Nice Interview at IndieReader Thank you, IndieReader!
Cover Me | IR Staff
The Mule Tamer
My main character is a mule breeder in Arizona and one crucial part of the novel finds him traveling alone in the deserts of Arizona and Mexico. The cover conveys a certain tension, as the landscape is so vast and foreign and lonely. It evokes both a sense of danger and tranquility.
1. Tell us a little bit about your book cover. What does it convey about your book?
As you can see, the artwork is of a man riding what appears to be a mule in the desert of Arizona, how lucky can one get? My main character, Arvel Walsh, is a mule breeder in Arizona, and one crucial part of the novel finds him traveling alone in the deserts of Arizona and Mexico. It also conveys a certain tension, as the landscape is so vast and foreign and lonely. It evokes both a sense of danger and tranquility.
It was just dumb luck that I found that artwork, as if the artist made it for me. I could not hire someone to do a painting, and of course did not want to run afoul of copyright issues, so the iStockphoto route was a terrific compromise. I would highly recommend the service to your authors. I believe I paid around $75 for the use of this artwork.
2. Was the cover inspired by something in particular? A character in the book? A certain tone?
I was looking for something like what you would see from old 1930′s travel posters for Arizona, like the one I have attached, and “The Mule Tamer “cover is very similar. Not so much that the novel is set in the 30′s, but that artwork seemed to work even though my novel is set in 1892. I put together the font (with help from my friend, graphic artist Kevin Moore) from inspiration from old west script and from the cover of one of the “Lonesome Dove” book covers.
3. Did you create the book cover yourself? Or did you use outside services?
Kevin referred me to iStockphoto, where I found the artwork and purchased it. He then sized the image for me and I had Amazon’s Createspace put the book together. So, it was a collaboration between Kevin and me. He does not do book covers for a living, but does many other related things for his profession. He used Photoshop to put it all together.
4. Is there another book cover that particularly inspires you?
I would say that Lonesome Dove was the most inspirational for me but only insofar as the font goes. I wanted an old west feel to the font.
See the full article here: http://indiereader.com/2012/05/the-mule-tamer/
1. Tell us a little bit about your book cover. What does it convey about your book?
As you can see, the artwork is of a man riding what appears to be a mule in the desert of Arizona, how lucky can one get? My main character, Arvel Walsh, is a mule breeder in Arizona, and one crucial part of the novel finds him traveling alone in the deserts of Arizona and Mexico. It also conveys a certain tension, as the landscape is so vast and foreign and lonely. It evokes both a sense of danger and tranquility.
It was just dumb luck that I found that artwork, as if the artist made it for me. I could not hire someone to do a painting, and of course did not want to run afoul of copyright issues, so the iStockphoto route was a terrific compromise. I would highly recommend the service to your authors. I believe I paid around $75 for the use of this artwork.
2. Was the cover inspired by something in particular? A character in the book? A certain tone?
I was looking for something like what you would see from old 1930′s travel posters for Arizona, like the one I have attached, and “The Mule Tamer “cover is very similar. Not so much that the novel is set in the 30′s, but that artwork seemed to work even though my novel is set in 1892. I put together the font (with help from my friend, graphic artist Kevin Moore) from inspiration from old west script and from the cover of one of the “Lonesome Dove” book covers.
3. Did you create the book cover yourself? Or did you use outside services?
Kevin referred me to iStockphoto, where I found the artwork and purchased it. He then sized the image for me and I had Amazon’s Createspace put the book together. So, it was a collaboration between Kevin and me. He does not do book covers for a living, but does many other related things for his profession. He used Photoshop to put it all together.
4. Is there another book cover that particularly inspires you?
I would say that Lonesome Dove was the most inspirational for me but only insofar as the font goes. I wanted an old west feel to the font.
See the full article here: http://indiereader.com/2012/05/the-mule-tamer/
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