Guessing you probably skipped this text to look at the pretties, but I just wanted to spend a moment thanking
Deranged Doctor Design for the awesome work they've done and are still doing with the last 4 covers (also plan to continue to use them for future novels!) I asked for covers that said Urban Fantasy to the extreme and they've delivered. These aren't new pieces of artwork, but instead are manipulated stock photos through the use of graphic software and when you consider what they were able to accomplish with that limitation, able to find a model wearing clothes King Henry might wear (with added brown coat!) and able to find another model that just might be King Henry-esqe when it comes to his face...not to mention backgrounds, color blends, all those pieces of rock and glass flying about...
Also, I love how for the San Francisco background with the first novel the thought was: How about the Transamerica Pyramid?
But when it came down to Fresno in the second: Well, I guess we'll use a dilapidated warehouse?
Oh Fresno, they so get you!
THE FOUL MOUTH AND THE FANGED LADY
THE FOUL MOUTH AND THE CAT KILLING COYOTES
Both are working their way through Amazon's warp-pipes as we speak. FM3 is also in the final stages and it shouldn't be much longer before it shows up. Of course I purchased both ebook and paperback designs so this means I have no more reason to delay print-on demand versions and should get them out in the next couple months...no reason other than me being a lazy bastard for anything that's not writing at least!
So, what you think?
Only issue with the first one is until I opened it up and had a look at the full picture I thought someone had bitten a chunk out of his leg,
ReplyDeleteSecond one is all about the melting Calvin and Hobbes snowman head at his left elbow. Once seen cannot be unseen. :)
Only thing I would say is that model is to handsome, I always imagined KHP to be a ugly little f***. Still like them though.
ReplyDeleteI like the 2nd one, as it appears that he is summoning the earth element, but I have to agree with the above assessments--the model looks like a romance novel hero, not the stocky, solid, street-fighting scrapper we know KHP to be. He needs more of an edge.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it looks like a romance novel hero. Come on! He ain't THAT pretty or THAT half-naked. I think it looks like a fairly standard-ish Urban Fantasy hero in the style most the other Urban Fantasy authors are using at the moment.
DeletePlease understand that these covers aren't me coming out and saying "THIS IS KING HENRY!". They are instead a very complicated process of a graphic designer managing to find stock photos that will make six different covers of the same theme (sadly the people who make stock photos happen to use models instead of beat up, not-quite-ugly half-dwarves like King Henry!). Very imperfect, but what I could afford at the moment. Also...miles and miles better than the graffiti covers that no one had any fucking clue what genre they belonged to!
I will however make a promise: If I ever am a millionaire mega writer I look forward to redoing the whole set for thousands upon thousands of dollars with original artwork that depicts KH, Val, T-Bone, Annie B, Ceinwyn, and all your favorites. :)
Well this is very interesting. My Kindle recommendations are full of covers like this. Random urban fantasy dude/dudette doing some magic which says nothing about the book and looks exactly the same as the next one. Your old covers really stood out in that list and at least made me interested in what they were about.
DeleteThat being said I understand that good covers is hard to find and expensive so I hope you get a positive outcome from this. I will continue reading regardless ☺️
You...felt the need to describe KH to the author who created him? :)
ReplyDeleteI will concede your valid budgetary constraints... BUT KHP is not "most other Urban Fantasy", so I look forward to the day that he can stand apart from the crowd in cover appearance. Since I have an ancient Kindle that doesn't show any cover whatsoever, the covers really aren't pertinent to me, but someday I do hope to purchase the series in print version. I liked the graffiti covers I saw on Amazon when purchasing the books. :)
ReplyDeleteI feel bad commenting given the time/effort/money that has gone into these, but as a long-time KH fan I agree with the previous commenters. While the old graffiti-style covers may not scream Urban Fantasy, they would at least stand out in a pile, and be something that I would pick up and look at. The new ones look a little too close to sparkly vampires... (sorry!)
ReplyDeleteStill, doesn't change the content, and am still looking forward like crazy to the next installments!
Cool to see something new, though there is a bit of a disconnect from the gentleman on the front and the name "Foul Mouth".
ReplyDelete