columns
by Julie Gerber & Carole P. Roman (authors of the
award-winning self-help eBook, Navigating Indieworld)
www.NavigatingIndieworld.com
Let’s face it. People are judgmental.
They are going to judge every aspect of
your book starting with the title and the
cover. If the title doesn’t stand out, the
readers will pass on by without a second
glance. Tease and tempt potential
buyers with your wording, drive them
mad with curiosity, then go in for the
kill with an irresistible cover. Your cover
is your first ad and if you don’t nail it,
you are going to miss out on sales.
Covers should be clutter free and look
professional. Some authors and designers
use colors to elicit feelings from the reader.
They may use warm colors to evoke
reactions of passion or anger. Cool colors
may be used to relax or soothe. Your
cover is your chance to express your book
and characters so there aren’t any rules
except one: your colors should
compliment each other, and the wording
should stand out. If you are not
professionally trained to create graphics,
take the time to learn or you can shop for
pre-made covers or work with a designer
for a one-of-a-kind creation. If you are
making your own, create several mockups
and ask for opinions. You’ll be surprised
www.TopShelfMagazine.net
Our Pick of the Month for August and
the latest interview on the Navigating
Indieworld Radio Show is SENTINELS
OF THE NIGHT by Anita Dickason.
BOOKS ON TRIAL
it's no coincidence her nickname is
Witchy Woman. Cat Morgan sees
dead people. When two horned owls
appear, messages from the dead are
not far behind. On her way to start a
new job in a special unit, Cat finds
herself caught in a cat-and-mouse
game with a serial killer. She is aided
by a hunky police chief, Kevin Hunter,
who knows something is not quite
right about her investigation skills.
Fast-paced with an interesting twist
on a crime drama, this is a series that
should entertain. Anita Dickason, a
former law enforcement officer, brings
realism to the story, giving the reader
an insider’s look at police work.
NAVIGATING INDIEWORLD:
by much impact subtle changes will have
on the finished graphic. Altering the
position of the author’s name or title or
changing the font or text may seem like
small changes but the results can be
dramatic. Your title and cover should hint
at what’s to come once the reader turns
the page. Find out more by reading
Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner’s Guide To
Self-Publishing And Marketing Your Book. It’s
available on Amazon!
COLUMNS
BIOGRAPHIES:
Julie Gerber is the founder of Away We
Go Media, a social media management and
consulting firm for authors, Forbes featured co-
author of the award-winning best-seller,
Navigating Indieworld and co-author of
the best-selling book, Tortured Souls: The
House On Wellfleet Bluffs.
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning
author of over fifty children's books. She hosts two
blog radio programs and is one of the founders of
the magazine, Indie Author's Monthly. Carole co-
authored the Forbes featured self-help book,
Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners
Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing.
Navigating Indieworld rating: 5 STARS
Review by Carole P. Roman After creating two successful groups on
Goodreads, Julie and Carole developed a
magazine and radio show with fellow author
RL Jackson. You can find them here:
Cat Morgan has a secret. She's a crack
FBI agent with an uncanny reputation of
being able to find bodies. The truth is so
bizarre. Cat finds lame excuses for how
she discovered murder victims. However, Indieauthorsmonthly.com
Awaywegomedia.com
Caroleproman.com
Authorrljackson.com
Podfireradio.com/navigating-indieworld
TOPShelf magazine
AUGUST2017 11