Coexist (Keegan's Chronicles #1) by Julia Crane ebook
Published June 10th 2011 by Valknut Press
Sixteen-year-old Keegan is struggling to keep her huge secret from her friends--she's an elf, descended from a long line of elves that live in secrecy alongside humans. In elfin society, mates are predetermined but not allowed to meet until they are eighteen. Against tradition, Keegan's brother Thaddeus told her Rourk's name because his visions warned him she'd need Rourk's protection, especially since Keegan will play a key role in the coming war between the dark and light elves.
Rourk finds himself drawn to Keegan's side every time she thinks his name. He wants to talk to her but remains in the shadows, silently guarding her every time she mentally beckons him. A twist of fate thrusts the two of them together when Rourk is forced to step up his protection and make his presence known. An ancient prophecy deeply entwines Keegan's family and the future of their society. Somehow they must find a way to thwart fate and win the battle...without losing Keegan. With war brewing, and dark forces aligning, will Keegan and Rourk ever have the life together that they both desire?
Keegan was terrified.
Her eyes glanced frantically around trying to think a way out of this situation. How could this be happening, even with all my training? She was sure she could not defend herself against four guys. A drop of sweat fell from her face, and her heart was racing.
The biggest one pushed her up against the wall. She could smell the alcohol on his breath.
“Well, aren’t you a fine piece of meat?”
Glaring at him, she said, “Get your hands off me.”
“A feisty one, eh?” he laughed.
Without thinking, she drove her knee into his groin. He groaned and doubled over. The others advanced, and the big one yelled, “She’s mine.”
She felt like she was going to throw up when his hands groped her chest. Please don’t do this, she thought. I belong to Rourk.
When she thought his name, it pierced through Rourk’s heart. Nothing mattered to him except keeping her safe. How dare anyone else lay their hands on her? He would make them pay.
Out of nowhere, Keegan felt her attacker pulled off of her. She looked up just as a flash of light went off, and what she saw made her heart drop; she felt as if she were in a free fall as she stared into the most beautiful face she’d ever seen. His grey eyes met hers and he tipped his head, giving her a slight nod.
Keegan whispered, Rourk? It was only a matter of seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.
He yelled over the crowd, “Go to the exit and text your friends to meet you.” His voice sounded like music to her ears; it was deep, but not too deep, and filled with authority.
As much as she hated to leave, she didn’t dare ignore him. She ran away.
Why Book Covers are So Important
We’ve all heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This is especially true with books. There are so many to choose from that, at times, it can be overwhelming for a reader to pick what to read next.
When I walk through a bookstore, my eyes eagerly roam the shelves, looking for something to jump out at me. I literally get excited when I see a book cover that draws my attention. My next step is to read the blurb—sometimes I’ll purchase if the blurb is gripping and makes me want to read more, but sometimes I’ll decide to just admire the beautiful cover, because the book is not for me.
It’s just not humanly possible to look through thousands of books by content and decide what you want to read. I’m sure I’ve missed out on countless amazing books, simply because the cover did not draw me in.
In today’s digital world, covers are more important than ever. The readers don’t get a chance to hold and flip through the books. Most of the time, it’s just a quick swipe of the screen and on to the next. So, as an author, your cover must stand out.
Individual people are drawn to different things. What one person may see as beauty, another could think is plain or boring. With book covers, you have to try to reach as many people as possible in basically the blink of an eye. Certainly not an easy task for the artists. But, there are cover artists out there with a talent for creating works of art. A perusal of the best selling books on Amazon will show a lack of bad cover art, because people are very aesthetic.
It’s easy enough to remind yourself not to judge a person on sight, or to judge a restaurant the minute you walk in. You’re actually in that moment, and your senses are not overwhelmed by choices. Not so in a digital bookstore, where a bad cover can send your book into obscurity.
Don’t just a book by its cover. It’s great advice for life, but not very realistic. At least, not when it comes to books.
No comments:
Post a Comment