Today I am BEYOND excited to be able to present the WORLD PREMIER of the book trailer for THE LEADING EDGE OF NOW by the wonderful Marci Lyn Curtis. After the trailer, I’ve got a great interview with Marci perfect for anyone interested in a peek behind the scenes along with some additional information about Marci and her next book.
ABOUT THE TRAILER
MC: I’ve been obsessed with book trailers for years. They’re such an awesome way to bring a story to life—capture its atmosphere—by tapping into the auditory, emotional, and visual senses of the viewer.
(Translation: I wanted to make a trailer because they’re cool.)
AYAP: Can you tell me a little bit about the planning process? How did you decide whatthe trailer would include?
MC: I designed a single catch phrase that captured the spirit of the book, and then I built the rest of the trailer around it. Sounds simple, right? It wasn’t. THE LEADING EDGE OF NOW is a twisty little story, full of possible spoilers, so planning this 42-second trailer took weeks of trial and error, an infinity of curse words, and several vats of chocolate.
AYAP: How did you create the trailer? Did you hire a pro? Do it yourself?
MC: Initially I was going to hire a professional, but once I nailed down what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it, the video fell together on its own. Sure, I had to do some research on how to create and design an mp4, but that process was fairly straightforward.
AYAP: What are you hoping that potential readers with come away with after viewing the trailer?
MC: With any luck, the reader will be left with the sense that 1) underneath the premise, this story runs the gamut—love, friendship, family, laughter, and tears—and 2) there’s a shocking twist that they’ll never see coming.
AYAP: Any advice for writers out there who might want to create their own book trailers?
MC:
- Watch tons of book trailers (good and bad) to get a sense of what you want to create.
- Keep it simple. You don’t need to summarize the entire plot. Find a sentence or two that captures the feel of your story and use this as a springboard.
- Dig around online to find royalty-free images and music that connects to your story visually and/or emotionally.
- Don’t get discouraged. You’ll probably create forty (or more) lousy trailers before you find your huckleberry.
- Show the trailer to friends and family when you’re finished, and stay open to their honest critique. The experts say no trailer is better than a lousy trailer, and it’s true, so make sure the trailer is concise, interesting, professional, and engaging before you promote it online.
Just when Grace is beginning to get used to being an orphan, her estranged uncle suddenly comes forward to claim her. That might have been okay if he’d spoken to her even once since her father died. Or if moving in with Uncle Rusty didn’t mean returning to New Harbor.
Grace once spent the best summers of her life in New Harbor. Now the place just reminds her of all she’s lost: her best friend, her boyfriend and any memory of the night that changed her forever.
People say the truth will set you free, but Grace isn’t sure about that. Once she starts looking for it, the truth about that night is hard to find—and what happens when her healing hurts the people she cares about the most?
Marci Lyn Curtis, the critically acclaimed author of The One Thing, has crafted an honest and emotional story that will resonate with the wide range of readers impacted by sexual assault.
Sexual assault does not define this story, however, just as it does not define Grace. Wry humor and true love emerge as Grace, like many in the #MeToo era, seeks to find her truth, face her truth, and speak her truth.
On Goodreads
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Marci Lyn Curtis is a critically acclaimed author of young adult dramedies The One Thing and The Leading Edge of Now. She lives near Tampa, Florida with her husband. You can find out more about Marci on her website (marcilyncurtis.com), on Twitter (@Marci_Curtis), on Instagram (@marcilyncurtis), or on Facebook (marcilyncurtis).
