Book Cover Junkie Interviews Mafia Romance Author Judy Serrano

Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce with a master’s degree in English. She is the owner of Make Cents Editing Services and is an English teacher at a local high school. Judy writes romantic suspense, Mafia romance, and paranormal romance. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, The Linked Series, Ivy Vines, Visions and the Unorganized Crime series. Although originally from New York, Judy resides in Texas with her husband and six cats.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.judyserrano.com 

X ➜ http://www.x.com/AuthorJSerrano 

Facebook ➜  https://www.facebook.com/JudySerranoAuthor/

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4792103.Judy_Serrano

Interview:

Tell us about your book! What inspired you to write it?

I am really not sure what inspired me to write this one. I borrowed a few characters from my very first series, Easter’s Lilly, and it all just started coming together.

Here is the blurb from Unorganized Crime:

As Jazz finds herself falling from a helicopter, Gage St. Claire comes to her rescue. Organized crime is once again the culprit of her parents’ situation, and as usual, she is caught in the crossfire. Gage pulls her out of the water and helps her escape to safety. The love between them is undiscovered as he tries to leave her behind in an attempt to keep her safe and move forward with his black ops pursuit. Jazz becomes an undercover cop with wiping out organized crime forever as her goal. After Jazz exposes one of the largest crime families in the country, quite by accident, she is hired to expose crime syndicate leader Michael Giambetti Jr., otherwise known as Achilles. Achilles earned his nickname because he has no weaknesses. He has no weaknesses, that is until he meets Jazz. Achilles has been untouchable, and if she were to break this case, she could finally prove herself as a serious undercover officer. Her job is not an easy one, and people around her are not who they appear to be. Will Gage come back for Jazz, or will he be lost to her forever? Will she crack the case on her own? Read as this courageous upstart stumbles through another adventure.

Unorganized Crime is available at Amazon. 

Here is the blurb for Unorganized Secrets:

With Achilles still on the run, Gage and Hawk do what they can to protect their own. Gage and Jazz make their relationship official, while Hawk decides it's time to do the same. When Hawk shows up at Elizabeth's doorstep, she is gone, and his son, whom he has never met, is also missing. The mystery surrounding Elizabeth takes Hawk to a dark place. When he opens the door to Elizabeth's past, who will he find behind it?

Unorganized Secrets is available at Amazon.

How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing it, or did it come later?

The title of the book came as I was writing it. Since the book is a little witty, I thought I might give it a curious name.

Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like? Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her?

My son, Miguel Serrano III from https://migueldoesmedia.com/, is a natural at this sort of thing. He photographed my youngest son, Enrique Serrano, who does some modeling, holding a gun and looking a little scary. I told him what the story was about, and he came up with the idea. He is a professional videographer/photographer. I got very lucky.

What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

My readers love them. My son has told me that it is time to update my older covers. I can’t wait for him to get started.

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer?

Shop around. I had a quote for $2000 the first time I was looking. There are quite a few people out there who will do it for a reasonable price. Ask for references and check out their work. Another thought would be to ask my son. 

Anything else you’d like to say about your book?

My books are page turners. Most people finish them in a day or two. Be prepared to be breathless.

Book Cover Junkie Interviews Coming of Age/Ghost Fiction/Mystery/Supernatural/Women's Friendship Author Jayne Lisbeth

Jayne Lisbeth was born in NYC and continued her life’s journey from Long Island, to New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, California and Tampa, all places featured prominently in her writing.  Her first book, a memoir, Writing In Wet Cement has been published internationally by London based publisher, Austin Macauley. Jayne’s second book, Raising the Dead, a work of historical fiction, mystery, friendship and the supernatural, was published in 2023, also by Austin Macauley.  Ms. Lisbeth publishes monthly “Food for Thought” blogs on her website, Jaynelisbeth.com. Her “Food for Thought” blogs are based on her reflections of  life, friendship, love, and topical subjects of interest. Ms. Lisbeth’s non-fiction, poetry, and short stories have been published from Vermont to California to Tampa, Florida where she has received awards at the local level. She has been published locally in Pages of Our Life, volumes I and II which is currently part of the USF, Tampa, Geriartic Studies Programs. Ms. Lisbeth’s short stories have been published in the LEC Phoenix Anthologies, 2015-2023. Jayne’s interests include writing, reading, exploring, traveling, calligraphy, gravestone rubbing, entertaining and cooking.  Jayne’s author’s website is Jaynelisbeth.com. Ms. Lisbeth and her artist husband, Tim Gibbons, are the owners and founders of Funky As A Monkey Art Studio, providing art in public places and launching new and emerging artists in exhibiting their art.

Author Links  

Website | Amazon Website | Publisher’s Website | Facebook | Instagram

Interview:

What inspired you to write Raising the Dead? 

All my books focus on the evolution and distillation of women and men's lives and their relationships to one another. A dear friend of mine who left this world too early was a story that needed telling. Her

remarkable life, and her influence on my life, was my inspiration. Additionally, I’ve known many young women who have struggled towards adulthood. I wanted to share their struggles in their growth in Raising the Dead, which is a coming of age novel. Additionally, my love of cemeteries, gravestone rubbing prints, history, and spirits contributed to my need to share the story that was brewing in my head. 

How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing it, or did it come later? 

I tried out a number of different titles, but none fit. As I wrote, I knew my central theme of Raising the Dead would be raising a young, naive and grief-stricken young woman from the depths of sorrow. The focus of the book is raising Emeline, my main protagonist, back to life through friendships. The more I wrote, the more convinced I was that Raising the Dead was the perfect title on a number of levels. The ways in which Emeline unearths the identity and whereabouts of her dear friend and mentor, Felicity, who suddenly disappears is the main thrust of the book. Felicity’s whereabouts are discovered through friends, both living and dead, she discovers in her search for Felicity. The love of her friends and her husband help to raise her from a child to a woman. 

Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like? 

The cover illustrates many of the most important events and characters, including a beloved cat, on the cover. I am an historian and antique lover and restorer and have built a log cabin from foundation to roof for my own antique shop in Vermont. I knew the cover needed to encompass the events, hints and intrigue behind the cover of Raising the Dead to entice the reader. 

Who is the cover designer and how did you find him/her? 

It was very easy to find the cover designer for my book as he is my husband and an artist and long-time art instructor. Tim read my book at least ten times, as did I, while we were editing it prior to sending it to my publisher and editor. He knew the book very well and understood exactly what I was searching for to illustrate the contents and mystery between the covers. 

What has been the readers’ response to your cover? 

Overwhelmingly positive. Everyone especially loves the cat, who is a character in the book, as well as a character in my life, Zuma (who frequently bit my husband!). I wanted the cover to have a “homey” and “simplistic” feel of an earlier era. That has definitely been accomplished by the art which utilizes a homespun, almost childlike, atmosphere. The log cabin is a character in the book, and plays a very important role in the development of the history of the area, “Heavenly Hollow” and the growth of the characters living there. 

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer? 

Search locally for artists in your area. There are so many talented artists wherever one lives, you just have to find them. Many have art pages and Facebook/Instagram pages, which are also helpful. It is important to have a local person as the need to communicate is made much easier if someone is nearby and you are able to visit their studio and view their art. When you finally find an artist you like, it is best if they read the book to have a feel for the art which should adorn and tempt the reader to look behind the cover. 

Anything else you’d like to say about your book? 

Raising the Dead is a coming of age book of discovery and growth for a young bride. Initially, the main protagonist, Emeline, struggles towards maturity after the death of her only friend and mentor, her mother. The friends she makes in life, both living and dead, move her forward in her discoveries of living, and the uplifting of her life from a young bride to a remarkable, loving, multi-talented woman. 

Raising the Dead is available at Amazon.

 

Book Cover Junkie Interviews Scifi Fantasy Author Michael Okon

Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres, including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure, and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.michaelokon.com

Twitter ➜ https://www.x.com/IAmMichaelOkon

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/IAmMichaelOkon

Interview:

Tell us about your book! What inspired you to write it? 

I was watching a creature feature one weekend, Universal Monsters to be exact, and I wondered why there hasn’t been a retelling of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The words Dragged Down Deep popped into my head and I started beating out the story as the credits to Black Lagoon were ending.

How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing it, or did it come later? 

See above.

Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like?  

I design all my covers like movie posters. The poster summarizes the entire book. Logan is being Dragged Down Deep by the creature from a Hamptons estuary. What he finds below is more than he bargained for.

Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her? 

My brother designs all my covers.

What has been the readers’ response to your cover? 

People are going nuts for it.

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer? 

Find a family member who is good at design. You can also look at 99 Designs. AI is really adept at designing covers today, although I’m not a fan.

Anything else you’d like to say about your book? 

Hopefully you’ll be seeing it on the big screen sooner than later.

Dragged Down Deep is available at Amazon.