1. Glad you are having some good weather! I know you must be ready for it.

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the giveaway.

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  14. I agree with Cassie. Just Beautiful! I still have to order Elizabeth and Darcy mousepad. Continued success to you and Mary.

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  15. I agree with Cassie. Just Beautiful! I still have to order Elizabeth and Darcy mousepad. Continued success to you and Mary.
    Cecilia Hook

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    1. Thank you, Cecilia, and thanks for commenting! Just let me know when you are ready to get the mouse pad! :)

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