When I first started working on the book
cover for Fogged Up Fairy Tale, I
knew it needed to fit the overall theme of the book, and also interest readers.
After several polls regarding my book title and cover, I went with my gut
feeling and chose the picture and title I felt captured the story.
Title
I started off with a list of titles that I
looked up to make sure there weren’t any other books with the same name. Finally a
title captured me—I was going to name my book Untangle Me. Perfect! It’s a women’s fiction / chick- lit, and the
main character has amnesia, and she struggles to remember the past. While she’s
filled in about her life from others, she begins to realize that she wasn’t a
good person—she didn’t have the fairy tale marriage.
As I was about to create my book cover, I
Googled Untangle Me once more, and to my surprise, someone
had published a book on October 1, 2013 with that same title. A romance.
I wanted to scream, but instead, my wonderful husband and I went through a list
of titles, and when I said Fogged Up Fairy Tale, he pointed and said, "That’s the title. Perfect." So that is how I came up with Fogged Up Fairy Tale.
Book Cover
Instead of going on-line for a picture, I
decided to use one of the many photos I had from my travels. I picked several
pictures that I felt I could do something with to go with the title and the overall theme. Once I collected some, I experimented
in Photoshop with fonts and effects. Here are the original pictures I picked
and then manipulated.
This first one was a crooked tree that was up
by Castle Doria on the island of Portovenere in Italy.
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I manipulated the colors to make them dark
and brooding. As much as I loved the picture, I didn’t think it had much to do
with the story itself. It didn’t capture the essence of the title or tale.
This next one was a picture from the Rhein Valley. There was fog over a
castle, so I thought how fitting for my fairy tale.
I manipulated the picture a few times, but
again, it didn’t feel right. It seemed too amateurish to me.
The last picture was the one I picked. It was
also taken in the Rhein Valley with the early morning fog.
Photoshop really does help, because I feel I
truly captured the title and the story in this picture. I probably could have left it in its original state, but I feel that the cracks and
haze symbolize someone dealing with amnesia, and the loop font
adds a bit of craziness, which reflects the story.
What do you think?
What is your process in coming up with a
title, and book cover?
Titles and Book Covers,
Bea
I like the title and the covers, really nice! If anything the pics have an enhanced art touch to it, and adds effect. Especially if you're trying to relate it to what your story is about. Even changing a picture black and white changes the effect. Nothing wrong with that. Fogged up Fairy Tale, can't wait to read :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie. I appreciate your input. And I'm so glad you're planning on reading Fogged Up Fairy Tale!
DeleteThe ethereal quality of the photo you decided to use for the cover works so well with the implications of the title. I really think a lot about titles, even chapter titles. It seems like I can never get started until I have a good title to help focus me. I'm sure it would be better if it would be the other way around. I've gone with buying large photos for my two ebooks covers from iStock, but I try to keep it aournd $25-50 dollars. I made the letters on my story collection cover nice and big so they would be visible in a thumbnail, and I picked a reader-friendly font. Even then, the letters need more depth to them. Sooner or later I need to tackle how to make text have a 3D feel so the words will stand out more on the page. If I do end up self-pubbing my novel way down the road, I will hire someone for that one.
ReplyDeleteI know many authors who can't start writing until they have a title for their book. I like your covers. Their legible and colorful. Thanks for joining the conversation.
DeleteI really love the pic with the cracks in it! Sort of eerie and scary... You certainly have a talent for design!
ReplyDeleteWe usually just try to come up with the most clever title possible. Not saying that always happens, but that's the method. As for the cover itself, Brandon is an awesome photographer, and I'm pretty good with drawing. So live action and drawn is both covered. In fact, I drew the cover we put up for our new short story today, and I think it turned out pretty well.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I love your covers. That first one with the crooked tree and your name crawling up the trunk is particularly eye catching.