A new work week, a new month, and pretty soon a new year. Wow. 2014 has decided to fly by like Icarus on meth.
I have two projects that will require I pretty much ignore lots around me for the next week. Finish the apocalyptic Christmas short story to upload for the season. And write the first installment of WEEK WISE. If I focus fully, I should be able to do both in 8 days and use 2 days for editing and fiddling with the short story cover. This image on the left is just a mock-up done on Canva. It's not a cover.
Cover aside: The tale itself is priority. It's almost half complete (that is, two of the four sections, unless I add a fifth--unsure now.) I
It's a story that was inspired by a Deviant Art stock image created by Indigo Deep called "Winter Post." If I use it (it's unrestricted, and I thought that meant for ecovers, too, but not necessarily), I'll give full credit, and even mention it inspired the initial story idea. It has a wonderful sense of "the past," and the quiet grayness. It made me feel nostalgia and also loneliness. The story has a sense of cold and not much life moving about in the wintry world, and I imagined being survivors in a devastated world, waiting for the end. I thought it fit.
Obviously, graphic design is not my forte, and Canva is a delightful, easy-to-use tool, but my lack of skill can only do so much. I have to learn Photoshop, so that in 2015 I can do proper covers for myself, combining mages, using cool fonts. For instance, right now, I would so like to add an envelope there on the snow, as if it remains a thing of cheer, even if there is no one to read it. Like the single Christmas card that is symbolic and iconic in the story.
Still, it's a pretty cool winter image that gave me the story idea, so I would love to use it. It thought it would be okay for commercial, but I just visited IndigoDeep's page and it seems I'd have to ask permission. So, maybe I won't be able to. One has to respect the artist. :)
What do you think? Does the cover feel...old, a bit faded, nostalgic, kinda lonely, a bit sad, but not hopeless?
As if spring could come and make things better.
There is no gore or viciousness or that kind of stuff in the story. It's pretty gentle. A survival tale and a light-in-darkness tale. People together for the Last Christmas they will celebrate in this age. And of helping each other remember good things in bad times.
It's pretty human. We always have to remember good things in bad times. There are always bad times. But thank God, there are always good things, too. Family, songs, trees, small kindnesses, gifts no matter how humble, food shared, support, and love as bright as a new dawn.
I have two projects that will require I pretty much ignore lots around me for the next week. Finish the apocalyptic Christmas short story to upload for the season. And write the first installment of WEEK WISE. If I focus fully, I should be able to do both in 8 days and use 2 days for editing and fiddling with the short story cover. This image on the left is just a mock-up done on Canva. It's not a cover.
Cover aside: The tale itself is priority. It's almost half complete (that is, two of the four sections, unless I add a fifth--unsure now.) I
It's a story that was inspired by a Deviant Art stock image created by Indigo Deep called "Winter Post." If I use it (it's unrestricted, and I thought that meant for ecovers, too, but not necessarily), I'll give full credit, and even mention it inspired the initial story idea. It has a wonderful sense of "the past," and the quiet grayness. It made me feel nostalgia and also loneliness. The story has a sense of cold and not much life moving about in the wintry world, and I imagined being survivors in a devastated world, waiting for the end. I thought it fit.
Obviously, graphic design is not my forte, and Canva is a delightful, easy-to-use tool, but my lack of skill can only do so much. I have to learn Photoshop, so that in 2015 I can do proper covers for myself, combining mages, using cool fonts. For instance, right now, I would so like to add an envelope there on the snow, as if it remains a thing of cheer, even if there is no one to read it. Like the single Christmas card that is symbolic and iconic in the story.
Still, it's a pretty cool winter image that gave me the story idea, so I would love to use it. It thought it would be okay for commercial, but I just visited IndigoDeep's page and it seems I'd have to ask permission. So, maybe I won't be able to. One has to respect the artist. :)
What do you think? Does the cover feel...old, a bit faded, nostalgic, kinda lonely, a bit sad, but not hopeless?
As if spring could come and make things better.
There is no gore or viciousness or that kind of stuff in the story. It's pretty gentle. A survival tale and a light-in-darkness tale. People together for the Last Christmas they will celebrate in this age. And of helping each other remember good things in bad times.
It's pretty human. We always have to remember good things in bad times. There are always bad times. But thank God, there are always good things, too. Family, songs, trees, small kindnesses, gifts no matter how humble, food shared, support, and love as bright as a new dawn.