A Proof of Love by Merida Johns (VNBtM, guest post, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

A Proof of Love

by 

Merida Johns

 

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GENRE:  Women’s Fiction

 

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BLURB:

 

A fictional story with a memoir overlay as narrator Katie Blake reflects on life in small town America and the principles, influences, and big personalities she wants you to never forget.

 

It’s Memorial Day weekend, 2009, and the town gossips have their shorts in a twist about a mysterious newcomer who wears tie-dye, colorful headbands, clunky necklaces, and rings on every finger. “Who installs a ceiling fan on a Victorian porch?” cries Ned Boomer, Woodburg’s grumpiest man, and the town gossips concur, “She must be a hippie, witch, or maybe worse . . . a socialist.”

 

Hell-bent on preventing a neighborhood blow-up, precocious, nine-year-old Katie Blake launches a covert investigation to gather the truth about the enigmatic Rose. But when she discovers a decades-old secret binding her, Rose, and bad-tempered Ned Boomer, her world takes a turn.

 

Penning a memoir sixteen years later, Katie is forced to reconsider whether the real proof of love was in preventing a neighborhood war or finding friendship and comfort among three unlikely grief-stricken souls who should never be forgotten.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

Gram taught me to be independent, manage my anxieties, and have confidence in myself, showing me

how to use my imagination to wiggle out of a jam or face the “grim crossroads” when confused or sad.

 

The first time I cried and lost it over a complicated computer problem, she said, “Be inventive, Katie! What can you do to calm down and think things through?”

 

We put our heads together to come up with ideas. Gram said she brewed herself a cup of tea when needing a break. Mom worked on crossword puzzles. Dad played solitaire. My one decadent delight was a FatBoy ice cream, and that’s how Gram and I hatched the plan of taking two ice cream sandwiches and hiding them under the frozen vegetables to create my private emergency stash.

 

“Close your eyes, breathe, take a bite, and replace the leftovers. No one will suspect anything. Our little secret. . .”

 

Amazon link

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Guest post:

Book Cover Design of A Proof of Love

We're all familiar with the idiom, "Don't judge a book by its cover."  While the metaphor is useful for withholding judgment about the value of something or someone based on outward appearance, it couldn’t be farther from the truth when it comes to books. A recent research study showed “that book covers are more than decorative; they play a key role in shaping book perception and consumption.”I

Given that I wholeheartedly agree with the above researcher that a book cover’s sole purpose is to be judged, let me share the process I used to create A Proof of Love. 

My priorities when it came to the cover design

I wanted the cover to fill three roles. First, the cover should reflect the inciting incident that disrupts the protagonist's life and sets the plot in motion, or it should represent the point of truth in the story, called the climax. Second, I wanted a visual narrative that would attract readers' attention and interest, and third, a reference point—a cover—that would propel them into the simulation as they read.

The choice—the inciting incident or the climax?

Well, I had a little help from 64 of my Substack and other social media followers.

I developed seven cover prototypes using a popular software program. Secretly, I had a preference, but I wanted to know what my anticipated reader audience preferred. I needed to learn which design was most attractive to readers who enjoyed my novels' content. To accomplish this, I asked my social media followers for volunteers to evaluate the seven prototypes.

Sixty-four followers participated and assessed designs based on both the inciting incident and the climax. Using a variety of statistical techniques to analyze the responses, the current cover representing the inciting incident received the most positive comments.

How does the porch represent the inciting incident and other cover priorities?

From the book's blurb, prospective readers can surmise that the inciting incident that raises the neighborhood’s blood pressure into the danger zone is the placement of a fan on the ceiling of a Victorian front porch by the newcomer to town, whose manner and dress don't jive with the stereotypical village citizen. The white ceiling fan that sparks the hubbub is prominently featured on the book cover.

The porch scene gives a visual narrative of hospitality, friendship, refuge, and trust. A place for conversation and sharing. As a reference point for readers, cover elements—from the Boston terrier, lemonade, cookies, comfy white wicker furniture, to hanging flower baskets—each have a home within the novel's pages that readers will recognize (and revisit) as they move through the story simulation.  

Final Cover Design

While I developed the seven prototype covers using a popular software platform (Canva), I’m no designer. With the input from my 64 reviewers, the chosen cover was handed off to my professional cover designer, Ruth Miller. Ruth designed the award-winning cover for my novel Flower Girl and has a spectacular eye for detail, color palette, composition, typography, and layout. She adjusted elements of the prototype to conform to graphic design principles. I couldn't be more thrilled with the result for my fourth novel, inviting readers to come sit on the porch and enjoy a good read about Katie, Rose, and Ned, and the summer when their lives are reshaped by a secret that binds them. 

Final Thoughts

I’d be pleased if you’d drop me an email to let me know your reaction to the cover and the emotions it raises for you.

  

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

At heart, I am a storyteller who writes women’s fiction and stories of courage and discovery, showcasing the protagonist’s journey toward a more fulfilled self.

           

My passion is writing women’s fiction and exploring the human experience—how ordinary people tackle challenges, endure sorrow and betrayal, wrestle with doubt, and act on their aspirations to achieve flourishing lives.

My insight into the power of fiction came during a conference call in late 2017 with a group of fellow life coaches. “What would it be like to help women and men achieve a flourishing life through storytelling?” I asked them.

 

After that phone call, I got started answering that question. The result was my debut novel titled Blackhorse Road, a compelling story of womanhood and the power of choice, gratitude, and forgiveness, published July 21, 2020, by Coffee Cup Press, followed by Flower Girl (2022), Flawless Witness (2023), and now A Proof of Love (2026)

 

Before embracing writing fiction, I was the author of health informatics and leadership textbooks. Later, I put my leadership experience to use as a leadership coach, focusing on supporting others to fulfill their leadership and economic potential. My range of nonfiction is available on my Amazon Author Page.

 

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Website

 

 

Flawless Witness by Merida Johns (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Flawless Witness

Flower Girl Novella sequel

by 

Merida Johns

 

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GENRE:   women's fiction, women's domestic suspense fiction, women's psychological fiction, domestic abuse

 

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BLURB:

 

Suzanna Jordan suppressed the memories of Jonathan’s abuse for thirty-six years, but when a tell-all journal surfaces after his death, a legacy of cruelty haunts her from beyond the grave. But will Jonathan’s darkness, bared for all to see, drag Suzanna into despair, or will these revelations free her soul to bear witness to his abuse and finally offer her the closure she so desperately seeks?

 

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EXCERPT 

“Are you Suzanna Jordan, my father’s previous wife?” he asks.

 

The slight nasal tone and clipped cadence of his voice are too familiar. It is one thing to know Jonathan is dead—another to have his rebirth materialize before my eyes. Sweat bubbles in the creases of my palms and under my arms. The priest casts his eyes downward and says nothing. The air turns into a block of ice, and the birdsong stops as if the feathered creatures in the trees sensetrouble brewing.

 

“Yes, I was Jonathan Spencer’s first wife. The death notice didn’t mention a son named Jonathan. Who are you?”

 

The priest offers me the envelope. “I want to give you this. You deserve to see what’s in here.”

 

I reach for the ordinary office packet. The words “Trojan Horse” burst into my head as I read the white address label on the package, typed with my name.

 

Amazon buy link

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Merida Johns writes about the human experience—which often is messy. She shows how ordinary people tackle challenges, live through sorrow and betrayal, and struggle with doubt. But despite this, they gather the strength to act on their aspirations and achieve flourishing lives.

“My insight into the power of fiction came during a conference call in late 2017 with fellow life coaches when I asked, ‘What would it be like to help people achieve a flourishing life through storytelling instead of another self-help book?’

After that phone call, I got started answering that question. Five years later, the result is the publication of my debut novel Blackhorse Road and a second novel, Flower Girl. Both works are women’s fiction, and the driving force of the stories is the protagonist’s journey toward a flourishing life.

Now, I’m thrilled about the recent release of Flawless Witness—a story of a woman who has suppressed the memories of her ex-husband’s abuse for three decades. But when a tell-all journal surfaces after his death, a legacy of cruelty haunts her from beyond the grave.

Before writing fiction, I was a professor, author of health informatics and leadership textbooks, and leadership coach focusing on helping women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. 

My husband and I reside in the beautiful Midwest countryside. This is where I find the serenity and space for bringing to life the stories of everyday people who face and overcome extraordinary challenges by finding and following their North Star.

Website

Twitter:  @MLJohnsAuthor

Facebook

Instagram

Goodreads  

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GIVEAWAY

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My review:

 

3.5 of 5 stars

 

“Flawless Witness: Flower Girl Sequel” by Merida Johns is a sequel to the domestic thriller novel, “Flower Girl”. It gives insight to the chain of events that shaped Suzanna Jordan’s life and forces her to face unpalatable truths and explore the strength that has made her into the woman she is now, only if she has the courage to examine the evidence that has come to light.

 

This psychological fiction novella is both chilling and inspiring. I was a bit challenged by its evocation of distasteful past history, even though I have thankfully never experienced the horrors that the heroine has, and at first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue reading. Those who have triggers about domestic abuse should use caution about reading this story, although glimpses of Suzanna’s present circumstances underscore that she has travelled through her dark times and found happiness. Some things were a little clunky for me, but that may be partially because I’ve never been a fan of reading constant flashbacks, and partly because I haven’t read the companion novel that this story is designed to clarify.

 

I think that this tale would probably serve as a great teaching tool for those who are connected to someone who has experienced domestic abuse. I feel it might be a challenge for those who have already dealt with that heartbreak and betrayal of trust unless it helps provide a catharsis and not a reminder of all they’ve endured. The author does a good job of evoking the horrors sometimes experienced by victims and reminds us that there is not necessarily public justice for some actions but private victories that are the best reward for surviving and overcoming negative experiences.

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review