Remember Newvember - Cover Design - the Dilemma

Ok, I'll admit it, I like pretty things. For anything to catch my attention, it must be visually appealing. So - first things first in this crazy journey to getting this book out to the world - it needs an eye-catching cover. I won't pretend to be an artist, but I do know what I find visually appealing. I started with a simple idea and with some help from a few friends the concept developed into something I might be able to work with. Of course - if my work ever does get swooped up by a real publisher (as opposed to a vanity press) I'm sure my original design will be tossed out the window and replaced by something polished and professional.

My idea for the cover is very much like the book itself; after all, the cover should reflect the interior contents. When the book cover doesn't hold a strong bond with the meat of the work, I somehow feel as though I have been mislead or in some way swindled out of the limited visual experience the cover offers.

The cover for Remember Newvember is a collage of all the new experiences Willow takes on during her 30 day dare of self-discovery. Thanks to a good friend, we collected the individual pieces, glued them onto a piece of Bristol board and then snapped a digital photo of the ensemble. The first step was easy - but it had a very amateur feel to it.

I decided the colours were a little too sharp and needed some blurring around the edges. I tried B&W - but that seemed too 1940's for the feel of the book. A little colour was necessary as it's a very colourful story. So, then I went with sepia tones - but again - it was washed out just a bit too much. Using my limited graphic software (I won't even share how abysmal the selection is), I converted the colours to orange-ish tones and violà . . . I liked the result.

And then - I added some fancy writing - but unfortunately for lack of appropriate software, the quality is awful. I guess I am going to have to invest in some decent software if I am going to continue at playing bestselling author and cover designer . . .

Now - this wasn't a done deal - and I am very much open to suggestions because there is something that isn't quite "right" about it. Something lacking (aside from the quality of the text). So - another very good friend offered to give me a helping hand, and her professional expertise. She did some research, took my amateur photo and created this little masterpiece:

At first, I honestly didn't love it - but the more I look at it and compare it to my first attempt - the more it grows on me. I think if I were browsing through my favourite book store whether it is an actual physical one, or a virtual one - I just might pick up this little treasure.