Cover uncovered

Yesterday, I took the opportunity to cycle to the garden as it was such a glorious day. I love the garden in the sun: it's always as if I walk up the stairs and into another world. Probably one advantage on being a roof garden. Between you and me, I had quite another reason to go: I wanted to take pictures for a book cover; a collection of mixed short stories I've written over time. Some were for contests, some were for a writers group I started earlier this year, some were written out of a certain mood. Most of them were on my blog for a while, and some even got high praise from visitors. So I thought it would be a shame to have them now rotting away on my hard drive. Why not put them together and share them with readers? They're all more or less flash fiction and best for a short break. Something to take your mind off things for five minutes and that's how I came up with the title.

I wanted to be a bigger part of the cover creation (yeah, control freak), and I had an idea of what I wanted. First it was a vintage table with two chairs against a brick wall, but that would have been a little difficult. Lucky, though, that the roof garden has distressed benches, plenty of green, and a box with a kettle, mugs, and tea, so that was a no-brainer. I'd also brought my Kindle with me and soon, everything was set up. I took a few pictures with my mobile and voila. When I came home, I sent them to my friend Sandra Giles, who made them look like a real cover. A few tries and tweaks and it was done. I can't believe the result, because I have no background in, or knowledge of photography. I'm fussy, which is probably a good thing. I'm really happy with the cover and have to smile every time when I look at it.

So when can I download that book then, you wonder? Well, I hope I'll be able to release the stories by mid September, but it may take a week longer. But definitely in September.

And the best thing is yet to come: they'll be free!