Sam, I'm very happy to be here to celebrate Breakpoint's release day with you! Thanks for inviting me! And yes, I was lucky to have a lot of adults with hats. LOL

As for the covers, I don't know any author who can get total approval into their contracts. I have had times, back when they did more photo covers from paintings, when my editor would send me preliminary black and white sketches from the artist and I'd get to tweak them. Most of the time, in single title, I've had input on what I thought would work or not work.

I don't do the old art sheets like I did for HQ (and boy, do I know that crossing the fingers and hoping thing!), but I do find various covers on Amazon that appeal to me for one reason or another, then put them all together in a file, with comments on why I think something worked. And how it applies to the books. Which they occasionally listen to. And sometimes not. *smile*

The High Risk books were a challenge because we weren't just looking for ONE cover. But at least three. Maybe more. So, we all wanted the look to be consistent. And I have to admit I was hugely pleased when the hunk covers turned out to be so popular. Though I like to think it was also the guys themselves readers took to. :)

Hi Diana,

It's always a pleasure to be here!

And yep. My books are always about the guys. (Going back to when I wrote two entirely male pov romances for NAL in the mid '80s.) So, I agree, they definitely nailed that aspect of the books! I'm still not sure they show suspense, but decided readers will realize that the dogtags are shorthand for a military RS.

I also agree that marketing and writing are two entirely different things. So, just as I would never let the fabulous guys in marketing tell me how to write a book, I can't really expect them to let me tell them how to market it. Though sometimes, admittedly, I do just have to give my opinion. But that partly comes from being a bossy eldest sister. LOL

I'm with you. Gotta love a man in uniform. And out of it. :)

So, we're definitely getting votes for the hunk covers. As I said, it'll be interesting to see what NAL comes up with for the new book. We were talking more landscape, but maybe they'll do a combo and show a hottie sitting in a adirondack chair. LOL

Eileen, Thanks so much. LOL about the focus being on yum! Thanks so much for taking Dallas home with you. And it means a lot to me that you're going to read his story.

xo

No, there's still one more. Sexy Cajun Seal Sax Douchett (who was Quinn McKade's sniper spotter) has gone home to the bayou just as someone begins killing off people from the "Most Likely To" former h.s. yearbook lists. Former bad boy Sax was voted the most likely to become a rock star. And the most likely to miss his 10th year reunion because he was in prison. LOL.

The title was going to be Ricochet, but we're now in the process of changing it. But it'll be out next July.

JoAnn :)

Thanks Cheryl. And you're right. Out of uniform is pretty nice, as well. LOL

Thanks on the congrats!

Hi Minna,

Thanks!

Hi Jane,

Thanks. I like the covers, too. I especially like Breakpoint. Hope you enjoy it!

Well, I'm just a grandmother, but I certainly hope that when I get that great in front of it, I still enjoy the look of a good hunk. Otherwise, what's the point of getting up in the morning? LOL

Thanks Estella. I've been pleased with them, too, but Shattered is definitely my fave. Oh, funny thing. . . the heroine in Shattered is a former Army doctor who goes to work for an international medical relief organization. When I got the cover of that showed her on that tropic beach in a filmy white sarong thing that so wasn't in the book (though I did quickly write a couple line dream scene that sorta made it work), my editor said wryly, "I think she's wearing white because she's a medical professional." LOL

Rosie -- Thanks for the nice words about my books.

We used to run wild in the country. I can't count the number of times I got in trouble for tearing a three-cornered hole in the butt of my shorts by crawling under barbed wire designed to keep horses and cows in and us out. (Worked for the horses and cows, but not us kids.)

There were a lot of cornfields, which made playing war fun (though not for the farmers, who'd occasionally chase us!) because when it got taller than us, we could hear the other "army" somewhere in the fields but couldn't see them. It really hiked up the anxiety level. Sorta like North By Northwest. But a plane never chased us. LOL

Once a really mean-tempered cornered us and we had to climb up on the top of this tool shed where we spent the entire day until dinner time when our parents noticed we were missing and came looking for us. And rescued us.

>>and they are definitely focused on the guys.

So, you noticed that did you? Good eyes, Maureen! ;)

Thanks Emmanuelle,

Yeah, the votes definitely seem to be coming in for hunk guy. LOL

Covers are so important; I've been lucky to have received some mostly good ones over the years. And a few great ones, as well.

Jeannie, Good point about the back cover copy; of course you've got to get readers to pick the book up to read that, but who wouldn't want to have Dallas O'Halloran in their hands? LOL

That's interesting that once you pick up a book you're already partly there on buying it. Thanks for sharing.

This is amazingly generous! Thank you so much, and best of luck with Breakpoint (not that any luck is needed -- quite sure it is flying off the shelf!). :)

Sam

JoAnn,
That is so generous! Thank you for letting us celebrate with you!