Published in the June 2019 issue of Books Make a Difference magazine.

The stories we are exposed to shape our understanding of the world, our interpretation of the past, and our view of the possibilities ahead. Good stories illuminate the essence of what it means to be human. They hold the power to inspire, empower, and enlighten readers. Cultivating a collective library of stories with an authentic portrayal of diverse characters is essential and, ultimately, the responsibility of all who create, curate, and consume those stories. […]

I’m so excited to announce the second edition of my book Surviving Deployment will be released this fall!

I love the new edition’s cover, designed by Brenda Harris. And I thought it would be fun to do a cover reveal! Over the next 5 days, I will add a cover-reveal clue to this page. So stop back all week to see the pieces of the cover come together!

DAY 1 Clue # 1: Two Letters (Cover on Cover)
DAY 2 Surviving or Thriving
DAY 3 Camouflage Map
DAY 4 Street Name
DAY 5 Hearts
COVER REVEAL

Clue #1: Two Letters (Cover on Cover)
I’m kind of a “go big or go home” dreamer, so when thinking about how to do my cover reveal, I thought: Maybe I could reveal my cover on the cover of a really big industry publication. So, readers, your first clue is that THIS WEEK (April 8-13) the cover of Surviving Deployment (2nd ed) is on the cover of a leading publishing magazine! You won’t find it on the newsstand, but you can find it in your inbox or mailbox by subscription. Also, THIS WEEK ONLY, you’ll find it on the magazine’s website, Facebook page, and Twitter banner.

Professional authors and publishers often refer to this weekly magazine by two letters.

Challenge: Find the magazine, take a screenshot of the magazine cover (or FB or TW banner), circle the new cover of Surviving Deployment, and post on any social media. Tag me (social links above) and the magazine. Hurry! The cover changes this weekend!

Giveaway: Everyone who posts and tags the challenge will be entered to win a signed copy of the book when it comes out.

* * *

It only took author Anthony Clark a few minutes and one clue to solve the first piece of the cover reveal puzzle! Check out his Tweet:

Be sure to follow him—he’s working on a great next book, too!

Seeing the cover of Surviving Deployment on the cover of Publishers Weekly is pretty cool, but it’s also a relatively small image compared to the actual size of the book. And this cover deserves a closer look. So let’s break down this cover reveal puzzle one piece at a time.

First up:

Surviving or Thriving
The title of the second edition remains the same as the first edition:
Surviving Deployment: A Guide for Military Families

Some people have asked me why the title of the book is Surviving Deployment when the content is really more about thriving—turning a challenging situation into a rewarding experience. The answer is that I always want to meet readers where they are when they pick up the book so they feel less alone in their journey.

Most of the readers who’ve written to me over the years or talked with me at events told me they initially looked for the book during a time of trial, when they were just trying to get through the next day. A few proactively read the book, anticipating challenging days ahead. All said they wanted reminders and ideas that could help them feel grounded amidst a highly-stressful situation. My hope is that, while readers may look for a resource to help them survive, once they read the book they will feel confident they can do so much more with their deployment experience. I hope this book helps them survive those tough days and turn more days into blessed days that enrich their lives and strengthen their relationships.

* * *

Camouflage Map
The subtitle of the book is “A guide for military families.” In today’s world, we can pull up directions, information, instructions on a mobile phone. Designer Brenda Harris shares her inspiration for including elements of a modern map, with a military twist:

“Surviving Deployment is a comprehensive guide to navigating the challenges and rewards of military deployment. My goal for the cover design was to create something both familiar and comforting. When I was a child, my mom would help me find my dad on a map and it was comforting to see where he was when he was deployed. He didn’t feel so far when I could touch the spot where he was. So, when thinking about this cover, I immediately thought of those reassuring childhood memories. The camouflage pattern visually connects the two locations, even though they are on different shorelines on the map.”

* * *

Street Name
When I wrote the first edition of Surviving Deployment, I was married to my Marine husband, Fightin’ Bob Pavlicin. Bob came home safely from many deployments, two helicopter crashes, and being handed a booby-trapped grenade. He died of cancer in 2003, the Ultimate Deployment. In 2011, I married Geno Fragnito, a man who serves in a different way. I decided on the second edition to use my full name, which carries the last names of both men I love: Pavlicin-Fragnito.

* * *

Hearts
My favorite part! When I saw Brenda’s idea to include hearts as location markers, I absolutely fell in love with this design idea! She says:

“In my opinion, there are two parts to a deployment; there are matters of the heart and then there are more logistical tasks or circumstances like finances and parenting. The hearts on the map represent both the physical and mental challenges of surviving deployment. Loved ones may be far apart on the map, but they are never far from each other’s hearts!”

* * *

Cover Reveal
And now to put the pieces together!

Cover reveals are a fun way to engage readers and create excitement for a forthcoming book.

For a successful cover reveal, you’ll need:

1. Final Cover Design
2. Cover Reveal Idea
3. One Central Place to Host the Reveal
4. Promotion Plan
5. Time and Place to Engage Readers

Final Cover Design
Publishers often test multiple cover concepts months ahead of publication. Testing a cover is not the same as the marketing cover reveal. For your cover reveal, you want the final cover design that will appear on your published book.

The idea of a cover reveal is that you’re showing a design the public hasn’t seen yet, so timing is important. Authors and publishers need to coordinate the small window between final cover design and when the cover shows up in reseller databases and online stores.

Cover Reveal Idea
Put some thought into an idea that’s fun or meaningful for you and your readers. There are as many different ways to reveal a cover as there are books! For example, a cover reveal for a baby book could mimic an expectant parent’s baby-gender reveal party, with a cake and a live video of the reveal. A mystery book cover reveal could take place over days, with clues or a scavenger hunt. Or you can simply let readers know what day and time to come to your site to see the new cover. Make it as simple or creative as you like.

Central Place to Host
Select one place where the reveal will take place. An author website is a great choice. All social media buzz can link back to one post on your site.

Promotion Plan
Decide how you’ll let readers know about the cover reveal. Some authors start promoting the cover reveal a month ahead. A long lead-up works well if you have a large social media following on multiple channels. Posting throughout the month on all channels, with a link to your cover reveal page on your website, brings your followers together to one place for the reveal. Some authors choose to have a short pre-reveal promotion and generate engagement after the reveal, with links to preorder the book.

Engage Readers
No matter what you decide to do for your cover reveal, the most important reason you do one is to engage your readers! So make sure you take the time to respond to reader comments and talk with them about your book’s message.

Real-time Example
I thought it would be fun to write this blog post about cover reveals by actually doing one!

The second edition of my book Surviving Deployment will release this fall. So let’s reveal that cover!

Surviving Deployment Cover Reveal

As publisher at Elva Resa and an Independent Book Publishers Association national board member, Karen will speak on two panels at IBPA’s Publishing University. She’ll join other industry experts to discuss The Many Facets of Educational Publishing on Friday, April 5, 3:15–4:15 PM CT, and Selling Outside the Box: Why Special Sales Should Always Be In Your Plans, Saturday, April 6, 1:15–2:15 PM CT. Both sessions are geared toward intermediate-experienced publishers. The premier educational event for independent publishers, Pub U will be held in Chicago. More about Karen’s sessions.

Published in the January 2019 issue of Books Make a Difference magazine.

Photojournalist JT Blatty came to the Tuscany Writeaway with a hundred pages of an eight-year-old manuscript, hoping to discover the ending to her book. As she sat at the villa table with Writeaways leaders John and Mimi, six other writers, and the time and space to reflect and focus on her writing, JT found the breakthrough she was looking for. With the encouragement of this close community, she wrote about her life, her search for purpose, and the volunteer soldiers in Ukraine she is committed to honoring in her new Chapter One. […]