Iconic Book Covers

I think we would all agree that one of the first steps to discovering a great book is a great book cover.  How many times have you found yourself standing in a book store, looking at the new releases?  How do you decide which one to pick up? Which one might strike your fancy?

It's all about the book cover!

A great book cover will catch your eye, draw you in, and make you wonder what the book is about.  It makes you wonder what journey is waiting for you within its front and back cover. Is there murder, mystery, romance, sci-fi, action, adventure....?  The possibilities are endless!

Even if you're looking online for a Kindle or Nook version, the book cover is what catches your eye and draws you in.  Unless someone has specifically recommended a book to me, or I'm buying the latest offering of a favorite author, the book cover is what leads me to take the time and read the synopsis to decide if I want to read it or not.  

So, we can't overstate how vital this aspect of book publishing is.  When it came to The Razing, I wanted every aspect of the cover to symbolically represent the theme of the entire series.  Symbolism and/or typology are used heavily throughout ancient works of literature.  Once you know the symbols, you can then interpret its meaning.

Therefore, from the door covered in various works of art, to the mysterious face that can seen on the front cover; even the colors, once the first trilogy is complete, symbolically represent the overall  theme of the series.

Here's a list of some iconic book covers...some are older, which have stood the test of time...  

Some are newer, which have taken the world by storm.....

but they all draw you in and appeal to your senses; to the promises of adventure waiting to be discovered within their pages.  I hope....dare I say believe.... the book cover of Into the East: The Razing does just that. 

Here's an interesting inside scoop for my fans....the only change the publisher made from my original design was to add a little more definition to the lettering.  Other than that, it's my vision from beginning to end. Pretty cool huh?

What book covers are iconic to you?  Comment below and tell me which ones and why.

Check back soon for my next post.....wherever it may lead us!

The Invisible Crowd

After spending an incredible weekend at Comicon in Indy (March 14-16), I came away with more than a box full of cash.  I was humbled, grateful, excited, enlightened, and unfortunately saddened.

To begin, we were thankful and humbled by the response we received.  We sold out of books the middle of the second day of the convention.  Since our book had not been out for even a month, I didn't anticipate any response from someone who might have read it.  So you can image my surprise when one young man came up and told us his friend, who is an avid reader, said it was the best thing she read in six months.  We also had a few come up and ask that we either sign the book they purchased online, or sign a bookmark because they already had the Kindle version and loved it.

This was also our first convention of this kind.  We were excited to meet everyone and see all the beautiful and imaginative artwork and costumes displayed throughout the convention hall.  It was a memorable experience and one we hope to repeat in the near future.

But the one thing that impacted me the most, or should I say enlightened and saddened me at the same time, was what one perceptible and friendly comic book vendor (Andy) termed as; "The Invisible Crowd."  I won't mention the name of the vendors, but there were a few comic book vendors who had very few sales during the convention.  We were so busy that we could not eat but a few snacks the whole time the doors were open.  But for a few vendors I noticed that, with the amount of people that were present, very few stopped at their booth.

As I continued to watch and observe these vendors and their demeanor I noticed that they looked as if they despised being around a large gathering of what most would consider social outcasts.  One gentlemen, if we can call him that, continued to play with his phone, chew his gum, and seldom if ever said something so simple as; "Hi."

As Andy and I spoke at the end of the third day we talked about the crowd and how they are to most people, "invisible."   Outside of this convention, many of the attendees are just ignored by others.  I know that feeling.  When I was younger I was picked on by bullies, of all places, at church camp.  That one week of camp impacted me for many years to follow.

Years later, in my attempt to prevent that from happening again, I began working out.  Not to take revenge, but to hopefully prevent any further attempt from others who would want to push me around.  If you were to look at me now however, it would be abundantly clear, that I haven't seen a weight bench or squat rack in years.

For the many that attended the convention, it was a chance for them to be themselves without the concern of being ridiculed, demeaned, or bullied by others.  I believe those few vendors that did poorly were reminiscent of the ones from whom the attendees wanted to get away.

Years ago, my wife worked at numerous conventions as a sales and marketing representative.  As we talked with others she compared the difference between those conventions and this one.  She noticed that many of the vendors and attendees at Comicon were friendly, helpful, and excited for others to succeed.  In contrast, in her former role, the vendors were very competitive, standoffish, and not always willing to help.

I guess when you're invisible, you appreciate it when someone else can actually see you and acknowledge your existence and your value as a human being, even if you're overweight like me, or wearing a Batman, or Thor outfit.

So, here's to the invisible ones (hand moving upward with a mug) may we always be seen.

Sincerely,
J.A. Davis

Excellent Review of The Razing at Indy Comicon (March 2014)

I couldn't help but post this wonderful review from a young man at Indy Comicon.  He really made our day.  Thanks Greg.

The Reality of Science Fiction

We are so looking forward to our first Comicon!  Apparently this is also the first one for Indiana.  Needless to say, I've always been a bit of a nerd.  No matter how much I try to hide it, I still enjoy the geekier side of life.

Admittedly, I'm not a full tilt aficionado.  I don't play video games, collect comic books, or play board games, but I do enjoy a good Syfy tail, whether it comes through the television, a movie theater, across the laptop, or on my Kindle.  Whatever form it finds itself I do enjoy immersing myself into that world.

I can't speak to others as to why they enjoy all things Syfy, but for me, I believe that science fiction is the good soil upon which the seeds of innovation are planted.  Having been an engineer and IT specialist, I enjoy the act of creation.  It's extremely fulfilling to conceive an idea and then see it come to fruition.

I recently read through Nikola Tesla's autobiography and I enjoyed reading what, at his time, was considered fictional and fanciful, but are now common place.  Broadcasting music, pictures, voices, etc. over seas and around the world was a bit too much for some to consider, but not for Tesla.

For some, science fiction is an opportunity to travel to another place and time and become part of a culture that appreciates their innermost desires and fantasies.  For me, however, I enjoy the possible future that it can create.  Of course there is the dark side of the singularity; that point in which we can no longer predict what our technological conceptions will inevitably breed.  For me, I have no desire whatsoever to live in the Matrix.  I guess that's the freedom loving side of me coming out.  Innovation is great, as long as it serves humanity and not the other way around.

So...why do I like science fiction; for the reality of it of course!

Sincerely,
J.A. Davis

More blogs to come

As we continue to ramp up our launch of the new book: The Razing, we plan on posting various articles on the background information that went into the series, and possibly give you an sneak peak of what is to come in the series.  So hold tight and keep checking back every once in a while to see what is new.
Sincerely,
J.A. Davis