A NEW COVER FOR "BLOOD IS PRETTY"

On the tenth anniversary of my first published novel, Blood is Pretty—The First Fixxer Adventure, Crossroad Press is bringing it back into print with a great new cover.  

CEO/Publisher, author David Niall Wilson, started Crossroad press in 2009 at first to publish his own books as ebooks. But he soon realized he could help his fellow authors do the same thing, and has dedicatedly done so ever since, broadening out Crossroad into audiobooks and now trade paperback print editions. Crossroad published the ebook edition of Blood is Pretty in 2010. At that time we decided to just keep the book's original cover from its first print edition.

But for this new edition we decided to spiff things up a bit and put a new face on. I wanted to keep the original cover's concept of the title written in blood (when you read the book—and you will read the book, won't you?—you'll see the appropriateness of this graphic image) as the title is meant to be a slightly over-the-top indication of the slight homage nature of the book to thrillers and heroes from Bulldog Drummond through The Saint onto James Bond and the loves of my 60s TV life, I Spy and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.  

But there is also some serious blood-letting in the book and—despite the humor—some serious considerations of life, death, morality, and how our brains—fragile and malleable presenters of reality—can be messed with for fun and profit. I always felt that the original cover just did not convey this.

So I threw the task to the talented animator & illustrator Todd Cronin, who did the covers for my novels Traveling in Space and Hollywood is an All-Volunteer Army.
















Todd picked a new typeface for the blood and wonderfully added drips and a pool of the stuff.

This I liked!  Especially my name etched not in blood but on the blood. 

Then, Aaron Rosenberg, a very prolific author and master of graphic arts who designs covers for Crossroad Press, suggested adding the film strip boarder. Which made a lot of sense because the novel, besides being all I say it is above, it is also a satire on Hollywood. Taking that theme and Todd's work Aaron designed the whole package, front cover:

Back cover:

And the more-important-than-you-might-think, spine:

I'm really happy with the spine. Most book spines are pretty boring. This one is—as Dr. Who might say—cool!

Aaron, by the way, had also designed the interior of the book and has done a stunning job. 

So thanks to David and Crossroad Press for giving Blood is Pretty new printed life. To Todd for being, once again, a visualizer extraordinaire. And to Aaron for his bright and witty intelligence and graphic talents (I mean that in a nice way).

We'll be announcing the publication date of the new print edition of Blood is Pretty soon.