THE BEST BOOK COVER EVER!

When it was time to start on a cover for my new book, I happened to be sitting at a table in the driver’s lounge with Carole (pronounced “Carol” but spelled with an “e” on the end) Ryan. She made a huge mistake she would soon regret. She offered to help.

Carole and I, you see, are part-time school bus drivers, and we share the same wacky, over-the-edge sense of humor. We have a lot of fun harassing and tormenting each other on a daily basis. For example, I carry my laptop to work and, between routes, I write. She likes to tie my computer cord in knots. Another favorite trick of hers is to hide my mouse. I get even. I bought a bag of realistic-looking plastic insects and placed them in strategic locations on her bus. I also found a street barrier sign, lightweight but about eight feet long, and carried it onto her bus. I know she had some difficulty wrestling it back off the bus. She reciprocated by covering my entire steering wheel in Saran wrap. Yes, we do have fun.

She also gets along very well with my wife, also named Carol, but without an “e” on the end. They are of a similar mind about many things. Me, for instance. When Carole told Carol that her favorite nickname for me at work was jacka**, my lovely bride said, “Don’t call him that. Call him a**hole like I do.”

No respect.

Anyway, back to my cover. I mentioned to Carole that I wanted a picture of a man holding a gun on the cover of my book. She said she knew how to browse the Internet for pictures and would do that for me. She did, and came up with a number of pictures. Then, she also had some experience doing graphic layouts and went a step farther. She put together some ideas for the layout of the cover, and some of them were quite good. None of them, however, was quite right. I had a “feel” for what I wanted, even though I couldn’t describe it.

So she tried it again. And again. And again. In all, she must have done at least twenty-five different designs. Each time, I would say something like, “That’s close, but not quite the exact one I want.” Or, “Can you move this over there?” Or, “Can you make this a little bigger?” She would stare daggers into my heart and say, “Forget it. I quit!”

Fortunately, she didn’t. It’s not in her nature to quit. She stuck with it and kept trying, in spite of my being impossible to please.

I’m sure there were at least twenty-five times when she wanted to kill me and end her frustration.

Fortunately, she didn’t. It was close, but that’s not in her nature either.

Finally, she came up with a design that clicked. Boy, did it click! This one made my head spin and sent me flying over the moon. This one was exactly what I wanted. I wanted a cover that was strong and dramatic. I wanted the cover to scream with mystery, tension, and suspense. I wanted the man’s stance on the cover to say he was on the prowl. I wanted the way he held the gun in both hands to say that when he found his prey, there would be action.

And that’s exactly what she gave me. I’m more excited about this cover than any I’ve ever seen on anyone’s book.

I thought she would be pleased when I told her how thrilled I was. I thought she would be excited when I told her she could design all my future book covers.

Instead, her response was, “Forget it. I never want to see another book as long as I live.”

But she’ll change her mind. She has to. No one else would put up with me.

Within the next few days, I’ll be announcing that JUSTIFIED ACTION will be available as both a print book and ebook, with the cover created by my friend, Carole Ryan. Sign up to follow this blog or stop back soon for the details.

And now, here’s the cover. Tell me what you think.