I’ve decided to finally update the cover to “The Arc” to something a bit more professional. When I first finished both of my books (Vanir was actually done first), I had spent over 1300 euros on all the software, ISBN numbers, website, pre-print copies, lifetime ProWritingAid license, etc., and wasn’t interested in paying hundreds more for someone to make a book cover for me. Instead, I made my own with Gimp and Adobe Stock.
The moral of that story is that I should have invested in professional book covers from the start. Instead, I spent 68 euros (each) on the extended license for two images that I then incorporated into my book cover. Vanir is kinda cool, but I’ve had test readers and friends complain about the cover to The Arc since day one.
A woman friend of mine said that she’d never buy a book like The Arc had she not known the author (she did purchase a copy) becuase the cover was too “masculine”. A male aquaintance of mine who also bought a copy said that he didn’t want to read it in the train because he didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. Fine. I heard them and invested a bit to bring this new cover to press.
To get the cover made, I turned to a small, dedicated book-cover designer in the Ukraine called miblart.com. They actually have several tiers of services. MiblArt is staffed by senior desingners (covers for digital and print start at $200), GetCovers are the junior and normal designers (covers start at $10, but I don’t see how they can offer that price) and GetPremades sells premade covers (presumably covers that were rejected and mostly in the fantasy/romance realm).
I can’t say I’m overly happy with it, but it is better than the last cover. In that last cover, I wanted to show what Titus looked like. In the new cover, the character isn’t that impressive. But, at least my friend won’t be afraid to read it while sitting in the train. But, if you’re read the book, then you’ll realize it’s based on The Harbinger, the fictional picture that Alba paints in 410 AD when seeing Titus on the hill (just in normal clothing), watching the destruction of Rome by King Alaric. In the cover, he’s obviously wearing armor, but hey, whatever it takes to get someone to pick it up and read it.
Why publish a new book cover now? Becuase I’m just about finished with final editing on “Download”, have written 70 pages for “Upload” and sketched out the story arc for “Delete”. “The Arc” and “Vanir” are eclectic, and you’ve got to love a mix between genres to really get into the story. For “Download”, it’s a more traditional post-cyberpunk story set in 2068 that should appeal to a much wider audience. I’m hoping that those who really like my trilogy will also be interested in picking up my other two books in the Arcworld series. And, they shouldn’t be afraid to read “The Arc” in the train.