REVIVER COVER REVEAL

So shortly after the terrific announcement that Reviver by debut author Seth Patrick has been optioned for film by Legendary Pictures, we finally have a book cover rough!

There’s been a LOT of back and forth with this jacket. The brief was supernatural thriller, filmic, dramatic and covering both the crime and supernatural aspects of the novel’s plot. So we were thinking of films that captured the drama: The Ring, Let the Right One In, Paranormal Activity . . . and authors who had also done well in this area: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Adam Nevill and John Connolly. It was a challenging brief but one our intrepid art department met with their usual gusto and enthusiasm.

Firstly we experimented with camera lenses – and trying to capture a dramatic scene through a virtual lens. But it didn’t feel quite right for the marketplace we were targeting – which is everyone. Too much horror.

Then the designer started playing with the type highlighting the fact that it’s a palindrome but it started to look a little too SF and literary . . . although we did like the idea of having the title designed like this.

We moved onto a new idea, throughout the whole process we’d liked the concept of something looking back at you from the beyond, an eye gleaming with malice. However, trying to do that without becoming derivative or too clichéd wasn’t as easy as we’d hoped!  And what kind of eye to use – huge close-up (which then looked like a sun) or in a face with a distant gaze? Too abstract? Too crime-like? Too medical?

Cover meetings are always a talking point for sales, marketing, the art department and editorial all having feedback and input on the style. Each bringing a different agenda – and attempting to represent their respective consumer bases. Discussions can occasionally last weeks, and get rather passionate! 

However, eventually, eventually we end up with a cover that has the whole-hearted and enthusiastic support of everyone involved. Then we just have to run it past the author and agent . . . cue drum roll and tense nail-biting by editor watching for emails and awaiting feedback. And finally, bar some small tweaks and a fantastic shoutline/quote? Hurrah – approval and a cover that everyone involved is convinced by – et voila.

What do you think?!