BOOK COVERS ENTICE US

We’ve all heard the old adage about judging a book by its cover. Do you? There are authors whose books I read regardless of the cover because I know they deliver the kind of book I love reading. But I admit the cover makes a lot of difference when I select a book by an author whose work I haven’t previously read.

That’s why my husband and I recently changed the cover for HAPPY IS THE BRIDE. This book is only 99 cents, and has sold well. We’ve never been happy with the cover, though. Recently, when looking for cover art for another book, I came across the perfect image for HAPPY IS THE BRIDE. You probably heard me yelling “Hooray” from wherever you live. ☺

The story is one I wrote when under contract to Kensington. I had written a novella for this anthology, but the editor didn’t like it because it had murder and kidnapping in it. When I asked what she wanted instead, she said a historic wedding version of “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Now she told me. Why not when we contracted for the novella?

For me, seeing a bride’s veil catch on fire or her falling into her wedding cake is so not funny. But, money is money, right? So I wrote the book, but told the story my way.

Beth Pendleton and Mason Whittaker, in my opinion, make a wonderful couple. He has been in love with Beth all his life. She thinks of him as her best friend, like a brother. Brother? Ugh. That’s not what he wants from her, but he’s willing to settle for her friendship. But is it only friendship?

This was a fun story to write. I asked friends for their wedding horror stories. Oh, my stars, some of the things people endured to please family and friends with a huge wedding. Many anecdotes, even though true, were unbelievable. You know what Tom Clancy said: “The difference between fiction and life is that fiction has to make sense.”

By this time, I time ran short until the deadline and I grew desperate. Never in my life had I been late for a deadline for newspaper stories or books. Friends at my Yellow Rose Romance Writers of America Chapter (especially Geri Foster and Brenda Chitwood) helped me plot this book at our first annual retreat. That year we’d rented a house in Glen Rose, Texas and had a terrific weekend. I took the weirdest believable stories and added some fictional events, and wrote HAPPY IS THE BRIDE.

New Cover

Here’s a blub about HAPPY IS THE BRIDE::

Beth Pendleton is tired of the gossip her three failed engagements—each arranged by her pompous father—have created. She knows she’s not a jinx, an Ice Queen, a snob, or any of the other hurtful labels slapped on her. She takes food to the ill, serves the community in numerous ways, and is active in church. For her twenty-eight years she has tried to please her demanding parents. Neither her mother nor her father has ever had an encouraging word to say to her. Spiteful comments from her only cousin incite Beth to take charge of her fate. She proposes to Mason Whittaker, her lifelong friend and champion.

Mason Whittaker is a hero after any woman’s heart. Carrying on his father’s ranching tradition, he has strong family ties. Unlike Beth’s critical parents, Mason’s mother and father are loving and kind and he has a close knit extended family. As long as Mason can remember, he’s been in love with Beth. The only time he loses his temper is when he hears someone speak ill of her. But he’s learned to count to ten—or twenty—to curb his anger. He never believed he’d be able to marry her. Her proposal astonished and pleased him. But wait...did she mention love?

Will Mason marry Beth and put an end to the gossip? And what about that silly bet Beth made with Cousin Rachel that Beth would be wed by the end of June? What will Mason think if he learns of her impetuous gamble? But Beth’s bet is not the only hazard to their wedding. Murphy’s Law is working overtime as Beth and Mason battle outside forces to create their happily ever after.

Old Cover

I hope that if you haven’t read this story, you’ll give it a try. It is a comedy, but also is a sweet, heartwarming story. This time, we also released it in print at Amazon.

The buy link at Smashwords is: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/108467?ref=CarolineClemmons

At Amazon it’s 99 cents for the e-book and $5.99 for print:

http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Bride-Caroline-Clemmons/dp/1482537729/ref=la_B001K8CXZ6_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362145908&sr=1-14

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/happy-is-the-bride-caroline-clemmons/1108647909?ean=2940033008780

If you judge a book by its cover, I’m sad to say Kobo still shows the old cover, but the book is here:

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Happy-Is-The-Bride/book-uxPJ3cRvoUWXb7ksVi2gcQ/page1.html?s=WJF34ZY4kEmeQ1zMBj1MbA&r=5

Thanks for stopping by!