The one where I talk about my book cover.

I have gleaned from several of my friends that the book cover is one of the hardest parts of publishing. For me, it is extremely easy. Probably because my cover is already done and has been done for two years.
Two years ago, however, I remember having an EXTREMELY hard time with it.
My cover picture is a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky, a Russian painter from the 1800's, known for his seascapes.

I liked this painting because of the ship in the background. I thought it fit After the Twelfth Night very well.

I didn't just want my cover to be the painting, however, so I added a picture of me - as Antonio from a production of Twelfth Night that I was in in 2009 - to the cover (I believe I used Gimp, but I'm not sure).

 

It was too bright, however, so I started experimenting with color.

 

Too light.
Sometime in the process, I experimented with a different Ivan Aivazovsky painting (which has now become the back cover of the book; without my face):

 

Eventually I came up with this cover:

 

But, as most of you know, my computer got wiped somehow last spring, therefore losing that particular cover. Luckily, I had some uploaded onto photobucket, so I still have most of my work. Just not that particular cover. And I can't figure out what I did to make that cover look like it does. I half wonder if the publishing thing I went with last time (to get my four copies) kind of changed the color....
Anyway, I've been kind of poking around with the cover again today, experimenting with different colors.
This is what I came up with:

 

Haha just kidding. That was me being bored. (My mom's comment: "I'm so glad she can keep herself entertained.")

This is the real cover (which I'm not altogether sure about... is the lettering too dark? Is it too hard to read?):

Enough about that. I've been working on my secret project today. Here are some pictures to muddle with your brains:

 

(Dolls playing Dominion???????!!)

 

(Dolls dressed in interesting costumes?????!!)

 

(RUTHIE WITH GLASSES AND BUNNY SLIPPERS??????? [Anyone who has read the Meet the Dolls page knows that Ruthie is a bit of a fashionista and does NOT - I repeat - does NOT like appearing sloppily dressed] And is that a sword that the doll-in-white-pants is holding?)

 

Live long and prosper!