Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers
Share the story of your book cover please!
I've seen some cracking good book covers being showcased by our new members and I'm nosy. :D So spill the beans and tell us all about it please! Who designed it, where the idea came from, etc., as much detail as you like. It would be interesting to know how what we see today came to life.
If you could add the picture of your cover too to your reply that would be helpful. :)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on
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That's one cool cover too! I'm impressed. Stacy, your comment makes me wonder how hard is it to communicate your book cover vision to an artist. I don't know if I'd be able to get it out of my head and into theirs if it was me. I feel I'd know how to articulate what I don't like more than what I do. :)
Stacy Eaton said:When I am writing my book - pieces of the book important moments come to life in my book. Th
e cover of "My Blood Runs Blue" is about Officer Kristin Green who is torn between two men who enter her life after she starts investigating a homicide. One of the men is on the cover - along with Kristin. One of the scenes in the book is when she pulls over a Midnight Blue mustang that has been in her dreams - that car is on the cover - along with the lake that a scene of the book takes place at.
I'm currently working on the cover of my next book. I got first concepts from my artist yesterday and they were totally wrong. So I have sent them back to the drawing board. That one has Officer Kristin Green again on the cover with another man and a bridge in the back ground. The bridge is the turn of the story.
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Permalink Reply by Delphine Pontvieux on
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Thank you so much, Kay, i'm glad you enjoyed it! i've gotten a lot of compliments from industry people about it. The designer who made it is very talented, he designs music album covers so he understands what it takes to make a cover stand out.
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Garry, you can also get images as well as graphics at free stock photo sites like stock.xchng that are free to use too without royalty fees. You simply check what license the photographer has listed it under when you find a picture you like (it's under Availability) or use the Advanced Search to filter them from the start under "no restrictions". Even those that are restricted usually only want an acknowledgment of some kind listed. For a book cover it's probably wise to simply contact them and ask permission too to be on the safe side.
Garry Edward Lewis said:
As for myself, Me and my wife surf the royalty free clip art sites. There is some amazing art work out there, I search for what I feel makes an attention grabber as well as goes along with the theme of my book. Then we make some adjustments upload them to the tin plate and whala, Some of the clip art you might have to pay for depending on the quality of the work, the more professional looking art work requires a purchase, but it's well worth it. People just don't realize what great art work there is out there for very reasonable prices. And it's royalty free.
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You're welcome! I don't know how anybody decides upon their cover design, honestly. Did you have something in mind from the start you could describe well? I think I'd just give them the book and say "read it please!" :)
Delphine Pontvieux said:
Thank you so much, Kay, i'm glad you enjoyed it! i've gotten a lot of compliments from industry people about it. The designer who made it is very talented, he designs music album covers so he understands what it takes to make a cover stand out.
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well, i definitely had an idea in mind for it. then i discussed it with the illustrator.
i would never let people decide for me (unless you sign with big publishers who reserve the right to design the cover however they please as per the contract). A cover is the first thing people see about your book. you have to put a lot of thought into it.
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Permalink Reply by Stacy Eaton on
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Kay - I really didn't think what I wanted was so hard - and I thought I wrote it in words they would understand. It took 12 e-mails and 3 sets of proofs to get the concept right for the second book. They are doing finally set-ups to it now - once it is approved, I will post it.
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See, I think I'd be tempted to give the illustrator first stab at what their own idea would be to see what they would come up with. I wouldn't let them decide for me either, heck no! But I would like to see what their vision would be from the book alone.
Delphine Pontvieux said:well, i definitely had an idea in mind for it. then i discussed it with the illustrator.
i would never let people decide for me (unless you sign with big publishers who reserve the right to design the cover however they please as per the contract). A cover is the first thing people see about your book. you have to put a lot of thought into it.
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Wow, that's a lot of communication! Or maybe not for such intricate work. I'll look forward to seeing the new one. :)
Stacy Eaton said:Kay - I really didn't think what I wanted was so hard - and I thought I wrote it in words they would understand. It took 12 e-mails and 3 sets of proofs to get the concept right for the second book. They are doing finally set-ups to it now - once it is approved, I will post it.
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Permalink Reply by Cara Bertoia on
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A few years ago my husband and I were walking through the Luxor when we saw a booth selling custom bobble head dolls. We thought they were so cute we had a pair made. We had to sit patiently while a 3D picture was made of our heads. The pictures were shipped, probably to China and a few weeks later our dolls arrived.
SInce we worked on a cruise ship we are always looking for memorabilia. We found this glass ship model in a thrift store. My husband and co-author who is talented at graphic design, made our cover. He used a green screen a picture and our dolls. I am so happy because our book is a fun book, and our cover is really us.
Cara Bertoia
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Cara - lol... love how you came up with that! Very cool!!!! love that you work on cruise ships too. My husband and I both said that when we retire from Law Enforcement - we want to work ship security.
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Permalink Reply by Ashley Du Toit on
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My covers were designed by Best Legenz.
I wanted something of my characters reflected on the front cover, but i must
say that with my first book i didn't have a clear picture of what i wanted.
They put together a few samples for me and then we worked from there.
I'm happy with the results.
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