Hey all,
Well it’s been an interesting week. I’m still trying to figure out what to do about the book cover and am veering more towards something like this.
My friend, architect Farid Noufaily who lives in Beirut, for fun took a shot at it and I really like the image of the little girl looking like she might fall down. I also like the speed that the NIGHT TOWN font has, but the novel is much darker than this image implies. However as Farid said to me in his email, this was done when he knew nothing about the novel whatsoever.
I began fooling around myself and came up with this.
It’s quite easy to see what designers like Farid and Jane bring to the equation. Lesson to be learned? Just because I can write fiction, doesn’t mean I can design my own cover. Look at what Farid did in ten minutes from Beruit. No kidding – Beruit.
I do think I’m much closer in using a photo versus the doll though. To me it makes it more real. And I also think that if the font is threatening enough we create a tension between the innocence of the child.
I’d like to take credit for this idea, but it came courtesy of my good pal Laurie Finstad Knizhik, the brains behind the hit Canadian TV series Durham County. She called me up and made this is suggestion.
If only I could get her to post in the blog.
Thanks very much for all the feedback on the first images and I’d love to hear your opinions about this as well.
It’s very different putting your work out there for critique before it’s even done. But I do believe that open source writing (to make up a phrase on the fly) is the way of the future. And we’re laying that groundwork today.
Speaking of open source and working together. Does anyone know how to upload an image from a Super Eight film that’s been transferred to DVD? Is it even doable or has it already been degraded in the transfer process?
Just wondering…
Cathi
Here’s a test for the Super 8: Play the DVD in your computer. Hit pause on the movie where you want to try to grab images. Hit ‘print screen’ button’. Then open your photo editing program (Photoshop?) then hit ‘copy’ and photo should appear. You can play around to sharpen and improve there. If you are half-satisfied and want more professional results, email me for more ideas.
I like the falling down girl….
hi Cathi,
i didn’t mind the earlier versions, but do like this better. In terms of the two photos, I would definitely go with the first. It leaves the question of what the book will do open, the eyes do not give everything away. Still, they do catch you, the reader, and as a reader, I would be more interested in the book that has those eyes that are leaving the question open. The other image is too blurry, it smells more like trauma, dysfunction, and I don’t see the eyes. Its almost as if it is telling me that the book has no focus, or is out of focus, and I think your focus is very sharp, so why sell yourself short.
So, that is my two cents, my love to you and Sascha,
C.
I tend to like both covers. But I find myself gravitating to the TOP one because I like the more extreme close-up of the doll, and because the doll is on the LEFT side. I’m not sure why, but my eye goes instinctively to the left, and not to the right. And so the TOP images grabs my eye. However, I’d like to say again, I like both covers. They both suggest something weird and dreadful is about to happen. If this is a “feel good” book, then this is the wrong cover.