Hey guys, thanks for all the nice comments on that last post. Funny thing about a blog--I don't know any of you, but you really did make me feel better. I do recognize that this topic has the potential to devolve into some sort of negativity spiral no matter how civil a group we all are (and I do honestly think that I can claim some of the most rational and level-headed readers on the internet--and believe me, I have seen a lot of internets!) so I just decided that the easiest way to keep the peace (we'll call it an NSAID move) is just for me to not talk anymore about the book cover issue beyond what's going on now and what's happening next. But thank you, thank you, THANK YOU all for your wonderful words and support. It has meant a lot, probably more than you know or than I can express.
My book (along with, you know, the front part of the book) was supposed to go to press this week, so obviously there's something of a time crunch in coming up with a new cover. I think we've eked out an extra week to get our affairs in order, but obviously, at this stage, for something this important, two weeks isn't a hell of a lot of time to bounce ideas back and forth. I'm told that they have taken the original designer of my book cover off all her other projects so that she can just work on this, and only this, until we have a satisfactory end product. I have a few ideas myself, but of course, as I mentioned (I think in the comments) I as the author don't actually get final say on what my cover looks like, as it's ultimately more of a marketing decision. But I still have ideas.
Originally, after I heard the news, I started really blue-skying it and came up with a number of ideas--ideas that I still think are pretty cool. (One in particular involved an all red cover with line drawings in white and a sort of copperplate font...well, whatever.) But in the end, I came to the realization that while the new cover had to be different, it probably shouldn't be too different, because I want it to still be instantly recognizable as the same book that it was before. I spent six months building momentum behind the old cover image, I shouldn't have to throw all of that away. Anyway, it's ultimately out of my hands, but I had some ideas, and I e-mailed my editor a couple of Photoshop-generated cover composites, for what little that's worth. Anyway. We'll see.
So.
Hey, so we went back to see that house today! I was a little bit nervous about going back (firstly because I thought I might have romanticized things out of proportion; secondly because it is inhabited by what looks like an older childless couple who have a collection of many many ceramic knick-knacks balanced on top of the skinniest, most delicately balanced display pillars I have ever seen, and we were there with two kids with a penchant for acceleration--never has the term "bull in a china shop" been more accurate) but it was fine. It was more than fine. We're seeing four more houses tomorrow a little closer to our current neighborhood, perhaps more to convince ourselves that we are not rushing into anything more than any actual interest in seeing these other homes. But after that, we may be in the position to make an offer. It may not be the offer than the owners want, and they may well say no. At the very least they will parry back, and we may bat things back and forth for a while, like cats. But after that...well. I'll let you know what happens after that.
Joe and I have often remarked that, considering what boring people we are, we have a lot of exciting things happening to us, and we feel very fortunate that we have so many good people who and interested in coming along for the ride. Endpoints are never certain, but as long as we are in good company, we can have fun on the way there. So thanks for that.