Carry Me Home Cover Design

· 2 Comments

In May, cover photography for Carry Me Home was handed over to the fabulous Kelli Standish of Pulse Point Design. Armed with the book blurb, Kelli began the long process of finding just the right look for our heroine, Finella Mayfield. Many revisions later we decided to look to photoshop to tweak the final outcome.

You won’t see it until next year, but the photography for book 2, Carry Me Away, is so beautiful we wanted to keep Sophie’s face for that heroine, and so began the search for Finella.

Those who know Sophie, will immediately pick what you see in the Carry Me Home front cover is my Honey-Girl from the neck down. The back cover image is of Sophie in full.

We tucked hair up, let hair down, faced dear Finella forward, away from the camera, played with fonts, and even erased toes which needed to disappear from view.. and the final thrilling cover appeared.

Around this time, some of the nicest people I know were asked to read Carry Me Home for endorsement. Siri Mitchell, Sarah Sundin and Joanne Bischof blessed me beyond imagination with their reader delight. And so we added some of Sarah’s words on the front cover.

But there was SO much work required between the covers, and I’ll be back on Monday with more of how Carry Me Home came together.

Have a great weekend, dear friends…  happy reading,

Dotti

 

CarryMeHomeFullWrapMockup2

Cary Me Home ~ Full Wrap Cover (For Print Copies)

 

FullSizeRender

The evolution of a cover ~ side by side.

The Costume Hunt

· 5 Comments
FullSizeRender

Petticoats and Frills

So, I had a story.

And I’d decided to share it with my readers. Off it went for critical sessions with some of the best critique partners a girl could asked for. Back and forth, revisions and blood letting and more blood letting, until Carry Me Home was ready for big the guns ~ a hired editor.

While the book sat among her well sharpened knives, I turned my attention to that all consuming, non writing task… the book cover!

For as long as I could remember, I’d dreamed my own Honey-girl would model for the Carry Me Home cover photography. And once I’d booked the photographer, I knew I wanted to shoot all three Blue Wren Shallows covers on the same day. With said Honey-girl.

This meant hunting down all the costumes for the entire Blue Wren Shallows books series. And who better than to hunt alongside me, than Rel Mollet herself.

We headed off to Melbourne’s premier historical costume hiring warehouse, The Costume Factory, and rummaged through what felt like acres of exquisite costumery. One rack held all the costumes used in Heath Ledger’s Ned Kelly movie.

FullSizeRender

Acres of Costumes

 

Right era… but nothing grabbed us for Finella, or our other heroines.

Each hanger sagged with not only the richness of upholstery fabrics used for their exquisite stage sway, but extra weights in the hems.

Soon, we found our arm muscles flexing more than we were used to.

11076216_639959786138152_4084094238868636875_n

Rel made me!

FullSizeRender

She started it!

That’s our excuse for giving into the giddiness that miles of dress-ups bring, even to the most grown-up.

By day’s end, we’d found a great selection and the following week, Honey-girl and I returned for a fitting.

When we’d decide on dresses, we added shawls, petticoats and bustles, shoes and even a wig. The ensemble was wrapped in plastic, the wig went into a bucket for easy transportation, and we were set for a day of photography on location, at the beaches of Phillip Island.

All we needed was good weather.

Not much wind, please.

The right light and NO RAIN.

And if you know Phillip Island, you’ll know this was some order. Tomorrow, I’ll share how that all played out!

 

FullSizeRender

Honey-girl, dressed in yesteryear… not letting go of the modern day

 

 

Dotti

Why Phillip Island?

· 4 Comments

Many hIMG_3807ave asked how Carry Me Home came to be written. And why I set this love story on Phillip Island.

The better question would be… How could I not?

Phillip Island has been our family holiday destination for more than 40 years. Many of my childhood memories are of summers on the island and as soon as my own babies were able to sit up, they dipped straight into the Ventnor rock pools.

This majestic volcanic outcrop, surrounded by picture perfect coastline, has charmed many over the centuries. Some years ago, a newspaper tribute captured some of the stories of the early island settlers. It included old photographs which only hinted at how life might have looked for those who chose to make Phillip Island their new home.

I already had the love. And so began the wonder.

I wondered what it would have been like to live on this remote island in its first decade of white settlement. How would people have arrived (without the bridge which now connects it to the mainland at San Remo)? What difficulties would they have faced in creating a new life? What comforts would they have enjoyed… or longed for?

FullSizeRender

I  wondered… who would choose to come here?

And so I created one character, Shadrach Jones, who chose for himself. And then I added Finella Mayfield, for whom the choice had already been made by her father. I threw these two already troubled souls into each other’s midst, and watched how the wild weather, isolated location, and general mischief of life overturned their plans and dreams.

And when I was done, I discovered it was not enough to stop with Shad and Finella. So much more of the island’s delicous history beckoned.

So I find myself gladly marooned there, still … working on the next two books in the Blue Wren Shallows series.

I am a happy castaway. Not just on this island, but trapped in a time I can only dream into existence.

That’s where you’ll find me. Sifting through the remnants of lives once lived. Taking inspiration from those who pioneered a hard yet satisfying life, and fleshing out those who my imagination suggests might have walked among them.

Dotti

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Release Day ~ Carry Me Home

· 8 Comments

IMG_4090I’m so thrilled to share this pinch me author moment! It happened a few weeks ago when Amazon sent through a proof copy of my debut historical romance, Carry Me Home!

Isn’t that delicious?!

I won’t lie. Holding it in my hands for the first time warranted a tiny flood of happy tears. Along with crazy high-pitched phone calls to friends and a super-long string of Viber emoticons.

It’s a thrill to share this picture with you, today. There’s nothing to compare with the moment your first book arrives in the mail and it’s all done.

Ready to share. Dressed up for taking out.

Today… is the day you too could make this book your own. Won’t you join me? Hop over to Amazon where the digital version is available for instant download to your Kindle.

The long-awaited print copies are also now available for purchase and will be delivered to your door. Exactly like the one you see in my photo!

If you live in Australia and would like a signed copy, send me a message. Let’s get Carry Me Home into your hands, too.

Thank you for the many good wishes you’ve sent my way this last week since the website went live. You guys are amazing!

Bless you for cheering me on,

Dotti

Ink Dots ~ The Heartbeat of Yesteryear

· 10 Comments

CarryMeHomeWebHey you… look where you’ve landed. The new home of Ink Dots. Welcome!

Whether you’re a faithful Ink Dots follower or a new friend, I’m so thrilled you’re here. I have fabulous author news I want to share with you.

My Australian Historical Romance, Carry Me Home is available for pre-order on Amazon… TODAY!

Yes, after talking about it, dreaming and praying for years, THAT day is here.

So, please… enjoy looking around my new website. Press all the buttons. Sound all the whistles.

Sign up for the newsletter for earlybird book news. Pre-order the Kindle version of Carry Me Home for delivery to your e-reader on December 1, when the print version will also become available for purchase.

Over the next few weeks I’ll share how Carry Me Home went from dream to manuscript to cover-bound book.

You are a big part of my wild writing adventures and I owe so many for the powerful encouragement you’ve sent my way. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Mwwaa!!

Now, it’s time to celebrate.

I’m giddy. I’m thankful to God. And I’m humbled to stand where I am. The author of Carry Me Home, the first book in the Blue Wren Shallows series, set on Australia’s breathtaking, Phillip Island.

Dotti