Thursday, September 1, 2011

Kirsty Eagar Week: Cover Design + Giveaway


First of all, I want to take a moment to thank Linds from Bibliophile Brouhaha and Nic from Irresistible Reads as well as Kirsty Eagar for putting together this event. Raw Blue remains one of my very favorite books, and I cannot wait to read more from Kirsty!

You know when you see the 'one'. It peers at you from its place on the shelf as you creep around the corner. You see its design, take in its font as it mesmorizes you with the promise of what's inside.

Oh, book covers, where would our book lust be without you?

In honor of Kirsty Eagar Appreciation Week, I thought I'd take a look at what makes the covers of Kirsty's Eagar's books tick, along with comments from the some of the people behind them!



Thoughts from the designer, Tony Palmer:

I always felt a strong sense of presence of the main character in Raw Blue . . . but I also wanted to get some kind of tension on the cover. Something that might indicate the main character’s back story. The publisher’s brief was pretty strong on this point as well.

For
Raw Blue I wanted to tap into the surf culture – but I didn’t want to go too deep and brand the book as being a product of that culture (because Raw Blue is much more than that). I dug around the local newsagency looking at surf magazines. I had some ideas and eventually several fonts I liked.

Probably the hardest thing about design is selling it. Firstly I have to believe in what I’m doing, then I have to get the Art Director to like it. After that, I have to show the editor and the publisher and after that (Gawd) a small, select number of covers goes to a ‘cover meeting’ held by the various publishing, marketing and sales directors, and after that (Gawd, Gawd, Gawd) we then show the author (who usually shows it to their spouse, dog and butcher) . . .


The cover of Raw Blue was a little tricky, but not too bad. All of my ideas about tension were thrown out, and I had to go back for a second round of research. I think the tension idea was becoming too cerebral, and maybe just a little too smart for its own good. But on the second round of searching for images I came across the image of the girl. It felt perfect. Just couldn’t get past it. Adding in the background and colourising the images was the final stage.

**special thanks to Kirsty Eagar for allowing us to repost from her blog entry Book design – the process…**




*cover by designer Marina Messiha*

Thoughts from Penguin Australia Senior Editor Amy Thomas, who first developed ideas on what the cover should look like:

I have to admit that I got completely carried away with my brief for this cover. The main thing that I wanted to emphasise was that we needed something suggestive of the story without being a cliché. The strengths of this book are its originality and Australianness – it weaves in the savage mutiny of the Batavia that took place off the coast of WA with a plot that involves vampires and very authentic, funny, likeable teen characters from an Australian coastal town, who are all gearing up for the town’s music festival.

I’m actually a little bit embarrassed when I look at my specific ideas now! Basically these were meant just as a springboard for Marina to come up with her own interpretation. In the end, the final cover is quite different and far more arresting than I could ever have imagined it would be; this is one of the wonderful and satisfying things about the whole cover process. It really is a lot of fun!


What can I say? As soon as I saw it, I had chills down my spine. I just love, love, love how Jamie’s eyes really draw you in – they mesmerise you – and this reflects some important scenes in the book, too (Jamie in front of the mirror; Jamie running through the bush), so that really pleased me. It was one of those moments where you just say, ‘Wow!’ In that instant I knew we had our cover.




And thoughts from author Kirsty Eagar:

What's so cool about the cover process is that it gives you someone else's interpretation of the story and the characters, and while their perception is different to yours, it's equally true. It means you get to see the whole thing from a different angle. In a way, knowing the back story made me anxious after the event! And that's because the final cover is the perfect cover, and I'm SO glad that Marina kept going until it was developed. I am never, ever going to forget the reaction I had when I first saw it. I felt winded. Just gobsmacked. Not only did it capture the story, but it also inspired me – it seemed to encapsulate everything about where I wanted to go with my writing. All that in just one arresting image!"

**special thanks to Between the Lines, Penguin Australia's site for teen readers, for graciously allowing us to repost from their two features How a Book Becomes a Cover, Parts I and II (p.s. part II has examples of great early concepts for Saltwater Vampires).**



*cover by designer Marina Messiha*

I personally adore this cover. From a design standpoint I think it's beautifully executed, the muted blacks and grays giving it soft quality that makes you want to reach out and touch it just to see if any texture meets your fingertips. While the image of the girl merged with the waves down is simple, there's still a great deal of movement created with her tangled hair and the splash of the water which automatically draws the eye to it.

The entire cover to me has an eerie but romantic feel, making me want to step into this world while simultaneously warning me to stay out of it. I can't wait to get my hands on this one, this cover needs to be proudly displayed on my shelf!

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Linds, Nic and Kirsty I have a signed copy of Saltwater Vampires to give away on the blog today! To enter, just leave a comment on this post with a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only and will run through midnight EST on Wednesday, September 7th after which time a winner will be chosen and announced on the blog. Good luck everyone!

58 comments:

  1. The cover for SALTWATER VAMPIRES has always caught my eye, but now I'm actually more interested in the book because of the Amy Thomas quote. She gives a bit more interesting information about the book.

    The cover for NIGHT BEACH is great, it reminds me of one of those Japanese horror movies that always scare the bajezzus out of me. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for hosting this giveaway! This book is almost unattainable in US.

    Tatiana
    tatiana.goodreads@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love all these covers. I'm book cover lover. If the cover doesn't catch my eye it's rare that i will pick it up. Thanks for the post and giveaway.
    britneywyatt[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  4. As bloggers we all lust after covers, or get highly irate about them. We have also heard from author's who say they have little control over the art work that greatly effects the promotion of their books. I loved reading about the creative design processes that went into all of Eager's books. I am not sure all cover designers/editors take that much time or put that much thought into the story the way Eager's did, but all the covers are amazing and thought provoking. I loved reading this post!

    Thanks Jenny for the giveaway too, I have so wanted to read Saltwater Vampires for such a long time I am keeping my fingers crossed(toes too)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm a Kristy Eagar virgin!! I've heard amazing things about her though!!! Win!
    Thebookishbrunette@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. O that Night Beach cover is haunting.
    (not an entry)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have't read any of these yet but am looking forward to having each and every one of these brilliant covers on my bookshelf! Thanks for the opportunity to win one!
    Donna @ The Happy Booker
    ahappybooker at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love this post, and I think you summed up the cover from Night Beach perfectly. It's so beautiful, and as I am a greyscale kind of girl myself, I think I like this one even more than Saltwater Vampires. Night Beach always gives me a Wuthering Heights sort of feel - very haunting.

    No need to enter me!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love all the covers, though I especially adore Raw Blue's cover. I really need to check this book out since people can't stop bragging about it. =) Thanks for the awesome post, Jenny!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I haven't had a chance to read this yet but I'm very interested too. The covers are gorgeous.

    ~Kayla
    kcrochet002@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Night Beach is my favorite cover of the 3! And I cannot wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway! :)

    naruto_and_hinata(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the cover of Saltwater Vampires. It's amazing. As soon as I read the scene of Jamie looking in the mirror, the cover totally clicked in.

    ReplyDelete
  13. They are all gorgeous covers. May her luck continue :-)

    rhildebrandt(at)ns.sympatico.ca

    ReplyDelete
  14. Those covers are awesome! So dark and mysterious!

    bookrants(dot)reviews(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for the giveaway. Loving the cover.

    coffeebooksandlaundry(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for a great giveaway. I would love to win this book, it sounds great.

    miztik_rose@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I LOVE hearing from cover designers! It's neat to glimpse into what goes into putting covers together. Great post! :)
    365DaysReading(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh man, sounds like an awesome novel! Enter me!

    blissfulrains(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have been waiting on this book. I have on my list but i can't find it. Thanks for the great giveaway.Cover design is really a beautiful thing when you find something that really fits to your book. Thanks for the insight. Joannie sparks jscddmj at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I loved reading about how the artists came up with the cover concepts! Some fabulous insight as to how that creative process works. Plus, those covers are so fabulous and Night Beach, the newest cover, has a beautiful but creepy feel. More cover insights, please!
    Mary @ BookSwarm

    ReplyDelete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love cover posts! The thought process behind the design is always so intriguing. Thanks to everyone who wrote in for sharing their commentary!

    amandasbookblog[AT]gmail[DOT]com

    ReplyDelete
  23. No need to enter me in the contest. I love reading about the background info into designing a cover. Night Beach is my fav since its so eerie looking.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love cover re-designs! But too bad I am not talented enough to do that! But thanks for the giveaway!

    bwithbite (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  25. i really like the cover the way the eye stands s out.

    thanks for the giveaway!

    katie_tp(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love Jamie's eyes too; if only I had eyes like that... *sigh* Night Beach's cover = love, agree with you. Overall, I think Kristy Eagers' covers are pretty-but-not-stunning at first glance, but become more-and-more beautiful as I observe the details.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    booksatmidnight(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I really like the covers but I must say that Night Beach's cover calls my attention the most. It's mysterious and beautiful at the same time. Congrats on all the gorgeous covers.

    LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow these covers are full of awesomeness. I didn't realize how much really goes into a cover, but I guess it should since it is the first thing the readers see and I have to admit I totally go for books that have more amazing covers. Sometimes it has been the only reason I pick up a book. Some big examples are (City of Bones, Wolfsbane, and Fallen) all were picked up for the covers only and I didn't know anything about them before that :)
    Thanks for this giveaway Jenny you always have awesome ones!!

    mrs_laura_koehler@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I think my fav cover is Raw Blue...but it reminds me of a book I read last yr called Loose Girl...she has the same hair and I think face...;)

    The Saltwater cover is freaky, those eyes creep me out!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Great post! I love the idea that Saltwater Vampires is a very Australian vampire book. That's different.

    alisoncanread at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh I agree... your covers are so good, but I have to say Saltwater Vampires is my fave. Just love that title and cover!

    books (dot) things (at) yahoo (Dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  32. This sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway.
    GFC follower

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Night Beach is eerie :) but a good eerie I think, not too creepy.

    jacindahinten(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I wasn't a fan of Raw Blue's cover initially but it seems to be growing on me. I loved the other two covers right away though. My favourite one is probably Night Beach's but my gaze keeps getting drawn to Saltwater Vampires because of the blue eyes. Thanks for the giveaway, Jenny.

    ayareader@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. As a former art major I absolutely book covers (well good ones). I think it is really fascinating how they get designed.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I of course want a copy of Saltwater Vampires but I have to say, because covers make or break a book sometimes, I love hearing about the cover process sometimes. Sometimes the cover seems like it had nothing to do with the book as if the person that designed the book cover didn't even read the book blurb. And then other times, they get it spot on. They seem to take moments from the book and incorporate all of them in the cover. I love that! I analyze the covers to death. Thanks for this great post Jenny and everyone!

    Heather
    hrose2931(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Thank you so much for this. I love all the covers!

    chelle2006 @ aol .com

    -Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  38. It really irks me when the book cover has absolutely no connection to the book's content. Glad to know that the book designers took the summary and tone of the book to create such beautiful covers. Kristy's latest book cover is my favorite. It's simple yet eye catching and mysterious. Can't wait to learn more!

    rummanaha at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. I had never heard of this book, but now I'm definitely adding it to my list! I can't wait to read it! Thanks for the giveaway!

    mysticsandmoonbeams(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  40. I must have this book. It sounds very good. I love reading about vampires. Please enter me in contest. I am a follower and email subscriber. Tore923@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  41. This book sounds awesome!! Thanks so much for giving me the chance to win a copy! I love the cover, too :)

    jwitt33 at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  42. Love these covers and as someone who has always picked books by their cover, thanks for the giveaway!
    NC
    Truly Bookish
    bookishlilly@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  43. I am unfamilair with Eagar's works, but am really liking all this exposure to Australian authors that has been coming about recently. I look forward to reading more YA from the Aussie's in the future! Thanks for the giveaway and your awesome blog!

    Heather R.
    threeroddsandaberry@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  44. lovely covers! I loved hearing from both Kirsty and the designer - that's awesome. Thanks for the giveaway chance! tlabunski ((<<at))gmail

    ReplyDelete
  45. I especially adore the Night Beach cover!

    demonicattractions@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  46. Fantastic cover post! I agree about the cover of Night Beach being eerie but still beautiful. Thanks so much for participating Jenny.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Thanks for sharing the covers!

    Would love to enter for the giveaway!

    chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  48. What a great post! The cover of Night Beach is so gorgeous. Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  49. The book cover looks so creepy but her eyes are so alluring!! =)
    Thank you for this chance at your giveaway!!

    GFC Follower: SpadesHighReads
    TValeros18 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  50. I absolutely love all of the covers! They are all so gosh darn haunting!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Avery
    averys.book.nook@hotmail.ca

    ReplyDelete
  51. The Saltwater Vampires cover is kind of creepy, but looks awesome! Thanks for the giveaway.

    danceislove27 At gmail DoT com

    ReplyDelete
  52. I really want to read Raw Blue. I've heard it's so good and when I initially went to buy it I couldn't find it on Amazon. :(

    But, enter me for Saltwater Vampires!

    jtheunknown{at}gmail{dot}com

    ReplyDelete
  53. I love an interesting cover. I want to be drawn to a book by just looking at it and feel that itchiness that creeps into my fingers and tells me - Hey check this one out :) Thank you for sharing and for the wonderful giveaway opportunity. I have not heard of this title before, but the cover is making my fingers itch LOL

    dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  54. Such creepy covers that make me want to read them.

    celesteondich(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  55. Thanks for the giveaway! Saltwater Vampires sounds good.

    miss.smileygirlie(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  56. Thank you for the giveaway! I cannot wait to read any of these books.

    jbronderblogs at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  57. I really want to read Night Beach, it looks so good!

    ReplyDelete
  58. I've wanted to read Saltwater Vampires for a while now. Love the cover.

    Thanks for the giveaway.
    geoarchs(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete