Feedback on new cover please

[Dr. Drib]

1) Decrease the image a few notches.
2) Increase the space between the lines of the words in the title.
3) Find a more exciting font.
4) Increase the size of the title.
5) Find a way to make the title more 'eye-cathching' through layout.
6) Decrease the size of your name - slightly.
7) Send me $10 for my suggestions or clean up the poop from my Pug for one week.

[JSWolf]

The pink is ugly and the font used for the title is awful.

Maybe try a light sky blue given it's the sky in the background. Given that the cape is waving, put in a few clouds.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by gmw

I like the visual balance of the second (green title) better than the first (blue title), and yet the blue title stands out more clearly.

Could you move the "of the" after the "Rise" (but still as small text, two lines total height matching the one line of "Rise"):

Rise of/the
Animal Rescue
Feminists

And then use the extra space to increase the overall size of the main title. In fact, I would be tempted to remove one of your subtitles, or merge them into the one line. To me it all looks a bit busy up top - especially in thumbnail view - which has the title getting lost amid the noise. Is that tagline? Is that a subtitle? No, it's its a super-title! (Whether it looks like one or not.)

Thanks gmw. Moving the "of the" I'll lose the symmetry I've got. And I agree it's busy up there. I'll see what I can do about that.

[BookCat]

The image needs a few cats!

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I'm sorry--I hate both of those. I believe it's the fonts--it looks too cartoony/jokey. I realize that the book is dark humor, but that's not the same thing as cartoony.

Let me ask you this, Gregg: what kind of FEEL were you going for, with the fonts?

Hitch

Hitch, This is new territory for me font-wise. I've used the same fonts for the thrillers. Now it's wide-open. God only knows I'm open to suggestions. I liked the title font in post #13 but a few others didn't. I'm figuring I'll keep my author name font to maintain some kind of branding of the books overall, but I'm not even sure if that's a good idea with a book as goofy as this one is. And the feel I'm after is for a wacky over-the-top read. I don't want people reading it and then reviewing it as a wacky over-the-top read. (Although some surely will no matter what I do--ha ha.) Thanks.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I preferred the pink background. You could try dropping the series number (The IWS Rules -- Book 1) to small text below your name, move the description (A Lainey Tripper Novel) to the top, above the title, and then make the title bigger and more typographically interesting.

I like the pink better too. It's just more harmonious. I'm a little concerned that it might be too feminine, though. I'll try your suggestions for moving the stuff around. Thanks.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

1) Decrease the image a few notches.
2) Increase the space between the lines of the words in the title.
3) Find a more exciting font.
4) Increase the size of the title.
5) Find a way to make the title more 'eye-cathching' through layout.
6) Decrease the size of your name - slightly.
7) Send me $10 for my suggestions or clean up the poop from my Pug for one week.

Thanks Doc. I like 2,3 (suggestions?),4,5 (suggestions?),6. I'll clean up after the dog. (Where do you live? Are you paying for my transportation?)

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The pink is ugly and the font used for the title is awful.

LOL You have such a gracious way of putting things! Any suggestions for a better font?

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Maybe try a light sky blue given it's the sky in the background. Given that the cape is waving, put in a few clouds.

I'll try the sky and clouds suggestion. Thanks.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by BookCat

The image need a few cats!

I told you. Ha ha. Cats are in the next one!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

I told you. Ha ha. Cats are in the next one!

Given that cats are abandoned FAR MORE than Dogs, I should think so.

Hitch

[Catlady]

What is the name of the series? Is it IWS Rules, or Lainey Tripper? Why both taking up space on the cover? And in the other thread about the blurb, you say you don't indicate what IWS means--how can you have a series about an organization the name of which you don't know?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Catlady

What is the name of the series? Is it IWS Rules, or Lainey Tripper? Why both taking up space on the cover? And in the other thread about the blurb, you say you don't indicate what IWS means--how can you have a series about an organization the name of which you don't know?

Did he? I don't remember seeing that....of course, these days, after me being knocked flat with some grue for nearly 10 days, that means pretty much NOTHING.

Hitch

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Did he? I don't remember seeing that....of course, these days, after me being knocked flat with some grue for nearly 10 days, that means pretty much NOTHING.

Hitch

He mentioned that in his blurb thread.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Hitch, was working on this before I saw your post. Does the new version clear up some of the problems? Thanks.

Let's see. What about...phhhllbbffftttt (now you see the great mind of font genius, at work...HA!)...Lucyville, for the title? Or if you're feeling brave, how about Wicked Mouse? Wicked Mouse might be too fat, for the title, but Lucyville is "light" enough (for a whacky font) that it might fit. I don't car for what you have now, because it doesn't say whacky, it says "Comic Sans Ripoff" which means, to me, either kids' books or someone who doesn't understand that CS shouldn't be used for 99.99% of all stuff.

Or...what about Filosofia Unicase?
https://www.myfonts.com/fonts/emigre...ot/unicase-ot/ . that's one you won't see very often, but it combines a slightly offbeat tone with nice typography. (My not-so-inner font geek might be showing up. Not everyone necessarily would notice this font.)

Do any of those appeal to you, at all? It would help me, in narrowing stuff down, if you had warm/cold reactions to any of them.

Oh, and last but not least, I would be remiss, given the TONE of the cover, not to mention Adventure, by PixelSaga. I would seriously do a mockup, using Adventure, and see if it gets you where you are going. Even if you only use it for RISE, and use something similar-but-lighter for the rest (like, SF Comic Script?), it's worth a shot to see if you can make it work. ETA: (or, Mona Shark????)

Once we know what we're doing with the title, which is the most-important text, then we can tackle the byline. I'm likely to suggest a nice, simple, traditional font for that--a sans, maybe, but let's sort out the title, first.

Hitch

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by Catlady

What is the name of the series? Is it IWS Rules, or Lainey Tripper? Why both taking up space on the cover? And in the other thread about the blurb, you say you don't indicate what IWS means--how can you have a series about an organization the name of which you don't know?

Catlady, I have no idea what I'm doing. I envision every book going on as part of the IWS Rules and yet Lainey Tripper is the protagonist and will be in every novel. And excellent question about not being able to have a series without knowing the organization's name. I may not be able to. I don't know. Thanks.