The other day, I tweeted a request to my fellow authors that I was looking for an artist to do a cover for one or more of my unreleased books and was looking for recommendations. I also said in that tweet that I'd like one that wasn't outrageously expensive. The tweet is copied below:
"any of my author friends have a cover artist/creator/maker who does good work on the cheap?"
My cousin, John, who supports my writing (which I am very thankful to have family that does) retweeted it, and that received some...responses, we'll say. One in particular struck me, because this person took offense to the phrase "on the cheap." (I've since looked up definitions for the phrase "on the cheap" and the most common one is "Relatively low in cost; inexpensive or comparatively inexpensive.") What this person assumed was that I was looking for an artist to do something of high quality and then give it to me for free. I apologize if anyone else thought that was my intent, but I assure, it was not.
What, and I'm not sure I can break it down any simpler than the initial tweet, I was/am requesting was/is recommendations from my fellow authors for names of artists who have done cover work, have done that work well, and is a good value for what they do. It's the same as if asking, "Hey, do you know a good dentist? Preferably one that isn't too expensive?" And I'd say, "Yeah, I have a really good dentist and the price is what initially attracted me to him (in terms of dentistry)." But no, seriously, I really like my dentist. And maybe you (fellow authors) have a guy who does your cover art and you really like them and feel they are a good value.
Now, I am not/was not asking for a discount. I understand that artists are professionals who charge for their work and I would not ask for anyone to reduce what they charge simply because I want them to (despite how often that is asked of me at my retail job).
Also, not sure how, but the conversation turned to contractors bidding for jobs and doctors charging less to attract new patients (which is how the above analogy about dentists was formed).
Kelly has a couple of ideas (at least one) about a cover for A Plauge Upon Thee, but that still leaves me looking for someone to create a cover for the next Project Zero title (tentatively named God Sent (I'll explain the thoughts on the title later)). Both are still in the editing phases, but I still fully expect both to be out some time before the end of the year. I also have some thoughts on what APUT is and what it is not (hint: It's not an attempt to cash in on such works as Romeo and Juliet and Zombies and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) that I'll share at a later date.
This is like, the eighth time I've promised this in the last two months, but I'm going to do my best to update regularly. I'm told more people will read it that way.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
It's Summer summer summer, etc...
Before I get to the main bulk of my blog for today, I'd like to take some time out for an announcement. I said for weeks (and months) that a new edit for Project Zero: BulletProof was coming. Anyone who started reading it before May/June and then came back to it recently may have discovered that there's differences. Some huge, some minor. I've talked about it before, but the book has a new opening.
Because of the new edition, I'm participating in the July sale at Smashwords. Use coupon code: SSW50 at checkout before July 31st to receive half off Project Zero: BulletProof.
Yeah, I know, it's already into the month of July, and I've already written a couple of entries in July, but I figured I should write something about the summer. And...well, really don't have much to say about the summer yet, so I'm going to talk about some of the things I've seen, listened to, played, and read.
Some of the following I've already touched on before now, so I'll keep those brief...er.
Thor: Liked it. Sad they're getting the guy who wrote Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer to write number two. A+
X-Men: First Class: Liked it. Not sure if they're doing another one. Confused on whether this was a sequel or reboot since it was kinda both. A
Green Lantern: It was ok. Could've been better, but it could've been worse. Ryan Reynolds was Ryan Reynolds, but with a Green Lantern ring. C+/B-
Horrible Bosses: Haven't said anything about this one at all. I was expecting a raunchy comedy about wanting to and plotting to kill horrible bosses. That is what I got. That might not sound like praise, but it was damn funny. I like Jason Bateman. He has that...comedic timing that other actors don't always have. It got kind of silly towards the end and I, for the life of me, figure out why Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis are friends with Charlie Day. B+
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Not the movie, the book series. It's been pretty good. I read through Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters pretty quickly. I was a little sad when I discovered it's in the Juniors section at Barnes and Noble. I mean, I'm reading it because so many students I've had have read it, and I try to read at least some of what they're reading (which is a miracle after I was goaded into reading Twilight. I try to understand the appeal based on the fact that the demographic is 10-16 year old girls, but it was 500 pages of the same thing), but still, I had to have an employee show me to the Juniors section.
Lightning Thief gets an A, Sea of Monsters gets a B because it was slow to get moving and not much happened except for at the end.
The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: I started reading this way back in September when I was proctoring the MAP test and got through the first three. I picked up the fourth a week ago. I remember why it took me so long to get to Eleventh Grade Burns. This was, however, in the Teen Fiction section and B&N. Not sure what the difference is since both this and Percy Jackson are fantasy novels with fair amounts of violence, teen characters, and hints of innuendo. C
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Multiplayer Beta: I subscribed to PlayStation Plus (I was going to before the outage, and they were offering the extra months as part of the anniversary. It had nothing to do with the free trial as part of the "Welcome Back" package. I swear.) and thus got into the Beta a week earlier than most. If you played the second game, you'll feel at home once you get used to the control changes (they aren't major, but there are a few). My biggest problem is melee and I'll go into what I like and dislike about the game at a later date (probably). B (with potential to be higher at release)
Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3: Let's be honest, if you've played one DW game, you know what you're getting. That said, if you're a fan of the first two and of the Gundam Universe (and if you're not, then you probably have no interest in the game, anyway). The new cel-shaded graphics make the suits pop out more than they did in the past games. The new art style also adds cool splash effects to the beam weapons.
The mission structure is similar to the first in that the main story is just a poor excuse to jam popular characters from the various TV shows (and the series continues to stick only to the shows, no OVA characters here). However, the various modes from DWG2 make a return, but they aren't blocked off from the story mode this time around, so now everything counts for something (whether it be G point currency, MS plans (replacing the parts system from 2), or pilot level). Yeah, a lot of this affected the story mode the last time around, but it's even more integrated in 3.
Score for Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3? Fan of the series/Gundam: A. Other Players: not even on your radar.
Also, the manager at the GameStop I bought it at (don't like GameStop, but I had gift cards and it's the only store selling the game) insulted me because I said I was going to preorder Arkham City at BestBuy to get the Robin character. I don't care if you like Robin or not, but yeah, insulting customers is not good customer service.
I started watching Camelot since it's on the streaming service on NetFlix (grr to NetFlix raising its prices, even if it had to to remain a viable business). The series is enjoyable, even knowing it won't be back for a second season. I really like seeing the guy from Shakespeare in Love as Merlin (the dude looks good bald and he's a good actor). My biggest problem is Arthur. I had a hard time believing this whiny little weirdo is going to become the king of legends.
Because of the new edition, I'm participating in the July sale at Smashwords. Use coupon code: SSW50 at checkout before July 31st to receive half off Project Zero: BulletProof.
Yeah, I know, it's already into the month of July, and I've already written a couple of entries in July, but I figured I should write something about the summer. And...well, really don't have much to say about the summer yet, so I'm going to talk about some of the things I've seen, listened to, played, and read.
Some of the following I've already touched on before now, so I'll keep those brief...er.
Thor: Liked it. Sad they're getting the guy who wrote Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer to write number two. A+
X-Men: First Class: Liked it. Not sure if they're doing another one. Confused on whether this was a sequel or reboot since it was kinda both. A
Green Lantern: It was ok. Could've been better, but it could've been worse. Ryan Reynolds was Ryan Reynolds, but with a Green Lantern ring. C+/B-
Horrible Bosses: Haven't said anything about this one at all. I was expecting a raunchy comedy about wanting to and plotting to kill horrible bosses. That is what I got. That might not sound like praise, but it was damn funny. I like Jason Bateman. He has that...comedic timing that other actors don't always have. It got kind of silly towards the end and I, for the life of me, figure out why Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis are friends with Charlie Day. B+
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Not the movie, the book series. It's been pretty good. I read through Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters pretty quickly. I was a little sad when I discovered it's in the Juniors section at Barnes and Noble. I mean, I'm reading it because so many students I've had have read it, and I try to read at least some of what they're reading (which is a miracle after I was goaded into reading Twilight. I try to understand the appeal based on the fact that the demographic is 10-16 year old girls, but it was 500 pages of the same thing), but still, I had to have an employee show me to the Juniors section.
Lightning Thief gets an A, Sea of Monsters gets a B because it was slow to get moving and not much happened except for at the end.
The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: I started reading this way back in September when I was proctoring the MAP test and got through the first three. I picked up the fourth a week ago. I remember why it took me so long to get to Eleventh Grade Burns. This was, however, in the Teen Fiction section and B&N. Not sure what the difference is since both this and Percy Jackson are fantasy novels with fair amounts of violence, teen characters, and hints of innuendo. C
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Multiplayer Beta: I subscribed to PlayStation Plus (I was going to before the outage, and they were offering the extra months as part of the anniversary. It had nothing to do with the free trial as part of the "Welcome Back" package. I swear.) and thus got into the Beta a week earlier than most. If you played the second game, you'll feel at home once you get used to the control changes (they aren't major, but there are a few). My biggest problem is melee and I'll go into what I like and dislike about the game at a later date (probably). B (with potential to be higher at release)
Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3: Let's be honest, if you've played one DW game, you know what you're getting. That said, if you're a fan of the first two and of the Gundam Universe (and if you're not, then you probably have no interest in the game, anyway). The new cel-shaded graphics make the suits pop out more than they did in the past games. The new art style also adds cool splash effects to the beam weapons.
The mission structure is similar to the first in that the main story is just a poor excuse to jam popular characters from the various TV shows (and the series continues to stick only to the shows, no OVA characters here). However, the various modes from DWG2 make a return, but they aren't blocked off from the story mode this time around, so now everything counts for something (whether it be G point currency, MS plans (replacing the parts system from 2), or pilot level). Yeah, a lot of this affected the story mode the last time around, but it's even more integrated in 3.
Score for Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3? Fan of the series/Gundam: A. Other Players: not even on your radar.
Also, the manager at the GameStop I bought it at (don't like GameStop, but I had gift cards and it's the only store selling the game) insulted me because I said I was going to preorder Arkham City at BestBuy to get the Robin character. I don't care if you like Robin or not, but yeah, insulting customers is not good customer service.
I started watching Camelot since it's on the streaming service on NetFlix (grr to NetFlix raising its prices, even if it had to to remain a viable business). The series is enjoyable, even knowing it won't be back for a second season. I really like seeing the guy from Shakespeare in Love as Merlin (the dude looks good bald and he's a good actor). My biggest problem is Arthur. I had a hard time believing this whiny little weirdo is going to become the king of legends.
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