Alternative Covers
Added on 15 May 2008
One of the advantages of being in charge of the entire publishing process, is being in control of the cover artwork. Most authors don't get that. Artwork is thrust upon them and they are persuaded that they like it.I currently use a Polish designer, and as she speaks no English, we communicate through a friend. When I need a new book cover, I give her the basic idea of what I'd like and a rough outline of the nature of the story - which, let's face it, usually involves a certain amount of blood - and she comes back with a few designs to see what I like. For Lost in Juarez she came up with six different covers, out of which I could happily have chosen at least three. Below are the covers which didn't make it, as I opted for the white/grey eye in the tree cover.
The first one was my second favourite, and I think I might use it at some point in the future, possibly when reprinting The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson.