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Monday, October 21, 2013

A.D.D And Book Covers

For the past probably 2 months now I've been struggling with migraines/cluster headaches and getting my medications balanced out. Which sounds WAY more fun then it is...

Consequently, doctors orders... no more then 2 hours a day on the computer.

It's hell.

Writing is on 'hold'. Sure, I'm thinking out my story line, writing some long hand notes. But for the most part...gack! It's been interesting to say the least.

However. You do get to spend time THINKING when you're not allowed near 'tech'. So this weeks posts will be Randomosity, Stuff and Things from Inside Alicia's Brain!

Run. Run now.

One of the things I was thinking about was Book Covers.

Which started with an innocent conversation with Marcy about what her book cover might look like and how much input she has on that.

Color me naive, but I feel that writers should have more say in how the cover of their book looks. I mean, really. People shop with their eyes first...then they flip the book over (or open it up) and read the blurb, THEN they buy it. But if the cover doesn't grab you. You're screwed.

I'm still not sure how I feel about self-publishing, but those that do at least have the ability to create their own covers. Good or Bad. A quick search, for those that don't have the ability to do art all on your own computer *cough*me*cough*...shook this, um, interesting website loose.

Self Pub Book Covers

Part of my Brain went..."OMG! That's BRILLIANT!" Then the other part went..."So THAT'S where the publishers get those book covers! Ah HA!"  Sigh.

Then. On the other end of the spectrum we have, one of my favorite authors showing us how her publisher, Orbit Books puts together a book cover. Now, granted. I know less then nothing about this sort of computer program...but when I saw this I thought, "Huh. If it's that easy [for the people who work with these programs every day] WHY can't authors have more say in what goes on their covers?"




I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's always been interesting to me that writers are so passive (or that's what it seems to me anyway) about their covers. Like they get published and then go, OH well! Oh hey! At least I got published! Oh, Are they putting a cat licking it's butt on the cover? Well...I like cats! Lots of people like cats! There's a cat on page 98 in my book so it ties in! Huzzah!

I admit. I am FAR far far (especially now that I can only write for a hour or two a week) from my publishing dream...but maybe it's time for a revolution! Time for writers to take back their covers! Time for writers to say to the publishers, NO! No more heaving bosoms! It's a Sci-Fi/Ninja/Thriller! Not a romance you twit!

Also. Check out this HYSTERICAL blog.  A Reader of Fictions. She does AMAZEBALLS snarks of covers. Which are hysterical. I already said that. But seriously. She also makes some really good points...in case you have anything to do with designing your own cover. Things to keep in mind.

What do you think about the book covers out there? Do you long for the old style, hand drawn art of yore? (Pick up any Anne McCaffery book on your shelf...) Or do you prefer the new style computer clip art? Also, how involved to YOU want to be in your cover design? 

7 comments:

Huntress said...

A good cover sells the book to me. I don't know what there is about dark images, indistinct faces but that's what does it. I don't care for pastels, heaving bosoms, and six-pack abs on the cover but inside the pages is okay:)

I told Musa that I wanted a black or dark cover, fire, indistinct forms. No faces. I favored burnt orange. It was like my cover artist, Kelly Shorten, reached into my mind and created the magic that I so badly described.

They asked for more details in case I wanted more covers to choose from, images central to the book. I told them about a muddy-colored pendant, cat, and a confrontation. Those images weren't used but how much can go on a cover? LOL.

Love, love love the cover of Wilder Mage. That's all I can say. I sincerely feel our covers at Musa are extra-special.

Huntress said...

Sorry about your migraines. Been there, done that, still doing it but not as bad.

*mucho sympathy*

Robin said...

The book cover stuff is interesting. I wish that video had moved just a wee bit slower, but it was still very informative.

Now, about those migraines... I have had the same migraine since Jan. 2004 every day. Earlier this year I found a new doctor who has actually relieved my pain significantly. How? One of the biggest things was just a change to my diet. No processed foods, more vegetables, protein, no sugar, easy on the carbs, and voila. Major improvement. She also put me on a vitamin regiment. Fish oil, D3, B12, C, Calcium/Magnesium. And that has helped too. It is the FIRST thing I would try to make a difference. The meds didn't work for me at all. Now, she is working on getting me off of all of them.

Hope you feel better soon!

Huntress said...

seriously, this post could easily become a whole medical issue rather than about writing!! Love it, LOL.

Agree with Robin. I've found white enriched, bleached/unbleached flour to be part of my problem. Gave it all up for WHITE whole wheat flour. Make my own bread, cookies, and cakes rather than the store stuff. I've substituted it in almost every recipe.

But recently I used a ready-made pie crust made of plain flour. Bad, bad, bad. Had a helluva migraine afterwards.

Alicia Willette-Cook said...

Yaaaaa....it's not food. :P YEEEEEAAARRRSSS ago...like back in college when I first started getting these f'in things they did the whole 'cut every food that you love' out of your diet. I lived on raw veggies and water. Didn't do a damn thing. This time...did it again. Same result. Nada. Sigh. I WISH it was a food thing. I eat pretty well. Whole milk products. Local. Organic. We make our own whenever we can.

Pretty sure mine are stress and lack of sleep. They HAVE gone WAY down since I've gotten older. :D YAY AGE! whee!

Huntress said...

*can't resist*
Once time I had a horrible migraine. Usually I couldn't eat anything but for some reason I craved a raw turnip.

Ate it and my headache from hell that I'd had for over 24 hours disappeared instantly.

It never worked again.

Liz A. said...

I like aspects of older covers and newer covers. I guess it just depends on the cover itself...