Sunday, November 17, 2024

Book Cover Junkie Interviews Fantasy Adventure Author Paolo Mazzucato

Paolo Mazzucato is an American fiction author and screenwriter. He began his writing career as a Chicago playwright and award-winning student filmmaker before moving to Los Angeles where he won awards for screenwriting and scripted various projects for film and television. He is also the author of several children’s books including: “No One Mocks a Panda” (an Amazon #1 Best Seller, Feb. 2019), and “The Absolutely True Story of La Befana” (an Amazon Holiday Top 100 title). He is also the author of the fantasy/adventure novel, “The Gondoliers: The Secret Journals of Fanticulous Glim,” a “recommended” read by the US Review of Books.

Mazzucato’s new book will be launched on Sunday, September 22nd at the Orange County 
Children’s Book Festival
in Costa Mesa, California. 

Find out more about the author on his website:  www.writer.mazzucato.org and follow him on his social media (Facebook, X and Instagram).

 Interview:

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


Inspiration for AJ and the Incredible Fish came from years of wanting to tell stories on a grand scale that encouraged readers, both young and old, to reach beyond the ordinary and search for whatever they dreamed would make their life extraordinary. Fantasy/Adventure (everything from Gulliver’s Travels and

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, to Lord of the Rings and…Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) has always been where I turn not only for enjoyment, but also for perspective. There is wisdom within the quest to chase whatever dream of a fish you are willing to pursue, and there is meaning behind every character interaction and connection that can lead the way toward understanding, empathy and even the drive to embrace the unknown and succeed. AJ’s journey from doubt and uncertainty to wonder and belief, his new friendship with Livvy and connection with his Grandpa, is an invitation for each of us to chance the unknown and believe in incredible things again.

 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 think I usually have a title when I start, because often the title helps set the tone of the story. If the story, however, takes me in a different and surprising direction, I might tweak the title in the process. On occasion, I have also completely changed the title of a piece because the completed book (or screenplay) needed something better than my original title to paint a picture in my mind. I’m pretty sure AJ and the Incredible Fish was my original title. I considered others, but nothing felt as genuine to AJ’s adventure and quest and also had that hint of subtext that readers would come to understand as they read on.

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

The collage of images from AJ’s adventure over an old world map of the seas was an image in my head even as I was still finishing the book. I had mocked up some art with character silhouettes over a compass and map early on, and when I met with an illustrator much later, I had very detailed ideas and compositions for the cover and each of the twenty-two chapter heading graphics and twenty-two chapter illustrations. I eventually forged ahead with the art, trying to recreate the cover and images from my mock-ups and from those in my head to best capture the fun and adventure of the story.

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

Initially, I had found an artist whose website art I liked after a chance meeting at a bank where he was employed. I made the initial investment, but after a year of back and forth, I had to start over.
Fortunately, I have some graphic design and illustration background, so I was able to create much of the art for the book myself, and that all worked for the publication.

 What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

The only response I’ve heard so far has been positive. About the art, Kirkus Reviews stated that it has “an oddness that befits a delightfully bizarre narrative.” I like that.

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

You can’t really skimp on cover design. It’s the one thing that will either sell your story to a reader or keep them scrolling to something more engaging. If you have some skill, you may be able to create something that tells your story (or at least a part of it) in one composition, but beware of an image that is just too generic. I like to help authors when I can through mazzmediaworks.

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

Writers write because they want to share their stories. But we also need readers to help spread the word about the stories they like. Whether it’s by recommending books to friends or leaving a review (even just a sentence or two) on Amazon, they are the ones that lift a book to best-seller status and perhaps beyond. AJ and the Incredible Fish is both an wild adventure and also a personal story of connection for me. I hope that readers, both young and old, discover it, enjoy it and find in it something that speaks to them as well.

 

 

Thursday, November 14, 2024

❀New Children's Book Alert❀: Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir by Mike Martin

 


Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is the story of a young girl who loves Christmas. When she sees that the people of Melodica are losing their Christmas spirit, she sets out to help them rekindle their magic...

Title: Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir

Author: Mike Martin

Publication Date: October 15, 2024

Pages: 24

Genre: Mezzo Publications

Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is the story of a young girl who loves Christmas. When she sees that the people of Melodica are losing their Christmas spirit, she sets out to help them rekindle their magic. At the end she finds that all we really need is to believe in the power of love.

Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is available at Amazon.

 

Book Excerpt

Princess Sophie lived in the tiny kingdom of Melodica with her father King Olav and her mother Queen Bianca. She loved her friends who were the birds and the rabbits and the squirrels who lived in the nearby forest. Princess Sophie especially loved Christmas. In fact, she loved everything about Christmas.

She loved the jingles and jangles. She loved the horns and the hooters. She loved the lights, the wrapping, the singing and clapping. She loved everything about Christmas. What she liked most was that warm, comfy feeling that you got just before Christmas. That something really good was going to happen. That feeling lasted for 12 whole days while Christmas went on in Melodica.

But this year something was just not right. There were still sparkles and sprinkles and lights all around. There was even a giant Christmas tree in the middle of the town square. Yet, Princess Sophie did not have that feeling, that special Christmas feeling. In fact, it felt a bit sad. She asked her mother, her father and her teacher but nobody knew what had happened. Worst of all, no one knew how to fix it.

“Oh, no,” said Princess Sophie to her favourite rabbit friend, Hopper. “We have to do something. We can’t have Christmas without that special Christmas feeling. What can we do?”

Well, Hopper was a great friend, but he couldn’t speak human. So, he started hopping instead. He hopped and hopped and hopped until Princess Sophie got tired of all the hopping and asked him to stop. But the hopping somehow had given her an idea.

“When I am sick, nurse gives me special medicine to help me feel better,” she said. “Maybe we can find a medicine that brings back the Christmas spirit. But where we would find a medicine like that? Princess Sophie asked her mother, her father and the nurse but nobody had ever heard of a medicine like that.

Now Princess Sophie was getting sad herself. “There must be somebody who can help us, but who? Hoppy didn’t have that answer so he hopped and hopped and hopped until Princess Sophie finally told him to stop hopping. “Your hopping has given me another idea,” she said. Christmas is magical, so the Christmas spirit must be magical, too. Who should we talk to about magic?” The rabbit just looked at her.

“A magician, of course,” said Princess Sophie. She asked her father who was the best magician in Melodica. 

“Why, it’s Lady Ariana,” said King Olav. “She is absolutely the best.”

– Excerpted from Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir by Mike Martin, Mike Martin, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

 More Children's Books by Mike Martin
 
About the Author

Mike Martin was born in St. John’s, NL on the east coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a long-time freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand.

He is the award-winning author of the best-selling Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, set in beautiful Grand Bank. There are now 15 books in this light mystery series with the 2024 publication of Too Close for Comfort

He is also the author of 3 Chldren’s Christmas books. The Christmas Beaver, A Friend for Christmas and now Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir.

Let’s Connect!

X https://www.x.com/mike54martin 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552604938333 

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220363612-princess-sophie-and-the-christmas-elixir

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

❀Book Cover Review❀ ON THIS CHRISTMAS, I THEE WED BY VIRGINIA BARLOW #BookCoverReview

 I can't wait to show you this cover. This is a historical holiday romance titled On This Christmas, I Thee Wed by a talented author, Virginia Barlow. Just in time for Christmas gift giving!

Is this cover absolutely yummy or what? Virginia Barlow always has such beautiful covers on her books thanks to The Wild Rose Press. What a perfect cover for a holiday historical romance too! Love the title's font and the guy I'm presuming is the Duke of Chauncy? Again, yummy. Yet alluring. Real Duke like.

Here's what the book is about:

Bartered to Viscount Hudson Becker by her father, Lady Lavinia Holbrook escapes her arranged marriage and travels to her Godmother, the Duchess of Chauncy to seek asylum. Determined to put men and marriage behind her, she is unprepared for the duke’s interest or his heated kisses.

The Duke of Chauncy believes love is a weakness and refuses to take a bride despite his mother’s scheming. When the duchess makes a wager he will marry by Christmas, he considers the matter a lark. Until Lavinia gets under his skin, and he rethinks his position on love and happy ever afters.

On This Christmas I Thee Wed is available through these fine retailers…

AmazonWalmartTargetBooksAMillionIndie BoundBarnes & NobleKoboGoogle BooksITunes