Have you ever wondered why certain people come into your
life at particular times? I wonder that a lot. Sometimes I never find out why
and sometimes I find out years later. That’s what happened when I met Carrie
Butler. This bubbly, fun, smart young woman wrote a paranormal new adult book
that I had the chance to read and offer an early review for. As a mom with a 12
year old girl, who reads at a college level, finding books that are appropriate
can be difficult. As I got to know Carrie on a more personal level, I found her
to be someone I was happy to promote as an author, and friend. Over the past
couple of years I’ve seen Carrie graduate from college, start a business and
publish two more books in the Mark of Nexus series. The business she started is
called Forward Authority and it’s a design business with a strong emphasis on book
covers, book promotion and book swag.
Fast forward a few months from the debut of Carrie’s
business and the first book in my new series is being written. Deciding I would
make the cover myself, I found the stock photos and put the cover together to
the best of my design ability, which is pretty beginner level. I’m happy with the cover though, and find it
says exactly what I want it to say. It’s professional and beautiful, at least
the EBook version of it. Yet, every time
I looked at the paperback cover I’d think, “I wish I could make that resolution
higher.” Being the kind of woman who knows wishing doesn’t solve anything I
decided to ask for professional advice. I know a lot of designers, but my go to
person is always Carrie for her honesty (incidentally also the title of the third
book in her series) and knowledge, not to mention she’s fun and I love her.
So I picked up my phone and sent this simple message. “Is
there any way you can take Grant’s cover and increase the DPI?” That was it, a simple
question that really only required a simple answer. I didn’t get just a simple
answer. Oh, she answered the question with “nope, can’t do that”, but then she
asked some questions of her own and three hours later she asks, “Are you ready
to see this?” I was so ready! In a
breath this pops up on my computer screen.
It’s beyond romantic and just plain gorgeous, right? She
told me she ‘went a little off the map’, but the truth is, without knowing what
I would have done if I had the capabilities, she made my ideas reality. What
she said next told me someone has great plans for Carrie, and me. She said, “I just felt like God was saying,
"Hey, whatever you'd do to make YOUR book highly marketable, do it to
Katie's." Yeah, I still tear up
when I read that.
That takes me back to my first question. When you meet
people in life is it just coincidence and the whole six degrees of separation thing,
or is there something more? Saturday afternoon I knew it has nothing to do with
coincidence, and everything to do with the way HE works in our lives. My soon
to be released second book in the Northern Lights series, Autumn Reflections,
is based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Verse 4 says “Love is patient, love is kind,
it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” Carrie Butler is a living example of that
verse and I am blessed that He put her in my life. Carrie, keep following that special heart of
yours and you will have nothing but success and happiness in life.
Thanks for stopping by today, and please give Carrie a like
or a share for her awesome heart and amazing talent! Make sure you sign up for
your chance to win a signed paperback of Granted Redemption too, because who
doesn’t want a cover that awesome on their bookshelf?
Carrie’s books can be found on Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway
