Dearest darling readers of this blog: take a look in the right hand column and get a sneak peak at the jacket for my DEBUT novel, Shred Sisters. This book poured out of me in seven months and then took almost three years to revise with the help of many smart writer friends who generously gave me feedback. Each reader brought something different and helped me immeasurably. I still don’t quite know how the original gush happened, except that I kept waking up earlier and earlier because I couldn’t wait to get back to my keyboard before I had to go back to my day job. I was writing until my hands cramped. Reader, I was on my meds. It was not mania, but I felt wind beneath my wings. I felt my wings! I don’t know when/if that will ever happen again. I made up for it all on the other side, the eleven or twelve revisions, even writing one whole revise in longhand. I think what I’m trying to say is that there are no shortcuts. But I’m also curious if anyone has ever felt a book rip out themselves. There was also the rush of being able to make it all up after years of writing non-fiction. Poof!
What do you think of the jacket? Market research!!
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Betsy Lerner 
The cover is GLORIOUS!!! Huge congrats, Madame. Can’t wait to read it.
so glad. thank you!
Woah… I have as many family members to give this to as I have fingers, and probably toes, too. Beautiful, spiky, fascinating cover. Brava.
thank you thank you
I can’t figure out how to see it on my phone but will check it out tomorrow. Ive no doubt it’s gorgeous.
Click on the Pre Order section, look at the cover in one of the stores on the pre order list.
Wow. Stark. Striking. Perfection.
Thank you. I really love it.
You are a great writer with passion-I don’t get the cover w it the title.
Sharing / after 3 years writing my memoir with help – I still see where I need to dig back in – I think I might even have 2 books here if I go back and delved deeper into what will be the first book. Making it more focused on a time- bringing more inner voice. I started writing the memoir after my career as a ballerina- learning along the way how to write. I’ve learned a lot.
Good luck to you,
Fondly
Stephanie
thank you
The cover is wicked good! Congrats! Can’t wait to read it!
Thank you. love wicked good
The cover is compelling. That orange down the middle is a bold choice. The whole thing’s got a “vintage” vibe — the adjective, not the imprint, but maybe both. When is the novel set? From this cover I’d guess ’50s, ’60s, ’70s. Maybe that’s intentional? Anyway, I’d definitely pick it up if I saw it on a table. Who’s the designer?
YES – 70’s
cover made me preorder. looks fantastic. compelling, modern design. love the title too xo hg.
oh my gosh thank you
I like it — one side suggests prickly cactus and the other soft flower petals; it gets the “point” across very well. It’s an attention grabber.
And congratulations!
exactly as intended. thank you
I write something every day. Sometimes a blog post. Some times a short story. Sometimes a longer story (novel length). What I’m trying to say is I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know if that’s whoosh or what the…?
Mostly the latter.
With regard to your cover (congratulations) but what would worry me is you’ve left the reader (people like me) with too much work to do. We’re all familiar with more is less. But sometimes less is too much work.
Good luck.
thank you
Carolynnwith2Ns
YOWZA love it and it’s being released on my birthday. Got mine coming. Happy Birthday to me:)
wonderful!
“I’m also curious if anyone has ever felt a book rip out themselves.”
Yes. There’s nothing like it.
“What do you think of the jacket?”
I’m no judge of books by their covers. This one looks all right. Clever. Hints at character and content. I especially like that it has your name on it. Congratulations, Betsy.
i’m glad it’s in lower case. lol.
thank you as always.
I love it. Most everyone has said the perfect thing.
What the cover says to me. Chaos/Calm. The flap copy in of itself is wonderful. “Put simply, she has no brakes.” Whoa.
And then, Patti Smith’s “It moves like a souped-up pickup truck.”
And, I pre-ordered!
A book I describe as having written itself – THE FORGIVING KIND. It was the only time I took my synopsis and organized the chapters to be written based on the outline, and wrote furiously. I keep waiting for it to happen again.
I’m so happy to see your assessment of the jacket. It’s exactly what I’m hoping it says. And thank you for pre-ordering!! Folks on the blog are my first book buyers. Swoon.
We know what we love!
Absolutely love it, Betsy! I can’t wait to read it. And definitely hoping to see you on a stop somewhere on your book tour! ❤️
And preordering, of course!
Betsy,
I found you when I found The Bridge Ladies and have followed you since. I’m more of a wallflower than a joiner, but when I read the jacket description, I got chills and had to respond. As a mother of three daughters, one of whom has mental illness and behavioral problems, I immediately related, especially to the final line, “no will love you or hurt you more than a sister.”
I am in the process of writing a memoir as my daughter with mental illness is in prison for being a party to the crime in the death of her son, who was murdered by her boyfriend. The sister she was closest too is devastated in a way that defies words. Her menagerie of mental health diagnoses and penchant for the wrong crowd lead to the unimaginable. Our entire family is left to, once again, pick up the pieces.
The majority of my life I have touted unconditional love and forgiveness, now I have been called to practice what I preach…all the while dragging my family along kicking and screaming.
As usual, your words have given me courage to carry on with the writing. My first novel took me 9 years to research and write, this memoir started to pour out and then I stepped away, too afraid to carry on. I have determined to get back to it today, hopefully it will continue to pour.
As for Shred Sisters … pre-ordered! The cover is great, and I am quite eager to devour it.
Milissa
Woo hoo! So excited for this!
The cover looks as chaotic as the story sounds. All the best. It sounds untriguing.
And, forgive me for being self-centered, you helped me write a query for my novel Maimie, Mimi, Maimie (formerly Becoming Maimie). Since the story is about the sister-like relationship of my 2 main characters, I will use The Shred Sisters as a comp. I appreciate having such a good writing and publishing model in you.
Just put in a request for purchase at Wilmette Library. That’s a way to spread the news to a wider circle! Can’t wait to read it!
Thank you! That’s so nice!