8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back

FOREWORD MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Silver Winner

NAUTILUS BOOK AWARD

Gold Winner

NATIONAL IPPY AWARD

Bronze Winner

Esther Gokhale is the ultimate authority on simply and naturally curing back pain without drugs or surgery. Her approach is based upon how some cultures in the world do not experience back pain. What do they do differently than our nation's millions who suffer so much? She researched it, learned why, and shows very clearly how you can do like they do. Standing, sitting, sleeping, walking, carrying, lifting, everything. These are cultures in which people routinely carry a very heavy load on their head for miles, or bend over all day in the fields, with no back pain. They must be doing something right. Esther shows ow you can do the same. She gets astounding results with her techniques, and her book is THE  must-read for back pain.

Esther wanted a unique cover because her book is so different and superior. The Mayo Clinic strongly endorses this book so I put that on the front cover. That was the easy part. After that, I explored photos of naked backs in various poses and lighting, and it soon became clear to me that we needed something totally NOT a human back. So I went for the feeling instead. How does it feel to no longer have back pain, and what could symbolize that? The freedom of a floating feather came to mind. 

I found a feather with a nice curving quality. It can imply either a healthy spine's shape or a relaxing nap in a hammock. Its graceful, carefree lightness, combined with the title, make a very unique cover for this book.

The red title could have been almost any color. In the end, I chose red because it's so visible. The author's name in gold lends authority and prestige. The centered type above and below allows the feather to suspend in space. Is it floating upward or downward?

The Deal

NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Winner

A young, well-connected real estate millionaire in New York City gets involved in a deal that looks really exceptional. It turns out to be a different deal entirely, involving the Russian mafia and every kind of danger. He barely escapes and must go into hiding for the rest of his life. The fast-moving story deserves this award, one of many this year for Oceanview Publishing. The author, Adam Gittlin, is a very talented writer. This is his second book.

For the cover, I wanted to convey that the "deal" is really two deals -- the enticing bait and the hidden trap -- so I made the title appear twice over a New York City backdrop. One title was totally visible, the other hidden behind and ominous looking. Clever! Rejected. Well, twenty-five design variations and proofs finally brought us to the simple cover design you see here. We tried versions with NYC at night, daytime, day and night together, as well as the title in many color choices and combinations. It can be a long process to end up with a simple design that really works. It's unpredictable, and worth the effort.

I put the oval on the back cover so we could convey the two deals after all. The hidden deal is in plain sight but not obvious. You'll have to read the book to get what I mean. Sorry. I should not spoil the surprise.

Click either image above to enlarge.

My radio interview on book cover design

The program is Writers' Voices on KRUU. I was interviewed for an hour, revealing secrets to two very charming ladies. Mary, my wife, made a short appearance toward the end. You can download or stream it from here. 

Did Man Create God?

NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Winner

USA BOOK NEWS BEST BOOK AWARDS

Religion: Winner  

Science: Finalist

David Comings, MD once attended a panel discussion on book design I was moderating. Afterwards, he showed me his book cover and asked if I would improve it for him. You can see his old cover with my critique of it in the "before and after" section of my website here. One thing I didn't include in my critique is that in my cover design, the artwork at the top has been processed with dots used in printing presses, but the dots are enlarged to bring attention to them. The effect visually suggests God's hand is "created" by man's technology. First, it's a painting by Michelangelo. Second, it's technologically reproduced. Double the effect. If I used the painting without the enlarged dots it would be rather ordinary. Just plugging in a picture like this one can be a cliché.

David was in a hurry and I didn't get to read his book. He needed a quick improvement and didn't even ask me to design his back cover or spine. I'm very happy to learn he's winning multiple awards. It makes me want to read the book now, darn it. Hey, David! Send me a copy, okay?

Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Winner

FOREWORD MAGAZINE'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

Finalist

Simply put, Don Bruns wins awards. He grabbed three for Stuff to Die For, the first in the "Stuff" series. This second book carries the ball nicely, and a third will be out soon. The theme? A couple of twenty-something buddies near Miami get into serious danger each time they try a new business venture using their broken down box truck. James Lessor and Skip Moore barely get out with their skin intact, and the assorted cast of characters makes you cheer, boo, and sometimes hold your breath. A great read every time. Funny, fast-moving, and many say Don is creating a new genre, a guy's answer to chick lit. Published by Oceanview Publishing.

This time, Skip and James sell burgers to patrons attending the big tent events led by a very successful and influential evangelist. Big dreams of fast money are taken over by big trouble. Guns, conspiracy, suspense, romance, and belly laughs.

The first cover I designed looked like the Reverend's gold Bible with the box truck added. Not enough danger. Don suggested adding a gun. After a few different angles and sizes of guns, the Oceanview team abandoned the idea and we went for a night scene outside the tent. The palm trees are back, always good for identifying the locale. The box truck is parked on blood-stained money, an obvious metaphor. Assembling all these pieces together to create a somewhat believable scene using the trees, tent, crosses in the windows, truck, money, blood, and door sign for the business took some time. It was worth it.

You might notice a sticker on the truck with "A NOVEL" on it. I added the dash between the words so it might look more like a label on a truck and yes, the sticker is tilted. On the first book, we gave the truck's license plate the "novel" treatment. It really looks like a Florida plate, doesn't it? Details like this are always fun. Here is a look at both. On the left is Stuff to Die For, right is Stuff Dreams Are Made Of.

Lose the Diet

 

NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Diet: Winner   

Editor's Choice: 2nd Place

Best New Non-Fiction: Finalist

NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS

Diet/Nutrition: Winner

Self-Help: Finalist

Health/Wellness: Finalist

NATIONAL BEACH BOOK FESTIVAL

Winner

Tough to lose weight and keep it off? Here is help. Know yourself, be in touch with your inner spiritual core. Kathy Balland shows you how. Her message transcends weight loss to help you become a happier person in general. You get solid, useable tips and facts to educate yourself about managing your weight in a healthy, spiritually oriented way. 

I contacted Marci Shimoff, NYT bestselling author (Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul, Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul, Happy for No Reason), who loved the book and gave a very strong endorsement. Now here come the awards. Kathy's off to a great start. She even has a lovely book trailer.

For the cover, I wanted a large title because it's such a compelling three-word message. The universal circle for "no" bonds with the word "diet". The subtitle surrounds, hugs, the happy female showing off her new figure. The subtitle's last two words make this diet book unique, so I enlarged them. The yellow blend in the background adds energy and is good for a health book. The violet type contrasts well and is associated with spirituality. The book's benefit -- transform your body -- is conveyed in red, the attention-getting color.

We got Marci's endorsement at the last minute. I used one sentence of it for the front cover, placed at the top because elsewhere caused a mess. It looks kind of stuck on -- definitely NOT my usual method -- but it works for me somehow. It stands out on its own. I went hot and cold deciding whether to do it in plain black condensed helvetica on a colorful cover, believe me, but I wanted it strong because it had to be small. Would I do it that way for another cover? OMG. Well, maybe.

White stars line the left edge of the cover, wrapping around to the spine. They'll be there for us when Kathy publishes her next book, as a visual brand. The stars are unobtrusive but add some distinction in the genre.