The text/fonts on 2 & 3 are not appealing to me, and none of the three represent the feel or flavor of this masterpiece of contemporary literature. This is a rough one.
Do you design these yourself? Where do you find the illustrations?
None of the above. I know you do not have license to use the “comic book” type drawing of the original novel, but that really captured the flavor of the story. If you MUST go with one of these examples above…use the piggy bank one…it is the only humorous one and thus give a clue that the book is a noir romp.
I’d go with #3 as well, if the top red bar can be switched back to blue that might help a bit more.
Just a thought to throw out there: Since the title is My Gun Has Bullets. I’d switch the gun in #1 to a water pistol it’d be a nice pun on the title.
If I had to pick it’d be the 2nd one but the photograph of the woman is odd..She looks a bit disfigured the way she is sitting and the twist of her back and her bra.
First thought was “Gollum”.
I *like* Number One best — I like the visual humor quite a lot, and I’m tired of seeing women in bras all over book covers. (Not in a We’re Corrupting The Youth Of Society kind of way, just in a Oh For Pete’s Sake Already kind of way.)
On the other hand, I can’t imagine the shot of the woman won’t draw the eyes of more readers. And I like the layout of the text in the third one, too. So my vote’s for #3, too.
It depends. If the book is intended to be humorous, then cover #1 is definitely the superior choice. But if the story is more serious, then I’d go for #3.
Cheers,
Jeff
I think the piggy bank is delightful but would take #3 as an alternate.
I’m glad you’re having such success, Lee. I put up my own e-book over the weekend, entitled “Reaper’s Dozen”, so hopefully I can be a Kindle millionaire, too.
#3 – the text is better as Gord said. And the woman makes we wonder what the relationship is between the title and her – the piggy bank makes me think it’s a bank robbery caper.
#2: I don’t like the italics in #3. And the woman is better because she takes up a larger part of the available space than the pig and gun do individually.
I agree with Burl and Peter. The book is good. And it’s good for serious reasons. It’s a take on TV in Hollywood that deserves to be discussed in Contemporary American Lit classes. So it needs a worthy cover. Why not something like a sketch of the big white “Hollywood” sign in the background, pen and ink, and a number of bullets in the foreground? Photos don’t work on covers too often, it requires artwork. And there is no connection between these photos and the novel’s main theme. Sorry. 🙁
Really, none of the above. The photos in all three don’t strike me and the font on #3 in particular is hard to read and too Star Wars-y. And none of the three convey anything about what the story actually is — well #1 does, kind of — I’d say find another photo.
I’d go with #2 over #3 – I agree with Tod. #3 is too hard to read. It also depends on what you’re trying to convey. There’s a comic element to the gun and piggy that isn’t there with the woman. The woman is seductive, alluring.
Hi Lee,
This is off topic but I really wanted to contact you and ask your opinion on the Monk books you’ve written. My son, who turns 12 in mid-June has enjoyed the Monk TV series. Today I discovered your books in our local library and I checked one out thinking he might enjoy reading it. So far I haven’t run into anything very dicey for a pre-teen to read. If you had a 12-year-old son, would you let him read your Monk books or would you hold off until he was a little older? Thanks so much for your time and input.
P.S. I want to read some of your other books. I enjoy mysteries too!
Cindy,
I’m a young adult librarian, and I have bought all of the “Monk” books for our teen collection, which serves 12- through 18-year-olds.
Serving a population that wide, naturally some of our books are geared more towards older teens than younger, and to that end I mark the books for older teens with a special label, so that people know these books are intended for a more mature audience. There was nothing in any of the “Monk” books that I thought required that sticker.
Because the books are from Natalie’s point of view, they delve into her personal life in a way the television series generally didn’t have time for. She does have a romantic relationship with a certain character (one not from the TV series), and all that that entails. However, we never get into overly explicit territory.
There is also the occasional swear word — never anything more than what we hear on the show.
Every parent has to judge for themselves, of course, but I would have no problem handing these books over to a twelve-year-old. In fact, I often have!
(… not to say that the books don’t get checked out by a fair segment of our adult population, too. _Everybody_ reads “Monk” here! :))
Getting more options seems like a good idea. Of these three, I prefer the first one, especially if it is a humorous book. It’s cute. The second and third seem like a comment on sperm count.
from a design sense.
None. None of them give any notion of what the story inside may be about.
Is there a scene with that pig in the book?
What does a half-dressed woman have to do with bullets?
A cover shuld have something to do with the story, IMHO.
I’d have to say #3. The woman is a lot nicer than a piggy bank, and the layout of the text is a bit more appealing to me than #2.
The text/fonts on 2 & 3 are not appealing to me, and none of the three represent the feel or flavor of this masterpiece of contemporary literature. This is a rough one.
Do you design these yourself? Where do you find the illustrations?
I agree with # 3
None of the above. I know you do not have license to use the “comic book” type drawing of the original novel, but that really captured the flavor of the story. If you MUST go with one of these examples above…use the piggy bank one…it is the only humorous one and thus give a clue that the book is a noir romp.
I’d go with #3 as well, if the top red bar can be switched back to blue that might help a bit more.
Just a thought to throw out there: Since the title is My Gun Has Bullets. I’d switch the gun in #1 to a water pistol it’d be a nice pun on the title.
If I had to pick it’d be the 2nd one but the photograph of the woman is odd..She looks a bit disfigured the way she is sitting and the twist of her back and her bra.
First thought was “Gollum”.
#1. It features the titular gun.
What about the cover here on Amazon?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595270255/adventuresint-20
That’s a good cover.
Current. I don’t like seeing half-naked people on book covers. The pig is cute and the first cover is ironic. I like it.
I *like* Number One best — I like the visual humor quite a lot, and I’m tired of seeing women in bras all over book covers. (Not in a We’re Corrupting The Youth Of Society kind of way, just in a Oh For Pete’s Sake Already kind of way.)
On the other hand, I can’t imagine the shot of the woman won’t draw the eyes of more readers. And I like the layout of the text in the third one, too. So my vote’s for #3, too.
No question. #3.
It depends. If the book is intended to be humorous, then cover #1 is definitely the superior choice. But if the story is more serious, then I’d go for #3.
Cheers,
Jeff
I think the piggy bank is delightful but would take #3 as an alternate.
I’m glad you’re having such success, Lee. I put up my own e-book over the weekend, entitled “Reaper’s Dozen”, so hopefully I can be a Kindle millionaire, too.
#3 – the text is better as Gord said. And the woman makes we wonder what the relationship is between the title and her – the piggy bank makes me think it’s a bank robbery caper.
#2: I don’t like the italics in #3. And the woman is better because she takes up a larger part of the available space than the pig and gun do individually.
I like the first cover because of the piggy bank.
I agree with Burl and Peter. The book is good. And it’s good for serious reasons. It’s a take on TV in Hollywood that deserves to be discussed in Contemporary American Lit classes. So it needs a worthy cover. Why not something like a sketch of the big white “Hollywood” sign in the background, pen and ink, and a number of bullets in the foreground? Photos don’t work on covers too often, it requires artwork. And there is no connection between these photos and the novel’s main theme. Sorry. 🙁
Really, none of the above. The photos in all three don’t strike me and the font on #3 in particular is hard to read and too Star Wars-y. And none of the three convey anything about what the story actually is — well #1 does, kind of — I’d say find another photo.
I’d go with #2 over #3 – I agree with Tod. #3 is too hard to read. It also depends on what you’re trying to convey. There’s a comic element to the gun and piggy that isn’t there with the woman. The woman is seductive, alluring.
I don’t think I am going to go with any of them. I have hired someone to design some new choices for me. I am eager to see what he comes up with!
Lee
Hi Lee,
This is off topic but I really wanted to contact you and ask your opinion on the Monk books you’ve written. My son, who turns 12 in mid-June has enjoyed the Monk TV series. Today I discovered your books in our local library and I checked one out thinking he might enjoy reading it. So far I haven’t run into anything very dicey for a pre-teen to read. If you had a 12-year-old son, would you let him read your Monk books or would you hold off until he was a little older? Thanks so much for your time and input.
P.S. I want to read some of your other books. I enjoy mysteries too!
The cover concept in #1 is best, but I don’t think the photography is very good.
I think the fonts look best on #2.
Cindy,
I’m a young adult librarian, and I have bought all of the “Monk” books for our teen collection, which serves 12- through 18-year-olds.
Serving a population that wide, naturally some of our books are geared more towards older teens than younger, and to that end I mark the books for older teens with a special label, so that people know these books are intended for a more mature audience. There was nothing in any of the “Monk” books that I thought required that sticker.
Because the books are from Natalie’s point of view, they delve into her personal life in a way the television series generally didn’t have time for. She does have a romantic relationship with a certain character (one not from the TV series), and all that that entails. However, we never get into overly explicit territory.
There is also the occasional swear word — never anything more than what we hear on the show.
Every parent has to judge for themselves, of course, but I would have no problem handing these books over to a twelve-year-old. In fact, I often have!
(… not to say that the books don’t get checked out by a fair segment of our adult population, too. _Everybody_ reads “Monk” here! :))
Getting more options seems like a good idea. Of these three, I prefer the first one, especially if it is a humorous book. It’s cute. The second and third seem like a comment on sperm count.
Actually, I think it’s the title I’m not fond of. I would consider others.
from a design sense.
None. None of them give any notion of what the story inside may be about.
Is there a scene with that pig in the book?
What does a half-dressed woman have to do with bullets?
A cover shuld have something to do with the story, IMHO.