I'm getting ready for a signing today at Barnes & Noble in Covington, Louisiana. In fact, they're hosting an all day literary affair, with a children's play, poetry readings, and an authors' signing circle featuring a bunch of folks who are far better known than me. I'll be signing at 2:00, so if you're in the area, check it out. The address is: 3414 Highway 190, # 10 Mandeville, LA 70471 (985) 626-8884
I'm working on a blog post comparing E. C. Tubb's Dumarest series to his Cap Kennedy series, written under the name Gregory Kern. That should be up in a couple of days. I'm trying to recover from all the whining I got about grades right after I turned them in. I'm sure I've not heard the last of that. In the meantime, I'll leave you with a cover image that I've been considering for a collection of horror/noir stories. What do you think?
31 comments:
Hoping for some day to turn up at one of your book signings.
Ron, that would extremely cool.
I like the cover image, Charles. I would try to center the title a bit more between the tree and the right hand margin. Love the headlights!
Good luck with your book signing!
I like the image but I think you should have much larger lettering for your name and title. Maybe on the title you could use some blood dripping graphics on HARMLAND.
I didn't know COLD IN THE LIGHT was on Kindle. I will pick it up today. That's a real bargain. Writing has me falling into the pit as far as my TBR list goes, but catch up will be fun. :)
Merisi, thankee. I'll probably try the title in various places. Those glowing lights are coonie eyes!
Bernardl, this is just a mockup so I'll try to some other tihngs. I need to use my other computer to get better effects. I was thinking of harmland as a having a reflection possibly. I think you will enjoy Cold in the light
I love that photograph.
Hope the signing goes well!
Yes! on the cover.
I think of a very old Mauritz Stiller movie, about a cat woman, with Greta Garbo.
A tight shot of a flower display seemed to convey more horror than a shot of the cougar in the movie.
Have a great time! And me, too. What Ron said.
While I agree with Bernard that your name should be larger and with Merisi about centering the title, I love the basic concept you've used on the cover. And I thought what you said were eyes would be more effective as eyes than as headlights.
Travis cody, my wife is tres talented!
Deka, sold a couple of books.
Ivan, yeah, there's something kind of eerie about the end of the day like that.
Patti, thankee.
Keith, definitely
I trust the signing session was success! I like the cover and I can imagine the whining. My son who is studying at a private college told me that sometimes parents come to whine at the lecturers.
I can't add anything to comments about the cover. As you say, you're still experimenting with different ideas. It's a process close in importance, not all the way though, as the actual writing. A cover is important to many folks that not not know your writing.
I really can't see myself associating the current cover image with horror/noir.
With a romance or love story, yes. Horror no.
But as you say, it is a work in progress.
Beautiful cover. Do it. Glad the signing went well!
I like the simplicity of the cover! The title/author text is very clear.
You need to have some more sales on Nook books! Sounds like the bookselling business is going well with you
Charles, I hope you enjoyed the book signing at the literary fest — it sounds like so much fun. The cover picture is pretty cool and the scene looks tranquil for the title unless there's something very sinister lurking behind those trees.
Dude before you have office hours you have to eat some really gas producing foods so you can cut them some cheese to go with the whine. And oh yeah more importantly...I like the cover, the dusk before the darkness. The right time for horror.
Love the book cover. Have fun at the signing Charles.
Great cover idea.
I look forward to your Dumarest post. I have not read any myself. I remember when Tubb died, Dumarest was discussed on the REH forums. John Maddox Roberts mentioned that he thought Dumarest had a lot of Conan's traits. "I loved those books. If Conan were a spacefarer, he'd be Dumarest, just with a knife in his boot instead of a sword at his belt."
I've been keeping my eyes open for Dumarest novels since.
I'll be interested to read your take.
Oceangirl, no whining parents yet but I've had it before
Randy, I wish covers weren't so important.
G.B., hum, I thought it was pretty creepy. DId you see the eyes? :)
Richard, thanks, man.
Golden Eagle, thanks, I appreciate it.
Sage, I will put up Harvest of war on Nook after it runs thorugh it's 90 days on Amazon.
Prashant, you must have missed the eyes. I thought that was kind of creepy. Sounds like I need to up the creep factor, though.
Mark, the gas is a good idea. Unfortunately, these days students whine by email.
Jane, thankee!
Paul, abebooks has a bunch of dumarest books and I've found a few on bookmooch. Amazon carries some as well. I'm gonna put that post up in a couple of days.
Hope you had fun at the booksigning. I think my friend Christa Allan was there.
Remember when you finalize this cover, you want your name large enough to make an impression. Readers have to remember our name! :) Those "eyes" are a little creepy but I thought they were headlights too!
Charles, you're right. I saw the image but missed the eyes completely. It is creepy all right.
Congratulations on the book signings.
Hope you have a more relaxing time with the semester closing, and all.
My best to Lana. I'll be lighting a candle for her improved condition.
Back in the day, no student would have disputed grades. Seems like today it's all a negotiation. Gotta have some standards, eh?
Hang in there Doc
Warm Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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I love the cover, Charles. Absolutely love it.
Jess, Christa Allen was there. I talked briefly to her. Hum, headlights never occurred to me. I need to rethink.
Prashant, I still need to work on it, though.
X-Dell, thanks. We appreciate the good thoughts.
Cloudia, apparently not. One student went to the Vice president and played the sympathy card and that I was unfair. She got a grade she didn't deserve.
Rick, I'm glad, man, thanks.
Love the cover image, like the position and font of the lettering. (At least, I like em til I see something better)
What sticks in my craw is the color- that red seems to vibrate on the page, and not in a good way. Down where the sky gets lighter I found it very difficult to read...
Of course, the book itself, I can't wait to read! :)
I love the graphic, Charles. Very creepy. I agree with the others. Esp. for an ebook thunbnail, I would have to get out a magnifying glass.
Hope you had a great turnout at your signing :)
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