BOOK COVER

                

A book cover is the outer layer of a book covering the story.  A beautiful cover attracts the attention of readers.

         Covers are not just design to cover a story; covers are done to interpret a story. Thus, a book cover is the image interpretation of a story.

A cover should be able to portray a story, and if it doesn’t, then it’s termed ‘vague cover.’

        Covers don’t tell a good book, but covers tell and interpret a story. They do that with image representation, meaning that the whole idea of a story is interpreted in a cover. A reader can predict, anticipate and tell your story through the cover. It also helps them to know the genre of the book.

        I’m so fascinated by book covers, I love it when a cover looks beautiful, catchy and interprets. I never adore it when a cover is just there; unattractive, dull and untold.

A cover shouldn’t only interpret, it should also look attractive. The cover should leave a cliche in the psyche of readers. When a cover is well interpreted and looks very attractive, it gets the reader fighting with a rising urge to read the book.

        Two things should be noted when designing a book cover, the interpretation and the attractiveness. Why because cover plays a vital role in your book and that’s why many authors make research, spend time and money to get the best cover. Through a cover, you can draw people’s attention to your book and by the time they finish reading and found it interesting they help promote your book. A dull and untold cover can crucify a book especially if you’re a new author.

First have an idea of your cover through the story. Think of what the whole story is all about, is it talking about love or about crime. That will help you figure out the kind of cover to design to represent the story. Mind you that interpretation and attractiveness are two different words.

        Interpretation is to explain the meaning of your story through images. For instance, a romance novel cannot have the image of a cookie because it’s not a story about biscuit. Likewise will a thriller novel carry an image of a stripper; there is simply no form of interpretation.

 Attractiveness can be drawn from the image and the whole design of the cover; from color combination, additional designs and written words. Attraction as the word implies, the cover should attract.

Good cover promotes a book, good cover draws the attention of readers and good cover can make a book become bestseller. Don’t get me wrong when I say good cover can make a book bestseller. I don’t mean that an uninteresting and badly written story with a good cover will become bestseller but what I mean is that a well written story with good cover will probably become a bestseller. For instance, a new author publishes a good book and it’s interesting, well written with a good cover; readers will be drawn by the superb cover and they pick the book. After reading the book and they found out that the book was interesting; they would spread and promote the book, stimulating others to read the book. They can also make a good review and through the review others will want to read the book. Gradually, the book becomes popular and makes mark on the bestseller chart.

Paying attention to cover really helps to promote you as an author. When the cover is good, the book sells itself. Aware that when a person enters a bookshop to buy a book, the first thing that will catch his/her attention is the cover which might lead to a sudden surge of uneasiness and eventually gets the person to pick up the book. Covers keep one staring at a book for few minutes before flipping into the pages.

In conclusion, a cover should interprets, a cover should be attractive, a cover must have an origin, a cover should not have too many colors and a cover should be catchy.

WRITERS AND WRITING WORDS

Many writers write because others are writing, because of the love poured on those that have their writing published, because of the money made from writing, because they are bored and have nothing to do then decide to go into writing, because they think they know how to juxtapose words, because they can afford a pen and a paper to write or they simply write to belong.

Writing is an art and not science,  writing is general not personal, writing is a talent and not stolen or bought, writing is in born and not adopted; writing is natural not artificial.  Writing is a language.  So if you force yourself to write because of the words in the first paragraph, you are living a life of illusion and likely to crash along in the art.

Why do people proudly call themselves writers, simply because they love to write?  It’s their talent.   And as a writer I believe you should know the essential basics of writing.  You should also know the use of grammar, typos, and the use of tenses, the use of dialogue, figure of speech and part of speech.

A writer who claim to be a writer and cannot use those writing words into his / her writing or understand those writing words is nothing but a learner, a deceiver, a joker, not a writer, a conjuror and such writer should have a rethink and retrace his/her goal before his/her future stand castrated.

A learner because you’re still learning how to write, a deceiver because you are deceiving people and yourself thinking that you are a writer, a joker  because you are not serious, not a writer because you are not a writer you are only write, and a conjuror same as deceiver because you are deceiving yourself.

When other writers add comments and correction to your writing, you as the writer does you take note of such corrections and make amends.  You as a writer do you understand what the correction the writers had said you should correct.  For instance, a writer said you should watch your typos; they’re too many of it in your writing.  You as the writer, do you understand what is typos.’  Or do you understand what is full stop before your quotation mark.  Can you differentiate the punctuation marks and where to use it?  Do you understand the different between grammatical errors and spelling errors?  Do you understand the too many use of present tenses and avoid it when writing about a past event.  What about the figure of speech, the metaphors, similes, personification, irony, etc.

So writers improve on your writing; don’t be a fool writing.  Take note of corrections, work on them and ask questions on words you don’t understand.  Don’t be shy that people will laugh at you when you ask, that they will think you have a dull brain.  Yes, let them think so but you now what you are doing.

My people will say: The one that ask question never misses route and can never be lost nor misled.  When you ask questions, it will only make you better and help improve your writing.

Writers should also try and attend writing schools and writing workshops in order to improve their writing.  You have talent in writing cannot only help you; you also need training to improve on good use of writing words.  Join writer’s community and take advantage of the writing corrections.  It will only make you and me a better writer.

One love.

My name is Ifeanyi but my friends call me Ifeco.  Follow @ AlloyTwitte on twitter

ENDORSEMENT FOR AUTHORS

Sometime when I look at the life of some authors, I asked myself do I really want to become one. Though it’s my passion what I love to do but simply because the life of some few authors are no life.

They live a life of penury – struggling to survive under the heat of the earth.

Passion does not mean you should die of hunger neither live on food fallen from the table of the master like dogs nor did if mean to put on tattered clothes, rags and wallow on the streets.

Fine, I love this thing, I love to do this, and I have a passion for this thing.  But that shouldn’t mean I should live in slum and squalid house for my passion.

There’s great joy to make money from what you love doing.  To live a good life is the dream of men neglect of your passion.  And when you live a good life because of what you love to do it’s a double joy.  Believe me, everyone on this earth wants to make money not only authors.  Neglect what person says: I’m doing what I do because of passion because I love it.  Truth, but the main basis of doing that thing is because you want to make money out of it.

Everything worth doing is what doing well.  The business side of your talent, your dream, your ambition should also come along the passion.  Every author wants to make money from his books.  An author’s book is dead without the audience, the readers.  They buy the book to put money in their pocket.  Your book is lovely.  Your write well. congratulation.  Your book is very interesting.  I love you.  You’re the best.  Good.  Those compliments are welcomed but one question the author will ask is: ‘Am I making money from my book?”

What become of your bank account after writing that great book which might have took you years to write.  I tell people that writing a book is the most intellectual art when if comes to creativity.  Your thought as an author is so deep.  Kudos to writers aspiring to become an author and to authors who had been published.

Writing takes your time, efforts and brain.  You glue yourself to that computer screen or on paper writing that manuscript, thinking of those metaphors, words, comparison to polish your writing all in one spot.  Sometimes you get stuck and it looks as if your brain is miscalculating.  The words ran out of your memory and you try hard to recollect them.  So writing is tough and so authors need to be more celebrated and appreciated in our society.

I ask myself can I make a living from being an author. I spend all my years writing and publishing a book; I put them out in bookshops and stores only to go back and still find my book unsold.  Covered with dust and maybe half eaten by the store companion the rats.

For crying out loud authors are been neglected in the society. The individual, corporate bodies and the government.  Authors are celebrities and should be treated and seen as one.  It’s painful that you are called an author yet you’re live in mud.

Authors are creative people, celebrities and they should be endorsed.

Endorsement should be given to authors just like the other celebrities, the musician, the actors and actresses.  Corporate bodies and companies should use authors for advertisement of their product.  They are not piece of crap that just erupts from the sky.  Authors are creative people even more just like other creative talents that sweeps away lots of endorsement.  Authors’ works are loved by people and the audience wants to be like them.  They are role model and motivator to hopeless life so why not also give them that endorsement.

Do not neglect authors of your brand, use them for promotion to advertise your product and celebrate them for their creativity.

Government should also support authors by adding story books into school syllabus each year for primary schools and novels for the secondary level.  That will put students knowledge about literature and make them want to read and also put food on the table of authors.  Parents should also support by buying story books for their children in ordered to support authors who are intellectually endowed with their intellectual property out on the streets.

Many writers who wants to come in and become authors have the fear of will I be able to make a living out of it owing to the castrated life of penury not better than a church mouse of authors.  Never blame them.  Everyone wants to earn a good living for what he / she do.  But if all this support is given to authors more talents will come into the field and that will increase different ways of telling our stories.

Give endorsement to authors, support them, and use them to promote your goods and services, use them for billboards because they are also part of our celebrities.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

      Merry Christmas Everyone. Have a joyous Holiday. Eat and drink safely.

STILL LOVE YOU: PART TWO

“Sophia!’ he shouted in agony. They both panicked and quickly separated from each other. Chris walked out heartbroken in a down casted spirit. Sophia chased after him but he drove off before she could come close.

          “Oh my God! What have I done?” She scowled, filled with regret.

          “Sophia, who his he?”

          “Please Frank, it’s no time for questions, you have to leave now.” She perturbed, joggling her legs.

           “But why?”

          “Leave!” she roared like an angry lion into his face.

          “Okay…” He nodded randomly and walked out. Another round of tears began to pour out, followed was continuous gushing out of catarrh from her angry nostrils.

          After she was done crying and agonizing, she went to visit Chris, to apologize, and explain the picture of what he saw. She took her time to look beautiful as it is one of the reasons why he loved her. But when she got to Chris house, he was not ready to listen to any of her apologies. He turned deaf and chased her out of his house. Followed with a serious warning never to step her foot in his house forever, else death with be the option

          She went back home a furlong fellow dejected and continued in the terra firma of tears, Where tears had originated She loved Chris from the depth of her soul he had showed her love. He had become the flower that never fades away her shining light in the corridor of darkness, always there for her when she needed. There is no way she would stop loving him.

          Her friend, housemate Cynthia also went to apologies to Chris on behalf of her friend, but what she experience made her to took on oath not to step her foot there again The threat and anger of his face is enough to respect yourself, save your life and remain in your shell Sophie looked slimmer she lost weight she had no appetite of food. Each day she remains in her chain of tears and pain. Her friend became a loquacious because of her situation. She talked and talked to her to let go off Chris and not to killed herself because of a guy who is not ready to accept her back. But she would listen she kept pouring blame on herself that for her stupidity Chris has abandoned her.

          One evening, she stood close to her window and looking through it in her bedroom. She was burial in the several thought of how Chris showered love to her

There first sex which was a parading of pleasure, the way they played together at the pool, his touches and kisses ,going to watch movies at cinemas ,his expensive bouquet of flowers. Her heart clumped in sadness. Waves of sorrow slapped her face. She looks down casted and neglected. She began to cry again like a baby deprived of breast feeding she sang in throere swollen with tear.

          “It’s okay, love.” “It’s okay.” Cynthia said in a meek tone and pulled her together “you’ve cried enough.” “I’m afraid your eyeball will rip out of its socket” She hugged her. Cynthia looked as if she wanted to join her in the table of tears but she held it.

          “What have I done to deserve this?” “Is it a crime to love?” Sophia wailed, still in tears. “Haven’t I done enough sacrifice for my wrong?” poor Sophia.

She looks humiliated.

          “It’s okay, love. It’s okay.” Cynthia consoled, putting her on the back and wiping off her tears with the back and front of her hand. “It’s good you’ve cried for your pain.” “You can’t kill yourself.” “After you are done crying, you move on.” “It is time to move on, love.” Sophia nodded like an agama lizard as Cynthia dried her tears.

          On the day of Chris birthday, Sophia made a special birthday cake for him. She paid a professional cake baker to baker her best cake. She made the cake to win back his love. She took the cake to him, and to her shock; he smashed the cake on the floor, stepped on it and rained beating on her body. He had warned her never to come to his house and she summoned the gut to come with a ‘buff day’ cake. Who told her he was interested? Sophia went home humiliated. It was done for her- that ended her love for him- their love became a rotten Egusi soup that hade not be heated for three days-broken into piec: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">          “It’s okay, love. It’s okay.” Cynthia consoled, putting her on the back and wiping off her tears with the back and front of her hand. “It’s good you’ve cried for your pain.” “You can’t kill yourself.” “After you are done crying, you move on.” “It is time to move on, love.” Sophia nodded like an agama lizard as Cynthia dried her tears.

          On the day of Chris birthday, Sophia made a special birthday cake for him. She paid a professional cake baker to baker her best cake. She made the cake to win back his love. She took the cake to him, and to her shock; he smashed the cake on the floor, stepped on it and rained beating on her body. He had warned her never to come to his house and she summoned the gut to come with a ‘buff day’ cake. Who told her he was interested? Sophia went home humiliated. It was done for her- that ended her love for him- their love became a rotten Egusi soup that hade not be heated for three days-broken into pieces of glass that cannot be mend- it became a miscarriage that cannot be recovered. It was obvious and clear in her eyes that she is no longer wanted. The hand writings are written on the wall.

          “It is time to move on Sophia.” She confidently whispered to herself

“You wan kill yourself?” Indeed it was time to move on.

          Chris slowly walked inside. He walked close to her and gently touched her shoulder. She palpitated and turned to him. To her amazement, she saw Chris. Her face wrinkled with surprise.  She became quite and cold inside. Chris bent down and picked up one of the torn pictures. He started at it. She melted gradually like a burning candle and then trembled. She remained speechless. Slowly he let go off the half picture, dried her tears with his hand planted a kiss on her succulent lips. “I STILL LOVE YOU.” He said and wrapped her.