Tuesday, November 08, 2005

More on Book Covers

Thanks for all the feedback yesterday. It’s so interesting to see the different perspectives. As for the Violet Dawn cover, I have to agree that the text for the title is big. Why? I think the artist needed to make it that big to “anchor” the snake. As for the different fonts, I agree it’s not that usual to mix sans serif and serif type. The font for my name has that faint “chiller” effect in that not all the letters are exactly even. I suppose the juxtaposition of the two kinds of fonts is meant to be another jarring sort of thing. Like the snake.

Oh. Speaking of the reptile. It’s now gray, not so dark. (Click link above to see new version.) Stands out a lot more. The first snake was just put there because of its cool shape. But we had to make the snake a Black Mamba. (No need, by the way, to write me and tell me black mambas are not found in northern Idaho. This one . . . happens to be. Oh, and black mambas aren’t really black.) You’ll see a brush stroke on the tail that looks a little removed from the rest of the snake. That will be taken off. As for the snake’s head—no one commented how it goes off the cover. This was to keep it from looking too scary, so says the artist. I have to laugh at that, because it’s been the trend lately to cut off people’s faces on covers. Supposed to lend a bit of mystery to the character. Now I see it even applies to snakes, for the opposite reason. Here are some examples of cut off faces from new fiction: Creston Mapes’ Dark Star. Kristen Heitzmann’s Secrets. James Patterson’s Mary Mary.

In the comments from yesterday these books were mentioned. Tom Morrisey’s Deep Blue. This is a great cover that you need to see in person. It’s another Zondervan cover. Tom sent various art selections to me and a few other Z authors for us to choose which one we liked best. I chose this one, hands down. The really cool thing is the embossing of the bubbles. When you move the book in the light, the bubbles sparkle like they’re moving. Eric Wilson’s Expiration Date. Very interesting cover, as was his first book’s cover, Dark to Mortal Eyes. Melanie Wells’ When the Day of Evil Comes really does have a creepy-looking man in the water.

I think covers are mostly for those readers who aren’t familiar with the author. I mean, if you really like an author and are waiting for his/her next book, you’re gonna buy it regardless of the cover. But if you don’t know the author, you need something to compel you to pick the book up.

On a completely different note—I scheduled my funeral today. In other words, I called the dentist. And don’t you know the gal who answered the phone was just oh, so chipper! Sounded like she oughtta be working in a candy store instead of the Devil’s Drill. More on our most luuuvly conversation tomorrow.

10 comments:

Jackie Layton said...

I like the gray snake better, it stands out more.

Val said...

That's amusing that they left the snake's head off to keep it from being too creepy. I like the snake better gray as well.

I didn't comment yesterday, but this cover is gorgeous. I loved the Hidden Faces covers--each time I pulled a book out to let a friend borrow it, they'd say "ooh, this looks good!" I think these books will get the same reaction, even if they don't have the same in-your-face intensity of the Hidden Faces books...

Dineen A. Miller said...

Hi Brandilyn,
The cover is really great. I love the subtle elements. A couple little things hit my eye but that's the obsessive designer in me and it's not worth mentioning.

Don't know if it makes you feel any better but I've been sentenced to the dentist too. Next week. Now when I sit there and hear the drill, I'll think of you. LOL!

Hope all goes well for your visit. Blessings!

Anonymous said...

BC, the cover is very striking! I think the color is gorgeous, the branches add a stark quality to it, and the snake adds some evil. I thought the ripple in the water just above the moon's reflection looks like a halo, sort of reflecting good to the snake's evil. But maybe I'm reading too much into it. :)

BTW, a couple folks mentioned "When the Day of Evil Comes." I really enjoyed the book (though I would have ratchete up the climax more, but perhaps Ms. Wells is saving that for the sequel.) Nobody mentioned the flies on the cover - perhaps you don't really notice them until you read the book or see the back cover. :)

Anonymous said...

BTW, I forgot to mention one other thing. In addition to faces being cut off to add to the mystery, I've also noticed a lot of books with just an eye on the cover. Maybe it's just a Westbow thing, but the two books I'm reading right now fit that description; Robert Liparulo's [i]Comes A Horseman[/i] and Kathryn Mackel's [i]Outriders[/i]. And if you look closely at the eye on [i]Outriders[/i] there is a wolf baring it's fangs reflected there. Very cool (as is the book!)

Anonymous said...

Oops. I'm Anonymous. Sorry about that and the bad tags.

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

I like the gray snake as well! It's a grat cover. You should congratulate the designer

C.J. Darlington said...

Death Watch by Jack Cavanaugh (Zondervan I think) and Sins of the Mother (Howard) also have just one eye.

I'm looking forward to Violet Dawn! And I agree that the grey snake stands out much more. Very cool.

Rebecca LuElla Miller said...

No WONDER I couldn't find the snake's head. Hahah!

The gray works much better--even has a calming effect on all that white in the title.

Becky

Anonymous said...

The cover for "Comes a Horseman" is one of the coolest I've seen. The colors, combined with the mix of graphics--from an angel statue to the eye anonymous mentioned to the tattoo-like scrollwork--just jump out at you. Fortunately, it's a great book, as well. I hate it when a great cover gets me to crack a book and the story or the writing stinks; "Comes a Horseman" is a great read, even if the cover weren't so darned cool.