I recently completed two book cover designs, a new edition of Niedermayer & Hart (originally published 2012), and its sequel, Wilhelm & Laszlo, the much anticipated second part of MJ Johnson’s trilogy.
The reason for creating a completely new cover for N&H was that, looking back, we realised that the original cover may inadvertently have given some potential readers the impression it was a different genre than horror, e.g. a work of historical romance, and we didn’t want to mislead in any way. We liked the way the 1st Edition looked, so readers may notice that the new edition retains the main image of a snow-covered Valle Crucis Abbey on its back cover.
The reason for creating a completely new cover for N&H was that, looking back, we realised that the original cover may inadvertently have given some potential readers the impression it was a different genre than horror, e.g. a work of historical romance, and we didn’t want to mislead in any way. We liked the way the 1st Edition looked, so readers may notice that the new edition retains the main image of a snow-covered Valle Crucis Abbey on its back cover.
I think that the old saying: ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ is sound advice, but ironically, it is the very thing we so often do; if you are creating a book cover, your job, as I see it, is to reach the people most likely to enjoy reading it. Essentially, you want to grab their attention with an eye-catching design, and impel them to pick the book up, turn it over to read its blurb, then hopefully buy and read it! So, I welcomed the opportunity to redesign a cover more in keeping with the book’s qualities, and hope it will encourage more readers to discover these books.
The follow-on title to N&H, Wilhelm & Laszlo, cried out for a strong, graphic cover, yet needed to inform the reader that it was part of the same universe as its predecessor. We felt that as parts of a trilogy, the overall design and branding of all three should have a coherency, which is why the fonts and spine motifs are consistent. I’m really pleased with how the covers evolved and turned out; they are the result of five separate oil paintings, completed over the summer, then scanned at high resolution before adding the text.
It was great to work with my father once more to produce original cover artwork for his books, and to know that I am supporting the creative endeavours of an indie author, as well as the very small independent Odd Dog Press, which now has four worthwhile titles to its name.
I hope you like the covers and enjoy reading the books!
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