Our girl Muriel….

The woman on this cover I've nicknamed Muriel. She’s been around a bit. I reckon I’ve seen her on a dozen covers already – mine/Penn’s included. Muriel’s picture makes me ask these questions –

1. Are cover artists basically busy/lazy and grab the first image that fits?
2. Are there too many novice e-book cover makers out there with limited to no imagination?
3. Are publishers paying the right people enough to do cover art or are they relying on paying people/authors, who think they have talent, dirt cheap?
4. Is Muriel on special – by that I mean is she cheap – like 0.75 cents a download?
5. Do women want to be tied up?
6. Are we all writing the same story and should we be tied up?
7. Do readers give a crap about the cover?
8. Do publishers give a crap about their readers?
9.Has publishing lost touch with reality or does reality no longer matter with so many small presses out there all trying to make a buck so screw quality?

Yes, yes, I know there are some very good covers artists out there who know what they’re doing and they strive to look beyond the obviousness of Muriel. They are indeed Artists by trade. The other patch-and-paste-four men-and-one-woman-in-a row-to-let-everyone-know-one-heroine-is-going-to-be-lucky-with-multiple-lovers cover people? I can’t stand disjointed covers that look like someone has cut out figures from a magazine for a school project. My opinion? They’re not artists. They’re making money with scissors and glue pots and good luck to them. But that’s not artistic. And yes, e-book romances are not real but can we at least have covers where the characters look like they may actually know each other?

Oh, and don’t get me started on cover hacks who read 'buxom' and 'overweight' on a cover request and see it as thin and emaciated….

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Do As I Say

...my alter ego – Penn Halligan’s story - is released to today at Noble Publishing. You can click on the cover to buy – or – go in the running to win a copy. I’m giving away two. For a chance to win simply email me at Amarinda_jones@yahoo.com.au. I will randomly choose two entries. The contest closes Saturday April 3rd at midnight (USA EST).

What’s the story about? Well, it’s about a woman who isn’t really sure what she wants out of life. She meets this man. She’s attracted then irritated at his insistence she must do what he says. She wants to fight him but can’t. Why? Because he knows more about her in a heartbeat than those who have know her in forever – and her needs? Yeah, he understands those too. Ever met a man who just got you straight away? That’s golden.

The blurb…

Mae Southall is an independent woman who is not above breaking the rules if it suits her. She relies on no one but herself. Sex is fine but on her terms. When she meets the darkly handsome and mysterious Rob, Mae learns that sexual submission has its benefits.

Robert Parker is Mae’s new boss. She just doesn’t realize it yet. He has a few rules of his own. The first one is that he’s in control when it comes to sex. Her mind may be her own but her body is his to do with as he wishes. He requires her total surrender to him.

www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Catching hell…

Do As I Say comes out at the end of March. It has been pointed out to me that I could ‘catch hell’ for it. Maybe. Possibly. Why that warning to me? Well, no condoms are used in the book. Yes, yes, safe sex is imperative in real life. There is no question of that. But I also know readers are not silly enough to believe what happens in a romance story is real life nor a real life recommendation.

I’ve actually taken on advice from readers about the whole use of latex. One of top 5 questions from readers to me in emails is ‘why so many condoms in your books?’ Well, I believe in safe sex so that’s the reason. Several readers responded that they did too but they knew romance stories were fantasy and not real life so the need for fictitious characters to use condoms was not important. Interesting point. So I have been thinking on that some and decided with the detour to Penn Halligan – a wilder, raunchier side of me – I would go condomless because those readers are right. They’re not silly. They know real life from fantasy.

So, there it is. Will I catch hell? I expect so but I have caught hell before and pitched it back so I’m not too worried and writing wild is fun.

www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Nailing jelly to a wall…

…been reminding myself a lot lately about the futility of nailing jelly to a wall. Some things and people are just too damn hard to pin down. It’s actually been a very good lesson for me…in a pukeably annoying way. I like to be in control. Always. Actually, I insist upon it. When I am thrust into personal situations when I’m not in control, I struggle not to fight for control…hence trying to do the whole acceptance thing about jelly, walls and nails. How’s that working out for me? Hmmm…I think some people are better at acceptance than others…

Do As I Say – check out my purty new cover – is about a woman who also has similar issues about control and lust and a man who thinks he’s the boss of her. He’s sort of a big, sexy meanie.

Released end of March...

www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book