Ep. 207: What Does This Cover Say

A trilogy of terror, violence, manipulation, politics, and war has plummeted into my lap. More importantly, the client has bequeathed covers to my desk. The question the client has – and I wonder, also – do they reflect the character of their contents?

Books 2 & 3 are not yet completed, but Book 1 is racing toward the finish line. However, the question remains:

What does this cover imply?

If you see this thumbnail on your online bookstore webpage or in a real store (if they still exist), what kind of story would you expect to be reading?

This, from the evidence provided, is Book Two of a three book series which covers War, Uneasy Peace, and Prelude to another War. It follows the main character (as most novels do) from his time as a soldier to his election into the main governing body where he finds himself caught between the Hawks and the Doves in a debate that may lead to war.

On the other hand, I have been slaving feverishly over two of my books: Giapan and Botchan’s Bartender. Or, rather, to be honest, I have been writing on Giapan and re-reading/editing/re-writing the parts of  Botchan’s Bartender I have already written. The main problem in  the latter novel is trying to find the killer. I think I have found the murderer so it is only a matter of molding the novel toward its end and laying enough simple small clues to justify the choosing of that character as the murderer. Is that clear enough? I hope so.

For Giapan, we are getting closer and closer to the ending. The tunnel at the end of light is in sight! (The cover has to be nudged closer to the final product, too. Covers, however, morph and evolve over time.). The main characters – The two soldiers (Teubner and Barahona) will, maybe, be separating from the nun (Galatea) and the Japanese artist (Giapan).

However, two things have to be resolved first. One, how do any of them change in the course of their travels? Two, does anyone fall in love? At the outset of this novel I firmly told myself in no uncertain terms that No! No one is going to fall in love. However, now, it looks like two characters are inching toward the precipice of that emotion. We shall see.

As I look over the past few posts I realize the number that are about bookbinding has decreased. This is a failing I must rectify. And Soon!

 

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