A warm welcome to author B.G. Thomas joining us today here at Love Bytes to talk about his newest release book 4 in the Seasons of Love series, “Winter Heart”.
B.G. tells us the wonderful story of how his cover came to excist!
Welcome B.G.
Winter Heart; Evolution of a Cover
Hello all! I thought you might be interested in something that most people probably don’t know a lot about. How a cover for a book comes into being. It’s kind of like the extras that come with a Blu-Ray, you know? And since it was right here at Love Bytes that the exclusive Cover Reveal was done, I thought it only appropriate that I do this here!
It all starts, at least with Dreamspinner Press, with a questionnaire where the author actually gets some input on the cover for their book. It’s not like that everywhere, trust me!
In this questionnaire we are asked questions that include a description of the characters. Even this is unheard of. Why, the great Connie Willis—an author who, last I knew, had won more awards than any other SF author ever and was made a Grandmaster of Science Fiction at only 66—published her multiple-award-winning book, Doomsday Book, got quite a shock. It’s a book about a college where students not only get a masters in history, but travel back in time as their final project. It’s a very powerful and serious book about the Black Plague. When the book came out, to her shock it had what looked like a fantasy romance cover. Just look…!
Not that Ms. Willis has anything against romance books, but it was hardly appropriate. People would snatch it up thinking it was something completely different than it was. Believe me. They did.
I remember one of the very first MM books I ever read. I pretty much bought for its cover. Won’t say what the book was or who it was by, but I got quite a shock when reading it. Nothing on the cover was right. The guys didn’t look anything like how they were described in the book, and nothing else on the cover represented the story. Luckily the book was fantastic, and I didn’t mind.
I have loved pretty much every cover I’ve had at Dreamspinner, and I think it’s because DSP respects and cares for its writers as well as its readers. Not that they are the only one! I’ve just been very fortunate.
Okay! So as I explained during the cover reveal, Paul Richmond, the artist, suggested that since the books were about the four seasons and the famous Alphonse Mucha did many gorgeous painting on the same subject, that my covers be done as a tribute to this great artist. I couldn’t have been more pleased.
Well, it turns out that I could not only describe the characters, but the inspiration for one of the characters had given me permission to use his likeness! Here he is, the wonderful and very sweet Ross Allen….
Now there were a lot more questions besides what my character looked like, and I was able to say all kinds of things about the plot and the characters and things that were important to them, including a fur that is very important to Wyatt. Rest assured that when you read the book you will find that the animal was not hunted down for its skin!
So with all this information, this is the cover “sketch” Paul Richmond sent me!
Trust me! I was thrilled out of my mind! I not only got almost exactly what I wanted the first time, but I thought it might just be the best of the four covers.
I only had a few things I wanted to change….
First I asked that we do away with the daffodils. They just aren’t a winter flower, or one associated with winter in any way. Then I asked if Wyatt’s love interest could have his hand up on Wyatt’s shoulder or somewhere. Some place that looked romantically possessive. I also asked if there was a way to honor the artistic style and give Wyatt a bit of chest hair. He’s always been described that way.
And what happens?
Quick as you can say, “Bob’s your uncle,” I get this emailed to me!
To say I was jumping over the moon was an understatement. This cover was not only stunningly gorgeous one of Paul’s best covers ever, but could very well be my favorite of the four covers (although I do have a soft spot for Summer Lover since I took the photographs used for the cover).
But what really made me happy is that the cover says a lot about the book. It gives me, at least, the very best of feelings, and hints, I think, that beneath the winter’s snow lie the seeds that will grow into love.
Why, here is the cover blurb to prove it….
WINTER HEART
Seasons of Love: Book Four
For over ten years, Wyatt Dolan defined himself as the lover of Howard Wallace. Howard made sure Wyatt’s self-worth depended on that role. So when Howard dumps him, he is lost at sea in a storm without a rudder. If it wasn’t for his supportive friends, he doesn’t know what he’d do. Finally, after a series of disasters, he escapes to Camp Sanctuary—a sacred place to him—where he can be alone, try to put his past behind him, and find a new direction for his life.
Kevin Owens is a lonely man. He is very intelligent—several apps he created have gone on to make him a comfortable living—but he is also quite shy and is uncomfortable making conversation. The death of his dear friend and former lover after a long illness leaves him grieving, confused, and adrift. Then a dream guides him to Camp Sanctuary, only to find that the one cabin with a wood-burning stove has already been reserved. And worse, by a man he’s had a secret crush on for years—Wyatt Dolan.
When a snowstorm knocks out power at the Camp, Wyatt and Kevin must share the same cabin to stay warm, and very soon, magickal things begin to happen.
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I am very pleased with this novel. I have put a lot of blood, sweat, tears and “heart” into the book. I put me into this book. It’s been a long time coming, but at last, winter is coming…and so is Winter Heart is here!
Namaste,
B.G. Thomas
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B.G. is a novelist and blogger. Every day last year he made and entry in his blog. “365 Days of Silver,” where he found something every day to be grateful for. You can find it right here: https://365daysofsilver.wordpress.com/
B.G. loves romance, comedies, fantasy, science fiction and even horror—as far as he is concerned, as long as the stories are character driven and entertaining, it doesn’t matter the genre. He has gone to conventions since he was fourteen years old and has been lucky enough to meet many of his favorite writers. He has made up stories since he was child; it is where he finds his joy.
In the nineties, he wrote for gay magazines but stopped because the editors wanted all sex without plot. “The sex is never as important as the characters,” he says. “Who cares what they are doing if we don’t care about them?” Excited about the growing male/male romance market, he began writing again. Gay men are what he knows best, after all. He submitted his first story in years and was thrilled when it was accepted in four days.
“Leap, and the net will appear” is his personal philosophy and his message to all. “It is never too late,” he states. “Pursue your dreams. They will come true!”
Visit his website and his author blog at http://bthomaswriter.wordpress.com/ where you can contact him. He loves to hear from readers and is always quick to respond. You can also find his Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bgthomaswriter