Everyone says that a book cover is critical to the sale and success of that novel. So with that in mind, I’ve tried to go with something less conventional, because at the moment everyone seems to be going with 3D CGI artwork, and while I do love it, I wanted something perhaps a little retro and unique.
My search for an artist didn’t take too long. I asked some agencies in London for recommendations and one of the artists I was shown was James Gilleard, who lives in Japan, and was taken by his work. After a few back and forth emails some rough images were developed for the cover of Minus Epsilon, and after about week or so, a cover was generated.
The image on the cover of Minus Epsilon tries to capture the vibe of the Paraguayan wilderness at night, with an image of the Epsilon imaged in a very non-descript manner. The second cover, for Defiant Order, is supposed to represent Lasqueti Island near Vancouver, Canada. I think that this image is much more tranquil even though the second novel is more violent.
The work that James does is right up my alley, and I can only hope that the people that see the covers will enjoy them for the snippet of a story that they themselves tell, and for their quality as pieces of art.
