Covers.....Help Me Pick A Cover....What One Do You Like?

I have done the covers for each of my books. There were times that I sat before a blank paper with watercolor paints ready and waited for the idea to come as I did with my own story of I Will Not Give Up...Not Today...Life Is a Journey. When I wrote the book I felt compelled to share a part of my own life with the hope it might help others to never give up. As I painted the picture I knew that was what I wanted but still did several more and asked some friends to see what they thought as I worked on them. I wanted the painting to share the feeling of the book with hope for the future.

  

I WILL NOT GIVE UP... NOT TODAY... LIFE IS A JOURNEY 

viewBook.at/B00730UT6A     

When I did the story of the family who had to relocate to escape being homeless I knew I wanted to use one of my photos. I took the photo one day as we traveled down the road and the sky seemed almost ablaze with the color of the sunset. It took my breath away. I could see the lights of all the cars and thought at the time that every one had their own story, place they came from and place the go to. In the book the family goes down such a road not only to a new place but hopes a new life. Life has a way of throwing some obstacles in the way and problems are not always left behind simple because we travel to a new place. It is difficult for me to do the covers as I want to be able to help the readers feel the story but also share my art as well as my words. 

                                                           LIFE GOES ON   

                                                http://viewBook.at/B004XJ6U26

 

I thought my painting for A Tale To Tell worked perfect for a collection of short stories with a ghost in everyone. I hope to write another short story collection. Our children and grandchildren love a good ghost story and when we have a bonfire and roast hot dogs it is a part of the fun. That is something we love to do and hope when we get a bit better with our health and healing we can do it again.

                                                   

                                                           A TALE TO TELL

                                                     viewBook.at/B007ESJ49Y

My novel Journey Home will always have a special place in my heart. It is the first novel I wrote and I have heard from many they really felt as if the could see and hear the place, and feel the fear and emotions good, bad, intense, friend, foe, love and more. I painted three or four paintings and liked them all but none of them was the one. I looked at a painting I had done many years before for my father-in-law before he had passed from this life. In the novel, Lara finds that home is not a place you go to but a place in your heart. It is not always an easy place to find. The woman named Lara would have to find the truth and live through it if she hoped to find her way home. In my painting there is a path as there often is in what I paint. The path does not lead to a house. I hope it leads to where we need to go in life to find our way. I could share some of my art that had special meaning with every book.

                                                       

                                                         JOURNEY HOME

                                                     viewBook.at/B0054GLX92  

I painted this almost 20 years ago on a piece of typing paper with a children's 99 cent paint set.  The sky was blended with a paper towel.  My father-in-law liked it so much he had it framed and kept it on his wall until we lost him.

                                                    

The Pumpkin Field has always been my husband's favorite, I think. He likes them all but that little book brings a smile not only with the story but the memories of why it became a book. When I think of the bonfires of the past I always think of this too. We had huge trees in the back yard that often dropped limbs. I could have asked the children to go out and clean the yard but I know how happy that would make them.... or...... I usually just told them I had some hotdogs. If I only had some sticks we could have a bonfire and wiener roast. The yard was cleaned in no time and with smiles all around.

When they were full and sitting, laughing and talking they often would want to hear a story. Our boys had come home from school complaining that they were having to study poetry and it was awful. All poetry was awful. I had to laugh and told them that poetry could tell a story.

My oldest son answered “Sure, a love story. Uck.” He made a face and sound to go with the comment.

I decided to write a spooky little poem about a haunted pumpkin field. I wanted to do more than that. I wanted to write it in a way that no matter the age of the person they could use the poem to relate to life in different ways and open communications with one another. It has always been fun and interesting as children and adults alike would share thoughts, ideas, hopes and even fears.

I realized all I had to do was the art work to make it a book a child could have and keep or a parent could give as a gift. Each page has full page art illustrations. When it was time to do the cover I found that one to be easy. One of the characters covers the book. I even have pages people can copy to use for their children to color and make their own decorations or books.

                                                        The Pumpkin Field

US
http://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=la_B004PVDVR4_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274016&sr=1-4

 UK

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274072&sr=8-9

Canada

 http://www.amazon.ca/Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274270&sr=8-9
France
 http://www.amazon.fr/The-Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274480&sr=8-12
Germany
 http://www.amazon.de/The-Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274610&sr=8-7
Italy
 http://www.amazon.it/The-Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274676&sr=8-3
Japan
  http://www.amazon.co.jp/The-Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274730&sr=8-8
Spain
 http://www.amazon.es/The-Pumpkin-Field-Linda-Nance/dp/1461044812/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1363274544&sr=8-6

That brings me to this new novel. I have such a passion for it as I believe the story to be one that will be hard to forget and relate to things that happen more than we realize. A young child trapped in a nightmare life, had a special friend. His friend told him, that he could call him Danny. To read the first part of the book and get an idea of the feel of the story it is http://linda-nance.blogspot.com/2013/03/danny-novel-and-linda-author.html I thank you for all your help to choose the cover. I like them all and time is short if, I want to be able to finish the final edits and publish next month in the Child Abuse Awareness Month of April.

Was Danny a friendly ghost there protecting, or was there more to this entity than anyone might suspect? Steven began to think Danny might be a Guardian Angel but angel or evil…only time would tell….. because Steven would tell no one and betray his friend …. and that friend was there to stay.

Tragedy and chaos, murder and an end to life as Steven had known, erupted in his household in the dark of night.

Three young boys fled in the night. It was a night that would change their lives forever. If it was a new beginning or a new nightmare of a different kind, only time would tell….and we can not forget Danny. He would not want to be left behind. “You can call me Danny.”

I hope you enjoyed me sharing these things so near and dear to my heart.  I also thank all who help me to pick the cover here and there for the new novel Danny.  Here are the ones numbered to make it easy to tell the one you like the best.

I

More Words about Words and the Stories That They Tell

I thought I would write a little more before I called it a night.  I have been thinking back to two years ago.  I knew little to nothing about publishing books but tried to learn as much as I could.  I felt desperate to have the chance to try with the things that I had written to see pages become books.

I had the two novels in print form and worked to make them into ebooks.  My family encouraged me to turn the poem/story I had written so many years before into a children's book.  My husband could hardly wait to see it as a book.  He had seen the way it affected people of all ages through the years.  I have said it is a little book with a long reach.

I still have to smile as I think back so long ago with what inspired the story to begin with.  Our boys were young and came home from school complaining that they were having to study poetry in school.  They seemed to feel abused with the very thought.  I laughed and asked them why?  When they explained that all poetry was awful and went on to make faces and comments I explained that poetry can tell a story or create feelings and emotions.  Poetry can do so many things you would never realize.



They scoffed and gave me one of their little boy looks of disbelief.  We were out in the yard at the time and I thought of the bonfires we had had and how much they loved stories.  I decided to write a scary story in a poem.

I tried to do more than that.  I tried to write a little poem that could be used by people of all ages and in different ways with every line of the poem.  When read simply it entertains young children but does not really scare them when at the end it mentions it might have been a dream.  It does however open the door to communication of all different subjects from fears such as fear of the dark to dreams that might cause fear.

I love when I talk to the children and read the story.  After I read it they always begin to ask questions, tell their own thoughts, express fears or feelings and more.

I remember on time I read it to a whole class of first graders.  When a whole class sits quietly the whole time I consider that a great compliment to hold their interest.  My grandson was in the class too and it warmed my heart when he came up and put his arm around me and said "This is MY Grandma!"

When I had finished reading the questions and comments brought the room to life.  I had a wonderful time.  I love to see the expressions on their faces and hear the excitement in their voices.  When I see their eyes light up it always makes me smile.

I explained that I bet they knew making good grades was important.  They all agreed.  I told them there was something even more important.  Several of them frowned and looked confused.  Finally one of them asked what that was.  "To learn...  You don't realize it yet but your teacher is giving you a gift that will last you whole life.  She is giving you something special that will be like magic helping you to do things you could never dream of with out that gift."

They could hardly wait to find out what the gift was.  The gift of learning opens doors to the world and gives you a chance to reach out and be more than you ever dreamed in the first grade.  What they learned was more than a grade on the paper.... it is a gift in life.

We talked about writing.  I showed them the novels too.  They all agreed that they could never do anything like that.  I told them that my grandson and I were working on a book together.  A story has a beginning, middle and end.


I worked to do the art work with pastels and charcoal and hoped to bring the characters to life.  I wanted the pictures to have appeal and depth but still carry a child like fun aspect to the characters and scenes.  I did many of the pages so in book form the left page was a picture but it flowed and matched the page on the right to give a full scene.


Every page in the book is a full page art work.  It took a lot of work and time but I love the way it turned out.

There are aspects of the simple little story that allow the parent to teach in many ways.  The sights of the field in the day as compared to the view at night was a fun project many little ones have found fun and a source that initiated many conversations with them sharing thoughts, feelings, fears, and questions.  I have known many children who were afraid of the dark.  When the story speaks of shadows cast in the moon light, I have seen the look of surprise as I showed a child the beauty of the night.  Is it dark outside?   Yes….and no…especially if the moon is full on a clear night filled with stars sparkling to infinity.  It is not so much that the night is dark as it is different degrees of the light and what we can ind is not nearly as fearsome as they thought.

The witch does cause freight.  She and her sister are so ugly, dress differently, and act differently but at the end we realize that neither of the witches did any harm.  Different is often something that others fear but it is not always bad. 

Halloween is a time for fun when the children can delight in a safe scary story or tale to be told and retold.  This is a tale they can enjoy for years to come and they would be able to see different things in the simple words as they grew older or experienced more things in life.

At one point a young man we knew visited.  I could tell he had something on his mind.  I read the story to the younger children and saw a frown and look on his face that I recognized showing there were things he wanted to share.

Later as the children roasted their hot dogs we stepped off to the side and he smiled.  "I know you have said the little story was something we never really out grow, because it can have meaning more than we realize.  I see so much more in it now than ever before.  When I used to hear the first line about it was the dark of night and the moon shone bright casting shadows on things below.... I used to think that was all it was saying.  Now I think about my life and realize there are shadows sometimes and it is really hard to know what is waiting in the future.  Sometimes it can seem really dark."  He went on as if it had opened a flood gate talking from his heart line by line applying the little poem to life, and comparing it from when he had first heard it as a young child and then as it held meaning to him being a young adult.

By the time the evening was over he seemed somewhat relieved.  He seemed to have worked his way through finding his own answers to some questions he never had to ask as he contemplated the meaning the different lines one by one.

When we were working to clean the limbs from our back yard we often would light a fire and roast hotdogs and marshmallows.  It was years later when our children were grown before they realized we were actually cleaning the yard.  I had to laugh at them when they realized it.  At a family reunion they were all gathered talking when I saw them looking at me and laughing.  When I questioned them my daughter finally admitted "Mom, all those years we thought we were having bonfires and we were really cleaning the yard.  I never saw it until after the ice storm and we had gathered the broken branches in a pile and I could hear you saying...If we only had a few branches we could have a bonfire and roast hot dogs.  We raced to get as many as we could."

I had to laugh and explained a little more.  "If I had told you all to clean the yard, I can only imagine how much enthusiasm I would see.  My way the yard was clean, we had a bonfire, I did not have to cook supper and we did have some really good times."

We always had extra children visit.  We would often have the grill fired up and a whole yard full by the time we lit the fire.  I loved to get their imagination going and often would think up a story or two to tell.  Then I would tell them it was their turn.  We would play a little game I had made up and called pass it on.

There is wooded area around our yard so it was easy to start it out with "A long time ago in some woods just like these....(Pause for affect and make it a little more spooky gazing out into the woods)  A boy and girl walked down a path like that little on right there.  As they walked deeper into the woods do you know what they saw?"

Usually by then all eyes were either on me or the woods as they shook their heads no and one would ask what they saw.  I would laugh and tell them I had no idea.  "It's your turn.  What did they see when they walked down the path in the woods?"

One by one they would go around the circle telling a little piece of the story they made up until it was time to let the next one take over and tell a little more.  They passed the story from one to the next until it finally came to an end.

I loved to see the way their eyes would light up as they became a part of it and realized they were making a story.  They could do it too.  Words can have power in more than just what they tell but also in what they inspire.




I have it in my mind to never give up.  I could hardly wait to work revising and editing the next novel I have written I want to publish called Danny. 

I am still not sure about the cover??????

  A young child trapped in a nightmare life had a special friend.  His friend told him, that he could call him Danny.  Danny was his only friend.  No one but Steven could see or hear Danny.  Was Danny a friendly ghost there protecting, or was there more to this entity than anyone might suspect?  Steven began to think Danny might be a Guardian Angel but angel or evil…only time would tell….. because Steven would tell no one and betray his friend, and that friend was there to stay.
          Steven eventually made two new friends at school who shared so much in their disturbed and distraught family lives.  They were about to share more as things began to occur beyond their control.
           Sneaking through the darkness of night, Steven went to his friend Jimmy’s house.  The drama that occurred at Jimmy’s house was mild compared to the conclusion of the activities he had left behind.
          Tragedy and chaos, murder and an end to life as Steven had known, erupted in his household in the dark of night. 
           They found themselves speeding down the highway with a man of questionable character as they left a life behind that felt like a nightmare with no hope.  Where they would go was a question only the future and life could answer.  The real life nightmare they left was more than they could imagine as the night of changes swiftly developed in all directions. 


         Three young boys fled in the night.  It was a night that would change their lives forever.  If it was a new beginning or a nightmare of a different kind, only time would tell….and we can not forget Danny.  He would not want to be left behind.  “You can call me Danny.”

I could hardly wait but then a strange thing happened.  I felt compelled to write a book I never wanted or intended to write that was nonfiction.  I felt I had to share some of my own story.  I needed to find words for things I could hardly think about let alone talk about.  I wanted to find words for feelings that could still make me cry.  I had to find a way to explain things that were feelings, fears, hopes and dreams.  Since I still do not know what my own future will be and we never know the number of our days I did not feel I could wait.  If I could write from the heart and it helped even one other person to see hope and not give up the book would be worth it.  Even when I talk about writing the book it evokes emotions for me.  The hour is late and I am very tired so I think I will continue this tomorrow.  Tomorrow is not only a new day but a day to mark not only my birth but a new beginning.  I think of each and every day as a special day for new beginnings and who knows what we will find.  I will be back.  I am determined to share the passion of my heart about the project of my writing.  I Will Not Give Up...Not Today... Life Is A Journey..    and so it is and so I titled the book that is me.

Stormy Sky Above

It was a beautiful day filled with sunshine.  The air was heavy and humid and the more the sun beamed down, the warmer it got.  In the distance you could see the storm clouds and they were moving our way.  I will not say that I am terribly afraid of storms, but I have a healthy respect for them and what they can do.

I remember a day long ago before we had the kind of equipment that helps to track and warn us of dangerous weather.  It was a day like today with warm temperatures and humidity so high the air felt thick.  This may sound strange but I have always had an extreme response to the weather.  It is almost as if I can feel the energy of the approaching storm.  I can be so tired but as a storm nears I feel more and more energized.  When I begin to feel like the energizer bunny it is time to head for cover.

 

That day was similar to today and felt as if the storms could be building.  I remember seeing the clouds churning and rolling.  The dark and formidable mass of clouds looked angry and intense.  You could see and feel the electricity in the air as I knew it was time to run.  The storm hit with such force it sounded like a roar combined with a freight train all at the same time.  The wind and rain and screaming sounds all around from a storm that was swiftly tearing up all in its path.  Most of what was out there were miles and miles of fields but there was a house here or there or the barns.  Some would not be there after this storm passed.

Our neighbor had a large barn totally destroyed and their house was untouched right beside it.  Part of our roof came off and I feared we would swiftly follow it the way the storm raged.  As quickly as it began it was over, or so it seemed.  I went outside to see what had happened and saw a sight I will never forget.  All around above us were the rolling masses of black clouds even darker than they were before churning and rolling.  As I looked straight up above me was the prettiest blue sky you could imagine.  The air was deadly calm.  It almost felt as if there was no air.  My breath caught in my chest as I realized I was looking up through the center of a tornado that had lifted off the ground.  The terrible winds we had were only those below it.  I am so grateful it did not stay on the ground at that exact moment.  I had seen others that twisted, turned, went up and down in the blink of an eye and I was right below it.  I ran back into the house as I realized the other side would soon hit just as strong as it had been moments before and hoped it would stay above and not swoop down to destroy and devour.

When it passed part of the roof was gone and windows broken but we were all unhurt.  Those thoughts passed through my mind this day.



I could feel the intense change as the clouds rolled in.  It was obvious we had storms headed our way and the news media had warned of the remnants of the hurricane we would see.  I got busy writing and tend to be totally absorbed in what I am doing.  I have been so excited about the new novel that is the next to be released, that I did not notice how dark it was with the huge mass of clouds.

No matter what kind of concentration you have you would notice when the winds made that howling sound and the rain was not pouring it was driven with such force it had a sound almost like some wild creature raging all around.  It was too late to wonder what it was or tune in and find the latest weather update.  The weather that was, was here.  I can not run.  There was nothing to do and then it was gone leaving heavy pouring rain.  The rain was so heavy you could not see what was beyond and as quickly as it came, it was gone.

I tried to call my daughter but there was no answer.  I hoped she had taken shelter.  I called my husband.  He had gone to the store in town.  He sounded relieved to hear from me as he told me they had said on the radio a tornado had been here.  Not a few miles away but right here.  It had not dropped down enough to do the damage and destruction it could have. 

The storm head headed toward my daughter's house where she and my grandson waited and watched.  I know both of them fear such storms.  The have a fear of any storm but this was one to watch and beware.  I wished they were with me.  I wanted to know they were alright.  The announcement came that all cell phones where she was were not working with anything but some text messages.  I got a message from her about then that they were fine but the phone would not work.

I had the news on and realized how amazing modern technology is with the internet.  I turned on the computer and could see messages from all different family members...everyone was alright.  I have been worried about my nephew for some time as he is in an area where anything could happen.  He is one of the response team sent in to try to help restore the electricity after the hurricane.  They send them in right away so they are on the spot where needed.  Walking or driving into harms way.  When he said their truck was flooded and there was no way it was going to start he meant it.  He sent pictures after they got out of it with water up to the window.  That was after it had gone down some.  They had been trying to beat the rising water to save the trucks when it flooded with such force all they could do is save themselves.  As far as I knew, for the time being, we were all safe.

It does no good to worry and I know that.  Worry does not change a thing.  Worry is very detrimental to a person's health especially if they have hypertension and numerous other health issues.  Even as I say and know these things to be true I still do worry.  When I found out all was well, it was a relief.

I stepped outside and when I looked up at the sky I could not resist using the phone I held in my hands to take some pictures of the clouds.  I could see three layers moving in three different directions and at different speeds.  The turbulence above was still working it's way across and clearing.  Between the clouds there were patches of dark blue sky.

In no time at all the clouds moved on and the sun came back out heating the moist air to steam bake settings and it was time for me to go back in.

They constantly changed and churned as I took several pictures before going back in.  I put the photos on the computer and looked at the intricate and forceful look of clouds that were filled with turbulence.  I have been planning to work on the cover for the new novel Danny.

Danny is a story of a young child in a dysfunctional family living a nightmare that became real.   As I saw the clouds above churning and shrouding unknown and unseen forces of nature, I thought of the cover I wanted for the book.  Those clouds show such intensity and depth.  They are so vividly and visually symbolic of darker times and uncertainty of what will become.  The clouds may part and blue sky return, or they could build and strengthen again to show the power and force of nature in a fury.

I used those photos and even printed them out to see how they look.  I added the book title and author name to see how it looks.  I could have tried to use a picture of the character but I want to find a way to create the feeling.  Those clouds have such feeling and beauty even in the cover of potentially dangerous developments to come.  I know I have more work to do but this is some of what I have been doing this evening.  I hope you enjoy and would love to hear what you think.

When I sleep tonight I will think of blue skies, rainbows and gentle cooling breezes.  I wish you all a peaceful and restful sleep.

FATHERS….DADS….POP…DADDY….GRANDFATHER…

WE LOVE YOU

There is so much I would like to write for father’s day.  I decided to look for some photos that I could share and the memories flooded my soul.  They brought with them smiles and warmth to the heart as I viewed the moments captured and knew the stories of each one.  We all have our memories and special moments to cherish. 

There are also memories that bring sadness and even a tear as we miss those so dear to our hearts or remember times so long gone by that are so distant from us now.  Even in the sadness we can take comfort knowing and remembering the love shared and times together.  Those are things of the heart and heart and love never dies.  If there is love there is something within that will be there forever.

There have been many years pass since I wrote a little poem for my father.  I have decided to share it here.  It may not be the best or most well written but it is from my heart and I hope it is something that will have meaning.  I wish that each and every one of you could know my father.  He has lived his life….He really has.  He lives loving and sharing with his family and others he might meet.  He reaches out to others and has and had a zest for life.  He taught us, cared for us and shared the joy of living as we grew.  He gives so much to everyone around him. 

Every photo I viewed brought so many memories and stories I wish I could share.  Daddy is special.  This is for him…..and…..

I want to take the time to mention all of our fathers.  Albert has been there for us and the grandchildren.  He reaches out to others to care and help.  He shows in the life he leads what it is to be special.  No one or thing in life is perfect but he strives to build and grow creating memories for the future that we may cherish.  The little children smile in delight as he takes the time to play, share, teach and not only talk to them but listen to them with heart as well as ears.  He takes the time.

Now to salute the next generation who work so hard to face life and are now the children of memories and daddies of today.  Jason, Carl, and Albert…we hope that you know our love and respect as you work to do so much.  You protect, provide, and do so much more.  You teach love in the love that you show.  You take the time to listen and care.  You are Daddies and we love you.  You will still however be our kids.

I will try to write more but for now close with this thought…Daddy…..We love you.