Kindle cover for A Myth in Action?

Getting the book ready for next month when my rights revert back to me. What do you think of the new cover idea?

I like it!

As I look at it, I'm kind of thinking I might shift the military pic more to the left, and include the "slogan" from "Ode to a Lost Warrior" on the right:

Quote :

He endured the shame of being
sent home a living trophy
to the blood and death
of too many friends.

I would try to make at least one of those an action photo, in keeping with the title. Not just a portrait.

You are probably right. Action shots of Murphy that are clearly public domain are harder to come by. The only "military" action clips of him are from the movie, To Hell and Back. The Universal pics are probably public domain, but to be sure, I took the advice of the AMRF director and sent a certified letter to the studio, saying I would like to use the two I had on the original cover. The director said they would probably not respond (she was correct), and that the certified letter would count as approval, but I only mentioned those two in the letter.

I used a small, B/W version of this public domain clip on the original cover
(something strange is going on. I can't seem to post the image - will try again later)

I could use it again, I guess.

Thing is, I want to focus on his eyes. He had the most expressive eyes - like you could read his soul, just looking in them.

But I think you are right in suggesting that some sort of action ought to be depicted.

OK, I changed the name of the pic and now it works.

Now the book itself is giving me fits. I originally wrote it four computers and three versions of Word ago. It does not want to be reformatted.

And the last 30 pages are endnotes.

Couple of good action photos here, Ann:

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/murphy.html

If you still have the PDF file from PA, it can be converted to Word.

Those are both from To Hell and Back, Shelagh. I doubt they are public domain. That film remained Universal's highest grossing film for 20 years - until Jaws. I would be concerned about using them w/o specific permission.

I still have it. I also still have files of individual chapters as well as two or three versions of the whole thing in Word 97 & 2003. I will be able to get it done. It just won't be fun.

Will PA return the file with the rights?

I don't know, Alice. I don't know if I would have rights to the original cover, even though I designed it. There is nothing in the contract about cover images. Besides, I want to do something different - something that emphasizes the post-traumatic effects of war. That's why I want to focus on the eyes in both of those pics.

Here is what I'm working on - obviously not finished:

I want to get back to the sepia tone that the book had originally. About a year into the contract, PA switched printers, and the cover became grey-blue.

I wonder if this version is too busy - too many different style elements.

Here is the original cover for those who haven't seen it - to compare.
]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/1424137020/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

1/28/2013

Ann..

Here's two Audie Murphy action photos.

Cheers..Joe..

1/28/2013

Here's the second..

Cheers..Joe...

1/28/2013

Ann..

When my contract for " Dusty," was up last year they told

me I couldn't use the cover ! Funny thing is I sen them the photo

to use so legally I own the rights to my own photos , their a

bunch of Charlatans ! Here's the original book cover and the

new one I created !

Cheers..Joe..

1/28/2013

Here's the one I created this past year taken from the

same photo...

Cheers..Joe...

Thanks, Joe, but I had already decided, as I told Shelagh, that I don't want to use any photos from THAB on the cover. I have tons in my files; I just don't want the hassle of getting permission. The picture from Hell Bent for Leather is one of the two I wrote to Universal about, so it should be OK. Any actual military photos, like the one with all the medals, are automatically public domain.

Dusty is such a lovely cat. A real muse.

I believe it is legal for them to hold the image rights, even though we designed them; we designed them for the books that they published.

If I ever get in that situation again, I might specify that if I design the cover, I get to keep it, but then, they could insist on using their own design.

It's not a big thing for me. I'm ready for the book to have a new look. We are living in a new time. We need to honor our soldiers and policemen for protecting us from harm, but at the same time, we need to be aware of the toll it takes on them, and the need to find peaceful solutions whenever we can.

My eyes are blurring. I will put it away until morning, I think.

I really do appreciate everyone's advice and help. Thank you all, again.

1/28/2013

Ann..

I like the one above..



Cheers..Joe..

What Joe said.

Super, Ann! I knew you would make it!

Super, Ann.

Thanks everyone. I now have no excuse to put off the reformatting.

Annie