The Evolution of a Cover
I'm in the process of having my website redesigned and overhauled, which means coming up with new images. Now, images for a mystery set in the Regency are tricky, largely because so many of those images are linked in the popular imagination with Jane Austen--who doesn't exactly evoke a sense of mystery, threat, and death. It occurred to me that it would be cool to use the guy from the WHY KINGS CONFESS cover, but.... (There's always a BUT.)
Legalities require me to get permission from that cover's illustrator, Gene Mollica. I was a bit nervous, but it turns out that in addition to being a fantastic artist, he's also a great guy. Not only did he give me permission, but he also sent me a HRes file of his original painting for the cover. This is something I'd never seen before, and I suspect you'll find it as fascinating as I did.
Neat, huh? Here's a closeup:
Gene also told me a few other things I didn't know, such as that he did the MERMAIDS and SERPENTS covers, too (by far my favorites, along with the original ANGELS). And he told me that for the photo shoot for the cover of WHEN FALCONS FALL they actually made the model's costume, based on examples from old prints and paintings I've been sending them over the years. I've seen the stills from that photo shoot, but the way, and I'm happy with the new "Sebastian." (For those who missed it, the previous model joined the Navy!)
Gene tells me the photo shoots are mine to use, too, so once the new cover is available for reveal, I'll be able to show you the entire evolution of a cover, from photo shoot to painting to actual cover. It's a fascinating process.
Oh, and if you have any suggestions from my big website overhaul, I'd welcome them!
Legalities require me to get permission from that cover's illustrator, Gene Mollica. I was a bit nervous, but it turns out that in addition to being a fantastic artist, he's also a great guy. Not only did he give me permission, but he also sent me a HRes file of his original painting for the cover. This is something I'd never seen before, and I suspect you'll find it as fascinating as I did.
Neat, huh? Here's a closeup:
Gene also told me a few other things I didn't know, such as that he did the MERMAIDS and SERPENTS covers, too (by far my favorites, along with the original ANGELS). And he told me that for the photo shoot for the cover of WHEN FALCONS FALL they actually made the model's costume, based on examples from old prints and paintings I've been sending them over the years. I've seen the stills from that photo shoot, but the way, and I'm happy with the new "Sebastian." (For those who missed it, the previous model joined the Navy!)
Gene tells me the photo shoots are mine to use, too, so once the new cover is available for reveal, I'll be able to show you the entire evolution of a cover, from photo shoot to painting to actual cover. It's a fascinating process.
Oh, and if you have any suggestions from my big website overhaul, I'd welcome them!
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Nightlizard wrote: "I just simply love the art and I am an artist (well... in a way) myself and I really love it. Never linked Sebastian image to Jane Austin "world", too different "vibes" I guess.
Anyway, simply lo..."
Yes, I'm really excited to be able to use it. I love the blue-green in the original.
C.S. wrote: "Nightlizard wrote: "I just simply love the art and I am an artist (well... in a way) myself and I really love it. Never linked Sebastian image to Jane Austin "world", too different "vibes" I guess..."
I have to agree that the original blue-green looks a bit better, well, I like the final variant on the cover, but this one applies to me a bit more I guess.
One more thing is there. I never think of Sebastian as of a man who wears sideburns... Well, I just can not "glue" them to him ..and after this picture... it is hard to peel them off from my imagination! I guess I have to get used to it... :)
Nightlizard wrote: "One more thing is there. I never think of Sebastian as of a man who wears sideburns... Well, I just can not "glue" them to him ..and after this picture... it is hard to peel them off from my imagination! I guess I have to get used to it... " /i>The funny thing is, those sideburns are literally glued on that guy's face. It's very obvious in the photo shoots. So feel free to peel them off!
C.S. wrote: The funny thing is, those sideburns are literally glued on that guy's face. It's very obvious in the photo shoots. So feel free to peel them off! Haha, I would love to, actually. ))
Well, if it is alright for me to ask, can you please help me to find a photo-shoot pictures, if they exist in Internet and available for a free view? All this talk made me really curies for a "live thing". :)
Nightlizard wrote: "C.S. wrote: can you please help me to find a photo-shoot pictures, if they exist in Internet and available for a free view? ..."I've never actually seen the photo shoots for this particular cover, only for the redone ANGELS cover and the FALCONS cover they're doing now. Unfortunately, they aren't available. I'm going to try to get permission to show them once we get the FALCONS cover, because I think readers would be interested to see how the covers come together.
C.S. wrote: I've never actually seen the photo shoots for this particular cover, only for the redone ANGELS cover and the FALCONS cover they're doing now. Unfortunately, they aren't available. I'm going to try to get permission to show them once we get the FALCONS cover, because I think readers would be interested to see how the covers come together. Oh, it is kind of sad, but I hope you get a permission, because I really want to see (well, I can bet a lot of people want to see) how it looks like in a real life, those things makes to think of books characters more "alive".
Oh, and pardon my rudeness. I never said how much I appreciate your books. I started to read it in Russian language (well, first 3 of them) and simply got very into the story, characters and the whole world you created, so perfect in its time imperfection. I continued to read it in English, nothing changed for me, still here, still in love.
Waiting to read book 9 and 10. I can only order online or ask our Bookstores to order it for me, so it always takes me more time to get them.
Just wanted to say Thank you for your hard work and I hope you continue writing for a long long time. ;)
I love hearing about the "behind the scenes" aspect of a book! Your covers are always fantastic but I have to admit that *my* Sebastian looks like Richard Armitage (no sideburns!). That's the beauty of the written word...we all get to paint our own mental images! Can't wait to explore your new website!!I love your early romance novels. When the Sebastian series ends (although I'd rather it never did!!!) would you be tempted to write more romance??
Nightlizard, I agree with you. I never pictured Sebastian with sideburns either. I also pictured him with finer features and of course his beautiful yellowish eyes.
Nightlizard wrote: "I never said how much I appreciate your books..."Thanks so much! I'm sorry they're so hard for you to get. Unfortunately, the Russian publisher never picked up the other books in the series.
Jo Ann wrote: "When the Sebastian series ends (although I'd rather it never did!!!) would you be tempted to write more romance?? "Probably not, Jo Ann. My historical romances were always very much adventures, and that kind of romance isn't popular any more. It's a pity, because I do enjoy reading them.
Monique wrote: "Nightlizard, I agree with you. I never pictured Sebastian with sideburns either. I also pictured him with finer features and of course his beautiful yellowish eyes."Monique, the new "Sebastian" does have finer features. But sideburns!
C.S. wrote: "Thanks so much! I'm sorry they're so hard for you to get. Unfortunately, the Russian publisher never picked up the other books in the series. "You are very welcome, You really deserve much higher praising. Maybe it sounds a bit cheesy, but I really do think so.
I am sorry the Russian publisher never picked up the other books, I was even writing a letter to the publisher, they told me that they will stop to publish this series FOR NOW and no further explanations were given. So I waited... and waited. And then just found your books in Internet stores.
You do not have to apologize, it is not really a big deal, because I read in English same as in Russian (my reading skills are better than my writing, I promise! God knows how many mistakes I made writing to you already! Sorry for that!)
I am not from Russia originally, I am from Latvia, and I prefer to read books in Russian or English, so I end up ordering most of my books anyway. ;) It is totally fine! :)
Monique wrote: "Nightlizard, I agree with you. I never pictured Sebastian with sideburns either. I also pictured him with finer features and of course his beautiful yellowish eyes."Finer features? Hmm.. never thought about it actually, probably my imagination was really close to this image. Jo Ann wrote: "...*my* Sebastian looks like Richard Armitage (no sideburns!)..."
I think I have to agree with that image as well. Well, very close to that. Specially the look he has in British television mini series North & South. With some "darkness " within.
C.S. wrote: "Monique wrote: "Nightlizard, I agree with you. I never pictured Sebastian with sideburns either. I also pictured him with finer features and of course his beautiful yellowish eyes."Monique, the n..."
Yes, he does have finer features. And the sideburns do look nice. :)
i have to be honest here and say that the above book cover doesn't look anything like what i imagined Sebastian to look like. i've never liked sideburns LOL so of course i mentally 'remove' them, but i had his hair as much darker and would love to see those beautiful eyes as you describe them so vividly.i went back to the first book to see how you described him because i wanted to make sure i wasn't just projecting features to him you didn't give him. LOL i was, but only slightly.
it's for sure that no matter who is on the cover and what he looks like, all of your fans are going to be happy to at least now have a visual of Sebastian.
Jann wrote: "i have to be honest here and say that the above book cover doesn't look anything like what i imagined Sebastian to look like. i've never liked sideburns LOL so of course i mentally 'remove' them, b..."Jann, he doesn't look like my vision of Sebastian physically, but I do think he captures Sebastian's edginess and energy. The new model for the next cover looks more like him to me, but he's still not quite right.
Never linked Sebastian image to Jane Austin "world", too different "vibes" I guess.
Anyway, simply love it. :)