Comments | mary_j_59: Just for the heck of it

mary_j_59

Just for the heck of it - another cover concept?

Feb 22, 2013 22:27

I love deirdrej's cover art, in the icon - it says so much about the story and its themes. But covers are difficult! I don't suppose I will have much say in any of my covers, if my books get published, but I've been wondering exactly what a good cover should do. It should intrigue potential readers, convey a mood, and give some information about the book ( Read more... )

sf, writing, kiril, honor

Comments 9

duniazade February 23 2013, 14:03:37 UTC

I like your cover concept much better - it's intriguing and it would make me buy the book. The other one makes me go "oh, just another heroic fantasy" (sorry!).

mary_j_59 February 23 2013, 16:33:01 UTC

Um - thanks! The thing about Deirdre's concept is that it makes the most sense after one has read the book. A cover, though, has to attract someone who knows nothing about it. In the case of my concept - I wish I'd been able to detach the kid from his original background more cleanly and that the two moons in the background were clearer. But I do think it conveys the MC's serious character, the mood, and the genre(s) pretty well.

I adore my sister and her artwork, and I really love the colors she chose - they are reflected in my author page. But covers are tricky. I wonder what I'll actually end up with if/when I get published?

mary_j_59 February 24 2013, 03:45:37 UTC

BTw, did you take a look at my book trailer on my author page? Yes, I know I'm getting ahead of myself! But I'm rather proud of it. :) The page is http://mjohnsonstories.net

duniazade February 24 2013, 20:34:58 UTC

I have now - nicely done!

I couldn't find where to subscribe to the blog, though.

Thread 7

anne_arthur February 24 2013, 18:20:16 UTC

I love the boy's expression - so serious and determined, it seems just right for Kiril! - but, oddly, to me this seems much less SF than Deirdre's cover. The clothes are a bit too like contemporary fencing costume, and its being a photo also makes it look much more 21st century. If you look closely you can see the two moons in the background, but this just doesn't scream 'sci-fi' at me. In fact, if I glimpsed it quickly in a library or bookshop I think that I would assume that it was the story of a future Olympic fencing medallist. But I like the design - the boy staring out of the jacket at you - and with less contemporary clothes/sword/haircut, I think that it would work very well.

mary_j_59 February 24 2013, 20:34:56 UTC

You're right about the fencing costume, Anne! The background's a little too vague - I'm no expert in Photoshop - but I really think with different clothes and a more clearly "outer space" background, this design would work well for me. Deirdre thinks she can improve it for me, so I'm going to see what she comes up with!