My writer friend KAREN MC COMBIE is guest blogging here today, and she's talking new books and cover looks... very cool!
Karen says:
My latest book is out - wheee! And the cover of ST GRIZZLE'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, GOATS AND RANDOM BOYS is just fab... a riot of sunshine yellow and silliness, complete with garlands of loo roll. Perfect for my story of a kooky boarding school!
But I got an unexpected peek at the Cover Could've Beens that came BEFORE the finished article too... very interesting!
The illustrator of ST GRIZZLE'S is Becka Moor (check out her fab website page for lots more amazing drawings - the link is below). When I recently put together a PowerPoint to take out on school visits, she very kindly let me have images of some of her 'roughs'. This is because I wanted to show students that - just as with the story itself - the cover artwork goes through several stages of try-outs and tweaking before it is done.
I love all of Becka's versions, but it is down to the book publishers to choose in the end. They show the options to lots of experts; their own sales and marketing team, booksellers and children.
It's only after all this that they decide on a clear favourite. I was sad to lose Zed - my random boy - from the final version, but he's done a wheelie round to the back cover, so he hasn't gone too far!
Next time you are admiring the cover of a book in the shelves of a shop of library, take a second to realise you are probably looking at version four or five of a very long but fascinating process!
ST GRIZZLE'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, GOATS AND RANDOM BOYS is the first in a new series by Karen McCombie from Stripes Books. Look out for it in all good bookstores now!
Check out Becka Moor's website here... http://www.beckamoor.com/
Cathy says:
Whoop... I am a fan of Karen's work and love the look of the new book. Plus, goats! I NEED to know what's going on! Have YOU read an awesome book lately? What's next on your reading list? And most of all, which cover version do YOU like best? COMMENT BELOW to tell all!
Karen says:My latest book is out - wheee! And the cover of ST GRIZZLE'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, GOATS AND RANDOM BOYS is just fab... a riot of sunshine yellow and silliness, complete with garlands of loo roll. Perfect for my story of a kooky boarding school!
But I got an unexpected peek at the Cover Could've Beens that came BEFORE the finished article too... very interesting!
I love all of Becka's versions, but it is down to the book publishers to choose in the end. They show the options to lots of experts; their own sales and marketing team, booksellers and children.
It's only after all this that they decide on a clear favourite. I was sad to lose Zed - my random boy - from the final version, but he's done a wheelie round to the back cover, so he hasn't gone too far!Next time you are admiring the cover of a book in the shelves of a shop of library, take a second to realise you are probably looking at version four or five of a very long but fascinating process!
ST GRIZZLE'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, GOATS AND RANDOM BOYS is the first in a new series by Karen McCombie from Stripes Books. Look out for it in all good bookstores now!
Check out Becka Moor's website here... http://www.beckamoor.com/
Cathy says:
Whoop... I am a fan of Karen's work and love the look of the new book. Plus, goats! I NEED to know what's going on! Have YOU read an awesome book lately? What's next on your reading list? And most of all, which cover version do YOU like best? COMMENT BELOW to tell all!
I've got to read this, I love all of Karen McCombie's books, they are funny! I think I prefer the last cover the one with the sky background though. I've been looking for new books to read so this is good to find one :)
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