Jonesey's novel

Re-issuing my novel The Dragon's Run shortly, and I'm choosing a new cover on the basis that my previous design was rubbish. Which of these three would YOU choose?

Middle #2

yup, def the middle one.

#2

They all look really low rent.   Can you hire someone maybe?  I am honestly trying to help. 

hmm, did the images move - I think #2 is #1 now (dark one with light shining up from bottom).  I think that is the best.

Here's a possible site for book covers: http://www.coverquill.com/

MUCH better.

In the one at the top now with the white background the dragon's face just doesn't look like a dragon.

Here's a quick idea I threw together.  Not sure if you're limited to # of colors.

Thanks jamie, I'll take a look at that.

Incidentally the resolution on the final thing will be better than the examples I've put up if I use one of those.

Looks like the examples are scans of printouts.  

We currently have an issue with the ordering of images.  We should have this fixed within a day or so.  If you wanted to show another round - post one image per comment to insure there's no mix up.  Then you could ask people to like which comment(image) they prefer.

@jonesey, what is the book about? Is it appropriate for tweens/young adults? My son is way into fantasy novels and I'm always looking for something new to offer him.

Edited to add: prefer #2 as well

The dragon is metaphorical, really (which is why all the covers feature  something that's more of a logo than a depiction). It's about the journey/ordeal which the lead characters go through to become warriors. It's quite dark in places, but I do have to say, that in reading through it for typos, for the first time in about a year, I became caught up the story all over again. There should be one of those long German words for the experience of rediscovering something you've done yourself, and admiring it as if it were new to you...

So, to overcome the picture-ordering prob: Image 1 - red

Image 2 - Green

Image 3 - Gold

jamie said:

hmm, did the images move - I think #2 is #1 now (dark one with light shining up from bottom).  I think that is the best.

Here's a possible site for book covers: http://www.coverquill.com/

I like that - but I can't see anything like it on coverquill...

It showed up on this google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=dragon+book+covers&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjfqvnMmZTWAhWn5YMKHb3VC9oQsAQIJw&biw=1920&bih=926

Which went to this page: https://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=230804.0

Which referenced this section - but I can't find it there: http://www.coverquill.com/product-category/premade-book-covers/fantasy/

If you want it - maybe you could sign up for that message board and reach out to the user - they look like they're active.

Here's a few with Dragon's they do have: http://www.coverquill.com/?s=dragon

Ah, I think that means she's sold that cover already - shame, it was very much what I'd envisaged.

ok, I'm just playing around here - I saw the site where that place was getting their clipart: https://www.123rf.com/search.php?word=dragon&start=700&t_lang=en&exclude=&orderby=0&imgtype=2&num_ppl=&color=0&searchopts=&itemsperpage=100&mediapopup=11770939

...which is exactly where I got the other images from. Maybe I need to play around with em more.

What did you use to edit the image?

Photoshop - used Bevel/emboss on the dragon clipart.

Didn't buy photoshop, but am deep in the process of learning how to use "GIMP" (which is free) so I can put something worthy together. Watch this space.

OK, well this has taken ages... GIMP is a marvellous program that can do just about anything... once you work out the convoluted nonsense you have to go through sometimes to perform even very simple tasks.

SO I also downloaded paint.net, which is capable of far far less, but is easy, almost intuitive, to use. I did complicated stuff on GIMP, manipulated it on paint.net, and added some clever stuff from cooltext, free and incredibly flexible lettering.

Then there was a long process of trying to get things to all use the same scale at the same point (pixels? Inches? etc?), and oops the resolution has fallen too low sometime in that process, and finally damn will this now scale it properly to the createspace cover page thingy... finally we are there, as you can see.

So now you can once again buy the darn thing. Best option: order it from Words, support your local bookshop. The ISBN is 978-1533007261

OR from Amazon or Barnes and Noble (where you can also get an e-book version)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dragons-run-gareth-john-jones/1124066873?ean=9781533007261

https://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Run-Gareth-John-Jones/dp/1533007268/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517526619&sr=1-8&keywords=gareth+john+jones

One of my rules of design is: if you're going to say it, don't show it; if you're going to show it, don't say it.   The repetition of the word dragon in the title and the image of a dragon waters both down.    I'd take some element of the plot and use that for a visual.   For example, a sword with secret powers.  

ETA:  Photoshop is photo editing software and isn't really meant to do layouts (spreads) of covers.  It can do in a pinch, but if you want to use what publishers use, it's either Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign, with the latter being easiest to specify dimensions and export to PDF.  Also, if you intend for your design to run to the edges of the cover, you'll need to extend the design at least .125" in all directions and include that "bleed" area.  Your final output resolution for images should be 300dpi at the size intended for print.

yes, the actual cover cuts a little bit off all round as you say - which is why the dragon design doesn't actually quite reach the edge of this pic.

OK, then make sure the design does extend to the edge when you submit for printing or you may see some white along the edges.   Thus, for a 6x9" cover you'd submit to the printer a 6.25 x 9.25" file to account for a .125" bleed on all edges.

So I've been touting my novel around various local bookshops here in California - apparently my naive assumption that writing the book was the author's job, and then everyone would magically realise it was available (and brilliant) and go buy it was wrong. This is fun and seems to be working - it's available in several local bookshops now and lots more to visit in the next few days... and with at least one "author event" coming up. The only trouble is that this means I'm visiting lots of decent bookshops, and have to exercise extreme self-discipline not to walk out with armfuls of new purchases.

Just in case you didn't know about the book, the title is "The Dragon's Run", the ISBN is 978-1533007261 and the author is of course Gareth John Jones. You can order it from Amazon/Barnes and Noble/ anyone else who sells books online - but by far my preferred option would be for people to go order it from their friendly local bookshop.

Oh, and if you have an Amazon account you can go review it there, whether you bought it through them or not... and there's plenty of other places to do reviews like "Goodreads". I am learning that nothing sells a book like a lot of good reviews.

So - success: all of the latest (admittedly small) print run is on sale in bookshops and one comic shop in the area. My new home town of Benicia, it's neighbour Vallejo*, Orinda, and several shops in Berkeley. Oddly enough the one shop that wouldn't stock it was one specializing in fantasy and science fiction - it even had an inflatable dragon in the entrance... it would have looked great to have him reading a copy! We intended hitting several more shops today, but ran out of copies. More copies on order, for other bookshops,  because the Vallejo shop wants some when I do the author talk there, cos some people want to buy copies straight from me, and cos I want to give a copy to the local library. Come to think of it, I should give one to Maplewood library too - the library is an important part of my fondest memories of the town.

Anyhow, why not order a copy from your own amazing bookshop?

http://store.wordsbookstore.com/book/9781533007261

The book now has its own website, not quite complete, but feel free to check it out - TheDragonsRun.webnode.com

*historical note: Vallejo is named after a Mexican general, and Benicia is named after his wife