Introducing Author J.N. Sheats


Hello everybody, I’m Joey Morris and today I’ll be taking over the cover process my amazing creator designed for Lineage. A bone chilling novel about what used to be my fairly average life.

Not anymore! Marty Adams here, aka bestfriend and keeper of all things fabulous. For the record Joey your life was far from average before the book, how many times have you moved...What did you say it was. Oh yes, three schools for every grade.

Thanks Marty. Let’s move on.
Our creator, J.N. Sheats, has been working on this story for years. Developing the hellish nightmares she puts me—

Us.

Us through. But the story wasn’t the only thing that evolved over time. The cover has too.


Marty: Wow, are you turning into a wolf in that first one? What’s up with the random capital letters, this chick has interesting design tastes.

Joey: Be nice, if she wants she can kill you in the next book.

Marty: What, so you want me to kiss her backend? Not going to happen. I’ll risk it.

Joey: ~Rolls Eyes~

Marty: Can we ignore the first two ever happened, I don’t want those associated with me. ~Shudders~

Joey: Fine, moving on. As the book neared completion our creator decided to try out an all illustrated cover. Which didn’t turn out the way she wanted, but given deadlines and other projects the third cover was born.


Marty: ~Laughs~ Your face looks like an alien. ~Laughs~

Joey: ~Through gritted teeth~ Not pleased with the cover, J.N. reworked the cover into its final version.


Marty: After all that she comes up with a stuffy old look. Boring! Looks like something Jamie would read, or worse, you.

Joey: The books I read are not stuffy or old. They’re assigned, and if you read a little more you might not be failing four classes.

Marty: Well, I guess it has some character. Let’s see how she did it.

Lineage Cover Process
Illustrated by J.N. Sheats


Step 1:
Marty: What the hell is that!?

Joey: It’s a sketch, Marty. What did you expect, she puts pencil to paper and poof! Magic?

Marty: No, but maybe a little refinement or something, and that hair has to be yours. You being the wild child you are.

Joey: ~Sighs~





Step 2:
Joey: Is that better?

Marty: No, now you look like a frog. What’s up with the nose. Maybe she should have sourced this cover out, I’m seriously wondering about her skills. What’s an author doing illustrating anyways?

Joey: She was an artist/designer before becoming a writer, and this is the line art. It’s supposed to look that way.

Marty: Well, at this point I’m under whelmed. Let’s see if it gets any better.


Step 3:
Joey: After the line art the artist creates a grayscale rendering. Gen—

Marty: ~Throws head back~ OMG! It keeps getting worse.

Joey: Generally done in pencil or ink or sometimes markers.

Marty: Are you ignoring me?

Joey: This is where the first illustrated cover came from.

Marty: You’re ignoring me. How rude. After everything I’ve done for you, we’re sisters, Joe. So hurtful.

Joey: A year ago you didn’t even know me.

Marty: Yeah, but our families go way back. We’re like blood...Blood! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?

Joey: Will you stop being so dramatic.


Step 4:
Joey: The next step is to lay in base colors, along with some shadows.

Silence

Joey: What, no smart comment?

Marty: ~Pouts~

Joey: Seriously, nothing?

Marty: Amateurish, what’s with all the color circles and stuff. What a hot mess.

Joey: Those are palette samples for the different parts of the drawing. So the artist can reference back to a color.

Marty: Do you have an explanation for everything?

Joey: Do you have to judge everything?

Marty: ~Grumbles~ Why do you get to be on the cover?

Joey: Because the book’s called, Lineage, JJ Morris #1.

Marty: JJ, I like that. You should use that more.


Step 5:
Joey: Next, shadows are defined, highlights added. The background base color is also put in.

Marty: Are you ignoring me again?

Joey: This is so the artist can keep track of the lighting in the drawing.

Marty: JJ...JJ...Why are you ignoring me? JJ...JJ Morris.

Joey: Stop calling me that! My...My father used to call me that when I was little. Before the accident.

Marty: Joey, I’m sorry. Let’s keep going, alright.

Step 6:
Marty: Now it’s starting to look like something, what are those things at the bottom.

Joey: Some kind of dog...A wolf-thing? ~Shudders~ Whatever they are, I don’t like them.

Marty: Is that blood, yuck. This person is sick and morbid.

Joey: I won’t deny that. Should we be nervous that she’s writing a book about us?

Marty: I would be...Oh God, we’re in the hands of a psychopath, aren’t we? Are we going to die?

Joey: Settle down, no one is going to die.

Marty: How do you know? You’re safe because your name’s on the cover, but me...I’m fair game.

Joey: I doubt J.N. is going to kill off my best friend. She’s not that awful.

Marty: How do you know?!

Step 7:
Joey: The background is jazzed up, details are added, along with more lighting effects. Hey, Marty look at the symbol. Doesn’t it look familiar?

Marty: I’m marked for death, and you’re worried about a symbol. What is wrong with you?!

Joey: You’re not going to die. Settle down.

Marty: Settle down! Our lives are being directed by a psycho with a taste for blood. I can’t be here...No, I’m too young. ~Walks out~

Jamie: ~Walks in~ What’s wrong with Marty?

Joey: Awesome, I’m glad you’re here. If anyone knows anything about strange symbols it would be you.

Jamie: Me, why would you think that?

Joey: Jamie Smyth everyone, one of my closest friends, and she knows all about the occult. Loves the stuff in fact.

Jamie: Don’t say that, and no. I don’t know what that symbol means. ~Is nervous~

Joey: Alright, fine. Do you want to stick around and finish up with me?

Jamie: No, I’ve got stuff to do. I only came in here to tell you a hot guy is wandering around outside.

Joey: Oh, who?

Cameron: ~Enters~ There you are kid. Stop wandering off.

Jamie: You two play nice. ~Leaves~

Joey: Wait...No... Crap. What do you want, Cam?


Step 8:
Cameron: I told you to stay in your room.

Joey: I’m not your prisoner, and I’m busy.

Cameron: Don’t tempt me.

Joey: ~Clears throat~ We’re nearing the end of the coloring process. Finishing touches are added, the center pendant is given a fancy look, and a rim light is added to the wolf-things.

Cameron: They’re black dogs.

Joey: How do you know what they are?

Cameron: Does it matter, just stay away from them. Make my life easier.

Joey: Why, you make my life a living hell. You blow in out of nowhere, then you threaten me before kidnapping me off to that musty old haunted manor.

Cameron: You’re forgetting, I saved you.

Joey: I don’t have time for this.

Step 9:
Joey: Cover is nearly complete, after 32 hours of work the palette samples are removed. An effect is added on the pendant, and last touches are added. It’s really come a long way.

Cameron: Violent, evil dogs...Pulling you out of the line of fire...Stopping a spirit from possessing your body. Any of it ringing any bells?

Joey: Just for the record, Bingo banished the spirit. Not you, and how does that make up for the fact you stuck your gun in my chest? Or what about your mood-swings, talk about keeping a girl on her toes.

Cameron: ~Moves closer to Joey~ You like the challenge.

Joey: ~Blushes~ Time to wrap this up.


Joey: The final result is a polished cover totaling 43 hours of work. Wow, our author must really love us.

Cameron: Or takes joy in hurting people. She may even be passionate it about it.

Joey: Why does everyone think the writer is going to kill them off?

Cameron: Haunted manor, spirit possession, killer on the loose, and black dogs running around. If at least a dozen people aren’t murdered I would be impressed.

Joey: You’re the hero, go do something about it.

Cameron: My only concern is you.

Marty: ~Enters~ See, I told you I’m going to die.

Joey: ~Rolls Eyes~ Alright, that’s it. No more. We’re done. There’s the cover, I hope you enjoyed seeing the artist process, and you can catch me and Cameron—

Marty: And me!

Joey: In Lineage this October.

Marty: They’ll be just in time for Homecoming! I found a great— Conversation fades out


Catch the first 5 raw unedited chapters of Lineage on my blog: Inside the Insanity


Lineage, JJ Morris #1
YA Paranormal Thriller
Blurb:
"Cameron, why do you call me dove," I asked, ready for disappointment. 
"Because, you bring my soul peace." 

Joey Morris has spent her young life moving around the country with her constantly absent mother until finally ending up in the small college town of Portstown, Pennsylvania. Here history is thick in the air and Joey discovers that her family has long reaching roots in the town, dating back to the very first settlement. Because of her heritage she is welcomed into the group of the other founding families, and quickly becomes one of the popular girls in school. 

After over a year of the good life and Homecoming just days away, Joey is thrown into a terrifying new reality. Happening across a violent black dog with glowing red eyes, and a handsome stranger that puts his life on the line to save her only to stick a gun in her chest moments later. 

Now people are dying in Portstown, people close to Joey and she doesn't understand why. Will Joey have anyone left after she discovers the truth about her past? 

Cameron Davis is a man from another life, for years he has been focused on his mission. The drive that keeps his soul locked inside a physical body, staving off the reaper. That all changes when he is given the task of protecting Joey and stopping the attacks. 

This girl makes him weak and brings up memories of a past he left behind nearly a century ago. What secrets lie beyond his contract with the elusive Warner family, and why does this girl need protecting? 

Lineage is a young adult novel but is recommended for readers 16+ due to violence.




About The Author
 

J.N. Sheats is an artist turned author. Living in Maryland with six wild cats, and her husband, J.N. spends her days designing covers and teasers for other authors. At night she is at the mercy of her demanding characters, and their wild fantasies.

Dark Paranormal Fantasy is her preferred genre of writing, but anything is game. Maybe even a lovely romance novel or two in the near future.

When not writing, designing, or drawing, J.N. spends her time doing a host of other activities. Including: gardening, jewelry making, cooking, and watching far too much television.

Catch what’s up in J.N. Sheats’ crazy life with the links below. Stalkers welcomed. ;)



Get exclusive sneak-peeks and more of Dreamscape, JJ Morris #2, on my patreon.


Follow the progress of Dreamscape and all writing/art projects. Plus, first looks at raw chapters, prizes, deleted scenes, and much more!


Apryl Baker

No comments:

Post a Comment