Finalized Cover Design for "The Bayou Boys" Omnibus

Here it is: The finalized cover design for the new omnibus edition of The BAYOU BOYS, a collection of Voodoo Virus, Marsh Monster and Playhouse Phantom in one volume. Nearly 500 delightful pages of southern Louisiana adventure!

This is not the final art (still in mock-up stage), but it gives you a really good idea of what the finished product will look like. Thank you to all of you who piped in and contributed to selecting the layout and offering design ideas.

The interior, containing 80,000 words, also nears completion. Look for The BAYOU BOYS in early June!

March Madness Means Manuscript Munching Mode

Munch, munch, munch. I guess I'm in the editing and design modes for the month of March. I have two editing and three design projects I'm working on for a total of three projects (that's right one of the projects requires no editing).

Project One is simply the redesign of the cover for my book Rocketman: From the Trailer Park to Insomnia and Beyond.

Here, at the left, is a rough of the new design without some of the detail (like an old fashioned photo border, a drop shadow for the rocket, a better space background and possibly a 3D-like text for the top title word).

Project Two is the design and layout (with some line editing) of a new children's book, Silly Billy and the Duck for new author Joe Benjamin (the pen name for my son Josiah).

Basically, I just have to check the spelling and punctuation, put the pages together and convert the files. See the unfinished, uncolored, proposed working panel on the right.

Project Three, the final project (which I don't expect to be done this month), Chicken Poop on My Sole, which I am editing with my wife, is mostly editing for now, but I may get to finalizing the cover soon. The proposed cover mock-up is at the left. This could be on ongoing project through the summer depending on one major factor:

We need stories! That's right this book is meant to be a multi-author anthology. the slower they trickle in the longer the project will take. I'd like to have the book out no later than the first of September.

Do you have a story to contribute?

I'm looking for first person, original pieces 300 to 3,000 words in length (750-1,200 is ideal) that are true (or based on a true event) that are comedic and/or inspirational in nature.

If you have a story you can share email me for details. I may publish up to three stories from any given writer. gregory.zschomler@gmail.com

What Do You Think of the Finished Book Cover?

May Day! May Day! The New Book is Coming!

Here's the cover (front and back) for the upcoming book.

Final Cover Design for "LOUIE, The Lonely Lighthouse"

Cover Art (C) by Roxanne Bowman; Cover Design by Greg Zschomler.

Today is the one month away mark for the debut of my newest book Louie, the Lonely Lighthouse! I thought it was time that you saw the final cover design (since Friday "everyone else in the world" will see it on the Press Releases).

Louie—forgotten and at risk of becoming a relic— despairs until, one dark and stormy night, his mighty light saves the day.

The story tells the tale of Louie’s passage from hopelessness to hero. It also teaches the intrinsic value of every individual and encourages people young and old to keep believing in themselves.

The picture book is suitable for children, but enjoyable for adults alike and is charmingly illustrated by Florence, Oregon artist, Roxanne Bowman.

Each keepsake paperback sold in a lighthouse gift shop or museum will create revenue for lighthouse preservation and upkeep. 

The painting for the cover (and the inner illustrations) were created by Roxanne Bowman who is a digital artist, painter and graphic designer living at the center of the Oregon coast. She holds an art degree from Stevens-Henager College. She has three daughters, a husband of 33+ years, and three grandchildren. As a child she was told that she would amount to nothing. To that she replies, “Watch me suckers!” She says that MS took away some of the things she loves, but that God has given back more than she would have ever thought.

THE BOOK’S LAUNCH PARTY will take place on May Day ("may day, may day" get it?) 2015. Time and place TBA. Watch for details very soon.

Other TOUR DATES as follows:

• May 2 Book Launch at Beach Books, Seaside, Ore. (time TBA)
• May 9 Local Indie Authors & Book Fair, Cannon Beach, Ore. Jupiter’s Books, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• May 16 Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Cape Disappointment State Park, Wash. [pending]
• May 23 Lighthouse (TBA)
• July 25 NW Book Festival, Pioneer Square, Portland, Ore. (books only)
• Aug. 15 Northwest Authors Fair, Bob’s Beach Books [pending]
• Aug. 21-23 Rockaway Beach Fair, Rockaway Beach, Ore.
• Sept. 19 & 20 Rose City ComicCon, PDX Expo Center (books only)
• Sept. 26 Florence Festival of Books, Florence, Ore.

I am open to additional dates at local bookstores, lighthouses, etc.

CONTACT: gregory.zschomler@gmail.com

Book Signing at Jacobson's, Hillsboro Farmer's Market

My next author appearance will take place Saturday July 26, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hillsboro Farmer's Market in front of Jacobson's Books & More on Main St. in oldtown Hillsboro, Oregon. 

I am featuring my new teen+ novel "The Amish vs. The Zombies" and non-fiction text "Lights, Camera, Worship!" though all six of my books, including the three Bayou Boys Adventure titles (for middle readers) and my Cajun/Caribbean Cookbook will be available in limited quantities.

I'll be signing with author/illustrator April Bullard, who will be signing her new children's book "The Sock Thief." 

April and I are collaborating on a children's picture book that will be released this fall. She'll be previewing some of the art for the book at this event. This will be your first opportunity to see her beautiful and whimsical color art from the work.

Reveal of the Cover for "The AMISH vs. The ZOMBIES"

Great AVZ Book Cover and Trailer Shoot Today

It was a great day for shooting the book cover and the book trailer video for The AMISH vs. The ZOMBIES. All went smoothly and quickly. And we went through a quart of stage blood.

Author/director Greg Zschomler on location directing models/actors
Anna (Hannah Stroval) and Hezekiah (the zombie) for the book's trailer.

We began with the zombie makeup session at 6 a.m. and were done by 7:30. The shoot began at 8 a.m. on location at a barn in Clark County where we shot both cover stills and trailer video footage.

We then moved to Ft. Vancouver and shot some beautiful footage on the porch of the Chief Factor's house. From there we went to the Ridgefiled Library for a quick, short shot (one take).

The last official shot of the day was a barn interior (three takes) then a pick up shot back at the original barn's exterior to assure coverage. We were done by noon and I am very please with the stills and the video.

Thank you Anna, Hezekiah and Isaiah; Ruth, Elijah and Benjamin, too!

I'll be creating the cover art over the next three days. Then I have a week's vacation. When I get back I'll be working on the final print proof and editing the trailer (which should be done two weeks before the book launch on June 21).

AVZ On Location Video/Photo Shoot Tomorrow

6 a.m. Makeup Call for our zombie (and artist)
8 a.m. Cast Call on location (Set 1) Barn Exterior shots
9 a.m. on location (Set 2) Fort Vancouver (Chief Factor's House)
10 a.m. on location (Set 3) Ridgefield Library interior
11 a.m. on location (Set 4) Barn Interior shots
12 n Cast dismissed/editing begins