Get your coffee…this is a longer than average blog—need to make up for a few missed entries!

What does that title mean? The name would be my “writer’s” name and the cover would be for my novel, The Unlikely Savior.  The “Innocent” should probably be “Ignorant”… which best describes me as a fledgling independent author marketing (or attempting to market) her book.  But, alas!  Innocent/ignorant no more, as I now have a marketer– at least for short term, and the man has educated me with a fire hose on the ins and outs of marketing!  David Lieder is his name, getting me straight to market this and future novels is his game and it’s one he takes very seriously.

Changing my writer’s name from “T.S. Seley Elliott” was not a hard sell.  Although I have no ill feelings toward the far more famous, accomplished and proven writer, TS Eliot, I, at no time, intended to ride on his coattails with a similar name.  Not only would that be pathetic, but I’m certain it would be ineffective.  After all, what self-respecting reader would run across my name, responding with, “Say!  That new author has a name just like T.S. Eliot…I’ll give ‘er a try!”  That would be like a chocolate-lover assuming if chocolate covered something vile (like, maybe, slugs?) it would automatically be delicious; flawed logic at best. 

I also have to add that after only a few months of the novel being “out there,” I was threatening to take the gas pipe if one more (albeit well meaning) person noted the similarities between my name and that of the late, great writer.  My marketing man cut right the real problem with the name issue – it’s all about media, and literally, all about the acronym or term that rules the world of all marketing ventures: SEO – search engine optimization.  It simply boils down to where your name or product rates and how unique it is when plugged into the web.  As David eloquently, but directly, put it me, “Well, if you surf T.S. Seley Elliott…there will be infinite hits on that other guy.” 

OK, I got that.  Then he went on to let me know how completely ineffective a plain ol’ name like Tammy Elliott would fare in the SEO world…who knew how many of us there were? (And frankly, who would care unless you’re me, trying to sell a book!?).  Go ahead…try it.  Google “Tammy Elliott”…as long as you have twelve and a half weeks to scroll through the hits…none of which, consequently, are related me.

Ah…but Tammy Seley Elliott…that’s a rare name, one we can use.

Try it… I dare you.  Google “Tammy Seley Elliott” and you will get a few hits, but they are all yours truly!    An SEO dream.  Done deal.  On the new cover of my book and all subsequent novels shall be the name Tammy Seley Elliott.  Ta Dahhh!  David earned his money there.

The cover, however, was a slightly harder sell.  If you know me or have read previous blogs, you’ll know that the first cover bore a childhood image of my late sister, Rhonda.  It was perfect when I needed a cover… I honestly think she nudged me to use her image when I most needed an idea.  The decision was emotional, yes…and it was a great honor to her and a thrill the family.  All noble considerations. And they were considerations of no interest whatsoever to a marketer. 

I give David credit for being gentle on this subject once he understood the significance of the picture I had used on my cover.  But, I didn’t pay him to tell me what I want to hear or to crawl into my psyche, adopt my emotions and try to make them a marketer’s dream.  I paid him to compensate for my innocence (ignorance!) and give me the benefit of his knowledge.  And he did.  While he agreed he could have his artist work with the photo, its presence on the cover was “what we call a spoiler in the industry,” he said.  For those of you who have read the book, it’s obvious why a child’s photo could be deemed as such.

“Well.  Yes.” I said.  Still holding out.

Then he explained the importance of a cover in the world of e-books, or any books…folks see an image at a glance, at best, and it must grab them. It must enhance their curiosity.  It must be clear and prominent.  And, very importantly, it must appeal to one’s target audience.  My target audience is the Human Race (a fairly lofty goal), and in all honesty…the sweet image of my sister’s young face will appeal to very few prospective readers.  Many gentlemen acquaintances who read the book only because I wrote it (groovy, enough, right?) or because it was recommended to them told me outright that, although they enjoyed it and rated it highly, they never would have picked it out of a pile based on the cover. 

“Well, David,” I said after assessing his words and remembering my forthright guy-acquaintances’ comments, “You have good points there.”  Damn the fellow, doing his job so well! 

Thus, the project was handed over to his cover artist and while I got to choose the predominant image which best depicted my story, the artist finished the job.  You and every potential reader out there will be the ultimate judge, but I must say – I wouldn’t pass this new cover if I saw it on Amazon, or God forbid, eventually on a book store shelf.  It does a much better job of representing the entire story, it will appeal to broader range of folks, and it just may compete better with them big ol’ publishing houses than my first sentimental choice.  And I’m quite sure my dear sister would be OK with it all…she never was a grand stander or big on spot light time – but was always the one who was a solid support, there when you needed her.  And she still is.  Thank you, Rhonda, and I’m proud your face graced the first edition of my first novel!

And the final update is based on the feedback of my readers and advice from my new Yoda of Marketing. 

I’ve said repeatedly, “No, there won’t be a sequel…or at least not soon,”

I meant it, or at least I thought I did. But some well-meaning readers became quite defiant about the subject.

 “What? You can’t end a book like that, especially a book that size, and not offer more!”

  But I thought I could.  Until David pointed out, more than once, that particularly for new writers, sequels and series just do better.  And I had to admit, I had read this in many sources as I researched self-publication; I simply hadn’t applied it to myself.  Besides, I had already started my second unrelated novel, Billet Doux from a Dead Prisoner.  So I figured it was a done deal.

Until, that is, I was walking the dogs last month and my brain did what my brain does as a writer…had kind of an unexpected spontaneous combustion, explosion thing, out of the blue.  And once it blows, it pretty much creates an opening for stacks and piles of ideas just waiting to be freed (kind of like when you open that hallway closet – if you have one of those, you know what I mean).  This particular door was the one that had blocked the connection between The Unlikely Savior and Billet Doux from a Dead Prisoner.  And a second door subsequently gave in…making room for a third novel, to boot.

And there I was, a dog leash in each hand, realizing The Unlikely Savior…with its new cover and revamped author name, would be a trilogy.

Check out my website or Facebook author page (links are to your right!) to see the new cover…it will go into effect on the actual book very soon.  And stand by for Part II to The Unlikely Savior Trilogy!