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I am a cover girl, so having Natalia Albrite sharing her thoughts on book cover is very appropriate. Welcome to fundinmental and let’s get started.

How do you choose a book cover and what importance do you place upon a book cover? 

The Importance of Book Covers by Natalia Albrite

I place HUGE importance on a book cover and here’s why:

• I only get one chance to make a first impression. Fair or not, we are a visual people who make all sorts of judgements based on looks. In the realm of personal interactions this can be very unfair. In the realm of professional work, it can still be unfair but fighting the reality would not be a good use of my time. The fact is that potential readers will make a judgement call about the quality of my work based on the cover of my book. I only get their attention for a few seconds and I want to entice them to stick around.
• My covers need to reflect my brand. I strive for consistency across all platforms. I want to create a seamless experience for readers who look further into me and my work. I want them to explore freely without any jarring moments of, “oh that doesn’t fit.” I know that my books and I are not for everyone but if we are for you, I want you to stay and get comfy in my little corner of the romance world!

How I choose a book cover:

• I use my gut. I decided to skip past any trend research. I picked something that I liked and reflected a larger sense of me. I want to sustain this career and I know that if I choose according to trend or market, that will wear me out in the long run. I would have a hard time staying excited about what other people like.
• I want to be inspired. I sought custom cover design for That Guy and That Girl while still early in the revision process. I found my choice to be incredibly inspiring! I was inspired to make the best book I could so it would match up to a great cover!
• I value the services of a professional. I love my writer’s lane and I respect the graphic designers’ lane. I like to think that I have a great sense of what I like but making it come to life visually is not a skill that I currently have. Fortunately, I had some savings that I set aside to hire a professional. I was so grateful for the work of Robin Vuchnich of mycustombookcover.com

What are your favorite covers? What catches your eye when you explore new authors and their books?

That Guy and That Girl by Natalia Albrite

GENRE:   New Adult Contemporary Romance

PLEASE NOTE: this book will be $0.99 during the tour.

BLURB

Olivia Meadows is excited to finish her senior year of college as a volleyball national champion beside her teammates and best friends. A complication arrives in the form of John Hunter, that guy, her brother’s best friend whom she has had a secret crush on since she was eleven years old. Effortlessly charming and handsome, with a body honed by years of playing football, John initiates his charm offensive and Olivia finds herself unable to resist him.

John Hunter is pumped to finish his senior year of college as a football national champion beside his teammate and best friend. The only thing missing is that girl, Olivia Meadows, his best friend’s little sister. He needed to sow some wild oats before settling down with Olivia but now he is ready for something serious with the girl he has always admired. 

Be careful what you wish for. John and Olivia find themselves dealing with adult consequences very quickly and wondering if their young love can endure the pressures of adulthood. Will they find deeper love or implode from the pressures of their own making?

EXCERPT

I spot Marcus in my dad’s hand-me-down Maxima with John in the front seat next to him. Oh jeez. John Hunter. He’s that guy. He’s the stuff of young girls’ dreams and I gave him up long ago by trying to turn my eyes to other guys. The way I see it, it’s like this: 1) he’s Marcus’s best friend and I have no interest in messing up their friendship; 2) he’s not an intentional player but he’s a player just the same; and 3) thank you, but I’ll skip the broken heart, please. I’ve grown up in proximity to this handsome devil for most of my life and he still manages to make my stomach drop when I see him.

It’s such a cliché to say that he’s tall, dark and handsome but clichés work for a reason—they’re inescapable kernels of truth. John is tall at a striking six feet and four inches. He’s dark with his almost-black hair and deep brown eyes. I can’t forget the handsome with his perfectly structured jaw line. Ridiculous. Just by looking at him, I can feel my adrenaline kicking in and the sweat gathering. Great.

I plaster an annoyed look on my face because that’s how we interact with each other. That’s part of our unwritten script. He plays the charming rogue and I play the cynical wallflower who is suspicious of all his kind gestures. He jumps out and does a half-bow. “Madame, your chariot,” he says as he gestures to the front seat.

Natalia is a lifelong reader and lover of romance novels. Before finally tapping away at her keyboard to create her own stories, she tried all sorts of professions: elementary school teacher, barista, seller of make-up, baker, and the list goes on. When she isn’t pursuing the arts, she’s hanging out with her husband, two wacky children, and full-figured Corgi.

• Website: www.nataliaalbrite.com
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