Going Strong and Courageous

Sandra Ardoin @SandraArdoin

If you’ve been reading the blog this year, you know that Strong and Courageous has been my theme for 2018. You’ve read numerous posts by people who have shared their stories of courage to complete a certain task. You even read mine in August. 

Well, things are moving ahead with my need to be courageous in publishing A Love Most Worthy. Frankly, it’s turning to excitement.

This month, I went through the cover creation process—in itself, something that takes courage. Given I’m not one to make decisions quickly or easily (heaven help those who take me to a restaurant I’m not familiar with), it was a nail-biting procedure. As I told my designer, it does take a village to birth a book. So, yes, my village helped me decide what the design needed or didn’t need.

The opinions were invaluable, because when I received the first draft, I was gobsmacked by the fact that she had created a simple, yet beautiful image. Style-wise, it was just what I’d hope for. But…

In the first round, we decided the design was too dark, the tagline too small, and a portion of the font should be changed. Do we show her full face or cut off her head? (Yipes!) I wanted options. So…

The overall look in the second-round was brighter, the tagline readable, a choice of whole or severed head, and the font perfect…except….

I confirmed with my village my belief that the title color did not fit the tone of the other colors in the design. So, I made the choice of going full-face or partial head and sent it off for a color tweak.

Honestly, by this time, I was tired of looking at it, but when it came back within hours….

Oh, yes! This was it. It was done.

Somehow, we made it through three drafts without the designer throwing up her hands and slamming the lid on her laptop, vowing never to work with me again. (Seeing that everything was done online, I can only hope she didn’t respond that way.) We made it through without my village huffing and puffing and saying, “Don’t send me this anymore!” Well, maybe a little huffing and puffing went on behind the scenes. We made it through with me happy with the result and hoping I’ll have the opportunity to work with that lovely lady again.

What? You want to see it? Now?

I’m so sorry. Not here. Not yet. However…

You could be among the first to see it by subscribing to the Love and Faith in Fiction newsletter. And, if you want more insight into Hallie’s decision to travel to Nome, Alaska, closer to the February release date, I’ll send a special download solely for my subscribers. So, don’t miss out! Come on and join us. There is always room for more. 🙂