Sunday, May 11, 2008
Sinbad's Last Voyage by Toni Sweeney
I was asked to provide a scene I thought would be appropriate for the cover of Sinbad's Last Voyage. I decided on a scene near the end of the book where Sinbad and Andrea are on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by Albegensi warriors who are firing at them with lasers.
No.
The publisher designed the cover. I believe he does most of the covers himself.
I had to give him a physical description of the scene, and the two characters--how the cliff-edge was covered with boulders, what Andi and Sin looked like, their clothing, weapons, etc.
Deron Douglas, publisher and editor of Double Dragon Publications. Other examples of his work can be seen at www.derondouglas.com.
The ears--a little more pointy on the tip.
Sinbad, naturally. He's portrayed physically as I described him in the book.
www.tonivsweeney.com
www.lulu.com (for paperbacks); www.doubledragonbooks.com (for e-books).
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Frankie: The Walk 'n Roll Day by Barbara Techel
Did you design the cover?
No, but I did have alot of say in what I was looking for and what I wanted.
Did your publisher design the cover?
Did your publisher design the cover?
No, I hired a local illustrator.
Did you get to give any input about the cover design?
Did you get to give any input about the cover design?
Yes, I had quite a bit of say for my cover. It was very important to me that the image of Frankie capture her personality and spirit. The illustrator did that and then some I feel. I was so pleased.
Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.
Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.
I think the cover speaks pretty much for itself.
Who is the cover artist?
Who is the cover artist?
Victoria Kay Lieffring
Are you happy with the cover?
Are you happy with the cover?
Absolutely!! I was so excited when Victoria came over with the first draft. I was blown away at how great it looked! I was so happy.
If not, what would you change and why?
If not, what would you change and why?
I would not change a thing. I initially took the first draft to a writing circle I belong to and they all felt the cover alone would sell the book.
Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.
Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.
Well, without a doubt, the fact it is a dog and a dog on wheels. Who can resist that? I also love all the vivid colors and the paw prints on the ground. I also think Victoria did a phenomenal job with Frankie's expression. And I love how the cover background art wraps around to the back of the book.
Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.
Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.
I just feel incredibly blessed to have found an illustrator who captured Frankie in an animated sort of version as I had hoped for.... even better than I had hoped!
Please provide your website link.
Please provide your website link.
Spring House by David Bowles
Title: Spring House, Book 1 in the Westward Sagas Author: David Bowles
Web site: http://www.westwardsagas.com
We want you to share your book cover with us. An attractive cover is a big element in the appeal of your book.We want the details about yours.
Did you design the cover? I had a specific idea of what I wanted on the cover and described what I wanted to the artist.
Did your publisher design the cover? The publisher hired an artist to create the original artwork and a cover designer to create the cover using the art.
Did you get to give any input about the cover design? Yes, I described what I wanted and approved the final design.
Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details. I wanted a spring house on the cover since much of the important action in my novel takes place in the spring house. I described what I wanted to the artist, but at first she didn't understand that the spring house was a small crude structure in the side of a hill. What she drew looked like a house, not a rough shed built over a spring and used to store dairy products. We were on a tight deadline, and I almost panicked when I saw the art just a couple of days before the cover designer needed the artwork to finish the cover on time. Fortunately, the artist was able to change the drawing in a short time, and the end result is just what I envisioned.
Who is the cover artist? The artist is Kim Downing; the cover designer is Jonathan Gullery.
Are you happy with the cover? Yes, the finished picture looks just like the spring house in my story!
If not, what would you change and why? n/a
Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover. It is perfect for the story--the title of the book is Spring House because several major scenes take place in the spring house.
Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.
Please provide your website link. http://www.westwardsagas.com
What is the link to buy your book? http://www.westwardsagas.com/order.html
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Horse with the Golden Mane
1. Did you design the cover?
A. I told my designer what I had in mind and she submitted several drawings for us to consider. I am essentially an author .I paint word pictures, but I cannot draw a straight line with a ruler.
2. Did your publisher design the cover?
A. She did the layout after I submitted ideas on what I wanted. In particular, I wanted a picture of Red Leader because the pose was just eye catching. He is the horse with the golden mane mentioned in the cover and as the title of the book.
3. Did you get to give any input about the cover design?
A. Definitely yes. I am always open to suggestions, but because I write in different genres ,I often have to conjure up ideas on what I want the cover to “say”.
4. Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.
A. The photograph of Red was taken by my wife, Virginia. She’s not a professional photographer, but she has taken so many pictures of grandchildren she’s darn near a professional. There was only one fly in the ointment. In summer we keep a fly mask on our horses. The best shot of Red that we had was the one on the cover of The Horse with the Golden Mane and we couldn’t see his face because of the fly mask.
We submitted photos of Red’s face to the designer and she painted the face onto the body of Red. She did a passably good job of it too. I don’t mention her name because she’s gone out of business in the sense that she is doing illustrations only.
5. Who is the cover artist?
A. J.M. Williams of Ohio .
6. Are you happy with the cover?
A . Generally yes.
7. If not, what would you change and why?
A. I would have asked her to “mow” the grass in the picture of Red. Virginia snapped the shot spontaneously, never thinking it would be on the cover of the book. Of course I had not mowed the grass recently as is evident from the picture. If the designer could have shortened the grass in the cover picture, it might not be so distracting. But then, The Horse with the Golden Mane is my “baby” and I’m probably being too picky about what she wears.
8. Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.
A. Red’s striking pose. He’s a very high-strung horse and in the picture he is standing at full alert. I cannot tell you what a thrill – and a fright – it is to be riding him when he comes to full alert and begins to blow. He’s a horse that bolted out from under me, cracked my ribs, broke my collar bone and punctured my lung so I have a deep respect for him. But in that pose, he is just magnificent.
9. Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.
A. As I have said repeatedly, covers sell books, so if a prospective writer/marketer spends money on anything, make it the cover design. Most of the people we deal with at book signings and fairs, are attracted by the cover. They look at the cover. It peaks their interest. You say a few words. They turn it over and look at the second most important part of the book . . . the rear cover.
When we started out we put reviews on the rear cover. Looked great and it boosted my ego, but readers form their own opinions and if the rear cover doe not have details about the book that interests them, they gently place it down. (Some of the kids are not so gentle.)
10. Please provide your web site link.
Tears and Tales
1. Did you design the cover? A. Yes and No. I had the raw idea of what I wanted. The cover on Tears and Tales depicts a man kneeling by a grave marker. And implies he is mourning his deceased dog. He has a playful pup by his side. But the cover designer Myla Ryk took the idea and transformed it into a painting like cover.
2. Did your publisher design the cover?
A. Hard to answer that one. Krazy Duck is a small self-publishing press. So in a way the publisher concocted the idea of the cover but the graphic artist did the rest.
3. Did you get to give any input about the cover design?
A. I think that’s answered by questions 2 & 3.
4. Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.
I wanted the cover to depict a lonely man mourning his lost dog, his horse in the background, and the new life of an energetic puppy beside the man to show that life goes on. New pets help that process. The scene apparently represents something from Washington state as many people seem to recognize it, but it’s not our farm, which lies in Casey County , Kentucky .
5. Who is the cover artist?
Her name is Myla Ryk. We connected with her through the publisher of our first edition of Tears and Tales. Myla was just wonderful to work with. Her cover should have won an award as did the book itself.
6. Are you happy with the cover?
Very.
7. If not, what would you change and why?
I might change something in the title, but not the cover itself.
8. Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.
It resembles a painting and many people ask us that. People noticing your book result in sales. If you can cause a person to stop and look, you’ve got a good chance of talking up your book and finding a sale. People ask all kinds of questions about the cover of Tears and Tales. Was it a painting? Is that your farm? Is that Mount Washington ? Mount Rainer? Did the artist live near the mountain? Is that your dog? Is that you on the cover? The fact that it resembles a painting has resulted in so many sales I am embarrassed to say we used another designer on our other books
9. Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.
We moved from a highly metropolitan area in New Jersey where Virginia and I had lived for most of our years. When we met and married it was with the dream that we would both get out of New Jersey . Internally and emotionally, we were farm people, country people. We wanted a quieter way of life. I could write another book on the trials and tribulations of moving from metropolitan New Jersey to a rural area where our nearest neighbor is a half mile away. I had three accidents in the first two years, one of which darn near killed me.
I think it was a combination of the land and the people. When I got hurt, neighbors who hardly knew us brought food or asked what Russ was going to do with that field he plowed. Then, they came and did the work. No pay, just being neighbors. I wanted a cover that depicted my farm as a place where I could be with my animal friends and enjoy the peace and quiet of the country.
Does it exact a price? Sure. Allergies and my asthma have gotten a little worse and I’m always getting an injury of one kind of another, like the time I slipped and fell on my chain saw. The blade just nicked my leg and cut through the pants, but my Guardian Angel yanked it away before it gave me anything more than a superficial slash.
10. Please provide your web site link.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Her Cinderella Complex by Jenna Bayley Burke
Did you design the cover?
No.
Did your publisher design the cover?
Yes.
Did you get to give any input about the cover design?
Tons. The cover artist and I emailed back and forth. He was very open to my suggestions, and I was so pleased with the photo he found.
Who is the cover artist?
Scott Carpenter
Are you happy with the cover?
Very.
Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.
The dreamy look in the heroine’s eyes, the aloof stance of the hero…I couldn’t have had a better picture if I’d set up the photo shoot!
Please provide your website link.
www.jennabayleyburke.com
What is the link to buy your book?
http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/jenna-bayley-burke
Please send me a copy of your cover along with your answers so the blog readers can see your cover and read your thoughts.
Jenna Bayley-Burke
Unsung Patriot by Virginia Vassallo
We want you to share your book cover with us. An attractive cover is a big element in the appeal of your book.
We want the details about yours.
- Did you design the cover?
The answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’. My editor/book designer originally wanted to collage of family photos on the cover. I wanted a photo of my grandfather, Guy T. Viskniskki, since the book was about him. I also wanted the photo of him that I was most familiar with – one from the late 1930s. My husband suggested that I use a photo of Guy in his military uniform from 1917, when he started The Stars and Stripes newspaper. After that I decided that the backdrop for Guy’s photo should be the first edition of the newspaper. I sent both to my cover designer and also told her I liked ‘color’ and maybe we should use red, white and blue to emphasize The Stars and Stripes.
- Did your publisher design the cover?
No, I self-publish so I was able to have lots of input into what I wanted on the cover of Unsung Patriot.
- Did you get to give any input about the cover design?
Definitely yes, as can be seen in question #1. I don’t think I’d like not having some input.
- Is there an interesting story behind the cover design? If so, please share the details.
I never knew my grandfather; I only saw him in photos and the most prominent one was of a bald-headed man in his late 60s. So that is my image of him. However, I have tons of family photos and when I realized that I had one of him in his army uniform from 1917 that seemed to be the photo to use. It certainly dates him and the time period of one third of my book. However, the man on the cover doesn’t look like “my” grandfather to me.
- Who is the cover artist?
Janice Phelps Williams laid out the cover design while I provided the photo of my grandfather and The Stars and Stripes. My daughter also helped. I emailed her the original cover design. She felt something was just not right and suggested that the print be changed to an older print that looked more like a typewriter than a computer. It made a big difference. She also made some other suggestions about exactly where Guy’s photo should be in relation to the first page of the newspaper.
- Are you happy with the cover?
Yes, I am.
- If not, what would you change and why?
Since I am happy with the cover, I wouldn’t change anything. I think having so much input into the design and having my husband and daughter look it over (in case I didn’t notice something) made me feel sure that I had the best cover I could have.
- Tell us what you think is the best part of the cover.
I like the way Guy is super-imposed on the front page of the first edition of The Stars and Stripes. Combining that with the red, white and blue motif really makes the book come across as being patriotic. Maybe that’s not such a good thing in this day and age, but I like it.
- Is there anything else about your cover that we need to know? Feel free to share.
I think having a number of people look at the original design helps. That way the author doesn’t get caught up in the excitement of seeing a cover. People who are not so involved can give a much more objective opinion – an opinion closer to that of the buying public.
- Please provide your website link.
- What is the link to buy your book?
You can purchase Unsung Patriot from www.krazyduck.com or www.unsungpatriot.com using Paypal. You can also send a check for $21.95 to Krazy Duck Productions, PO Box 105, Danville, KY 40423 and I will send you an autographed copy of the book.
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