The Blog, Writing

Covers for my novels – let’s take a break

Oh, the editing process. How I love and loath it all at once. It’s like trying to glue worms together into a pretty neat line but their slippery skin keeps shrugging off all the glue. On good days, it’s like shooting rainbows from a cat-cannon.

It’s fun, except for the part where it drives you into a state of cowering madness. During such moments, when you’re prepared to sell your soul for a loaf of bread, it’s best to remember ‘slow and steady gets shit done, like your novel’. Or something like that.

Take breaks. Let me just leave an awesome post here by Stigmata Script that will lift your deflated penmonkey spirit: Divide and Conquer.

Today, as I was on the cusp on murdering our farting cat (I really want there to be a book called The Misadventures of a Flatulent Cat), I took a creative break doing something cathartic and wishful.

I made pretend book covers for all my completed manuscripts! Have you ever done this? I’ve never dared to try this before but, considering it made me feel better, I think every writer should give it a go once in a while. Just don’t take credit for images that aren’t yours, obviously.

WARNING: I am Photoshop stupid. These were made in the illustrious programme known as Paint.

Scars in the System
The first book in my first ever fantasy saga. God knows if I’ll ever finish editing this one. I’ll probably be done with it when I’m 80 years old and enjoy tripping people with my walking stick.

Picture by Steve Argyle.

Blue Boys
It’s a working title. This is my steampunk novel currently being hacking into pieces and stitched back together with worm-glue.

Picture by UdonNodu.

Drown in a Bottle of Keys
A supernatural romance horror time travel thing. Yeah, I haven’t quite polished up the plot of this one, but I’ll get to editing it properly in good time. I want to write a supernatural romance that isn’t, you know, ANNOYING.

Picture by Vyrhelle-VyrL.

Maiden of the Cancer Moon
Another fantasy novel, this time playing with Norwegian gods, sign language, open love and people with big axes. I like this one a lot. BUT THE EDITING. IT IS IN NEED OF.

Picture by yuumei.

Serena Stairway
This is actually a short story and will (hopefully) be published as part of an anthology by the end of this coming academic year. A young woman caught between two feuding gods is swept away from this world and thrown upon a magical staircase, where one god races to claim her soul.

Picture by Destiny Blue.

I hope my skill with font didn’t burn holes into your eyeballs. But doesn’t this look like a fun thing to do with your novels/scripts? Next time you feel about ready to punch anything that moves, take a break and design a book cover/poster. There’s nothing wrong with reminding yourself of the end result you want to acheive.

Don’t forget, those of you thinking of entering the Final Fantasy Flash-Fan-Fiction Contest, you have ten days left!

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8 thoughts on “Covers for my novels – let’s take a break”

  1. Do you feed/give your cat milk Willow?

    If so, maybe that could be a cause of the farting, just a thought; and you could do an experiment by not giving the cat milk for a few weeks to see if that helps reduce the farting. 😉

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      1. No milk, great. 🙂

        A special food mix that is helping a bit, that is good to hear Willow, you are welcome; and I hope that the farting continues to decrease. 🙂

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  2. Those pretend book covers look pretty good Willow, I especially like the Maiden Of The Cancer Moon cover and the Scars In The System cover 🙂 ; also I am not sure that I ever heard any of the cats around my area fart before, interesting. Hehehe 😀

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    1. Aw, that’s all down to the original artists. I wish I could have a book cover that looks this imaginative. I love the image for Maiden of the Cancer Moon, too. The rain and the sky and the reflections! 😀
      Oh, and believe me, cats can fart. I’m surprised their gas doesn’t cause asphyxiation.

      Thank you for reading, John!

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      1. Yeah, the original artists did a good job, and I agree with your comments about Maiden Of The Cancer Moon. 😉

        Maybe you will have some imaginative book cover(s) one day Willow. 😉

        I believe you, but I do not think that I have heard any fart before, fortunately (lucky me). 😀 Hehehe

        You might want to experiment with/check the cat’s diet, to see if a certain food/brand/feeding schedule/health problem/water/whatever might be making the cat fart a lot. 😉

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        1. Yes, one day, one day I will. I’ll keep working until I’ve achieved the dream of writing full time.

          Aye, we’re looking into the cat’s problem. So far, she just seems to have a sensitive digestive system and finding the right food is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I appreciate your list of ideas, though. 😀

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          1. That is good to hear Willow, and I hope that you achieve your dream(s) one day 🙂 ; but do make sure that your goal(s) are realistic/not set too high/achievable for/by you, so you do not end up like some of us. 😉

            Great, I hope that y’all find out the problem and/or the right diet for her sensitive digestive system, good luck. 🙂

            May the clean (non-fart) air be with you/y’all. 😀 Hehehe 😉

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