Here's Cynthia's young adult fiction, which I banged out by hand. I like the premise:
Imagine a world, not far in the future, where everyone's born with a visible, permanent, unchanging aura. But there are only two colours: green for good and red for evil. Everyone's got to be one thing or another. Or so the government claims. In order to maintain the order of society, if you're born red, you're taken away from your parents immediately-- killed, used in experiments for medical research... who knows? You're just never seen again.
Amber, born with a red aura, was hidden away by her parents at birth. She grows up a lonely child, trapped in her small home, but the year she turns sixteen, she realises that maybe, just maybe, she doesn't have to be alone. Things don't have to stay like this. There are others like her out there. Are they all evil? Is she evil? Are good and evil really ever that simple?
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37,917 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 16 40
Awesome concept, both story and art! The story is interesting; I'd love to read it... and the cover is so catchy, partly because it's simple.
----------2009- Give Up the Ghost (shy of 38k and pretty much done.)
Muse status: Has surrendered to the pressures of school-related deadlines.
50,063 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 16 41
cool premise and cover. Though I kinda wish the girls had arms.
Can't wait to see more!
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NaNoWrIMo Winner '09 - Getting Real - 50,062
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6,507 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 04
Ooh, I agree, interesting premise. And I really do like the cover.
53,800 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 11
Ooo, pretty! Very nice job on the cover, and congrats to fadingwind!
----------50,416 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 13
Congratulations both of you! The synopsis makes me want to read more -- and i LOVE the cover.
Nice work.
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2009 -- The Princess and the Pee Test (???)
2008 -- Karma's Bitch -- WINNER
2007 -- Hell's Belles -- WINNER
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50,657 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 14
Wowwie wow, the drawing really matches the premise of the book and that it's young adult fiction. It just all fits together so perfectly. I really like how the colors are merged as well, but I do agree, arms wouldn't be bad to add. But it looks fantastic otherwise.
----------724 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 37
I really like this cover. I am relieved you are content with designing simple covers. I really think it's the simple covers that are more attractive. If I saw this in a book store, I'm sure I'd read the back cover. And I love the premise, so maybe I'd even read the book!
Also, I like that they don't have arms.
50,319 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 42
Oh WOW!
I love the book concept.
I love the book cover!
GREAT job!!
----------Catie
"Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't." Mark Twain
50,003 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 47
Wow, I have to agree. AMAZING concept.
And very well done, Fwis. The cover seems to hold a lot of meaning despite its simplicity. And it seems so different from the first one. Keep up the amazing work! :D
----------2008: Tales from Lairtheef: Straian Stranded. 50,014
2009: Déjà Perdu. 50,003
50,045 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 17 48
The book cover is so cute, and the premise sounds really interesting too. I love this one. And props to you for doing the cover by hand!
----------http://www.formspring.com/forms/?729512-bOn20AwMKC
50,130 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 18 05
Wonderful cover! I agree with another poster; the best thing about it is its simplicity.
4,798 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 18 31
I love this. It's simple but I love drawings like this, it's very unique. Also love the premise for traffic lights.
----------"...Truth be told, I don't care, mayhem is beautiful..."
9,903 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 19 12
I love the concept of the novel and the simplistic cover you chose to go with it. It really makes it seem like one of those things that are just "more than they seem" - a complex novel with an intriguingly simple cover.
----------And the synopsis really does make me want to read more. I'm horrible with synopses. XD
A Novel Point of View: A Blog of Writing and Insanity
50,042 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 19 16
I absolutely love this cover
----------A book hasn't caused me this much trouble since Where's Waldo went to the barber shop pole factory!
7,316 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 19 56
This is gorgeous. I love the shadow/blending effect where the two overlap, and how simply you portray who's in front by not outlining the body behind. I really like, too, how they're more girl-shaped objects than girls; I think it fits perfectly with Cynthia's premise, that this is a world where people are categorized without regard to their personhood.
I think hand-drawn was a smart way to go. I didn't totally realize how difficult this was going to be because of the limitations in images that you can use. There's no budget for photoshoots, or type design or anything like that, so it's an even bigger challenge than I'd first thought. But I really love this; I like that it's deliberately evocative of childhood, with the messy coloring and geometric shapes. I like that there are only two colors in addition to the black and white, again in line with the premise of the book in a way that's incredibly illustrative of the synopsis.
Really, really cool.
27,122 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 20 23
First of all, the premise of the story is astounding. I sure hope it gets finished, as that is something I would love to have to read. I love seeing other people's ideas for stories, as it usually is something that I stop and go, "Huh. I never thought of that. Wicked cool."
And indeed it is.
Second, the cover is brilliant. I always liked hand drawn stuff, or images that looked hand drawn. It especially goes with the synopsis of the story, which is always nice to have. So far, this is my favourite. Can't wait to see more.
----------If Homosexuality is a disease, let's call in queer to work. "Sorry, can't work today, still queer".
15,510 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 20 51
Good stuff. Congrats Cynthia!
----------50,698 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 20 59
i really like the story Idea . it reminds me of those classic coming of age books like The Giver that just made you think on a leve you hadn't before without beating you over the head.
I like the cover and the style. i wish there was more contrast though because it didn't strike me as Red and Green but Redish and Teal. maybe that ambiguity was what you were going for?
good work
----------A bored young girl lives through the apocalypse only to be rescued by her imaginary brother from his roommate’s sister.
http://defyalllogic.blogspot.com/
53,740 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 21 02
That looks great! I love the simplicity of the cover. If I saw this in the store, I'd totally pick it up. :)
----------2009: Façade (won)
2008: The Psychic (won)
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13,133 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 21 12
Nice cover, congrads fading wind :)
----------"Writer's Block n. When charecters get fed up with all you put them through and go on strike"-Unknown
img
50,008 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 21 19
Very nice use of negative space. I love the simplicity and even the armlessness. It kind of reads like some of the Japanese pop art for children in the late 50's? The cover speaks to the aim at simplification in the children very well, and even the lack of arms seem to communicate the inability to move well and the lack of mouths, nose and ears also seem to make them seem like objects. They also have a faint look of a traffic light.
Not sure about the typography though... Maybe it's my typography teacher, but isn't changing color usually a later value of typography than changing color? That's a nitpick though. Image is certainly catching and memorable.
----------Novelists are a conscienceless lot.--Diana Gabaldon (An Echo in the Bone)
50,038 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 21 30
I looked at the cover art before I read the description. At first I sort of just tilted my head to the side and tried to figure out what it could be about. Once I read the synopsis, it suddenly clicked in my head. It's also a very interesting concept to me, and I honestly wonder if this little girl that's growing up is in fact evil. But, I'm yammering on about the story and not about the art.
The style threw me off, but I actually like the simplistic 'no arms' look. The fact that the background is a nice cool neutral, rather than just white, also brings it all together. While I can't find fault with it, artistically or design-wise... I feel like I'm not giving an adequate critique. XD I just like it too much. *throws hands up in defeat*
----------"Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings."
51,036 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 22 06
Oh wow, I LOVE this one.
The concept is amazing, and the coffee eminates the ominous and luminous feeling to the story.
Lovely and eyecatching.
50,406 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 22 49
Beautiful concept that seems to match the synopsis well! Congrats to the both of you! :) I feel that the text should be moved towards the center or something just because it seems out of place to the side like that, but that might just be my prerogative. I also like the fact that the people don't have arms. It adds more to the blend between the two. ^_^ Can't wait to see your other covers!
14,694 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 22 51
Simplicity at it's finest!
----------I could totally imagine myself picking this up at the store.
Keep up the good work!
134,226 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 22 56
Man, I want to read that novel now. What a great concept. The cover suits it perfectly; great job! This is the sort of thing I would pick up at a store or in a library to check out the back cover. Solid work!
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7,570 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 23 06
wow. great job on the cover. it's perfect. i prefer the text where it is since the art is centered.
And what a great premise! i'd love to read it when it's finished.
50,257 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 23 55
Actually the cover reminds me of the children's book "Little Blue and Little Yellow."
Cool. I like this cover better than yesterday's. I felt that yesterday's should have been a female boxer.
- Rena
50,011 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 00 27
Lovely, lovely, lovely. Beautiful idea, and very simple, and elegant cover. I cannot wait to read!
50,189 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 00 42
This one is lovely. I adore the cover of this story, and the idea of the story sounds really interesting as well.
----------2008: Lucifer's Wings (no win)
2009: The Story Of Before