Making of CONNECT THE DOTS book trailer

Celebrating the release of CONNECT THE DOTS includes a book trailer. For those of you who don't know what a book trailer is, I equate it to a movie trailer. It's a teaser video that visually represents the story idea and teases or entices you into wanting to read the book.

How is this trailer created...from the author's perspective.

I start out by contacting Jeannie Ruesch, graphic artist and romance author. Jeannie created the book trailer for CONNECT THE DOTS as well as the book trailers for KILLER BUNNY HILL and IT HAPPENS IN THREES. Once Jeannie says yes that she wants to create the video I send her some of the same things that an author send to an agent or editor. I email Jeannie the book synopsis and back cover blurb (which is basically the query letter).

This results in Jeannie asking me some questions.

Typical questions are what do the characters look like? Do I have certain images in mind? More come but this is a typical start.

The hard part comes in when I have to craft the script for the trailer. You know how difficult it is to take a 90,000 word book and condensing it to 5 pages in a synopsis and then 2 paragraphs for a query. Now, you have to take all those words and condense them into maybe 100 words or less. Less is better.

Why so few words?

The typical length of a trailer is 1 to 2 minutes and 2 minutes is actually long. The reason for the short time is that you don't want to lose the viewer's attention and typical attention span is 60 to 90 seconds.

Jeannie helps me with the length aspect because I will send the script and she will shorten pieces. She will chop words or cut sentences, or she will even suggest that it needs to be stronger or tell me she wants something more visual.

Once we agree on the script, Jeannie does all the work.

Jeannie puts words to images and then to music. With CONNECT THE DOTS, Jeannie's husband actually created the music specifically for the trailer. Amazing!

I sit back and twiddle my thumbs, and wriggle in my seat with impatience to see the end result. When Jeannie has a draft ready she notifies me and I review it. Between the two of us we see if the wording/spelling is correct, if the images match what I envision, and the speed of the whole thing. We tweak back and forth and finally both say YES!

It's a fun and interesting process and the end result is seeing the visual representation of my story on screen. When Jeannie sent me the trailer for KILLER BUNNY HILL I literally cried. I couldn't help it. The representation was so perfect I was lost in the imagery. With CONNECT THE DOTS, I was awestruck. The video made my story and the heroine come to life and kept me spellbound.

Jeannie does such a terrific job that the guys who work for me want to know when the movie of CONNECT THE DOTS is coming out. Thank you, Jeannie!

Find out more about Jeannie Ruesch and her talent at her website www.willdesignforchocolate.com.

Sunday Summarize

This week was a major coup for me. Why? Because I broke my writer's block and wrote in my WIP. Yea!!

"How?" you ask.

Simple. I took Friday off from work. Hot dang - how smart am I! Amazing what a day of not having to drive in traffic for 3 hours of your life and then deal with politics and deadlines will do for your creativity.

On Saturday, I skipped my NHRWA writer's group meeting, something I rarely do. In this case, I had to. Between the yard work I had skipped last weekend resulting in 6-inch grass, I had to continue to write. You all know what I mean. Never good to break that focus when you are on a roll.

Early this morning when I woke up I found an email from author and graphics designer extraordinaire Jeannie Ruesch (http://www.jeannieruesch.com). I know, you're thinking "Big deal." HA! It was. She sent me the preview of my book trailer for "Killer Bunny Hill" - my latest romantic-thriller. OMG! The woman is a genius. I have been playing the thing over and over again. I can't stop. It's like an addiction.

This morning was the first Coffee Lit Chat with author Marianne Arkins (http://www.mariannearkins.com). Well, no one showed up, not that I blame them. After all, who would be crazy enough to go out in the pouring rain just to talk with a couple of writers. Even if we are really cool chicks! But, it was still worth the drive for me because I had the opportunity to meet Marianne for the first time and her daughter.

As Marianne was leaving, my friend and author Nora Le Duc (http://www.noraleduc.com) walked in so we chatted and critiqued each other's latest WIP. And she brought me a copy of her latest release "Murder Came Calling" that she just received. WOOT! This is my favorite story by Nora LeDuc and the book cover is awesome. You have to read it and meet her heroine, Annie.

After meeting with Nora, I now had the ending for my WIP. I had this scene already in my mind that I wanted to happen, but my characters decided, "NO!" You know how characters can be. Well, big RASPBERRY to them because I will still get my scene only it will be the ending and it will be a killer. HA!

I returned home this afternoon, put in the edits Nora and my father suggested (my first round editor), and then finished a new chapter. I've started the next chapter, but I have an old Sharon Sala book "A Year of Loving Dangerously" calling to me to read before I start next week's Book-A-Week Challenge "Malice" by Lisa Jackson.

The good news is that I reached just shy of 62K this weekend. Now. . .can I keep this new found focus and writing going so I can finish my WIP?

Hm. Any suggestions?

Book Covey Trailer Awards

Good evening!

I just got home and saw this in my email. My book trailer for It Happens In Threes is up for a covey. Take a look, vote, and leave a comment if you wish.

http://thenewcoveytrailerawards.blogspot.com/2009/04/entry-14-it-happens-in-threes.html

Jeannie Ruesch did the work on the video. Checkout her site at www.willdesignforchocolate.com

Book Trailer

Good morning! I've got cool news. . .Jeannie finished the book trailer for IT HAPPENS IN THREES and it is awesome!!

Check it out at http://www.deniserobbins.com/trailers.html

or on you tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBTLTtJY9V0

Send me a note and let me know what you think.