I started writing the second MONK book today…and whenever I get stuck, which is about every five minutes, I glance at the just-arrived cover of MR. MONK GOES TO THE FIREHOUSE to remind myself that I’ve been in this exact same situation before. That’s one reason why I keep a few of my published books, and the tentative covers, amidst the mess on my desk…as little visual and tactile reminders that whatever creative woes I am experiencing today I have experienced before and not to lose confidence. All that whining aside, what do you think of the cover?
Wouldn’t Monk at least be holding a handy wipe?
It’s better…but I still don’t like the those three slug lines.
I have to agree with Jonathan, don’t think he would have wiped that window with his fingers. And they are still clean yet.
richard
So they’re going with the Murder She Wrote template of having a version of Tony on every cover with something relating to the title around him?
Its not bad, but I guess I thought they would play more toward his fears. Like Jonathan said, a wipe or something to keep the germs at bay. The smoke is a tad hokey.
I know, I know, you don’t wrap ’em, you just write ’em. But the first one sets the tone.
How about something like this…?
suggestion
I’ve seen that picture before, and I thought it was good. So I’d have to say I like it just as much now that it’s on the cover of your book. When does it get released? Or have you already mentioned that in a previous post?
~Chikory
Chikory,
The book is coming out in January. The second MONK book, assuming I finish it on time, will be out in July.
Jonathan,
I like your revised cover but I’m afraid this one is “locked” already.
JK,
Yes, they are using the actor-on-the-cover template they’ve used on MURDER SHE WROTE, GUNSMOKE and my DIAGNOSIS MURDER books, but at least on the first one, they aren’t using a scene or setting from the story. My DM novels always have the same shot of Dick Van Dyke, but for each book they change the color of his shirt, the color of the cover, and add a picture that relates to the plot. I don’t know yet whether the picture of Tony Shalhoub on the cover of each book will change.
It does look a hell of a lot like a magazine cover, rather than a book. Especially with all the blocks of text.
Stuart, that’s exactly what I was thinking. It looks like a magazine cover.
At least it’s colorful and there’s no doubt what the book is.
It should be titled Mr. Monk Enters the Birth Canal. I’m sure it’s a fine book, but the cover doesn’t grab me at all.
Lee,
Is this the final cover? I’m ok with the actor, just like in DM novels, but can they chage the layout? I agree he needs to have kleenex or something. Maybe have a firehouse in the background.
Lee
Thanks for adding. I keep up with the MSW novels, but not the DM novels *sheepish* so I didn’t notice Dick’s shot was always the same. {hmm, I thought about editing that sentence but I doubt the RWA will be linking here.}
We can all gripe, but as its locked, there is not much we can do. Maybe next book…
Can I still read the family Goldberg blogs?
My first thought was that he should have a wipe as well.
Now I can’t get the image of a Dalmatian peeing into his fireboot out of my mind …