Ep 100 Welcome to Season 3 of Power Principles. Today’s episode introduces our 2021 theme which is Power Words. Each month will focus on one power word designed to help you change your brain in order to make faster decisions, be more confident, solve problems, and overcome sabotage to achieve your dreams. Each of the 12 words this season is selected for its power to change your subconscious brain. Join Maleah for an amazing season.
Ep. 96 Does your life consist of solving one problem after another? Do you ever feel that if you could get all of your problems solved once and for all, then you could finally be happy? Listen to learn WHY problems are good and WHY the goal isn’t to not have problems. The goal is to have higher quality problems.
Ep. 92 Maleah and special guest Renee Vidor talk about how to use comparison as a way to find ideas and inspiration in order to develop confidence rather than competition. If comparing yourself to others makes you feel lousy, this episode will teach you the WIN system to use comparison for your good.
Ep. 91 Have you ever found yourself in a No-Win Pickle? This is the term I use to describe a situation where no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, despite your good intentions you cannot win. I found myself in a No-Win Pickle after my 4th baby was born. Today I’m sharing that story along with 3 tools for managing this Failure Paradox.
A more official-sounding term for the No-Win Pickle is The Failure Paradox. My 4th son was born in the early morning hours on the day of my oldest son’s kindergarten graduation. But that wasn’t a problem. I slept a few hours, got up and showered and put on makeup and shoes ready to go. Danny’s school was a few blocks from the hospital and I figured the kind nurses wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on baby Jack while I dashed out for an hour to catch the graduation and return in time for Jack’s next feeding. Obviously, my postpartum mind wasn’t considering that hospitals have policies about new mothers leaving (child abandonment) and returning (germ exposure). I was simply trying to multitask and fit everything onto my calendar.
When the nurse raised her eyebrows at me, I realized that I would be missing Danny’s big event. And he only graduates from kindergarten once in his whole life! Because of taking care of one child, I was neglecting the other. I should have timed Danny’s birth better. I felt like a total failure as a mother.
This was my first big experience with the No-Win Pickle, which I’ve encountered dozens of times since. Basically, the No-Win Pickle is when, no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to succeed at everything. I hate that it is impossible for me to succeed at everything in mothering. I hate that I have to make impossible decisions which sometimes require choosing one child over another, or choosing myself over my children, or choosing none of us. To be a “good mother” equally for all. To never choose one over the other.
The Failure Paradox
Paradox: a statement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory.
The Failure Paradox: In our failure, we rise to higher levels.
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Ep. 86 What if we stop trying to figure out who is right and who is wrong and we realize that we can both be right?
Today’s episode explores why our brains are hard-wired to label all things as good or bad, safe or dangerous, right or wrong. Hint: It’s the brain’s primitive survival instinct, but it no longer serves us in our complexly social world where no longer die from saber-toothed tiger attacks. This primal belief of “you bad, me good” cause a lot of of modern-day social destruction.
Click to listen to how we can help our brains relax and realize that not everything is right versus wrong. A lot of things are right and right.
Ep. 85 In the previous chapter, Maleah discovered who Laiah is and finally understood what was making her sick. Now, she has to figure out how to get well. She brings Aaron to her next doctor’s appointment to do the hardest thing she knows she has to do: accept a prescription for an antidepressant.
Ep.84 Listen to the pinnacle chapter of Lies of the Magpie. Maleah’s struggles and months of searching for how to heal her body finally come together in an unexpected way. Did you predict this twist?
Ep. 81 In Ch 34 & 35 of Lies of the Magpie, Maleah is desperate to find help for healing her body, and following the recommendation of friends, she visits a homeopathic doctor in her area.
Ep. 80 Listen to these FREE sample chapters from the best-selling memoir Lies of the Magpie by Maleah Day Warner. In these chapters, Maleah questions whether she is “sick enough” to merit seeing a doctor. The challenge is that she isn’t bleeding, bruised, or having any specific pain. She knows she doesn’t feel “right,” but struggles to put what is wrong into words. She is terrified the doctor will say it’s “depression.” For Maleah, depression isn’t a legitimate illness, but rather a judgment of a person’s weak character. Maleah thinks she would rather get a cancer diagnosis than be told she has postpartum depression. In the end, her diagnosis isn’t at all what she expected, and will create more complications and confusion as the story progresses.
The final decision came down to one surprising element. (Read the end to learn the deciding factor.)
Thanks to everyone who has followed, made observations, and given feedback through this process.
There is a LOT of thought, calculation, and psychology that goes into designing a cover. If you are interested in the behind-the-scenes process of choosing the final cover, below I will walk you through the concept and evolution of each cover, the audience response, the pros & cons, and ultimately why the cover was or was not chosen.
If you just want to see the FINAL COVER, skip to the end.
The first cover was illustrated and painted by artist Bethany Baker three years ago. Check out her work at Midsummer Studios. She will create a custom whimsical portrait of your child, family, or fiancee.
Concept: “The Carnival of Life” Watercolor. Illustrates a mother’s role escorting her child on the rides of life.
Pros: I love the symbolism injected in custom artwork. The red balloon represents the woman’s hopes and dreams. The weight of the magpie is holding down the ballon, preventing it from rising to the height of its potential. Bethany designed the image to wrap around the book’s front and back cover and included space for the title and author.
Cons: I commissioned Bethany to create this cover in 2017 when I was considering self-publishing. Since then, I’ve learned the importance of matching the cover mood and style to the book’s genre. This painted image conveys a children’s picture book more than an adult memoir.
In March I began working with my publisher’s cover designer. I gave her a synopsis of my book as well as the genre and overall tone and said I’d like a magpie and possibly a necklace. The following are the concepts she created.
Concept: Vector image. This was the first design I previewed from the designer and it took my breath away. Seeing this made my story come alive.
Audience Response: Facebook Favorite. Marketing Specialist’s Favorite. This was the clear winner of all the vector images.
Melanie: “To me it signifies there is something in all of us. From the outline of the women and the bird within.”
Colleen: “Creative flow and I love the color”
Kerry: “The theme Lies of the Magpie and it whispering in your ear fits.”
Shanda: “It needs the silhouette of the girl for the human touch effect.”
Jill: “It draws me in. My kids who love to write voted this one as well.“
Pros: The woman’s profile in silhouette hints she has a personal struggle. Something is stopping her from facing life straight on, and you get the hint the magpie plays a big role. Clear and easy to read.
Cons: Hard to find a con other than the weight of the image is heavy on the left and the mood is a bit depressing.
Concept: Live photography magpie at window. This was one of my early favorites.
Audience Response: Facebook Winner
Kylene: “By far my favorite.”
Clarissa: “Caught my eye quick.“
Tasha: “Intriguing.”
Lisa: “My least favorite. I find it a little confusing.”
Pros: The image evokes curiosity and lets you know this will be an emotional story. Lovely use of black & white with hints of color.
Cons: Ultimately the cover is too confusing to understand at first glance. There is a lot going on. The title gets lost in the image.
Concept: Live Photography of Magpie
Audience Response:
Larita: “Both Lies and Magpie are distinct and pop out. Neither words are mixed into the photo. So clear and grab at you.”
Laurel: “I like the emptiness and use of the negative space.”
Ryan: “Nice and simple. No images conflicting with the title.“
Pros: People like this cover for its clarity and use of white space.
Cons: Gives the impression of being a nonfiction nature book rather than literary memoir.
Concept: Thieving magpie flies away with the story.
Audience response: Editor’s Favorite.
Brooke: “Like the colors and letter font. Love the bird in flight“
Ashley: “The blue one!”
Pros: The color and unique font. Reminds people of the book Wonder.
Cons: While the font is awesome, it’s also difficult to read. And it’s hard to tell if this book is for teens or adults.
Concept: Woman in Cage. In an unintentional effort to confuse my cover designer and complicate the process, I found this image of a woman in a cage which I LOVED. My designer created a dozen variations of this concept including the magpie holding the cage by a chain in its talons. This is the cover I’ve had the hardest time letting go of.
Audience Response: Publisher’s Favorite. Author’s favorite (except for the final cover).
Kris Stena “It intrigues all of us in my family, makes us want to know why she’s in there.”
Sashleigha: “Girl in the cage for sure.
Tessy: “Shows there is a story within the book.”
Jean: “This is the most intriguing to me… it’s like… hmmmm. what’s this book all about???”
Roberti: “This one feels very depressing and personally, I would not pick it up.”
Pros: I love the idea of a woman trapped in the cage while the bird is outside calling the shots. A lot of power and metaphor in the image. Also conveys there is an intricate story within the pages.
Cons: Some readers were turned off by the oppressive tone of this cover image. Some confused it for a story about domestic violence.
Final Cut: While intriguing, this cover could trigger too much negative emotion and might mislead readers to thinking it’s a story of abuse.
Concept: Live Photography with whispering magpie.
Audience Response: Mr. Warner’s Favorite. A Facebook Favorite, this cover tied in votes with the Magpie at the Window.
Brooke: “It looks like the magpie is whispering lies.“
Emily: “This is my favourite – it’s alluring, intense, emotive.”
Janine: “I like this one best. I was intrigued and wanted to know what the magpie was whispering in her ear….”
Lori: “The visuals are mentally stimulating and curiosity evoking.”
Pros: This cover showcases what a rockstar the designer is. Look at the lighting on the woman’s hair! So much emotion. Title is clear and easy to read.
Cons: My daughter thought this looked like the cover of a romance instead of memoir. Cover reveals too much of the story.
Final Cut: This cover almost needs a warning that says “Spoiler Alert.” It gives away too much too soon.
Concept: Simple illustration of magpie with locket in its beak.
Audience Response: Gotcha! I didn’t show this image on the Facebook or Instagram polls because I wanted it to be a surprise!
Abigail: “Love this. Looks very clean and professional.”
Cons: Interestingly, when shown to fellow authors from my publishers group, NOT ONE person voted for this cover. And yet this is the cover. WHY? There is a lot of calculation and psychology that goes into cover selection.
Pros:
Final Cut: Ultimately, one factor finalized the decision to go with this book cover.
MEN!
Yes. You men were the deciding vote!
One might think a book that recounts pregnancy and childbirth in explicit detail might be just for women. However, the beta readers who finished fastest and had the most to say have all been men. A majority of my first endorsements were from men.
Perhaps this is because men have always wondered what goes on in a woman’s head and this book gives them a front row seat to one woman’s psyche.
Ultimately, the final selling point was choosing a cover that wouldn’t be a barrier to men reading this powerful story. In addition to all the above factors, this is a cover a man could hold in an airport or have on his office desk or nightstand without appearing to be reading women’s romance.
I’d love to hear your comments. Thanks for following this cover journey.