Cover Art #deadflieandsherrytrifle

Posted on Jul 8, 2017 by TanGental

My first book, Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle is now three years old. At the time I published it I still had a lot to learn. One aspect was the cover. I asked my nephew, whose career as an artist and model maker has seen him work on a number of big picture movies, and his cover was great. As a one off.

But now that I’m about to publish my fourth novel (15th July, peeps, keep the date) I want my covers to have some familiarity; I want someone who picks it up to recognise something of the style. And this has led me to conclude I need a new cover.

George Grey at Roylaston Design has done the covers for all the other novels I’ve published (he also did the cover for Hugh Roberts’ wonderful ‘Glimpses’) and he’s come up with some ideas. As I’m a democratic sort of cove, I’d like to have your reactions to these before I choose.

In case you haven’t read Dead Flies yet – what! Surely some mistake!! – here is the blurb that appears on the back cover of the paperback.

‘I can’t really explain why I have this thing about saving flies’

It’s summer 1976 and hotter than Hades Harry Spittle, nineteen, is home from university, aiming to earn some money to go on holiday and maybe get laid. He expects he will be bored rigid, but the appearance of old family friend, Charlie Jepson, his psychopathic son, Claude, and predatory wife Monica changes that. As his parents’ marriage implodes, Harry’s problems mount; before he knows it he’s in debt up to his ears and dealing in drugs. Things go from bad to worse when he is stabbed. He needs money fast, but now his job is at risk, his sister is in trouble and he has discovered a family secret that could destroy all he holds dear. The only way out appears to require that Harry joins forces with the local criminal mastermind. Can Harry survive to see out the summer? Can he save his family? Can he regain some credibility and self-respect? Most importantly will he finally get laid?

And here are the four possibilities:

cover 1

cover 2

cover 3

cover 4

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I made the trifle and no flies were hurt in making this post – they’d already crashed and burnt. And yes, I ate the trifle….

Anyone spot the deliberate error? Yep, it will be ‘and’ in the final version and not ‘&’. Just saying before you do…

About TanGental

My name is Geoff Le Pard. Once I was a lawyer; now I am a writer. I've published four books - Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle, My Father and Other Liars, Salisbury Square and Buster & Moo. In addition I have published three anthologies of short stories and a memoir of my mother. More will appear soon. I will try and continue to blog regularly at geofflepard.com about whatever takes my fancy. I hope it does yours too. These are my thoughts and no one else is to blame. If you want to nab anything I post, please acknowledge where it came from.
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56 Responses to Cover Art #deadflieandsherrytrifle

  1. Ritu says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 1:05 pm

    And if you haven’t read it yet…. why not???

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. willowdot21 says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    Great book, I was drawn immediately drawn to no. 4 it is the colours they are just so vivid!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. Allie P. says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 2:33 pm

    For the record I love the original cover, but understand the need for branding

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  4. Val says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 2:48 pm

    As I’m in a summer full of flies, this is a bit… well… um…

    I’d say the bottom one as it looks like the fly has its own personality and is intent on munching on something slightly away from the main food. The rest are a bit too graphic and, anyway, you already have ‘dead flies’ in the title, so no need to see them dead too.

    I shall buy a copy in a few months when my finances are a bit better. I read the excerpts of all of them on Amazon a few weeks ago. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  5. Pingback: Cover Art #deadflieandsherrytrifle | Annette Rochelle Aben

  6. robbiesinspiration says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 4:26 pm

    I did not know of this book, Geoff. You need to blow your trumpet more [smile]. I see I voted for the popular choice and didn’t notice the error as I was to busy thinking about how yummy the trifle looked and a pity about the flies.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. Erika Kind says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 7:17 pm

    Wow, seems I am going along with most of the others with my choice! I am curious which one wins. It is a good idea to adjust your cover in order to have a “corporate identity”.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. thecontentedcrafter says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    #1 Too many flies! #2 Looks to me like a blueberry penis – but maybe you were going for that look…. or maybe it’s just me? #3 The flies are dead and I like the colours and the perspective #4 That’s a live fly!!

    My feeling is you didn’t have to be so prosaic – one dead fly would get the message across. This first book still remains my dead cert Le Pard favourite 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. Sarah Brentyn says:
    Jul 8, 2017 at 9:53 pm

    It’s been that long?! I love that you’re getting a new cover for the anniversary. These really go well with your other books. 🙂 That said, I hate flies. (Sorry, flies. I know you’re just being you.) But these are so…vivid and real-looking I feel like getting a fly swatter. Is there any way, since you have “DEAD FLIES” so prominently in the title, you could do without the critters? Or have one off to the side?

    I like the third one best I think but your name isn’t super clear. Could it be a different color? I like the first one, too. The close-ups aren’t my favorite.

    (So…you ate the dessert but the flies were Photoshopped on there. Right? Just say yes.)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. Don Massenzio says:
    Jul 9, 2017 at 10:40 am

    I’m captain literal. I picked the one with the dead flies.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. Marje @ Kyrosmagica says:
    Jul 9, 2017 at 11:54 am

    I liked your old cover just fine Geoff but have voted for #2. As it looked quite curious. Hope that helps. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. Sacha Black says:
    Jul 9, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    This is a difficult one. I voted for number 4 because of the colours, but the fly is alive… If it was dead it would be perfect!

    I do like the perspective and layout of cover 3 though but I’m not sure it looks “cover” enough like. Difficult because it’s food I automatically think cookbook, although obviously the title indicates otherwise.

    One other thing. I prefer when the font isn’t all the same colour… So name a different colour. Just gives it a bit more edge.

    Xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. susielindau says:
    Jul 9, 2017 at 2:44 pm

    I like cover 1! You can’t read your last name on Cover 3, although most popular. Congrats on your new book, Geoff! I’ll be watching on the 15th…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. Judy E Martin says:
    Jul 9, 2017 at 7:56 pm

    You make a mean looking trifle Geoff. I like number 3 best as it reminds me of the trifles my mum used to make especially at Christmas, served in a huge glass bowl. I wouldn’t have been surprised if a few dead flies managed to get in it too, Mum was never over fussy about covering food!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. actualconversationswithmyhusband says:
    Jul 9, 2017 at 8:53 pm

    #4 for me manages to convey all the parts without making me feel as though I’m truly being presented with a trifle that I must eat—no polite way out of it—with dead flies in it. I suppose that’s a testament to the power of the other photos, and kudos on the gorgeous trifle, but #1 and #3 especially made me squirm. Maybe it’s because I have actually had to sit through terrible treats made by lunatic great-aunts even after finding a hair (or worse) in it. #4, by contrast, looks quite artistic and not at all triggering.

    Plus, the title and your name are perfectly legible, which seemed important.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  16. dgkaye says:
    Jul 10, 2017 at 6:52 pm

    I have that book and can’t wait to read it Geoff! I voted for #2. It just evokes a bold cover to me. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. says:
    Jul 10, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
    Geoff Le Pard needs help choosing his new cover for his book Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle… I have voted… (this vote actually might make a difference)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. Hugh's Views and News says:
    Jul 11, 2017 at 4:34 pm

    I voted for number 2 (and not because of the blueberry p***s). I think George has come up with some great designs. However, like others, your name needs to be bolder if going for covers 2 or 3. Your name on cover 4 looks great and stands out so much. The colours are amazing on all covers – very eye catching.
    Thanks for the mention as well.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  19. Chuck says:
    Jul 12, 2017 at 10:26 pm

    Hi Geoff,
    Just noticed you came by my site. Thank you for the recognition.

    Like

    Reply
  20. olganm says:
    Jul 17, 2017 at 11:53 am

    Difficult choice! Voted for number 2 because I found it… not sure how to define it, but more extreme than the rest. Good luck!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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