Hi, All!
I'm very happy to announce Plague
in Paradise: The Black Death in Los Angeles, 1924 will go to print June
8. This is one of the steps in the
process of book publishing that is a true joy for the author because it
represents the culmination of all the work that went into the project.
Interestingly enough to me, the last piece of the puzzle for this book
was the book cover, which is usually done much earlier in the process. There were almost a dozen versions
prepared before the final was chosen.
One of the early versions had a HUGE rat poised above the picture of
downtown Los Angeles. Rats harbored the fleas that caused the plague, so having
a rat on the cover seemed to make sense at first. However, when this draft of
the cover was shown to groups, to get a marketing perspective, the rat wasn't
popular at all. Many said it was
too scary or spooky, which turned them off. Others said it reminded them of the 1950's sci-fi films with
giant insects attacking people (like the giant ants in the movie "Them!"). So, out went the rat. Other versions followed until those
involved with the design came up with a cover that was "pleasing to the
eye -- and interest-catching."
Having a good cover is a dramatically important part of publishing in
today's world. For those who are browsing in brick-and-mortar bookstores, an
eye-catching cover can make all the difference between a person walking by or
pulling the book from the shelf to take a closer look, which might lead to a
purchase. For those looking through
the listing at online bookseller sites, it has been estimated that the cover of
a book is one of the most important determinants of all in selection of a book
for purchase. One study suggested
as many as 75% of all books purchased online were chosen because the cover of
the book drew the purchaser to it.
Therefore, it is no wonder publishers take so much time making sure the
cover is exactly right.
I'm attaching a copy of the final version of the cover of Plague in Paradise. I also feel a little
explanation may be in order to go along with it. As mentioned in a previous
post, the book is a literary nonfiction account of the last major outbreak of
the Black Plague in the United States, which happened in 1924 in Los Angeles.
At the time of the outbreak, Los Angeles was known as the "Paradise of the
West." City officials touted
it healthful climate, its booming business community, its new harbor, and as a
place where families could come, plant roots, and grow and prosper along with
the city. Hence -- the "Paradise" part of the title. And then the plague showed up.......
So, the main image on the cover is done from an actual picture of
downtown L.A. in 1924 -- to help illustrate how much the city was growing and
prospering. Then, in sharp contrast,
at the bottom of the cover, just below the image of the city, an image of a
cemetery appears to represent the devastation caused by the appearance of the
Black Death in the community. I
especially like the Art Department's choice of yellow, red, and black as the
dominant colors in the background; for me, these add to the stark contrast
between the fast growth of the city and the sudden outbreak of the plague. I tip my cap to those who worked in the
cover. I believe it will draw
potential readers to the book, whether they are looking at it in a store or
online.
As mentioned, the book goes to print June 8. There are several other steps after a book is printed before
it actually shows up on shelves at all the places where books are purchased.
The book will be available shortly for advance purchase for those who want to
reserve a copy, and it will show up in bookstores in about two months. I'll provide more details about that as
we get closer to the actual release of the book. I think readers will find this story quite interesting and
revealing, especially as pockets of of the Black Plague have popped up in
several countries in the past few months.
The "Scourge of the Middle Ages" is still very much with us
today.
I
hope all of you enjoy the start of your summer. Happy reading, everyone!
JSC
No comments:
Post a Comment