my web developer | graphic artist “child”

has wholeheartedly agreed to design a book cover for Mine To Give. I have created three (one with his help), and the novel has sold, but only a little. I don’t love any of the covers. And there are more that I designed and played with that didn’t make it past the BOOK COVER folder. So I was (am?) ready to hire a third party, yet couldn’t do it without giving him first right of refusal. I DID NOT EXPECT HIM TO AGREE. A benefit of the furlough? We have gone through many book cover design gyrations over the years without luck. We disagree with the design concept & process.

He believes that, as a creator, he is free to do as he wishes, that he has free rein, and knows better than I do about what is right (we’re talking book cover … riiight …), while I know that the customer (me in this case) is always right. It is why I created a website and now the blog on my own — but there are so many parts to those that once I figured out, it was ‘just’ composing. A book cover is simple in that it has few requirements but

does so much in, what, two seconds, three?

No one will know what the book is about without clicking on it or, at some point, picking it up. The cover and | or title must invite readers to it. Then, it’s up to the content to do its magic.

I am embarrassed to talk about my novel because of the cover. =\ Real “shame” or excuse? Anyway, he is due to provide two designs at the end of the week. This week. I gifted him the novel and sent a synopsis. (Has not read the synopsis but read the first two chapters.)

will keep calm.
Maybe since Friday he has.

Nope.