Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

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Special Delivery (and a giveaway!)

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[UPDATE: AND THE WINNER OF Right Where We Belong IS: Kim P! See my note at the end of the comments for instructions on how to get your book. Thanks, everyone, for the great comments!]

A few years ago I was invited to write a short-short romantic story for a little magazine called Splickety. (Only 1000 words! Flash fiction, it’s called.) I had such fun with that story—even though writing short was a lot harder than I thought it would be! The magazine came out and my little story “Special Delivery” fit on a two-page spread with room to spare.

Fast-forward a year, and another invitation came. Would I be interested in writing a novella for a collection of romantic stories set in small towns? The other authors were my friends Courtney Walsh and Melissa Tagg. I was delighted to be included and I knew just what I wanted to do for my story: tell the rest of Lily and Gage’s story I’d only begun with 1000 words in Splickety Magazine.

It was a great experience working on a collection with two other authors as talented (and fun!) as Courtney and Melissa. Lily and Gage’s story grew and grew until it was 30,000 words! It was such a joy to give my sweet couple their happily ever after. My story got a new title, A Langhorne Romance, to match the small-town names of the other stories, and that collection had a nice life as an e-book and is still available in print. (See how to enter the giveaway below or click on the book cover to order a print copy now!)

 

 

 

 

Now, my story from Right Where We Belong is getting a new life as a stand-alone novella with the original title, Special Delivery. If you’ve read Right Where We Belong, you’ve already read my story, but you haven’t gotten a peek at Fudge the cat! Isn’t he adorable? (Unless he makes you sneeze! Sorry about that!) My husband designed this cover and I think it’s just delightful!

[A side note to readers: When authors reissue their books with new covers and sometimes new titles, please know that we never intend to “trick” anyone into buying a book they’ve already read! There are many reasons covers and titles get changed. For covers, it’s usually because the author got rights back to their story, but not to the original cover. Sometimes it’s simply because the book has been popular for so long that the cover has become dated and needs a “refresh.” With titles, sometimes they get changed to fit in a certain collection, as mine did. Other times, the author has needed to change a title before reissuing a book because someone else used that title in the interim. (Titles can’t be copyrighted, so it’s perfectly legal for someone to “steal” a title, and it happens often!) With so many updated books and stories coming out now, I’m very careful to note in the book blurb and back cover whether and where the book has been previously published.]

For 99 cents, you can have Lily and Gage’s story sent to your Kindle “special delivery” (see what I did there?) by clicking on the book cover above.

I’d also like to give away a print copy of Right Where We Belong—with three great small-town romances—to one of our blog readers. To enter, simply comment on this post. Stay tuned, and I’ll announce a winner here tomorrow!

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Deborah Raney

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Forty books later, she's still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her novels have won RWA's RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is on faculty for several national writers’ conferences and served on the executive board of the 2,500-member American Christian Fiction Writers organization for 18 years before retiring in 2022. She is a recent transplant to Missouri, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, e-biking, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard.
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Comments

  7. This is awesome to read about your background. My Beloved enjoys writing flash fiction. Thanks for the opportunity!

  14. Interesting! I’ve often wondered about why authors change titles or have different covers for the same book. Thanks for the chance!

  16. Thank you for letting people know if your book has been published before. I have been “tricked” into rebuying books I already own because of a name change. Now I’m very careful & will check copyright dates. I’ve even asked an author if this is the same story I’ve already read just repackaged.

  17. Over 65 years of marriage for all our own parents and Larry and I met and married in a small town, Ellsworth, 48 years but ago.

  18. Thanks for clarifying reasons why a title or cover might be changed with re-issues. That makes a lot of sense.

  19. I always enjoy reading about how your books come about. And I’ve learned so much about the publishing world from you! Thanks!

  20. I’ve often wondered why authors retitled their books so thanks for explaining that. Do you include somewhere in the new book what the previous book was called so readers know that it’s been redone?

    • Yes, Arletta. For example, this is part of the “blurb” on Special Delivery’s amazon.com page: Special Delivery was first published in the novella collection Right Where We Belong as “A Langhorne Romance”…

      If there is a print edition of the book, that information will also go on the back cover and in the inside front matter as well. Most publishers do this, although maybe not in all those places, but usually if there’s a question about it, you can find the previous publication info somewhere on the book or on the sales site blurb. An exception might be if the book has been extensively rewritten so that it’s almost like a new book (for example, my story going from 1000 words to 30,000 words made it an entirely new story). Or, if it’s been many years since the book was first published and the publisher feels there will be a whole new audience for the book after so much time. I hope that clarifies.

  22. Thanks for explaining about the book covers and titles. I got really excited one time because I thought my favorite author had a new book. Then, I started reading it on my kindle only to realize that I had the book on my shelf with a different title.

  23. Love the fun cover! I love that you can see the girl is on tiptoes, and I love the look on Fudge’s face! Your husband did an awesome job! Fudge is quite a unique name for a cat. I wondered how you chose that name? Thanks for the fun post! Congrats on the new re-release!

  26. What a journey your “special delivery” has been on! I enjoyed the story of the journey. Thanx for the giveaway!!!

  27. Thank you for a great post and thank you for the giveaway opportunity. I hope you have a great day!

  28. I love Splickety! I’ve had a couple short stories published with them, and also have been working to expand them into a full-length story. It’s such a great way to get the creative juices flowing!

  29. Your books are wonderful and I’d love to win this one!! Thanks for the give away and your inspiring work for the Lord!!

  30. What a wonderful experience!

    I would definitely love to read Right Where We Belong. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.

  31. I read A January Bride and was extremely impressed by how well you told that story in such a few words. It felt so complete and kept me entertained the whole way. And I usually prefer longer stories.

    Would love to read this.

  32. Thanks for the giveaway! I love reading about the journey of your novella, Special Delivery, and liked learning about why titles/covers change for stories. The new cover for Special Delivery is cute, too.

  33. Thank you for the explanation on new/refreshed covers, that really helps. Fudge the cat is beautiful. Lucky you that your hubby works on your book covers, I like that! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.

  35. I like the cover😆. And thank you for sharing the info about why books maybbe re-published, have a different title or cover.

  36. Thank you for the info in your blog, and thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book. I love your stories and look forward to reading this one. 😊

  37. I would love to win this book…3 of my favorite authors in one cover! What an opportunity! Thank you.

  40. What fun! I didn’t know all this backstory, but I have this collection on my amazon Wish List! Interestingly, Roger’s book Found in Translation, and therefore the whole Altered Hearts series originally started as a short story for a contest.

  41. Your new book cover is very attractive and I would love a chance to read your story and the other two featured in Right Where We Belong. Thank you for this giveaway.
    Connie
    cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com

  43. What a fun journey that sounds like, from baby story to anthology to full fledged solo novella! Also thanks for the info on cover & name changes. Thanks for the chance to win!
    Trdivincenzo (at) gmail (dot) com

  46. I’ve often wondered why titles were changed. I guessed on why the cover would be changed but thank you for explaining the title part. I’ve never personally thought that authors changed their book title and cover to be deceptive but I know many readers who have felt this way. This brings clarity to the topic.

  47. Thanks for your explanation. I still find it confusing when I look at a new cover and title. I’ve spent way too much time trying to figure if I had collected all the books in a series that had titles and covers changed. I will try to remember your tip. I look at the back cover and the blurb to see if I remember reading about the characters and sometimes the copyright date and publishing dates as well as the publishers.

  50. I’m living in a small town after a City for 20 years. Cute cover, love the cat. Would love to win the book with three awesome authors. In case you need it: paulams49ATsbcglobalDOTnet

  52. live on the outskirts of a small town … love it … deer in my yard … squirrels chattering in the trees above me … not a house in sight and a view for every retirees delight … looking forward to another book from my favorite author 🙂 🙂 🙂

  58. Love the cover since I am a cat lover…the story sounds great as well…Is it coming out in print ?…not tech-y enough for ebooks and really just want to hold the book in my hands…Will be on the look out for this book…:)

  60. Thank you for the great information. I too have often wondered why books get new covers and new titles. I look forward to reading more posts from you.

  61. Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
    If I win, this book will be going to the Church Library.

  62. I have the Right Were We Belong collection on Kindle. I would love to have a print copy! Thanks for having a giveaway!

  63. Thanks for the interesting post, Deborah! Your story looks wonderful. How fun to be in a collection with two other fabulous writers! You’re all amazing! Thanks for the giveaway. I’d love to be entered.

  66. It’s so interesting to learn about the evolution of Lily and Gage’s story – thanks for sharing! Special thanks for offering the giveaway; since I grew up near a small town, it would be fun to read Right Where We Belong.

  67. Thanks for being upfront about the title change of your novella. It doesn’t bother me so much when the cover changes but it is frustrating when the title changes too and there is nothing to indicate that. Right Where We Belong sounds like a great novella collection. Thanks for the chance to win it. I enjoy books about small towns, perhaps because that is where I live and can relate to life there easier than in a city.

  69. Thank you for these clarifications. You answered some questions I have had about title and cover changes.

  77. I love the cover of this book. I will look forward to reading it. I also would love yo be entered to win a copy.

  78. Thanks for the giveaway! The new cover is beautiful (though I do have two members of this household who are deathly allergic to cats)….

  79. I have also been tricked into buying books with a different cover thinking I was buying a new book. It doesn’t make the consumer happy. You cover is adorable and love the charming touch the cat adds. Would love to read this. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.

  81. That is so cool that your husband helped you design the cover! I’m assuming he’s a cat person?? Thanks for offering the giveaway!

  82. I love hearing how a story came to be. I’m excited to read this story. And really love the cover of the book.

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