So, what do you think?

[pjthompson]

I’m conducting an unscientific poll. Does this teeny icon intrigue you enough that you would want to click through and see what this is all about?

I am inspired to ask by this article.

This strikes me as a fairly balanced article, presenting both the giddiness of the new frontier, as well as words of caution.

Now I must come up with a better blurb. Which is why I didn’t put that with the click through.

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

Comments

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

That article was great! This really seems like the time to get into the e business, doens't it?

I like your cover and following what she said (ha, I have her first erotica!) I think you did the right things; you can read the title, and the title even gives the genre - combined with the pic.

I will be interested to see what others say.

[darkspires.livejournal.com]

I like it. When can I buy it?

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

lol--thank you. I have to do the copyedit first, followed by the book formatting, followed by... It will still be awhile, but hopefully soonish. I also still have to hear about SB. This won't happen if that other thing happens.

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

Yes, the new frontier has opened up big time. Of course, the majority of writers are not going to have anything like that kind of success. But since the stigma doesn't appear to be there for ebooks that existed for vanity presses, and the costs aren't as prohibitive (or don't have to be), I think if a writer is looking for a platform (as opposed to $$$), it's worth a try.

I'm glad you liked the cover. I may rearrange it slightly to give it more punch in tiny size, but overall I'm liking it.

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

do you have a kindle? Do you know how to add your work to the kindle/nook etc stores?

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

I have a Nook. Many people have recommended this book for Kindle: How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook by Nadia Lee.

Basically, you have to do Epub, Kindle, and Nook, plus PDF for good measure. That will accommodate various sites.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I don't have great eyesight, and I find it hard to see that it is a tent (I only know it is because I saw it bigger then other day), so fo me, it might need to be a tad bigger. I first look at titles and am typically drawn to things i know will be epic fantasy, but the cover is what sways me more than the title once I take the time to look, so I'd say a tad bigger for the icon if you can swing it.

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, you don't get much opportunity size-wise at most ebook venues. This is what you get on Smashwords:

(http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/pjthompson/?action=view&current=covericonsmashwords1.jpg)

And if you are lucky enough to get a clickthru, this is the size you get:

(http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/pjthompson/?action=view&current=covericon2.jpg)

So it's pretty much got to fly on title and implied atmosphere.

[frigg.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...to be honest, I wouldn't click, but that's because the title and cover doesn't seem to represent the genres I usually read, BUT...I can easily see others picking this up. I like that the text can be read on the thumbnail and the image is intriguing. It looks like a successful cover to me.

I also like you've given me an article to read during my lunch-break. :)

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

Thanks. And like I said above, that article strikes a decent balance between pros and cons.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

It seems a little dark, and hard to tell exactly what the picture is. The name pops out, though.

This is something I've thought about doing - book covers. Ebook covers would work just as well. I have these thousands of pictures, you see...

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

Yes, book covers would seem a natural to you. There's a place called stockphoto.com that buys them and many people shop there for their covers.

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I'm wondering how it would look without the banner (marvels 1938 whatnot) or a smaller banner. It's overshadowing the circus tent, drawing the eye. I really love the tent and the ominous background, but that banner just POPS, and I don't think that's where you want your focus.

I'm also not sure I love the font. You don't want to go all chiller on it, (like the old Goosebumps books!) and I love the red, but you might want to give it a more gothic feel. Remember you're trying to appeal to a specific audience.

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I'm wondering how it would look without the banner (marvels 1938 whatnot) or a smaller banner. It's overshadowing the circus tent, drawing the eye. I really love the tent and the ominous background, but that banner just POPS, and I don't think that's where you want your focus.

Thank you! Some good points here. Originally, the banner was smaller and that didn't work as well full size (I thought), but in thumbnail you have to go with a whole other set of considerations. We may have to play with this.

I love the red, but you might want to give it a more gothic feel.

The thing is, gothic isn't really true to the book. The font is one that was popular with carnivals, and the book is about a carnival in the Midwest in 1938, the vampire who works there. He's a much work work-a-day vampire than a prince of darkness kind of guy.

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

Ah, then how about even MORE carnival? I don't know what it is, exactly, about the font that throws it off for me.

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'll confab with Lisa and see if we can come up with something. Thanks!

[jmeadows.livejournal.com]

I agree about the banner. I definitely can't read it on the tiny size, and can only read bits of it on the slightly larger size. I'd rather see a bigger image there.

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

Thank you! We're working on that.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I'm late to the game, but I'll pile on in saying that I couldn't read the small banner, but at the same time, it doesn't contain the most important of information so I'm not sure it's too much of a concern.

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

We--and by that I mean Lisa--is going to rework this image.

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

okay, I'm working up to doing this but how did you put together that awesome cover?

[pjthompson.livejournal.com]

See the side bar on my blog and click through to F-Bod studios. Lisa does covers amongst other design projects.