a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Danger Music by Jaqueline Diamond
What's the genre? What is it you like or don't like about this cover? Does it make you want to know more about the book? Does it make you want to BUY the book? Discuss.
I would guess that this is a murder mystery or maybe a thriller.
I find that this cover is busy with too much overlapping information. The red text in the center is very hard to read and the bottom text also just impossible in thumbnail.
I would lose the Treble Clef in the middle and maybe the violin toward the bottom.
Jacqueline, I tend to agree with Eric. It's hard to find the right image for your cover. This one is very interesting and well-composed, but I think it's too busy for a background image. The text in front gets lost and is too hard to read. I'm afraid that in thumbnail it would impossible to read.
If you could do what Eric suggests and provide an area where the text isn't competing with the background image then it might work better.
Sorry--I forgot to mention that Danger Music, originally published in hardcover by Five Star Books, is available for Kindle and Nook for 99 cents. And yes, it's a murder mystery.
The colors catch my eye. Because I love music, that is appealing to me. Though it seems a bit busy due to the overlap of the treble, music sheets and words, I would be attracted by the musical display.
The wording helps to clarify the genre so we know it's a murder mystery.
I think it's a great cover, but I think maybe the background is a little too 'loud' rather than busy. I think you could fix that just by reducing the vibrancy - a little more muted would be better and bring out the title etc more clearly.
If the background was darkened a bit and the type made white, and larger, it would help. This is another case where we have a pretty decent background image but not a lot of expertise on how to properly design a typeface; very common in ebooks and a sure sign of a less professional job (sorry, I don't mean that to sound ugly but I do see a lot of it).
I'm also a bit confused why, if the book is supposed to be under the pseudonym Jackie Diamond Hyman, that's not the largest name on the title.
I agree that the background collage is way too busy and the lettering of the title and author gets lost. There's too much going on. Also the emboss effect doesn't work well for the type and it looks thrown on at the last minute. I suggest losing the violin and reversing the type out of the background image if you want to keep it. Also, try using a simpler sans serif font for the "unsolved murder" part. The font used is competing with the title and author font.
I would guess that this is a murder mystery or maybe a thriller.
ReplyDeleteI find that this cover is busy with too much overlapping information. The red text in the center is very hard to read and the bottom text also just impossible in thumbnail.
I would lose the Treble Clef in the middle and maybe the violin toward the bottom.
Thanks for your feedback!
ReplyDeleteJacqueline, I tend to agree with Eric. It's hard to find the right image for your cover. This one is very interesting and well-composed, but I think it's too busy for a background image. The text in front gets lost and is too hard to read. I'm afraid that in thumbnail it would impossible to read.
ReplyDeleteIf you could do what Eric suggests and provide an area where the text isn't competing with the background image then it might work better.
Thanks! I appreciate your input.
ReplyDeleteSorry--I forgot to mention that Danger Music, originally published in hardcover by Five Star Books, is available for Kindle and Nook for 99 cents. And yes, it's a murder mystery.
ReplyDeleteThe colors catch my eye. Because I love music, that is appealing to me. Though it seems a bit busy due to the overlap of the treble, music sheets and words, I would be attracted by the musical display.
ReplyDeleteThe wording helps to clarify the genre so we know it's a murder mystery.
I think it's a great cover, but I think maybe the background is a little too 'loud' rather than busy. I think you could fix that just by reducing the vibrancy - a little more muted would be better and bring out the title etc more clearly.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions, you guys! Thanks so much for your help.
ReplyDeleteIf the background was darkened a bit and the type made white, and larger, it would help. This is another case where we have a pretty decent background image but not a lot of expertise on how to properly design a typeface; very common in ebooks and a sure sign of a less professional job (sorry, I don't mean that to sound ugly but I do see a lot of it).
ReplyDeleteI'm also a bit confused why, if the book is supposed to be under the pseudonym Jackie Diamond Hyman, that's not the largest name on the title.
I agree that the background collage is way too busy and the lettering of the title and author gets lost. There's too much going on. Also the emboss effect doesn't work well for the type and it looks thrown on at the last minute. I suggest losing the violin and reversing the type out of the background image if you want to keep it. Also, try using a simpler sans serif font for the "unsolved murder" part. The font used is competing with the title and author font.
ReplyDelete