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Thursday, March 26, 2009

Book Cover


Working on the book cover



This is what I have so far.



So? :)


FerFAL

Posted by FerFAL at 6:54 AM
Labels:

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice--looks a little home-made, but definitely very eye-catching. If you want to reach out past the people in the know about SHTF and get that big, squishy mass of people in the middle (at least in US), you might want to make it look a little more conventional--one typefont, maybe a non-apocalyptic cover...like a burning $100 bill or something. But it's your book, mate. Keep up the good work, it's appreciated!

March 26, 2009 at 8:49 AM
FerFAL said...

Thanks,
It IS home made, that why it looks that way:)
Also self published and self everything else.
Maybe a translucent, fadedout USD bill in the horizon.
I'll have to try that thank:)

March 26, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Anonymous said...

Very cool cover!

Just riffing on the Dollar sign embedded in the cloud....

What if you had a picture of a road-block of burning tires...with the dollar sign embedded in the smoke.

Because I gotta tell you, when I think of the main meme of your blog, that's what I tend to think of.

All the practical things the common man can use to survive WTSHTF - such as how to evade road-blocks.

March 26, 2009 at 9:30 AM
george4title said...

like it ferfal...hey I run a youtube channel and internet radio show...would you be interested in doing an interview series over skype..

thanks
george4title

March 26, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Anonymous said...

Awesome, but maybe want to play down the nuclear holocaust down - maybe a guy picking through the garbage, or a food riot in background might be nice.

I'd buy the book for sure - been reading your articles and posts for several years, they are very sobering.

March 26, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Anonymous said...

I really like it to make it relevant right now, you could show Bankers in suits lighting cigars with hundred dollar bills, while watching girls in bikinis cavorting by the pool in a tropical location.
But I like you artwork better.
TIP in lost wages

March 26, 2009 at 11:30 AM
FerFAL said...

I did a bit of research and found that people decide in 5 seconds if they are buying a book or not, so the cover kind of has to catch your attention.
It can be conufsed with nuke stuff, and that's something I wouldn't want. I hope they get the idea when they read the title and see the USD simbol.
Roadblockers are kind of angry people, they wont like me going "hey dudes, just stay still there with your sticks while I take a pic" :^)
I'll post the Index when its done. I'll be the first one to buy my book, its turning out nice. Sometimes a bit violent, sometimes funny, with lots of nice to know tips, but the overal message is that an economic collpase isn't the end of the world. Just something you have to addapt to.
Thanks for the cover ideas guys.
FerFAL

March 26, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Anonymous said...

1) May want to think about who you want to buy the book --wealthy people or the common citizen.

Wealthy people are most afraid of the mob taking their money, so a roadblock of burning tires with a crowd carrying sticks is probably MORE scary to them than a nuclear bomb. :)

Add some black people to the mob if you want sales in the American South -- racists down there are sure that President Obama is just two meals away from turning cannibal.

2) A real nuke would issue a thermal pulse --so why isn't that black T-shirt and bag on fire? :)

Also, where is the shock wave coming toward the observer --shimmer in the air, everything behind it flattened into rubble,etc?

Need to make the dollar sign more obvious -- I missed it the first two times I looked.

March 26, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Anonymous said...

I like it. It has "stopping power" and visual interest that is quickly understood. Just what you want for a thumbnail cover image online or even on a shelf. "How to...." is a very effective title.

P.S. Don Williams, I'm sure there are racists in the American South, but I know first hand I've found them in cities and communities in all parts of the U.S. Anyway, last time I visited a well-known city in the American South, it was full of people who were from other parts of the country and world. Good people, bad people, lots o' people.

Anyway, I'm guessing folks all over are unhappy about fatcats, the central Congress and President Obama consuming their children's future.

March 26, 2009 at 12:44 PM
vdavisson said...

I'll buy a copy. And I saw the $ sign right off.

Let me know if you'd like an editor. I majored in English, have been a professional technical writer for close to 20 years, have written several novels. You can contact me at my email address (which I think you have access to, but otherwise just reply and I'll see your answer in my email).

March 26, 2009 at 12:46 PM
FerFAL said...

Anonymous Don Williams said...

"
2) A real nuke would issue a thermal pulse --so why isn't that black T-shirt and bag on fire? :)

Also, where is the shock wave coming toward the observer --shimmer in the air, everything behind it flattened into rubble,etc?

Need to make the dollar sign more obvious -- I missed it the first two times I looked."


I'll do the dollar sign more visible, but I'm not burning my clothes and bag. :p

FerFAL

March 26, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Anonymous said...

Since the book is on economic collapse, it might work better if the nuke is over some financial, downtown, business looking buildings.

The nice houses on the bottom left could be replaced by pictures of a shanty town.

btw, when is the book ready? :)

March 26, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Anonymous said...

I like it!

March 26, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Anonymous said...

I`ll for sure buy this book - with any cover :)
But I can`t link A-bomb explosion and econoimic collapse, even with $ symbol.
maybe, back cover - bottomless hole in ground, with falling cities and people?

2 FerFal
What kind of people organisation most common during collapse? Farmer`s communes? Gangs? How do people unites?

March 26, 2009 at 7:14 PM
Anonymous said...

"Add some black people to the mob if you want sales in the American South -- racists down there are sure that President Obama is just two meals away from turning cannibal."

That is a really dumb thing to say.

March 26, 2009 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said...

I think the A-bomb describes perfectly how stunning and shocking it will be in the first place and the power of the event.
A group of angy people wouldn't give the same affect.

Hunnia

March 27, 2009 at 12:08 AM
Anonymous said...

When, where, how, and in what format will your book be available? I'd suggest that you provide George Noory at htt:www.coasttocoastam.com with a copy and try to get on as a guest. Once your book is available, I'll recommend you as a guest and I suggest your other blog fans do so, as well. Noory's radio talk show Coast to Coast am is the most popular late night talk radio show in the USA. If you're not familiar with it, I suggest that you check out his website. If you get on as a guest, you'll sell more books than you can imagine.

March 27, 2009 at 12:54 AM
Anonymous said...

I find your blog more practical, useful, and educational than most of the books already out there about surviving one disaster or another. I'd suggest that you send the Coast to Coast am producer, George Noory, Ian Punnet, the Sunday night host, and Art Bell himself a link to your blog, if you haven't already done so. Usually they require a book to get on, but your blog is quite impressive and may be enough to qualify as a guest. Check it out!

March 27, 2009 at 1:06 AM
Anonymous said...

You're probably familiar with Alex Jones' Info-Wars at http://www.infowars.com . If not, check out his site. Possibly send him a link to your blog and definitely appear on his show when your book comes out. He's not in Noory's- Coast to Coast am- league, but he does have hundred of thousands of listeners. He streams his show. Noory has millions of listeners. In either case, you'll have a ready and willing market for your book.

March 27, 2009 at 1:17 AM
jeffwong said...

The nuke is really misleading.

How about a nice photograph or montage of photographs showing Argentine expressions of the collapse and then some picture of America?

Your blog is all about dealing with poverty and the slow decay of civil society.

This cover looks more appropriate for The Road.

It is pretty humorous though. Save it for the post-crunch Nuclear Apocolypse Edition.

Thanks for your articles, BTW. I think the current situation will be different from Argentina but your blog helped me envision something other than The Road.

March 27, 2009 at 2:25 AM
Anonymous said...

My 2€cents

- The nuke is not a good idea. You talk about ECONOMIC collapse, not war. The book targets middle-class people worrying for their shrinking wealth. What about a financial chart with a down arrow killing the dollar sign?
- You don't mention Argentina on the cover. Maybe it would make it more believable. Even better, with a date!
- Reduce the number of fonts.
- Save a placeholder for your name, you deserve it.

Suggestion.

Title :
How to
SURVIVE
during an economic
COLLAPSE

Teaser:
Based on First Hand Experience of a Real Economic Collapse: Argentina, 21 october 2001


Just a funny idea: a rusting Rolls-Royce used to carry potatoes. Symbol of past lush turned to basic usage. Need some photoshoping though.

March 27, 2009 at 1:38 PM
ncocean said...

I continually check for your post, and am grateful for the insights you offer.

I suggested your blog on a different blog, and someone said you're to much about guns, and suggested the below person:

DIMTRY ORLOV - The five stages of collapse.

He experienced the collapse of Russia, but I have to say I haven't read anything yet. His writings may sparks some thought you may have forgotten.

As far as your cover... The $ going up in smoke is better than mushroom cloud. Plus when the media wants to protray the depression they always show us all the people standing in unemployment or food lines. That, I think will touch most American minds.

No matter what you chose I want to buy your book.

Again, thank you so much for your blog, and the very useful, and thought provoking post.

ncocean

March 27, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Ryan said...

I like it. Can't wait to buy, read and review it.

March 27, 2009 at 6:14 PM
Carrick said...

Hey FerFAL,
Just started reading your blog. I have an arts background. Here's some feedback..

1. Steer away from anything that is too over the top -- the mushroom cloud/$ is clever, but almost cartoonish. People naturally want insulate themselves from deep fears, and are relieved to be able to dismiss 'survivalist' or any SHTF message by writing the person off as paranoid. The nuke thing is that excuse. They'll assume you have chapters about burying converted school busses 30 under ground and repopulation tips.

2. Go to a University w/ a good graphic arts dept, and get the students to take a shot at the typeography for you (you were a design student too, right?) Someone was always outstanding at lettering design in our department, and its takes them only a minutes to pump out a few drafts. The typography can make the difference between a book looking professional or not. No offense, the font you're working with now says "camping guide" to me.. it doesn't reflect the seriousness of the content.

3. If you can use real images, do so. Here is a link to an artist that combined images of modern cosmopolitan St. Petersburg w/ archival photos taken of the city during its siege by the Nazis.
http://englishrussia.com/?p=2235
http://englishrussia.com/images/leningrad_siege/6.jpg
Sobering, huh? The same way the Hurricane Katrina images were.
A skeptical reader is naturally going to want to dismiss you as a paranoid fabricator. Anything image that looks "photoshopped" (a contrived situation), will make them think your book goes all the way in manufacturing 'your' deluded reality, instead of recalling & reflecting a reality your experienced first-hand.

4. The cover should say "This can be your reality, and I know, I lived it" to the reader. The image should tell the first part, and the title and subtitle should tell the second. An arresting image will catch their eye. When they read the cover, it has to say something that conveys that you, a regular guy like them, learned it all first-hand, because you had to. Your getting there with the "Based on.." bit, but if I didn't know this blog, I'd think you were just some journalist who toured around Africa, Russia or SE Asia or something. It doesn't indicate that you were a cosmopolitan person, suddenly surrounded by economic ruin, who had to learn how to live.
Practical Knowledge & Lessons Learned From First World Economic Collapse?

March 28, 2009 at 6:32 AM
Carrick said...

P.S. - An idea for the back cover, to expand someone's understanding of the books purpose, and to ease their worry...

It would be nice to see some 'collage' of images/symbols transmitting the content (food, security, law, etc), and a picture of you or someone in the collapse, not looking like a nutcase -- an image of you relaxed and smiling, but evidence of you living in a compromised situation (most importantly, surviving the real way, with your security and good sense, humanity.)

March 28, 2009 at 6:43 AM
Anonymous said...

I like it.

But there could be some improvements.

You could tone down the bright orange colour of the mushroom cloud, and also reduce it's size, it is a little terrifying. I think you must strive to identify your book as much as possible with an 'ECONOMIC COLLAPSE' and not a nuclear/war collapse, which is generally speaking rather outlandish.

To help in this regard you shouldn't be highlighting the two words 'Surviving' and 'Collapse'. You should really be highlighting the word 'Economic' or perhaps you could even use 'Financial' as it is easier to understand.

Try to avoid using the word 'survival' twice, when people think of survival they think of Rambo in the bush, not pinching pennies and evading criminals.

The dollar sign should stand out a lot more.

And finally, instead of one guy overlooking the cloud, wouldn't it be better if you had a man/female couple? or even a married couple with kids with a little girl pointing at the cloud? (this would be little funny too)

Also, instead of the man having a 'Jack Bauer' bag, you could put a person in a business shirt, carring his jacket over his shoulder with a briefcase in his hand?, and if you include a married couple the woman could be carrying bags of groceries and the little girl could be wearing a school backpack.

All of that would communicate that the book is aimed at your average family person and not your die hard cold war survivalists.

Some things I like.

I like how suburbia on the fringes of the cover, very effective imagery. (An inclusion of skyscrapers depicting the city at the center of the mushroom cloud could get this point across even more) Also the 'clear blue sky' is effective in portraying that a SHTF situation has come 'out of the blue'.

Also I Iike its use of simple colours and lack of too much complexity. But I like Carrick's advice except the realistic photos part, done right drawings don't necessarily need to look cartoonish. Try to avoid the 'Dummies guide' or 'idiots guide to economic collapse' look. Careful choice of words and typography would avoid this.

I also agree with Carricks point on the comforting backcover. What I would find comforting is drawings of a mother and her newborn buying groceries, along with a little blurb on the contents, where you should aim to be as attractive/convincing as possible, don't be modest either.

Some alternative phrasings/words-

Surviving the Financial Meltdown - Your Essential Guide
Surviving the Financial Meltdown - The Definitive Guide
Surviving the Financial Meltdown - Your Essential Manual
Surviving the Financial Meltdown - The Definitive Guide
Economic Collapse - How to get by in tough times
Economic Collapse - The Essential Manual for the new urban reality.
Financial Recession - Your Guide on surviving the new economic reality.
The essential family guide to surviving the new economic reality
The definitive guide on surviving an economic recession.
Nationwide economic collapse - The definitive survival manual.
Financial Collapse - The Essential guide on navigating an economic recession.
Financial Collapse - The Definitive Guide on weathering the economic storm.
Financial Collapse - The Essential Urban Survival Manual
Financial Collapse - The Definitive Urban Survival Manual

April 7, 2009 at 8:17 AM

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