Sunday, March 24, 2019

Tip 3 Is it scannable?


Tip 3 Is it scannable?

 

Is your back cover blurb scannable?

 

Sophie Masson gives some good advice:

•Short and succinct–around 150 words is ideal, to give enough information without overloading the reader

•Snappily and enticingly written with no confusing bits

•Written in third person, even if book is in first-person voice

•Attractive to look at—well-designed in terms of text on the page, what’s around it, color background, etc.—

 And finally, starting with a tag line, in italics, works well: maybe setting time and place—e.g., Moscow, June 1937—or introducing a main character, e.g., Meet Septimus Drake, master magician—or an intriguing line of text from the book, usually from very early on, e.g., It was supposed to be a foolproof plan…

January 9, 2017 by


 
Where the Crawdads Sing

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens.

 Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

 
I may have left out the highlighted red. The word count is good. Seems very clear. Written in the third person, and as I cannot find a back cover image I can’t comment on the background. I think it needs a tag line!

 
The Silent Patient

If you don’t already know the premise of this book, a well-known artist accused of killing her husband, and immediately goes silent. No communication of any kind. Not even to defend herself – because did she really kill the husband that she adored and doted on? Most of the story is told by the new doctor who believes he can cure the artist and make her speak. (Messiah complex, anyone?) Pretty simple premise, really. But the execution is interesting and there were still enough little surprises that I didn’t mind knowing the ending. If you haven’t read it already and you are a thriller fan, then what are you waiting for?

 
I would have deleted the part highlighted in red and added the blue. May have given the main character’s name instead of just “she.”

 
Where the Forest Meets the Stars

In this gorgeously stunning debut, a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again. After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises. The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child's home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay--just until she learns more about Ursa's past. Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren't Jo and Gabe checking the missing children's website anymore? Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.I enjoy a good

 
Long, but I think it has me hooked, I enjoy a good science fiction now and then.

 
Tip 4 A new back cover. Next Week

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