Do you dream of seeing your work published some day? Do you have a short story that needs a home and you’re thinking self-publishing may be the way? Ok, there are lots of places you can go to publish. Some are vanity presses where you pay to have your book in the hardbound/softbound format, print-on-demand or as an e-book. Other places will take your work for free and put it on their site. Still, there is the option of self-publishing your beloved story for money too.
All of the above options don’t follow the accepted form of the traditional agent/publisher route and therefore they all have the same thing in common. In order for these online sites to give you the respect your work deserves you must have a cover. With cover art, a whole new world opens up for you. For a time, many of these sites will give you free exposure on their Recently Published area. This could be you! It only will be you if you have a cover. No cover = no exposure and very little interest.
While the age old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” shouldn’t be true, it is. If you have a wonderful cover that sparks the imagination in some way, people are more likely to pick it up. When they read your synopsis, the deal should be sealed. That part is up to you.
Elizabeth Rye (who goes by the author name Grace Rellie) will read your story and let the images your words invoke lead her to a cover. She will not lie to you. It won’t look like all the other covers out there. She hopes that’s what you’re looking for, something that is unique and not canned. She firmly believes that a truly great cover is one that stands out in a crowd. It’s a cover that tells a story all by itself and lead the reader on a journey before they’ve turned to the first page.
Below are a few samples of covers she has designed for specific titles, one published on smashwords and the other soon to be published. If you are have a short story that you’d like to self-publish and are interested, please let me/her know and she/we’ll be happy to discuss completion times, prices and terms.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/420881
Grace Rellie 