Sorry for all the MIA-ness! I have a treat for you, a cover revealing of the lovely author Shawn Maravel's book Know Thy Neighbor! Not only that, but I have an interview!
When a mysterious new tenant moves into the apartment above hers, she indulges her desire for danger and adventure by trying to figure out exactly who the stranger in 6C is. In time, the intrigue about a neighbor she has yet to actually see, isn’t enough to keep her distracted from the threat of having to close down her shop and start from scratch for the second time. Just as she tries to refocus her attention to breathing life back into her business, she meets the handsome stranger for the first time and she loses sight of everything else.
Soon her life takes on the exciting appeal of her novels and she can’t seem to get enough. But as she draws closer to the mystery tenant, she discovers that the danger is real and her life is left in the hands of a dangerous killer.
Interview:
1. Where did the idea of this story come from?
Know Thy Neighbor was inspired by a dark stairwell and a wild imagination. I wondered what it would be like to run into a talk, dark, and handsome stranger in the stairwell of your apartment. The idea snowballed from there.
2. This story is a little different then your other stories, did you find it hard to write?
I did actually. I loved presenting myself with a challenge but it ended up taking me over a year to complete this story. There were a few times I thought I never would. I wasn't sure how to end it and at times I thought it was going nowhere. I finally recruited my husband to help me with the action scenes and to help with certain other plot details and that made it much easier to complete. Without him I doubt I'd have the confidence or the material to see this project to the end.
3. Are you similar in any way with the main character?
Not at all. We both like antiques, that's about it. haha. Evangeline is very curious and adventurous. I've always been a lot more cautious. She likes the suspense aspect of books and life and I'm much more content to know as little as possible about what scares me. If it scares her, it occupies a great deal of her attention. She's much braver than I am.
4. Where did you get the cover idea from? Was there almost another option?
I wanted a photo of a girl looking out her window, that much I knew. Evangeline watches John on a few occasions as he sneaks around at night and for a while the view from her apartment window is all she has to go off of. Originally I'd wanted to use a different image but I found this one right around the time I completed the book and I just knew that it was perfect. I hope that readers agree.
5. What is your favorite part about cover design?
Know Thy Neighbor is the second book where I've used a stock photo, Shifting Gears being the first. I like having options for cover design. I can use stock photos through the site that I publish through, Createspace which I did for Volition & Severance's first edition covers. I can also use my own photos like with my Volition series second edition covers as well as with my other Rider series novel, The Wanderer. OR, like with this novella and Shifting Gears, as mentioned, I can use a stock photo website. Being self-published means that it's my choice as to which outlet I use. And in this case I had already seen a bunch of stock images that I liked, so it was just a matter of finding the right one. And once you do, it's like everything's real all of a sudden. It's the beautiful wrapping on a gift you hope that you readers will enjoy.
6. What is your favorite part of writing a story?
My favorite part is finishing it and looking back on a story that had started out as no more than an idea. It's like a huge weight has been lifted and I can just enjoy that I've written another book.
7. What is your favorite type of muffin?
Haha, hmmm....let's see. I'm not a big muffin fan but my go-to muffin would have to be cornbread.
8. On facebook you are known for showing your latest fashion in nails, what has been your favorite design/color you have done?
Since becoming pregnant my nails have been super long and they haven't been breaking. This is something that is very new to me so YES I am taking as much advantage as I can. I think I paint my nails about once or twice a week. My fall-back is usually a french manicure but I love sparkles, so if I can incorporate them somehow than I'm usually pretty happy with the outcome.
9. You have had both objects and people on your cover, do you prefer one over the other?
I think it all depends on the book. I also like scenery, which I have for the first edition covers of the Volition series. It all depends on the target audience and the book's theme. I liked using objects in the Volition series on their covers but I also like using photos. Though with people I prefer that they're suggestive, like with The Wanderer and Shifting Gears. You can't see the men's faces. If you could, not everyone might find them attractive. I like to allow my readers to be able to create their own image of my characters, even if I have my own vision of what my characters look like, I don't want to force them on readers.
10. Do you have a favorite out of your own book covers?
I really like my second edition Volition series covers. It took a while and some tweaking to arrive at them but they're colorful and vibrant and I was able to use my own photography for them.
11. You are having your first little one, little Landon, is there a book you grew up with that you can't wait to read to him?
Goodnight Moon :). There are quite a lot actually but that one I remember the most. It's simple but it's sweet.
12. What is your favorite color?
Light green.
13. What book are you currently reading?
I am reading Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman.
14. Do you picture your books as movies?
Oh definitely. I'm a very visual person, so when I write my books I write them as if they are movies playing out in my head.
15. What is your least favorite chore to do around the home?
Favorite chores? Is there such a thing? haha. I guess if I had to pick, I'd have to say vacuuming. It's pretty quick and painless chore with instant gratification. I do quite a lot of chores since I'm a homemaker and I really enjoy a well kept home.
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