What's your dream cover?

Esopha · Aug 11, 2007

We all know that publishers choose the cover, but if you could have absolute control of what went on the front of your book, what would it be?

The only WIP I've thought about cover-wise is Little Cities. For this book, I'd like to see the magic mirror, frying pan and gophers in the lower left-hand corner. The MC would stand in the center (or slightly left of center) either looking over her shoulder or ahead. In front of the MC would be a really, really big garden maze, and in the distance, Fairyland's castle, just peeking out of the clouds.

So, what's your dream cover?

scarletpeaches · Aug 11, 2007

One with a gold-embossed "NYT BESTSELLER 50 WEEKS RUNNING!!!" flash on the cover. Aside from that, not bothered.

reenkam · Aug 11, 2007

For my WIP....which is kind of untitled, in a way, I'd want a white cover with two of those valentine's hearts on it. One would say "2" and the other says "14" Or maybe the first says "February" and the second says "14th".

Something like that. I just like the candy hearts. Maybe there can be several of those, forming another heart. That could be interesting.

Shady Lane · Aug 11, 2007

Ohhhh, trust me. I know.

Sublime would be two nondescript people sitting on a beach, taken like a picture from behind. Christmastime would be a Santa doll or a baby rattle on a blue cover. Singleton would be the twins, back to back. And Nimble would be a six-fingered hand in a fist.

Very simple.

Esopha · Aug 11, 2007

Haha, I think everyone wants your cover, as well, scarlet.

reenkam said:
Something like that. I just like the candy hearts. Maybe there can be several of those, forming another heart. That could be interesting.

I saw something like this...I think it was a paper heart, though. Someone was holding it up with two fingers.

Shady Lane said:
Very simple.

Like your one-word titles?

Shady Lane · Aug 11, 2007

I saw something like this...I think it was a paper heart, though. Someone was holding it up with two fingers.

That's a Sarah Dessen.

Like your one-word titles?

Someday I'm going to have a title that's longer that one word, I swear.

AndreaGS · Aug 11, 2007

Probably this:

Esopha · Aug 11, 2007

I like your one-word titles! They're easy to remember.

That's gorgeous, Andrea. Who's the artist?

Sage · Aug 11, 2007

For AFTRLYF, a very simple cover in a monotone (in my mind it's yellow, but it doesn't have to be) except for a California license plate with the title on it.

For HEVNSNT, (should I ever finish, but right now it sucketh majorly), similar, but instead of a license plate, a computer screen prompting a password, which is the title.

Those are all I would dare to design

OverTheHills&FarAway · Aug 11, 2007

For The Incredible Blanco Brothers, it'd be very simple: the comic book of the three brothers, all standing together and facing toward us and slightly out, with guns drawn and lassos and all that cowboy paraphernalia, looking excited and oh so interested in what's inside. White background. The title will be all done up in big, exciting block letters, perhaps with an exclamation point, perhaps red. Very kitsch, very comic book.

Yeah.

AndreaGS · Aug 11, 2007

Esopha said:
I like your one-word titles! They're easy to remember.

That's gorgeous, Andrea. Who's the artist?

Thanks! I'm the artist. It's the one dream cover I've painted so far. I hope to paint a couple others. I'd really, really, really like to be able to paint my own cover.

*sigh*

It always warms my heart when I hear people talking about how they had some input into their cover

Rhea L · Aug 11, 2007

AndreaGS said:
Thanks! I'm the artist.

*faints* You wouldn't happen to be taking commissions, would you?

That's just absolutely breathtaking.

Wow.

Esopha · Aug 11, 2007

Oh my God, Andrea, that's so awesome! You're very talented. My art = failure.

Wolvel · Aug 11, 2007

Mine would have the title at the top, right below it a moon in a clear night sky and below that the shadowed outline of a werewolf.

johnzakour · Aug 11, 2007

I like the cover of my next book. The Blue-Haired Bombshell.

HourglassMemory · Aug 11, 2007

AndreaGS said:
Thanks! I'm the artist. It's the one dream cover I've painted so far. I hope to paint a couple others. I'd really, really, really like to be able to paint my own cover.

*sigh*

It always warms my heart when I hear people talking about how they had some input into their cover

Oh My God! you should totally demand the publishers to put your art as your cover!!!
It's your story! Tell that if they don't put your cover, there will be no business.
I would do that if I could draw as well as you.

As for my dream cover, I guess putting the 6 main characters in the cover would be really cool, looking up dramatically and with a planet in the backround. All drawn in a realistic style.
Making it look old and 19th century-ish would be really cool too.
And oh! The title would have actual relief.

Claudia Gray · Aug 11, 2007

After seeing the preliminary version for the cover of Evernight -- which is VERY different than I imagined but really cool -- I'm going to wean myself of dreaming up covers. I always used to, but now I'm more inclined to just let the art department surprise me!

Of course, I never did dream anything up for my next WIP, Delilah, so there are no expectations to be thwarted.

Esopha · Aug 11, 2007

HourglassMemory said:
Oh My God! you should totally demand the publishers to put your art as your cover!!!
It's your story! Tell that if they don't put your cover, there will be no business.
I would do tha tIf I could draw as well as you.

Well...maybe not that extreme. You could slyly hand it to your publisher as you do the closing-the-deal handshake, instead.

John, that cover is gorgeous.

JohnDavidPaxton · Aug 11, 2007

If I could have it anyway, it would be all black with elongated and thin white letters spelling out the title and nothing else, not even my name, on the cover.

But I know this is but a dream.

ArtLady · Aug 11, 2007

Cover

for sure... my own work. art is the subject. art on the cover.

i have been published on the cover of major Christian publishing company-just because the author mentioned my painting in her book. the publishing company made sure i knew that paintings on covers are HIGHLY unusual!

i do art for self-publishing artists and some publishing companies argue-some don't.

working on my first book (writing) and total newbie in this area. newbie here too (about 1 hour).

love the site!!

sorry my artwork here is SO big. working on making it smaller.

jodiodi · Aug 11, 2007

Like Scarletpeaches said.

Plus, blurbs from JK Rowling, Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Bertrice Small and Anne Rice all raving about how they couldn't put it down and were eagerly looking forward to my next book because they'd never read behld such amazing natural talent.

Shady Lane · Aug 11, 2007

Yeah, mine needs this:

"Shady Lane is a beast."
--F. Scott Fitzgerald

ArtLady · Aug 11, 2007

Wow-what medium do you use? this is amazing work!! great job!!

Enraptured · Aug 11, 2007

For Lessons, I'd like a stark white room, with a girl huddled in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chest.

johnzakour · Aug 11, 2007

Andrea really nice cover art!

What's your dream cover?

bam pow zap.

aka cupcake

my name is hannah

bam pow zap.

my name is hannah

bam pow zap.

Our Lady of Parentheticals

McNifico

-enchanter-

bam pow zap.

Write the Damn Book!

Dangerous with a Keyboard

bam pow zap.

ArtLady

Reflections of Reality

my name is hannah

ArtLady

Narrator

Dangerous with a Keyboard