July 12, 2011

First Novella Cover - America Goes On

My little brother is finishing up editing my first novella, America Goes On, which is a story about a Marine travelling across the country in his truck after a stint in Iraq. I actually wrote this three years ago when I returned from Iraq as social commentary on American society, but after looking at it a few months ago, I realized the writing was total shit. After some much needed re-working, it will hopefully be released shortly and generate some interest.

Most of the books and movies I have seen or read about Iraq veterans have been horrendous, characters that are completely absurd stereotypes and borderline offensive. We have a long way to go if we want to have the same cultural impact that the post-Vietnam Vietnam movies and books had, like Tim O' Brien. The only good piece of fiction I've ever found about Iraq is Senator's Son, not surprisingly written by a someone who actually served there.

Seeing how no one's going to buy a book without a cover, I decided to whip something up in Powerpoint.
After sobering up and realizing that I never really advanced in my artistic ability beyond fingerpainting in kindergarten, I decided to contract out the job. Convincing a Thai colleague of mine to do the job for 1,500THB (about $US50), she tried her first ebook cover and this is what she came up with.
Much Better
The story has a very cynical and depressing outlook on modern America, so I felt the bizarro cover does the tale justice. I'm very happy with her first attempt, and I hope to develop a long-term business relationship with her. Much cheaper than rates in the West, where ebook covers often cost $300-$500. The downside is she does not speak any English. Do you know the Thai for "Please create an ebook cover with an American desert setting that forebodes doom and despair during a young Marine's travels"? Me neither.
For those patriots who refuse to work with artisans in developing countries in Southeast Asia, the always on-point Lindsay Buroker has some recommendations on where to find good rates for ebook cover (about $US100). Before huffing at the prices, remember that ebook covers are an investment, not just throwing money away on booze and candy.

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