Thank you for not given the book’s subject matter – a 10 hanky novel that has affected my readership so deeply – not a dry eye in the house. Besides, the sea of qults from the AIDS NAMES project spread before the Washingtom Monument might stir humor in some, for for those of us who had friends die in our arms, it would be a bitter. Again, thanks for not commenting and thanks for the Lousy Book cover doff – I cherish the honor (as you well know).
Well, like most of my covers, they’re for my readers, post-read. I actually create my covers after Chapter 2 or three in any book, the cover being something inside breathing out. On that Jade Owl cover (of the other day), when that was first picked up for publishing by anotherchapter inc., I was assigned an illustrator who made a professional cover for the book, but she went in hiding from her husband, an alien-nation member, before the book came out, so we didn’t use it copyrights and all that). That’s when I started my own cover making career. I decided to make them part of my branding – not substandard, but anti-commercial. You don;t know how many books I’ve purchased with brilliant covers and twaddle inside. Readers are readers and if they choose to be attracted by books with barechested men and frilly poised women, that’s fine. But my rader’s dime (or no-dime) gets an engaging read and a lousy prize worthy cover. I once hada reviewer state that one of my novellas had a cover created by a crayon (No Irish Need Apply). That book is an award winner and has actually made me money. I wouldn;t change my crayola cover for world’s. lol. But I have picked up tips from this thread re: covers and have incorporated some clarity in my last two covers (and my next two – although Belmundus’ sequel will have some kind of floating head – must match the first lousy cover you know), but I’m also publishing short fiction and Amazon requires a cover. They’re easier to do because I don;t need the 80MB plus file to send to a printer for the paperback.
You seem to think that it’s okay, and even amusing, that your covers look terrible. And yet you also appear to take pride in the quality of the writing within your books.
Do you not see a disconnect there? Don’t you think it’s a disservice to your books to smear garbage all over them? Don’t you think that your books deserve covers that won’t repel potential readers?
This book has nothing but enthusiastic reviews, most of them 5-star. Perhaps it would have hundreds more if the cover didn’t cause 9 out of 10 potential readers to walk away laughing after a single glance.
By browsing around on fiverr.com for a few minutes and spending $5.00, you could get an inoffensive cover. It might be a little trite and clumsy, but it at least won’t drive people away. It won’t be an insult to the book’s contents.
… Or you could just go on pretending it’s fun and amusing to have people marvel at how ugly and repellent your covers are.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and my covers are a wonder to behold. But I look forward to the day when cover art reverts back to the time when the art disappears altogether and title lurks quietly on the spine. But you are insisting that I hand my head in shame. (taking a minute – hanging head). Done. Over it. On to the next lousy cover.
No defending it, my dear. Guilty as charged. I too old and too far into the game to defend anything. But it’s fun to be able to speak out once in a while in the backwaters, since I don;t get this kind of fun anywhere else. I’m just happy I have 24 Lousy covers. But even I need to get on with my life. f you close your eyes to the cover and want to cry your eyes out, pick this book up and join the others. Just don;t read it in public. Fair warning, if the reviews aren’t warning enough.
BTW, that’s not me in the avatar, but Elijah Wood – I’m the oldest member of his fan club (he even signed one of my books on the set of The Oxford Murders). My old haggard puss would make a lousy cover indeed.
BTW, that’s not me in the avatar, but Elijah Wood – I’m the oldest member of his fan club (he even signed one of my books on the set of The Oxford Murders). My old haggard puss would make a lousy cover indeed.
Yep, with your reviews on this book, and a decent cover you could be making real money. That cover makes Calizona’s cover look good.
Edward C. Patterson
10 years ago
I might try on this one, not because I’d cave on my anti-traditional cover art bit, but because this book garners donation for HYACINTH AIDS Foundation and anything I can do to support the memory of my fallen angels, I will do.
Well, the book was written for my Fallen Angels and nothing to do with principles and much to do with understanding. It took an author’s support group to get me through written this novel and the last thing on my mind was the cover. If I made a new cover for this book, it would be a warning label for the timid or the heartless to stay out. I’d rather go with the lighter side of the work – Christmas, choirs, and cowboys. The warning label is on the blurbs and the enticement for reading are with my readers and their reviews. Sorry for being defensive with this title, but it’s a work which would have never seen the light of day if it were not for the legion of ghosts who nightly camped at the foot of my bed and demanded that their story be told.
![cover[1]](https://lousybookcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/cover128.jpg)
Thank you for not given the book’s subject matter – a 10 hanky novel that has affected my readership so deeply – not a dry eye in the house. Besides, the sea of qults from the AIDS NAMES project spread before the Washingtom Monument might stir humor in some, for for those of us who had friends die in our arms, it would be a bitter. Again, thanks for not commenting and thanks for the Lousy Book cover doff – I cherish the honor (as you well know).
Edward C. Patterson
Honestly, I couldn’t even tell that was “the sea of quilts”. That filter that was used rendered it unrecognizable.
Well, like most of my covers, they’re for my readers, post-read. I actually create my covers after Chapter 2 or three in any book, the cover being something inside breathing out. On that Jade Owl cover (of the other day), when that was first picked up for publishing by anotherchapter inc., I was assigned an illustrator who made a professional cover for the book, but she went in hiding from her husband, an alien-nation member, before the book came out, so we didn’t use it copyrights and all that). That’s when I started my own cover making career. I decided to make them part of my branding – not substandard, but anti-commercial. You don;t know how many books I’ve purchased with brilliant covers and twaddle inside. Readers are readers and if they choose to be attracted by books with barechested men and frilly poised women, that’s fine. But my rader’s dime (or no-dime) gets an engaging read and a lousy prize worthy cover. I once hada reviewer state that one of my novellas had a cover created by a crayon (No Irish Need Apply). That book is an award winner and has actually made me money. I wouldn;t change my crayola cover for world’s. lol. But I have picked up tips from this thread re: covers and have incorporated some clarity in my last two covers (and my next two – although Belmundus’ sequel will have some kind of floating head – must match the first lousy cover you know), but I’m also publishing short fiction and Amazon requires a cover. They’re easier to do because I don;t need the 80MB plus file to send to a printer for the paperback.
You seem to think that it’s okay, and even amusing, that your covers look terrible. And yet you also appear to take pride in the quality of the writing within your books.
Do you not see a disconnect there? Don’t you think it’s a disservice to your books to smear garbage all over them? Don’t you think that your books deserve covers that won’t repel potential readers?
This book has nothing but enthusiastic reviews, most of them 5-star. Perhaps it would have hundreds more if the cover didn’t cause 9 out of 10 potential readers to walk away laughing after a single glance.
By browsing around on fiverr.com for a few minutes and spending $5.00, you could get an inoffensive cover. It might be a little trite and clumsy, but it at least won’t drive people away. It won’t be an insult to the book’s contents.
… Or you could just go on pretending it’s fun and amusing to have people marvel at how ugly and repellent your covers are.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and my covers are a wonder to behold. But I look forward to the day when cover art reverts back to the time when the art disappears altogether and title lurks quietly on the spine. But you are insisting that I hand my head in shame. (taking a minute – hanging head). Done. Over it. On to the next lousy cover.
Yep, like I said, just go on pretending that it’s all fun and amusing that your covers are a noxious insult to your own writing.
Wow…it’s always illuminating when the author defends their fridge art.
No defending it, my dear. Guilty as charged. I too old and too far into the game to defend anything. But it’s fun to be able to speak out once in a while in the backwaters, since I don;t get this kind of fun anywhere else. I’m just happy I have 24 Lousy covers. But even I need to get on with my life. f you close your eyes to the cover and want to cry your eyes out, pick this book up and join the others. Just don;t read it in public. Fair warning, if the reviews aren’t warning enough.
BTW, that’s not me in the avatar, but Elijah Wood – I’m the oldest member of his fan club (he even signed one of my books on the set of The Oxford Murders). My old haggard puss would make a lousy cover indeed.
BTW, that’s not me in the avatar, but Elijah Wood – I’m the oldest member of his fan club (he even signed one of my books on the set of The Oxford Murders). My old haggard puss would make a lousy cover indeed.
Yep, with your reviews on this book, and a decent cover you could be making real money. That cover makes Calizona’s cover look good.
I might try on this one, not because I’d cave on my anti-traditional cover art bit, but because this book garners donation for HYACINTH AIDS Foundation and anything I can do to support the memory of my fallen angels, I will do.
… do anything except put a decent cover on the book? Ah well, I know other people who have principles I simply cannot understand.
Well, the book was written for my Fallen Angels and nothing to do with principles and much to do with understanding. It took an author’s support group to get me through written this novel and the last thing on my mind was the cover. If I made a new cover for this book, it would be a warning label for the timid or the heartless to stay out. I’d rather go with the lighter side of the work – Christmas, choirs, and cowboys. The warning label is on the blurbs and the enticement for reading are with my readers and their reviews. Sorry for being defensive with this title, but it’s a work which would have never seen the light of day if it were not for the legion of ghosts who nightly camped at the foot of my bed and demanded that their story be told.