You Can Judge This One by The Cover

The paperback edition of the magical short story collection The View From the Seventh Layer by Kevin Brockmeier, flapped about in January of last year, landed yesterday.

The new cover is exquisite - its dark, beautiful, imaginative visage perfectly reflects the content inside. The painting that graces it, "Library", is part of a 'city without humans' series of paintings titled "The City" by Lori Nix. I highly recommend checking her out. She has an eye for disaster, nature and tableaux that is to be rivaled by few.

Also, the Fall 2008 issue of The Cream City Review (Volume 32, Issue 2) features a lengthy interview with Brockmeier, covering everything from writing to philosophy to fancy dijon mustard commercial reenactments.

Immortalize The Classics Personally

So, need more proof that the rest of the world is cooler than us? Check out this idea from Penguin Publishing's UK branch. I'm sure this is a pilot program, and if successful in the UK, Penguin will do something similar here.

Design Your Own Cover

I have to admit; early in my booklife, I had no clue about the impact covers made. It's only been since working in the industry that I've realized their impact, and grown to appreciate the well-crafted ones. There are studies citing the cover as THE most important factor deciding whether a book is picked up by a customer.

With that being the case, Penguin is taking a chance (but not too big of one; the books eligible are all classics, and will likely sell for the rest of time) that the spark of creativity and the chance to express yourself will overcome blank space on THE most important marketing aspect of a book.

Even if this idea tanks, I've got to applaud the effort and ingenuity on display. The book industry needs to be shaken up constantly, or we'll risk truly becoming the dinosaurs of media some already take us for.

* Note: The Dinosaurs of Media would make an excellent rock band name.