.

Welcome to my tour stop for Dreams of Mariposa by L T Getty. I hope you enjoy the post and don’t forget to enter the giveaway below.

I am a sucker for a great cover and L T Getty has chosen a good one. I am so happy to share her thoughts with you today. What do you think?

Cover Etiquette

I have a pretty cover.

…oh, you wanted something of substance, did you?

I don’t have anything good to show you, but I was known more in High School for being an artist than a writer. Granted, I didn’t share my writing outside of the designated class, whereas I had conte and paintings occasionally in the hallways.

Now that I have the space I’m getting back into oil painting now, and now I’m a giant cover snob. Aren’t we all? My first reaction to seeing the cove: Well, that’s pretty, and it’ll be an easy sell for a thumbnail. The red stands out against the blue, so it’s striking.

The general feedback I’ve gotten from others is that the cover doesn’t scream ‘steampunk horror’ so much as paranormal romance. I disagree; one of my coworkers reads a ton of paranormal romance and there’s no rock hard abs to be found.

There’s some subtle details. The Studded bodice. The soft wrapping. The red lipstick isn’t to showcase Marie’s lovely lips.

Kinda contrasts to my Pinterest Book Board and What I suggested:

I could have definitely done worse in the cover department. It’s subtle, and while I’m the first one to put a plague doctor mask and disturbing imagery front and center, I’m just going to have to be really honest with y’all: it’s a steampunk horror novel. I don’t doubt that there’ll be some interest from readers from paranormal romance, but this is more about what happens when the heroine loses the love of her life and her afterlife ebbs ever forward without him, and her refusing to let go, unable to die because she’s maxed out her vamp stats.

If you are in the mood for a straight up paranormal romance, my publisher does have several titles. I’ll recommend Celia Breslin’s Haven.

So if anyone wants me to wax dramatic about the cover, I won’t. There have been many other, big name authors who got the “What were they thinking?!” covers. I can work with this.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today.

Dreams of Mariposa by L.T. Getty

GENRE:   Steampunk-Horror

BLURB

Every decade, Marie must leave her home and everything she loves to start anew. She can’t risk the locals learning the truth of her immortality, much less her vampiric need of feeding off fear. Fortunately for Marie, fear comes easily and she spends her endless days mourning the loss of her beloved.

When she is summoned to the leaders of the masquerade, she is persuaded to assist them in uncovering a mystery of powers possibly more ancient then their own order.

As a rare daywalker of exquisite beauty, there is no society Marie cannot infiltrate. Having spent the last few centuries growing into her abilities, she expects to learn of the old powers, and return to her lonely eternity of mourning.

She doesn’t expect to fall in love.

EXCERPT

“Where is this fool taking us?” one of Raoul’s men asked.

I realized then that they hadn’t been paying attention.

“Driver!” He reached his arm outside the open window to rap and get his attention, but I could smell the hiss of venom and knew it was intentional.

The horses ran quicker, and I could hear more coming up. They sought to isolate us and do their deed in the woods. Interesting choice, as there was no need to restrain ourselves without potential witnesses.         

One of Raoul’s guards kicked open the door. He glided out. His gift included some manipulation of his form, and like a shadow he leapt onto the path, while his fellow went to climb up on the stagecoach.

Raoul glanced at me. “You’ll be safest in here.”

“Do not leave your men, guardian mine.”

His gaze darted from mine as I recognized the smell of flesh turning to ash, and light pierced the chest of the fellow on the roof of the coach. He exploded into dust before he could scream. The stench of sulphur was undeniable, even without our honed senses. The other fellow met a similar end a moment later.

Unfazed by the strange tool on a chain, Raoul unsheathed a rapier from his cane and struck the driver in the leg. The man was young. He met a knife at the rapier for the second strike, but the riders coming up were too late. Raoul knocked aside the gun and slashed the driver’s face before he pierced his heart. I bounced along uncomfortably as the driver was pushed forward and went under the back left wheel.

The horses squealed and ran faster. Raoul reached for the reins, but a rider came up from beside the carriage, then put her pistol in through the open window at me. I grabbed the weapon with such force I nearly knocked her off her horse and into the carriage’s paneling.



AUTHOR

L.T. Getty is a science fiction and fantasy writer who hails from the Canadian Prairies. When she’s not writing, you can likely find her driving an ambulance and dreaming about travel.

Blog: https://ltgetty.wordpress.com/

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

• You can see my Giveaways HERE.
• You can see my Reviews HERE.
• If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
• Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
• Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
• I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
• Thanks for visiting fundinmental!