Talia's Most Recent Newsletters

 If you have missed, or want to catch up on prior updates, here are the links to my most recent newsletters. (To view previous one, please scroll down the blog):

October 2024: https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2v21sw--1877pc-hh6iff7

September: https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2upd06--17v22w-j3mj1xs2

August: https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2udgml--17lixf-gd55yr6

July:  https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2udgml--17lixf-gd55yr6

June: https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2tlegk--172n2p-gd55yr1

April: https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2t37z0--16ks1y-gd55yr7

March: https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2su6rc--16dmjt-gd55yr3

Feb: https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/6dns-2sgr2g--160o2w-gd55yr6

For prior listing, please check: https://taltellstales.blogspot.com/2023/12/

Thanks for your interest!

Summer is here--and you get a sneak preview!

I was planning to mail this newsletter last month with a big hello to summer! However, I had to wait for the green light from HarperCollins to give you, my subscribers, a sneak peek of the cover, so weeks passed by....

In the meantime, judging from my friends’ personal reports and social media postings, it seems that most of you alternate between international travel, lazy beach days, and summer feasts of food and music. We all deserve this break.

It’s also time to get on with our “to-read” list. I’ve been enjoying some great books, fiction and non-fiction. Please check my over-230 reviews on GoodReads.com under my name.

         

A sneak peek before the industry's big reveal:

       

The cover of  THE BOY WITH THESTAR TATTOO!

 There is a special moment in my the long cycle of conceiving an idea, researching, and letting it mature on the page into a full-length novel—and then revising and editing it dozens of times. That moment is when it all comes together in the vision of the artist who creates the cover. For years I submerge myself in the story, visualizing every character, hearing the dialogue as it is spoken, and watching complete scenes as if they take place on stage. Nevertheless, whatever visual I create in my head of the cover art, it is never as vivid as when a talented artist who comes into the process with fresh eyes crystalizes it.

The first thing you notice about any book’s cover is that its design reflects the genre: In a glance you discern a romance novel from a murder suspense. There are also trends in book publishing. My bestselling novel JERUSALEM MAIDEN (Harper 2011) featured a split cover art with four separate elements.

I prefer the more recent trend with a picture that tells a whole story, hinting about past, present and future. In this new cover of THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO, you identify a mother and you sense that she is poor and from times bygone. What about her state of mind? Even without seeing her face, you can read her emotions…. You also see the baby’s foot with the telltale Star-of-David. You see the vast ocean with its association to immigration. And of course, there’s the Saar boat in the horizon….

           

HarperCollins description of the novel:

"In the vein of Pam Jenoff and Kristen Harmel comes an epic historical novel of ingenuity and daring, of love and loss weaving two yet-untold events set in France. One takes place in 1946 in the aftermath of the Holocaust, when agents from Eretz Israel roamed the European countryside to rescue hidden Jewish orphans (Youth Aliyah). The second is set in 1969, about the daring escape of the boats of Cherbourg, in Normandy, which were commissioned and paid for by Israel but whose delivery was blocked by a French arms embargo.

"Sharon, the assistant to an Israeli naval officer stationed in Cherbourg, is set to unravel the mystery of his journey from a French village to Israel. As she traces it to the tragedy of a mother who lost her baby in the mayhem of war, she is unprepared for the moral dilemma she must face upon solving the puzzle."

A beta reader has added: "The human drama of THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO offers a back-to-basics narrative about the crucial role played by the rescuers of traumatic Jewish WWII orphans who’d lost everything. The novel is also a poignant reminder of the courageous spirit of those who committed themselves to Israel’s survival and the bravery and resourcefulness with which they faced the existential challenges twenty years after her establishment."

         

Surrounding myself with love....

Before I get back to my upcoming book, I'd like to share with you some personal stuff: In April, I hosted a party in Tel-Aviv for my closest friends and family for Tyler’s bar-mitzvah.

In May, I celebrated a milestone birthday, and was greatly moved at the elegant, yet intimate dinner with my wonderful Florida friend

I am so lucky to have roots on both sides of the ocean!

         

The buzz is getting louder--and I'm planning my book-tour appearances:

          There is no greater pleasure for this author than to share her work and passion with appreciative readers—you!

          Here are the plans, so far, for the launch of THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO in February 2024:

• Join me at an open-to-all Zoom party (A few dates and links will be posted on my website under Book Tour).
• I will be based in Boca Raton, Florida, through April 2024. I will travel from there locally and also fly to some major literary events.
• I will be based in Long Island, NY, as of May 2024, from where I can cover the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT) and beyond.
• I always enjoy the ferry ride across the Sound with my husband Ron to visit groups in New England.
• We also plan a road trip to Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Southern Pennsylvania.
• Member organizations of The JewishBook Council can count me in! Next year, I will be listed as one of their touring authors.
• As a seasoned Zoombie, I will be delighted to Zoom to communities’ and groups across the country.

I can’t wait to visit your community in person or virtually. Please contact my event coordinator, Jim Walters at MecoxHudson@gmail.com or (617)329-5651.

         

You may pre-order THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO!

Pre-ordering helps shoot a book up the bestselling list, so I would be enormously grateful if you join my team by preordering it either on Amazon or B&N:

And please do not forget your favorite independent bookstore! Not only you'll support it, but you will introduce my new novel to the owner and staff.

         

Salute with me July milestones in women's history:

 (Note: My newsletter was mailed in July)

July 19, 1848 – Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott spearheaded the first women’s rights convention in American History.

July 2, 1937 – Amelia Earhart’s plane is lost in the Pacific Ocean near Howland Island.

July 20, 1942 – Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps' first class (WAAC) begins at Fort Des Moines, IA.

July 6, 1957 – Althea Gibson is the first African American woman to win a Wimbledon title in women’s tennis singles.

July 2, 1964 – President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act; Title VII prohibits sex discrimination in employment.

July 2, 1979 – The Susan B. Anthony dollar is released.

July 7, 1981 – President Reagan nominates Sandra Day O’Connor as the first woman Supreme Court Justice.

July 12, 1984 – Geraldine Ferraro (D-New York) the first female to run for VP of the US with Walter Mondale (D-Minnesota).

 

Summer reading: My emotional-suspense novels:

How often do I hear "I read your book (which one?) and it was wonderful!"

I then remind the appreciative reader that I have had FIVE different heart-wrenching suspense novels, and "if you liked one, you are in for a treat." In fact, I know from thousands of readers' feedback that each gives a great thought-provoking reading experience!

 Please read the first couple of chapters of each on my website.                            

JERUSALEM MAIDEN --Spanning from Jerusalem under the Ottoman rule to Paris during the avant-garde era, a feisty young woman struggles between her passion for art and her faith.

CHINA DOLL--An American music icon on a concert tour in China tries to save a baby from death--only to face the wrath of the world's two superpowers.

HOTEL MOSCOW-- While empowering women in lawless post-communist Moscow, an American businesswoman must face both the mafia and her own past mistakes.

THE THIRD DAUGHTER--Lured from Europe to Buenos Aires in the 1890s, a valiant Jewish girl struggles to free herself from bondage and bring down the powerful traffickers' ring.

PUPPET CHILD--When the US system fails her daughter, a brave mother takes matters into her own hands in a race against time and political corruption.

  

 Thank you readers, book clubs, reviewers, and event organizers who continue to select my books, tell others, praise them, post reviews--and invite me to present!

        

Have a great rest of the summer!

I am looking forward to continuing to connect with you through the spoken and written word.

          Talia

          www.TaliaCarner.com

          AuthorTalia@aol.com

 

       
P.S. Galleys!!! Soon, HarperCollins will send out galleys of THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO to book reviewers, media hosts, and bloggers. If you are one and would like to receive a copy, please write to me with details of your venue—publication, podcast, TV program, literary event—and its audience size so I can pass it along to their publicist.

Book tour: What's next?

A frequent question I and other authors are asked is, “What are you working on now?”

I’ve been pondering why do I get this question more often than one asking me to give an overview of my previous novels? Why are readers more interested in yet-unwritten books when there are so many out there crying to be read?

The answer may lie with interest in the creative process. How does an author sit down and pours out a 400-page novel, or 110,000 words that are meaningful, entertaining, and leave a mark—even if that mark is as transient as an ebb created by a stone thrown into a pond.

That is why, at my event at the East Meadow Jewish Center (Long Island, NY,) rather than focus on the [fascinating] historical, political and cultural aspects of Russia and its people during a painful transition time--the focus of HOTEL MOSCOW--I spoke about, “Take A Skeleton Out Of The Closet—And Dance With It.”

That speech, covering the breadth of my four published novels, allowed me to share with the audience the way a social issue grabs me and doesn’t let go. The subject may ferment in the hinterland of my consciousness for years, with bits and pieces of exposure or insights feeding it. Finally, the subject ignites a fire in my belly and demands that I explore it in depth. I am almost feverish, distracted from my immediate world, as I crawl under the skin of the protagonist as she learns the tragic realities. Like in a dream, I see the sights, hear the sounds, smell the aromas, and feel the emotions. Inevitably, what interests me is the story of the human spirit as it rises over the forces that shape our lives. That is also when you, the reader, encounter a memorable protagonist that stays with you and gives you what I call “a good reading experience.”

In the process of writing, suspense is the key. I take a page from author Stephen King who fine-tuned this art form into every sentence and every paragraph. But there is also the larger suspenseful arc of the entire story. I call it “get the cat on the electric pole, then get the cat off the electric pole.”

Until I am ready to speak about my novel-in-progress (yes, there is one,) please turn to any of my

previous novels, PUPPET CHILD, CHINADOLL, JERUSALEM MAIDEN, and most recently, HOTEL MOSCOW. I can promise you a great reading experience—each novel a journey that stays with you long after “The End.”

The book tour for HOTEL MOSCOW continues!

My appearances for HOTEL MOSCOW have been so successful, with captivated audiences raving about the thought-provoking talks, that invitations are spilling into a second year. In the second half of 2016 and early 2017 I’ll be covering mostly Florida and the Northeast, including Newport, RI this summer. Since the list gets updated every month, please check it periodically.

And if your community has a fund-raiser or a meeting that can benefit from a keynote speaker  that engages and inspires, please contact me or my events coordinator.

Q: How does an author know that she’s “made it?”

 

A: When she is asked to endorse a novel in the form of a blurb to appear on its cover.

Just as I have received endorsements over the years from top bestselling novelists, it is my duty and

pleasure to give forward by helping other authors on their way up. I will be forever grateful to Tess Gerritsen, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Nelson DeMille, Tami Hoag, Andrew Gross and more than a dozen other successful authors who put aside their precious writing time to read my manuscripts. By lending their names to my novels they have sent messages to readers that the new book was “a must-read.”

To such requests recently got my attention—and my full endorsements. One is a translated novel by an Israeli author, Sarit Yishai-Levi, “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem,” which I found fascinating. It was released last month with my blurb on the back. (The other will be released in September, so I’m withholding my announcement until it is available.)

“Discovering” a new world through HOTEL MOSCOW:

“I loved the book. I learned so much, and I tell everyone about it.”

Often, a reader who “discovers” a good book can’t wait to share that experience with friends. Word-of-mouth indeed is the best way for a book to get traction. That is why, in today’s fragmented marketplace, bloggers with only a few hundred followers each create a tapestry of devoted readers that collectively often surpass the effect of a review in a major newspaper reaching hundreds of thousands. It is the personal testimonial of a reader that carries trust with other readers.

Therefore, may I ask that you share your reading experience of HOTEL MOSCOW with the world by posting a review on Amazon or GoodReads? (Even a line or two would suffice--unless, of course, you want to articulate more.)

Book groups’ reactions to HOTEL MOSCOW:

* “It was fascinating to grasp the nightmare of waking up one day to a world where all laws have

been obliterated.”

* “We’ve had the best meeting! The terrifying portrait of a nation in transition from Communism came to life.”

* “HOTEL MOSCOW taught us all lessons about humanity, about what we, as people, are capable of.”

Has your group select HOTEL MOSCOW for discussion? Please contact me, and I will join your meeting via phone or Skype.

My Personal Corner:

 

Happy post-Mother’s Day to the mothers and grandmothers among you. My birthday happens to coincide with Mother’s Day, giving me a double blessing (but some years half the celebration.) Here I am, with the mothers and grandmothers of my immediate family with our children and grandchildren--after we excluded the men from the photo.

Thank you all for your great support!

Talia Carner
www.TaliaCarner.com

P.S. If you haven't read HOTEL MOSCOW yet, here are links for both the trade paperback--about $12--or the digital format for under $10.

Or, you may read for free the first chapter of HOTEL MOSCOW on my website or download a free sample digitally. 

The Myth of Self-Publishing

More often now, I am approached by people who have just written a novel and immediately self-published it. Starting with their poorly presented request, continuing through their poorly presented material on their website or Amazon--and immediately upon reading the first page or two (sometimes the first paragraph,) the work reeks of amateur writing. I am all for trying to write, but it takes a lot more to reach the publishable stage.

 

While some books get the full professional treatment by the authors who have honed their craft and eventually hire editors to make their manuscripts as perfect as can be, I've heard would-be authors that "never want to bother" with the many rounds of revising and editing--"too much work and it's boring"--not to mention the cost of a professional editor who can shepherd a writer. (Beware of phonies, though, as the field is peppered with them.)

 

This lazy attitude is reflected in the first few page(s) of many self-published books I've been asked to read and to give my endorsement or write reviews--after publication. Unfortunately, the stigma is justified. It is simply too hard to find the gems among these many half-assed efforts in the self-publishing arena. The rare success stories give false hope to many would-be writers the same way that inner-city African-American boys dream of becoming the next Michael Jordan....  These boys stand no more chance to emulate his successful career as any writer can "pull $50,000 a month" as described in some articles or promised by self-publishing outfits. Those print-on-demand outfits make their $$s not from selling books they print, but from the hefty fees paid by authors for "marketing"--another scam since they do little more than make the books available on Amazon.

 

No star dust of success will be sprinkled from above unless you are willing to do the work.

 

Rare is the concert pianist who sits at the piano at age four, and then proceeds to compose and give performances at Carnegie Hall with little training. Most professional musicians spend a lifetime of daily practicing. Writing--especially fiction--requires mastering the craft, revising and editing numerous times--often for years. (I go over each of my manuscripts 80 times and have half-a-dozen astute readers with red pens give me their feedbacks.) It's not for nothing that many authors report 4-10 years of working on a single novel.

 

The exception to this doom-to-fail efforts are those who write personal biographies for their own family recorded history and do not expect to sell (or give away) more than 60 copies. The other exception are consultants who wish to put their wisdom into books they can use as promotions to obtain assignments, establish credibility to get on radio and TV shows, or give or sell copies at their workshops. But their books better be good! It is simply embarrassing to give out a book filled with errors.

 

I am all for the write-your-novel-in-one-month projects as they jump start many would-be authors. But that first month is only the first baby step. If you are writing your first novel, just make sure you love the long and lonely process, so that the journey will be the most exciting you've ever taken.

The Novelist's Hopes

Today I received a request from Chicken Soup for Writers to submit an inspirational, motivational story. Examining some of my old essays about my hopes and aspirations earlier on in my writing career, I came across the piece below. I wrote it in 1999 upon completing PUPPET CHILD and typing the magic words, "THE END."  To my consternation, I realized that my life as an author was just beginning:

THE NOVELIST'S HOPES
Copyright 1999 © Talia Carner

You've cut your wrists and bled all over the keyboard--for five years.
You’ve revised/overhauled the story thirty times. Edited eighty times.
You've sent hundreds of queries to agents.
Clumps of hair are missing from your scalp as rejections pour in. 
The noose of a rope is dangling from the ceiling just in case.
An agent working out of his jail cell (see ACLU v. Justice Department) agrees to represent you.
Your agent locates a Christian publisher in Pittsburgh, specializing in His Word, who says he'll read your manuscript.
The Christian publisher will reconsider your book if you make the protagonist go to church on Sunday and restore her virginity.
You do all that and then some.
You spend $42 at Kinko for each copy and $26 for mailing, round trip (they insist you include a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope.)
Two years go by. Your agent retired on royalties she’d made from other authors.
After sending fifty queries, you manage to get a new agent. You opt for a young, hungry one.
Twenty publishers later ($68 x 20=$1,360 in printing and mailing), your book is sold.
You frame the $1,000 check. (You can afford not to cash it; soon, you'll be a millionaire many times over.)
You accost that famous author at her locker room in the health club (you threaten to yank that towel away) and get a blurb for the back cover of your book.
You throw a party, and buy a gold pair of shoes to go with the champagne.
You purchase 300 copies (the publisher gives you a discount) to mail to reviewers and policy-makers.
You open a web site for all your future fans.

Your local book store buys two copies. Ditto the book store in your mother's town.
Your book is on the shelf! Hurray!
Then you discover it has the expiration date of YOGURT!

Whatever made me think books were forever?

P.S. The heart-wrenching suspense PUPPET CHILD was published in 2002. In the ten years that have passed, I learned that a well-written book that tells a story never told before can make it a decade past the three-week bookstore shelf-life. In fact, PUPPET CHILD was selected in "The Top Ten Best First Novels 2002" (BookBrowse.com) and then launched a law that became the platform for two State Senatorial candidates. While I’ve published two novels since, PUPPET CHILD is still selling every week—mostly in digital format—and readers have a great reading experience!

# # #
Author Talia Carner’s latest novel, JERUSALEM MAIDEN—inspired by her grandmother’s untapped artistic genius—is the story of a young woman’s struggle between passion and faith. www.TaliaCarner.com .

Secrets Revealed by a Writers’ Conference Junkie.

November is “National Novel Writing Month” (NaNoWriMo or NaNoMo). Many would-be writers make their first attempt. Congratulations. Yet, what’s the next step?

Recently, at a social event, a woman told me that she had “finished writing a novel” and was looking for an agent. When I probed about her book, I discovered that her “novel” was merely 30,000 words long (most novels run around 90,000-115,00 words.) I suggested that she study the business of writing and publishing—she could even start by reading articles on the Internet. “I don’t have time for that,” she replied.

Last week, after one of my speaking events, a woman cornered me in the ladies room and asked me to give her “a name of a publisher that will publish my memoir.” I suggested that she check organizations or university departments that focus on the main topic of her memoir. She stormed away as if I was holding back information. In reality, I could no more name such a specific acquisition editor, which is what she really meant, than I could give her the lottery's winning number.

There are no shortcuts in writing and publishing a book as there is no shortcut in any road to success. It is a long, arduous and lonely journey with a great reward that is more about expressing one's art than the star-dust of notoriety.

This post is for writers who are serious about learning to play the piano before asking to book a concert hall:

Earlier in my writing career I was a "writers’ conference junkie," attending as many workshops and programs as I could cram. It was my self-designed MFA in which I mastered writing skills, studied the tools of the craft, learned how to structure, revise and edit, and absorbed inside information about the publishing industry. I also met other writers and formed lasting connections with writing buddies who forever help with their constructive comments and support. I met agents who encouraged me and ultimately offered me representation.

There are over 600 writers' conferences each year across the country. Many—not all—are affiliated with English departments of universities, yet do not require that you be a student there. In fact, they draw a mature crowd that is quite different from their student body. If you've never attended a writers' conference, it's always easiest to start with one near you to get a feel, although they vary by programs and offerings as the people that organize and populate them, so you should plan to attend at least two or three... (See http://writing.shawguides.com/ for a complete listing.)

To focus on the craft of writing and to venture into new fields of writing, my favorite is IWWG's summer “Remember The Magic” (for women only) that offers the most classes and workshops simultaneously than any writing conference I've been to. The warm and supportive environment nurtures writing free of judgment.

The most prestigious conferences ones are Sewanee Writers Conference, (TN) and Breadloaf Writers Conference (Middlebury, VT) where you must submit your work to be accepted, and the competition is fierce. They focus on the writing craft, not marketing, but Breadloaf also offers democratic access to visiting agents who scout the conference for yet-undiscovered talent. Iowa Writing Workshop also offers numerous week-long writing programs that can be stitched together into a summer-long studying. Their instructors, though, may vary in strength and teaching abilities.

APW conference (this February in Chicago) is intense and is tightly related to MFA programs in contents and in atmosphere. If you are not affiliated with an MFA program, you may find yourself floating unanchored in a horde of thousands of strangers…. But there is a huge amount of lectures and panel discussions, though not hands-on instruction.

But if you are past the stage of learning and it is time for you to focus on meeting agents, Writer's Digest Conference in New York City this coming January does that. Also IWWG has "Meet the Agent" program in NYC in April and October, (open to men, too!) It is an excellent opportunity to pitch directly to agents who are looking for new authors. In addition, many conferences across the country are attended by agents who travel far to present there; some make particular conferences their "home" as they return every year. It is especially true for genre-specific conferences that focus on sci-fi, romance, fantasy, etc.

If your manuscript is ready and you want to pitch directly to publishers, the NYC Pitch Conference is the place for you. You need to apply and show that your manuscript is in a good shape to pitch to the visiting editors from main publishing houses. While only 5% of all pitched books have ended up with a publishing contract, this event is an excellent place to evaluate where you stand in the publishing journey and what you must still do to get there. I found that honing my pitch through the methodical, thoughtful process was extremely valuable in eventually landing an agent and a publishing contract.

There are many other good writers' conferences and workshop. I admit to not having traveled to either the West Coast or overseas. As you start searching for the right event, here are some suggested steps:

1) Your budget: Registration, travel and housing—as well as number of days and time of year— are obvious considerations.

2) Check how long an event has been around. The poorly organized ones do not last, as attendees do not return. If it is a new conference, check who are the organizers and what is their track record. But don’t overlook those. A small, new conference with excellent instructors may offer the intimate, comfortable environment you need.

3) Start with a local writers’ conference, knowing that you will attend more.

4) Take your time to evaluate the stage of your manuscript or your idea (for non-fiction) and set your goal for the conference accordingly.

5) Google writers or industry professionals you particularly like and check which conferences they attend.

6) Be prepared to be friendly and make contact with fellow writers. They are an equally important benefit of your conference experience.

If you have attended good writing workshops and events, I invite you to respond to this post with your own suggestions.

Talia Carner

Talia Carner’s latest novel, JERUSALEM MAIDEN, (HarperCollins, June 2011) details the struggles of a young woman between passion and faith. Please check www.TaliaCarner.com

Hardcover, softcover--or e-book?--A novelist perspective

“Print on paper is out, digitalized words are in,” — or so is the current opinion expressed in social circles, the internet and publishing industry.

Is that really so?

There is no question that the e-book revolution is upon us with various choices led by Kindle, and iPad and Nook, leaving other starters such Sony Reader in the dust. "By this time next year," wrote technology expert Mike Egan two years ago, "e-books will be mainstream."

I’ve recently replaced my cumbersome and ineffective Sony Reader with a basic Kindle (Sony Reader required tech support each time the battery ran out—and it did run out freqently. If I left it plugged into my computer to recharge, the computer eventually went into save mode, causing the Sony Reader’s battery to drain!) By the time I deserted Sony Reader, it had over 80 books, mostly the free classic books, which I tend to read in my never-ending self-schooling in English Lit. The platform did not lend itself to transferring the books to my Kindle.

Besides being an avid reader, I am also a published novelist, and have collected statistics about my books sales: My first novel PUPPET CHILD, (2002) sold only one hardcover copy for every 100 softcover copies. And now, nine years after it was published, its various digital platforms sell twenty copies to each softcover book.

When my second novel, CHINA DOLL, was published in 2006, I told my agent and publisher not to bother with hardcover; I wanted readers—and I wanted them buying their own copies at the lower rate rather than waiting until the less-costly softcover version became available. Now, the digital selling ration is similar as for my PUPPET CHILD—about twenty-five to one.

Both novels are available in all digital platforms most of us have never heard of, yet are being sold, thanks to an innovative service, SmashWords.com .

Now, that JERUSALEM MAIDEN is out, we discover that each week about one-third of the sales are in digital formats.

If paper books continue to hold their place in the market for the many of us who love the feel and versatility of it (it is much easier to flip through pages or glance through sections in the paper version,) I must say that I have been right on one count: The print must be large enough not to require a second pair of glasses…. The font needs not be the industry-standard "Large Print" for the senior citizen shelves at the public library, but simply large enough to be easy on the eyes. That’s what I had requested from HarperCollins when they’ve recently published my new novel JERUSALEM MAIDEN.

The verdict? Hardcovers look great on the shelf, but cost too much in resources (paper, shipping,) and are the ones most likely to be replaced by softcover and digital versions.

Talia Carner’s most recent novel, JERUSALEM MAIDEN, depicts a young woman’s struggle for freedom within the confines of her society’s religious dictate. www.TaliaCarner.com