Matthew S. Wilson's Blog, page 3
July 22, 2012
Coming soon to a cinema near you
Ok, Ok - perhaps not a cinema near you, but I've just launched the trailer to The Devil's in the Detail. Check it by clicking here.
A trailer for a book, I hear you ask? That's right. I'll confess to loving film trailers/previews. Whenever I go to the cinema, I always ensure that I am there early to see the trailers. I think a good trailer can give you a real insight into what the story is all about, as well as offering a glimpse at the style and tone of the picture.
So I wondered if I could do something similiar for my novel.
Without a film budget at my disposal, I started tinkering with the idea of some black and white photographs being displayed, with the premise of the novel mapped out to the viewer. It was coming along quite well, but there was something missing.
Music.
I had a clear idea of the music that I wanted to accompany the trailer, and consulted my friend Michael who runs a little audio company called Pinstripe Audio. Pinstripe specialise in creating music which is specifically tailored to your needs and requirements. They then offer their own thoughts and ideas. What resulted is a rendition of George Bizet's 'L'amour est un oiseau rebelle' with a twist. I absolutely love the work Michael was able to do, and would highly recommend Pinstripe Audio for all of your audio needs!
I hope that, like a good film preview, the trailer wets your appetite for the novel. It'll be available very, very soon.
July 16, 2012
Unpacking the Devil
The proof for the paperback version of The Devil's in the Detail arrived today. Take a look at the unveiling!
July 9, 2012
Font counts
Ever since University, I've proclaimed to anyone that cared to listen (which, unsurprisingly, wasn't many) that "Font counts". For years I've been of the opinion that the font you select is crucial. Whether it be for a resume (Arial of course), a kid's birthday party (why not try Comic Sans?) or a script (don't even think of not using Courier), the type of font you use says a lot about your work.
And never has this been truer than formatting the novel. With the final proof-read done (hoorah!), I've been spending time on the final formatting of the paperback. This in itself has been really finicky. Sleep has been difficult with the following questions firing in my mind:
1. Is the outside margin narrow enough to avoid any words falling off the page?
2. Is the inner margin wide enough to prevent the start of sentences being hidden in the depths of the spine?
3. Should I have a glossy or a matte finish to the cover?
4. What does one write in the 'About the Author' section?
5. Should the first letter of the chapter be bigger than the rest?
6. Just how does the point scoring system for the Tour de France actually work?
Luckily, I've answered the first five questions and have submitted my work to the printers to receive a proof copy of the paperback. Very, very excited. Stay tuned for the 'unboxing' when it arrives!
PS: If anyone knows how the Tour de France scoring works, hit me up.
