First Word

Did you know a book cover (not content) can sometimes be the determinant of whether or not a book sells? I know authors may feel disappointment that a visual aid could make or break their books, but it's one of those realities. Here is what I know about great book covers: Sex always sells . It is just the way it is and no use in fighting mother nature. So a compelling and sizzling sexual cover can do wonders to pique curiosity and sales. Beauty sells though too . One of our authors was stuck on whether to go sexy or beautiful. She went beautiful on instinct and her book cover for Passenger from Greece was acknowledged with a finalist award. Headline treatments can stand on their own . A compelling title combined with an interesting use of typography and white space can provide the tools for some fantastic book covers. Mystery and intrigue provide the basis for great covers . Think about 50 Shades of Grey , a now iconic book cover. It had a lure of dark mystery ab...

Best USA Book Awards FINALIST: BEST COVER DESIGN FINALIST: BEST MULTICULTURAL FICTION Purchase an eBook or print copy at Amazon ( click here ) Another 3L Publishing (www.3LPublishing.com) book is an award-winner. Joining the ranks of our other award-winning books, Passenger from Greece is yet another example of why authors should work with 3L Publishing. We focus on quality not quantity. For more information, contact 916-300-8012, send email to info@3LPublishing.com or log onto the website at 3LPublishing.com.

Why did you write Passenger from Greece? In a Huffington Post article, I once read about the rising tide of drug cartels in developed countries that use certain Caribbean islands as conduits for the movement of illegal drugs into the United States. The article cited Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic as primary targets, with the Dominican Republic being responsible for 6% of illegal drugs coming to the U.S. My home is Jamaica, and I'm a former flight attendant, so I began to think about how I could bring this international and social dilemma into the spotlight, and also draw readers in with a captivating story. Your cover is gorgeous. What made you select that image to be illustrated? I'd been awe-struck by the beauty of the Greek countryside, and there are shocking facts about the tenacity of the Greek drug cartel, so I decided to use Greece as the developed country in my storyline. My main character, Olivia Reid, is portrayed as an...

Title: Passenger from Greece Category: Mainstream Fiction/Mystery/Romance/Multicultural Author: Norma Jennings Publisher: 3L Publishing, Sacramento, CA Phone: 916.300.8012 Email: info@3LPublishing.com ISBN-9780990574675 Pages: 300 pages Release Date: October 2015 Binding: Soft cover Bar Coded: Yes Retail Price: $19.95 Book design: Erin Pace-Molina This book is well-written and interesting. The story of young love and naive innocence is an accessible tale most of us can relate to. Haven't we all been embroiled in some intense love affairs that moved us in capricious ways? But that is not what this book's central theme is about. It's so much more than romance. The story revolves around nefarious and criminal behavior, and the people caught in the web of deceit. Why is this Editor's Pick ? The opening plane crash was the most well-written action sequence I've read on paper. I felt like I was right there in the blaze of the inci...

The rising tide of drug trafficking in the Caribbean became the inspiration for novel Passenger from Greece to tell an important, but also intriguing story of love, lust, and criminal behavior affecting entire countries and destroying lives. SACRAMENTO, Calif.—In the compelling new novel Passenger from Greece , a cross-genre work of fiction that combines mystery and romance, author Norma Jennings touches on important political and criminal issues. While the book’s intriguing story of exotic, international romance draws readers into an exciting game of love and lust, the story touches on a real-life drama playing itself out – drug trafficking in the Caribbean and serious economic issues in Greece that fuel this trade. “I read about the rising tide of illegal drug cartels moving their products from more developed countries to the United States, while using the Caribbean as a conduit,” said author Norma Jennings. “My home is Jamaica, and I’m a former fli...

Now on Sale Exclusively on the 3L Publishing Website . Chapter 1 O livia Reid clutched the counter of the galley with both hands as the aircraft lurched and shook. She had experienced turbulence during her two years as a flight attendant, but this felt ominous—as if the plane would fall apart at any moment. Was her overactive imagination at work again? She steadied herself, stepped out of the galley, and checked down the aisle for any trouble. Except for two passengers staring back at her, their faces flushed with dwindling fear, all seemed well. Returning to her chores, Olivia peeked through the porthole of the galley door on South Air’s Flight 223 as it headed to Bogota, Colombia, from JFK International. The warm sunlight on her face immediately calmed her. She hated clear air turbulence—all you got were sudden jolts with no warning from the cockpit. She grabbed two bags of regular and decaffeinated coffee from a drawer below the counter, filled both...

Passenger from Greece Norma Jennings Retail: $19.95 Pre-sale: ( Click Here ) A plane crashes ... An unexpected romance ignites and burns hot … But betrayal sears deeper in the heart. In this beautifully written and heartfelt story, the innocence of youth and first love fan the destruction of lives. Written in a classic tale of love, lust, and criminal behavior, Passenger from Greece takes readers on a sensuous, visually told epic tale of Olivia Reid. A feisty, resourceful, smart and beautiful international flight attendant, Olivia embarks on a seductive affair that spans the Caribbean, New York City, Crete and ocean voyages on the yacht The Adonis. Passenger from Greece explores the bonds and complexities of family, the relationships of children and their mothers and fathers, ill-fated romance, and criminal behavior threatening lives. It will have readers loving, hating and sympathizing with the main characters, while all at on...

So my financial advisor Cindy Fuzie skillfully taught me the art of how to say "boo" to provide the perfect reaction to either bad marketing and PR or networking behavior. The following are random acts of marketing or just "acts" that are "boo-worthy." And while reading this, you too can learn how to "artfully" say "boo" at the appropriate moment. I'm a guy at a women's networking group and I say, "I came to Nevada because I divorced my wife. The old battle axe." -- Boo! I decide that touching certain body parts at an inappropriate time is funny. -- Boo! I have a wretched case of halitosis and decide to breathe in deeply and exhale quite strongly at a person I am trying to do business with. -- Boo! I visit a table display and set my wine glass down right on top of the beautiful new book Daughter of the Caribbean -- and leave a nice purple ring on the book. -- Boo! (In this instance, "boo" applies to ...

I've decided PR requires all hands on deck to make it work. We are promoting Daughter of the Caribbean , and I already pounded the Oprah camp pretty hard. I did get a response back from the producer -- just not what I hoped to hear. The author Norma Jennings did not let rejection dissuade her. She went in the back door. Her daughter had a friend who is friends with a producer of Jamaican decent over at Oprah. So, what did she do. She approached the friend who gladly passed it on. Not only was the producer excited, but she requested a copy for Oprah! So far enthusiasm has been great -- and we are sending positive energy toward great results. So for author who rely only on us for all openings, it's not your only avenue. Persistence is key. And persistence from all possible connections works best. Because having opened the door from all different sides only reinforces the name of the book. And maybe with enough buzz generated, we will move forward! At least that is what we want to...