I'm thrilled with this cover for the large print edition of Devil's Prize published by Magna on the 15th March.
Life has been really hectic lately. Normally I take about ten to eleven months to write a book of 100,000 words. But for the one I'm working on at the moment, I've only had five months, and the deadline is looming over me like a dark and threatening cloud! This came about because my agent asked me to prepare a pitch package for the book after this and that preparation involved a mass of research, a outline of fifteen pages, biographies for the two central characters, and the first four chapters. By the time I finished you could have packed the bags under my eyes. Then I plunged straight into the current book.
It's a great story full of drama, tension, and the developing love and trust of two people who for different reasons are outcasts. I'm loving it. Then I hit a problem.
An earlier blog talked about naming characters, and I know my characters don't come to life unless they have the right names. My heroine was called Saranne - a combination of Sara and Anne. But at a meeting with three writer friends a few weeks ago, one of them said I would have to change it because my books are sold in the US. Yes? So? I asked blankly. She explained that what we in the UK call clingfilm the US calls Saran-wrap, and no reader would be able to identify or empathise with a heroine whose name reminded them something you use to pack sandwiches. She was right. So my heroine is now Sarah. And to my surprise and delight, she has developed far more depth since her name change.
Jane Jackson.
4 comments:
Love the cover, Jane. You are an inspiration with all your hard work. Targets are great incentives but they can be exhausting. You always deliver a thrilling and dramatic story and the best thing about the latest book is how much pleasure it is giving you, which will always lift the story and give the reader the same excitement. You are so right about names, they certainly maketh the backbone of the character.
Oh, Jane, I adore that cover! It just screams at you to pick it up and plunge into the story.
Like you - I have to have the right names. And yes - as soon as you DO get the right one, the character just takes off.
Five months to write a book though....
Jane said...
Thank you Kate and Jan, your comments have given me a much-needed boost. If I could just expand each day by another four hours, finishing on time would be a doddle!
Tell me about it, Jane!
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