Guest Post: Creating a Compelling Cover by Judy Penz Sheluk

It has been awhile since Judy last graced the blog with her presence, but she is back today as she has a new book now out. A HOLE IN ONE follows THE HANGED MAN’S NOOSE: A Glass Dolphin Mystery.  

Creating a Compelling Cover by Judy Penz Sheluk

Everyone knows that book covers are an important part of a novel. But have you ever wondered just how book covers are created? While I can’t speak for other publishers, at Barking Rain Press (BRP) it’s a very collaborative process between the publisher, the author, and the artist.

The process starts by the author completing a document called “Cover Art Guidelines.” This document includes the title and author’s name, as it will appear on the cover, a list of any key elements in the story, a brief description of the major characters, the time period represented, and any other pertinent information that might assist the artist. That document serves as a template for the artist to begin his or her work.

In the case of my debut novel, THE HANGED MAN’S NOOSE, the publisher assigned the cover to Craig Jennion, a Senior Artist for BRP. The first step was a series of very rough sketches, from which the publisher and myself would select a “winner.” Here’s what that looked like. After a bit of deliberation, we selected the one marked with an “X.” That decision allowed Craig to come up with his initial cover concept:

We were almost there. The blueprints represented the building plans of the greedy real estate developer. The cocktail peanuts and napkin are something you’d find in a local pub like The Hanged Man’s Noose (ah ha . . . maybe you didn’t know the book was named after a pub!). 

But the wood was too light, as was the drink (in case you’re wondering, that’s a Treasontini, the Noose’s signature blueberry martini). The final version…well, I think Craig nailed it, don’t you?

  

For A HOLE IN ONE, Craig wasn’t available, so BRP hired Stephanie Bibbs Flint. Initially, Stephanie tried to mirror the Treasontini from NOOSE, but while the drink was important to the plot of my first book, there were no martinis in A HOLE IN ONE. Besides, I really, really, hate the taste of olives.

We all liked the window overlooking the golf course, but I didn’t like the dark splotch in the right hand corner, and that darned drink was still in the picture. Still, we were getting closer.  As for the title, could we, I asked, make the O in ONE look like a bullet hole? We could!

A cornice was added to the window...a good concept, but a bit too busy. We liked the text placement, though, and I liked the addition of the score card. The gun and the drawing on the napkin are also important to the story. Once we had that, it was time to add the text and blurbs. The end result? I love it, and hope you do, too.

A HOLE IN ONE was released in trade paperback and all eBook formats on March 6, 2018 by Barking Rain Press. Find it at all the usual suspects, including:

Amazon: http://authl.it/9f0

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-hole-in-one-judy-penz-sheluk/1127967500?ean=2940158640827

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/a-hole-in-one-3

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judy_Penz_Sheluk_A_Hole_in_One?id=IERMDwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/a-hole-in-one/id1350574649?mt=11

Barking Rain Press: https://barkingrainpress.org/a-hole-in-one/ - 1473022241950-de2dbbf6-9e98

Judy Penz Sheluk ©2018

An Amazon international bestselling author, Judy Penz Sheluk is the author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries (THE HANGED MAN’S NOOSE and A HOLE IN ONE) and The Marketville Mysteries (SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC). Her short crime fiction appears is included in several collections, including LIVE FREE OR TRI.

Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Regional Representative for Toronto/Southern Ontario.

Find Judy on her website/blog at http://www.judypenzsheluk.com, where she interviews and showcases the works of other authors and blogs about the writing life.