Steemhouse Publishing Announcement and Cover Art Contest
Two weeks until Steemfest! Actually, more like eleven days until our two admins fly out to meet with all the other Steemians who’ll be gathering in Krakow. @gmuxx and @rhondak will be presenting onstage, sharing TWB’s exciting journey toward our own front-end, SMT, and publishing house, all based on the Steem blockchain. We’ve learned a lot on the way, and can’t wait to share it with folks at the conference!
Announcement
In the meanwhile, though, we have a big announcement to make about the first novel bearing the Steemhouse imprint. Several months ago, our editors and workshoppers read the beta version of this manuscript and unanimously voted to launch with this title. It’s still undergoing some last minute revision, but “High Kill” by Diane Ryan will kick off what we hope is a successful venture into the world of mainstream publishing. We don’t have a release date yet, but we’re ready to start tackling some of the finer points of production, like cover design. This is where Steem’s batallion of graphic designers will come into play.
Contest
In our latest contest, we’re offering 50 STEEM to the artist who designs the most compelling cover art for "High Kill." Winning this contest will guarantee collaboration on the final design and credit in the front matter of the book. Our very own @ladymaharet will help judge the entries and will oversee the project into publication. The final result may bear close resemblance to the winning entry or may use elements of it to achieve the most attractive and salable results for commercial audiences.
We’ve found that the Rule of Thirds is important for cover art, as well as familiarity with the content of the book. So all entrants, please familiarize yourself with book cover design as well as the genre and subject matter of this novel. “High Kill” is literary suspense. The back-flap blurb will be a version of the following:
Taylor Beckett has seen her share of corruption. She’s reported it, studied it, lost pieces of her soul to it. But she’s never seen corruption insidious enough to destroy an entire culture—until now.
It starts routinely enough. Three young men dead, stuffed in blue poly drums and dumped like trash in the Appalachian wilderness. Taylor isn’t surprised to learn that the truth about their killer is buried far deeper than the bodies. After all, it’s her job to dig for it.
But progress on the story comes at a price. Consequences of her decision to pursue it swiftly turn into collateral damage when a young local defies the community’s code of silence. Stereotypes pale in comparison to the real underbelly of the region, the Mountain Mafia with its political agendas and layers of disorganized crime. It’s a different kind of threat, one Taylor isn’t prepared to confront. But now they’ve hurt someone close to her heart, and Taylor has a history of retaliating hard.
UPDATE: HERE is a link to the entire first chapter of "High Kill!" We're publishing this so that interested artists can get a feel for the atmosphere of the story. Beta copies of the whole novel are also available in The Writers’ Block Discord, which you can join using the link in the animated gif below.
The contest will run from today, October 25, 2018, until midnight EST on Saturday, November 3, 2018. The winner may be announced during Steemfest, but that will depend on several factors. If not during Steemfest, we’ll announce the winner shortly afterward and begin collaboration in mid-November.
How totally exciting!! What a great idea to have a contest for the cover design. Good luck!
It is a very transparent approach to run a design contest. I'm waiting forward to see all entries and grow very impation to see the final selection. Good luck to the participants! Congratulations on the book!
Guys, I think I know who wrote it but it was omitted in the post? I believe the title and author name should make for important pieces in the cover art. Some book covers/genres its pretty much all there is.
I can add the author name to the post, but I can’t imagine that it would feature prominently in this cover. That type of design is usually reserved for authors whose name alone sells the book. Maybe some day! LOL
I'm sure the author would like their name on there, even as just a footnote lol
Well sure, and decisions about placement will come later, once the basic art is approved. Here are two of the author's existing published books and their covers, with simple title and author design. We're hoping for a different look with this one, as it's a different genre and not part of this series. But this gives a good idea about discreet, non-intrusive author name placement.
Congrats on launching your first book. Can I include a little constructive criticism? I notice little things. In the bit you shared from the piece, the writer uses "her" and "she" too much. As a reader, I might find it fatiguing to read that repeatedly.
Just my opinion, hopefully the entire manuscript doesn't mirror that. It's best to catch these things early on.
Wishing you the very best in your new venture! :)
It's not an excerpt from the book. Rather, a brief synopsis of the piece.
Glad to hear that. I saw it said a version would be on the back-flap. I really want this book to be successful.
Thank you very much.
The Writers' Block is a collaborative community and would welcome your submission of alternate back flap copy for this novel. If your version is used, you will receive credit for it in the front matter of the novel.
I would love to, but as a student I barely have time to put out one or two posts per week. Which is why I drop in and comment so they won't think I passed into that great Steemit Heaven in the sky.
I doubt it, but if I could ever wring some time out to write something decent, I'll drop by your Discord.
I'm really excited for Steamhouse and can't wait to see how it does. :)
Entries must be the original art of the child entering the contest, with no help from adults. We no longer accept printed owls that are just colored.
Entries must be an image of an owl.
Artwork must be two-dimensional, on any size paper than can be mailed.
Children up to and including age 18 may enter. (We no longer accept adult entries.)
Print out this form and TAPE the small label to the bottom right corner of the front of the image, and TAPE the larger form to the back of the image. (Do not use glue or rubber cement.) PLEASE PRINT NEATLY or type the information. Click here to see a video of how to properly label entries.
Entries that are not properly labeled will be disqualified.
Entries must be received by January 15, 2019. (Entries must be mailed; no email entries accepted.) Please allow adequate time for delivery, which can take as many as 3-4 weeks from some countries.
All entries with a legible email address will receive an emailed certificate of participation. Schools will receive one certificate to print out for each of the students. Due to the volume of entries we receive, the certificates are not customized with each child's name.
Limit one entry per person
Use enough postage, as "postage due" entries will not be accepted.
PRIZES: All properly labeled entries will be judged by area artists. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each category will receive a mailed certificate. First prize winners in each catergory will receive a cash prize (paid through PayPal) as follows: 0-5 years: $20 USD; 6-9 years - $30 USD; 10-14 years - $40 USD; 15-18 years - $50 USD.
All entries become the property of the International Owl Center and cannot be returned due to the volume of entries received. They will be used to decorate the storefronts in Houston during the International Festival of Owls the first weekend in March, and may be sold or auctioned to raise funds to support the International Owl Center. Some will be kept for temporary or permanent display at the Owl Center.
Results will be posted on our public Facebook page in February or March.