Decision DECIDED! So many of you were kind enough to share your thoughts on the draft book cover designs in development. Due to your choices, gently nudging, and the odd sledgehammer to my noggin I have reached a final design. Yes folks! This is the official BOOK COVER REVEAL for "The Zebra Affaire"! Note: In the graphic below I've left the four original designs to give you a sense--with your prodding, the progress made. Thanx.
Writing is a solitary process. Even the contribution of an editor appear remote, detached. So when it came to finalizing the book cover design, it was with some relief I put the prototype "looks" out there for all to see [warts and all] as I wanted to share this step publicly. Now that I was dealing with images, and no longer words, I had no wish to remain solitary and consequently I really enjoyed all your opinions.
Your Generosity of Spirit
Your lives are busy and it meant so much to me that many of you paused--took the time to formulate an opinion, and then share your thoughts with me. Hopefully, in ways large and small you will receive the karmic joys you deserve for helping out a friend.
Different Gender Perspectives
In reflection this should not have been a surprise, but men and women tended to have responded differently. Predominantly the men saw it as a marketing excercise: Was the graphic eye-catching enough? Does it pop! Will it stand out from the clutter? Can it be reduced to stamp-size for Amazon purposes? etc.
Women, generally speaking, wanted to know about the story. Did the cover artwork genuinely reflect in key-art the theme and narrative contained within the pages of "The Zebra Affaire" novel. As the author, and knowing the books contents in detail, I'm pleased to say all of the iconography on the book jacket (down to the dark blue night sky and the courting zebras) are explicity referenced in the 350 page story.
So glady, both perspectives were correct. And as a result provided me useful guidance as I tried to meet that duality; proving the marketing face of the book as well as a window to the story within.
Ideas That Got Away
All that said, some of you made amazing creative suggestions. It is only due to the excigencies of time (and lack of budget) I was unable to implimemt you vivid notions. But great ideas never die, and though they may be temporarily forgotten, when the time is right they will reawaken in our imagination.
Book Preview
For those who wanted to have more detail on the forthcoming book, here is a link to preview "The Zebra Affaire": https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1145745 You are welcome to leave comments if you so wish.
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