Book Cover Challenge—Part 1

Well, we certainly got feedback for our cover challenge!  Sixteen covers to create, actually.  Thanks to all you imaginative minds, I was hard-put to match your creativity.  So, to demonstrate her own graphic design abilities, I invited Jesseca, our formatter, to join in on the challenge!

After looking over the lot of covers, I decided to organize them alphabetically and then split them up into two different posts.  Part two will be posted next week.

All for You

Our first cover was created by Jesseca!  She put a sweet interpretation on the title that I never would've thought of.  It makes me want to step right into the picture and hug the people.

Almost Home

Next is a title that I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but I began looking for pictures, and once I found this photo I knew I wouldn't have to look any further.

The Boy no one Loved

When I created The Boy no one Loved, I couldn't pass up this picture.  The sweet, yet sad, innocence of the little boy drew me in, and I adore this one.

A Candle in the Darkness

Somehow, even thought there's no hint of it in the cover, this reminds me of Christmas.  Maybe it's the memories of candlelight services at church.  I must admit that this wasn't what was in my mind when I saw the title, but I think it's just as good—or better.

The Day the Soldiers Cried

This one low-key breaks my heart.  We can never thank the defenders of our country enough.  Because it's not only them, but those that love them as well, that make the sacrifice.

Follow Me

I was having a difficult time creating an idea in my head... but then it hit me—Jesus!  Many of His friends and disciples were fishermen.  He called them to follow Him, so that He might make them fishers of men.

Grab Your Umbrella

My favorite part of this cover is the fonts.  It adds a playful, almost childish, touch to the entire feel of the picture that matches the title.

I'm Part of the In-Crowd

Last but not least is a cover with a picture so epic that I hardly had to 'doctor' it at all.  A tiny bit of barely-perceptible texture goes a long way!  I also enjoyed experimenting with different fonts.

Did you enjoy seeing the results of the challenge as I enjoyed rising to the challenge?  Did I meet your tastes?  Which is your favorite?

Cover Love

Next week I'll post the results of the cover challenge, but in the meantime, let's enjoy some other creations, shall we?

Even though I sometimes slightly judge bad covers, I do have a healthy respect for well-made covers.  I know that I am far from perfect as a designer, and I hold in great esteem those who can create covers that make you pause and just say, "Wow."  Someday, I hope to be the creator of one.

So today I'll share a few of those covers.  If you love to squeal over—or simply admire—beautiful pieces of art like these, you've come to the right place!
NOTE: I have not read all of these, so I cannot recommend them as books, only covers.

The Accidental Guardian—Mary Connealy

The simplistic beauty of the cover really draws me in—it definitely looks like a book to pet!  The sweet relationship between the man and the little girl that it suggests is endearing, and the border along the top adds just the right touch.

Salt to the Sea—Ruta Septys

Being a novel set in the Word War II era, this cover naturally hints at the darkness of the times.  While complete lowercase letters tend to grate on my nerves, I believe that in this case it adds a perfecting measure.

A Distant Melody—Sarah Sundin

The font isn't overly dramatic, but the simplicity, added to the beautifully and perfectly shaded sky, not to mention the overall historical look, makes me, someone with an aversion to romance, want to read it for myself.

Gunner's Run—Rick Barry

What I appreciate about this cover is that the font is spot-on!  And I love the historical feel that the photos give.  Plus, the plane at the top gives credit to the title.

Fawkes—Nadine Brandes

Last but not least, one of my all-time favorites.  Once again, what I love most about this cover is the fonts.  They seriously tell so much about the book!  And the mask—intrigue and mystery, with the cracks in it hinting that those secrets are about to be revealed.

And there are five amazing covers all worthy of admiration.  Have you read them?  What are your favorite aspects?  What are some of your favorite book covers?

Writing Music

The doc sits in front of you, the empty white canvas inviting you to put down those words that you've ached to let bleed through your fingers.  Hands poised above the keyboard, you prepare to type... and a noice in the background leaks into your senses.  It might be the hum of a refrigerator, or the wail of a child, or simple conversation.  Some people's writing thrives in this type of environment.

Or, if you're like me, yours doesn't.

Sure, you get a few words down at a time, but to be honest, sometimes the story could do without those words.  Maybe a piece of the distance conversation will unconsciously appear in the book, or maybe you're really just typing and not even thinking through what you're saying.

Really, it's much like having a one-sided conversation with your computer.  Or pen and paper—whichever method you prefer.

My personal favorite way to drown out background noise is with wordless music.  I love music anyway, and to use it to get rid of distractions is a win-win!  The best kind of music to listen to while writing is the type of music that you don't even hear after awhile, because it drowns out all other sounds and gets your mind stimulated.  So I'll be sharing some music that I have personally found extremely well-suited for this purpose.

Believe it or not, that music is almost completely made up of movie soundtracks.  If you pay attention in the next movie you watch, you'll notice the music during the movie that you might not have noticed before.  It's the kind of music that adds to the atmosphere and feel of the movie without the viewers even realizing it.  The music is one of the movie's biggest punches. If the film were solely dialogue and sound effects, the movie wouldn't be half as enjoyable, nor would it have the same impact on your feelings.

It follows, then, that when you're listening to music while writing, it will affect your writing.  Listening to intense music during an intense scene will make it come alive in your mind, and conversely, listening to light, bouncy music during a happy scene will have a more real affect on you.  And the bigger affect it has on the writer, the more accurately the scene is written, and the more real the story becomes to the reader.

Here is a list of songs that I recommend. Note: If these are instrumentals to worded songs, I don't necessarily recommend the worded versions.

Chariots of Fire—2CELLOS

Fur Elise—The Browns

Breakpoint—Andy Leftwich

Ants Marching/Ode to Joy—The Piano Guys

Despacito—2CELLOS

Safe & Sound—William Joseph

Cooley's Reel—Craig Duncan

A Greater Love—Andy Leftwich

Clocks—2CELLOS

Celloopa—The Piano Guys

Ashoken Farewell—Craig Duncan

An Angel Forever—Andy Leftwich

Have you heard any of these?  Did they help you with your concentration?  Would you like some movie soundtracks that work nicely for writing as well?  Let us know!

Book Cover Challenge {Stump the Designer}

Today we're going to start a little game.  This is one that I made up, and I'll call it... the Book Cover Challenge.

What is the Book Cover Challenge, you ask?  Well, you could also call this 'stump the designer' if you like.  This requires your participation—and anyone else you think might enjoy it!  This won't be a big challenge if only a couple people participate, so feel free to share about this, or even use the post graphic if you'd like.

How it works:

You, readers, have two weeks to comment below with up to three different, random or creative titles.  I, the designer, will then take these titles and make them into a book cover of my own imagination.  I'll post these on the blog and you get to determine whether or not they fit the titles.  These will not be used for actual books.  This is simply a fun challenge, and none of these covers may be used by anyone for any other purpose.

You have until Saturday, October 20th to comment with your titles.  Depending on how many covers I have to make, I'll post them either that very week, or maybe a week or two after.  Again, this is just a 'stump the designer' game to help me hone my skills, and to see what I can do.  If you give me a title and you already have your mind made up of what it should look like, it might be disappointing if I do it differently!  So let's just have some fun and keep our minds open.

I look forward to seeing what you've got for me!

NOTE: I retain the right to refuse any title for any reason, so keep your title God-honoring. Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.  ~1 Cor. 10:31