Join our campaign for a new cover for The Clavier!
Idle Tom the Publisher has been badgering me non-stop with tips from the Chicken Soup guy’s book on how to turn yourself from a Z-lister into an A-lister.
Good for him.
Though it is always going to be a Big Ask trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear such as Tom.
I, however, have had considerably bigger fish to fry.
Anyone mention getting a new book cover for The Well-Tempered Clavier?
It is truly astonishing the number of total strangers who, apropos nothing at all, say the cover is a complete dog’s dinner.
There you’ll be, chatting away about the weather and they’ll suddenly just do a handbrake turn with the conversation and from out of nowhere say, "Oh, by the way, that cover of yours - it’s shit, don’t you know? Can’t you get a better one?"
Without exaggeration, many more people have commented on the cover than have actually talked about the contents of the book.
I was minded of this when I did a guest blog for Trashionista. Just click here if you’re inclined to read it.
One of the comments came from a very sage man, Robin - who wrote: "I’m glad to see another man writing romance (though I don’t think I care for the cover art) …"
"Tom," I said later to the publisher. "Much happening with those stickers you promised? Are we going to be able to cover up that revolting front cover, or is still just a concept floating around in the ether of your skull?"
"No no!" he said. "Definitely going to do up some stickers. Probably soon! Yeah - that’s a big, big priority."
So - what do you reckon? Maybe 2009? Maybe by the end of 2009?
I don’t think I’d give it better than 50-50.
* Have your say! Do you think Tom’s front cover for the Clavier is the worst in history? Don’t be shy now!