Dannika Dark Impulse Blog Tour: Guest Post/Giveaway

Author Dannika Dark is on tour for her newest release is the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy “Mageri” series.  Impulse, book 3 in the series, released the end of October.  Dannika is at Book Savvy Babe today, chatting about book covers, and don’t forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway!

Why a Good Cover Matters.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

We’ve heard that line a million times, and many of us swear by it. Some books exceed the expectations that their covers create, while others fail. If you are shopping on Amazon, and you’re scrolling through the mile-long lists, there are three things that you will see:

1. The Cover
2. Author Name
3. Price

On most services, you cannot read the description unless you click on the actual book. Most of us stick with favorite authors, but sometimes we like to experiment. So how do we choose? Hmm, price or cover? Well, books I’m looking at right now are all under $5, so I don’t really care. What does that leave me with?

That’s right. The cover.

The cover draws us in, captures our imaginations, piques our interest, and sells the book. In an actual bookstore, I lift books from the shelf, glance at the cover, and if it interests me enough, I’ll read the description. I will put a book back on the shelf without reading a single word because of a bad cover. Guilty. I try not to do this, but sometimes I can’t wrap my head around pitiful cover art representing an amazing story. We all know the practicality of buying a reliable car, but let’s be real. When you walk onto a lot, are you not salivating just a teeny tiny bit over those shiny new toys with their sleek lines and beautiful colors?

It doesn’t have to have amazing graphic art; just look at some of the top erotica or YA bestsellers that have simple objects on their covers. But they symbolize something about the story that has meaning to the reader, and are often elegant enough that they are eye-catching. I respect originality—artists who separate themselves from others in their genre. I love those covers that have me staring at them long after I’ve read the book. Something about the eyes, or posture of the model that captures my interest, and small details in the background that draw me in for a closer look.

As an Indie author, the option is available for me to design my own covers. There are professionals, but I have just enough knowledge that I can squeak by with creating my own. It’s given me the opportunity to personalize my books in a way that I’d never imagined. To bring to life small details, capture the spirit of the book, and portray characters the way that I envision them. Every cover has been a challenge, because it’s a painstakingly long process. Just ask some of my friends who suffer through viewing numerous mock-ups to provide me with input. What kind of input? Things that I may not be thinking about as the artist.

“Her arm looks weird.”

“What’s that blob over his head? It looks like gas.”

“What other fonts do you have?”

“She looks bitchy.” 

Opinions matter, not because you can change something to please everyone, but because it’s a constant process of self-improvement, and will allow you to re-evaluate the image with new eyes to make a final decision. I’ve seen book covers that made me wonder if they even put any effort into it. Did they consult the author for their opinion? Sometimes the hair color doesn’t even match up with the character in the book. 

Whether or not the cover has any influence of your decision to click on a book to read more, or ultimately purchase a book, take a moment to admire them. They’re not just a visual representation of a story; in some cases, they in themselves are pieces of art.

About Impulse:

Almost one year ago, a Mage attacked Silver and changed the course of her destiny.

Immortals exist, and now she is one of them.

Within the dark and supernatural city of Cognito, Silver is living under the watchful eye of her Ghuardian and dating her mortal enemy. Neither man can protect her from a dark secret, one buried within the content of a box. As rival factions struggle to gain control, she finds herself in the middle of a centuries –old feud that threatens to drive a wedge between her and Logan Cross, the man who intends to seduce her.

In an explosive turn of events, one life is saved and another is forever altered. Can Silver trust those around her, or are they hiding a dark secret of their own?

About Dannika Dark

Down in Texas, there’s a woman who drinks copious amounts of vitamin water placed precariously close to her laptop. Yeah, I know. I’ve got a drinking problem. Hi, I’m Danni. 

For this blog tour, Dannika Dark is offering up a tour-wide giveaway.  Here’s what you could win:  

• 1 Box Set of The Mageri Series (Sterling, Twist, & Impulse)
• Book Cover Cards (4×7) (Sterling & Twist)
• 1 Set of Key chains (double sided)
• 1 Car Charm (double sided)
• 1 Surprise Gift from Justus himself.

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, follow the tour! Click Here to see the full list/schedule of stops.