As an engineer (and as my spouse will tell anyone) décor is usually the last thing on my mind. However every book has a cover and we have a certain amount of input to the publisher's selection.
So what should be on the cover? And should there be another B&W image on the inside title page?
My first impression is that the images should be non-denominational-- not specific to any one military service. No periscopes or gun barrels or aircraft. None of those horrible joint-purple agglomerations showing one of everything/everybody.
Maybe it shouldn't be occupational at all, unless it's part of a retirement ceremony. Maybe the cover should show the ER life that a veteran is about to start, not the career that they're finishing. As one major contributor has suggested, maybe it should be a Corona-style beach scene. Another contributor suggested "A group of military types cowering before the door of retirement fearing the goblins on the other side. Or, a gruff 4 star warning a group in uniforms against reading this book. Or hey, just bold print, 'What your CO does not want you to know!'" Maybe it should be a bunch of Jeff Bacon's "Broadside" military characters peering through a doorway to see what's on the other side. (Yes, Jeff may remember my spouse and I well enough to be interested.) Maybe instead of Uncle Sam saying "I want YOU!", he should be working a longboard.
Maybe it shouldn't be a photo or a cartoon but rather just a graphic-- a pile of coins & bills or a silhouette of a hammock lounger in front of an American flag.
EDIT: If you're thinking of a beach scene then it'll have to be extraordinarily creative to stand out from a couple of earlier nominations.
We'll gather up the top 5-10 images and poll the votes. If your contribution ends up in the book then you get to choose your favorite military charity for a royalty donation.
Pretend that you're back on active duty, walking past your local military exchange bookstore on your lunch hour. You're tired & sweaty (or cold), you're grumpy at the way the morning went, you're scrambling to run an errand before you grab some food, and you have another eight working hours ahead of you before you can go home tonight to see your family and relax a little before starting it all over again tomorrow morning. OBTW, you have the weekend duty and you're getting underway on Monday morning. Make sure the repairs & preps are done by Sunday night.
In the midst of this grim-faced chronically-fatigued squinty-eyed unhappiness, a book cover catches your eye and makes you stop to read the title. What does that cover image look like?
So what should be on the cover? And should there be another B&W image on the inside title page?
My first impression is that the images should be non-denominational-- not specific to any one military service. No periscopes or gun barrels or aircraft. None of those horrible joint-purple agglomerations showing one of everything/everybody.
Maybe it shouldn't be occupational at all, unless it's part of a retirement ceremony. Maybe the cover should show the ER life that a veteran is about to start, not the career that they're finishing. As one major contributor has suggested, maybe it should be a Corona-style beach scene. Another contributor suggested "A group of military types cowering before the door of retirement fearing the goblins on the other side. Or, a gruff 4 star warning a group in uniforms against reading this book. Or hey, just bold print, 'What your CO does not want you to know!'" Maybe it should be a bunch of Jeff Bacon's "Broadside" military characters peering through a doorway to see what's on the other side. (Yes, Jeff may remember my spouse and I well enough to be interested.) Maybe instead of Uncle Sam saying "I want YOU!", he should be working a longboard.
Maybe it shouldn't be a photo or a cartoon but rather just a graphic-- a pile of coins & bills or a silhouette of a hammock lounger in front of an American flag.
EDIT: If you're thinking of a beach scene then it'll have to be extraordinarily creative to stand out from a couple of earlier nominations.
We'll gather up the top 5-10 images and poll the votes. If your contribution ends up in the book then you get to choose your favorite military charity for a royalty donation.
Pretend that you're back on active duty, walking past your local military exchange bookstore on your lunch hour. You're tired & sweaty (or cold), you're grumpy at the way the morning went, you're scrambling to run an errand before you grab some food, and you have another eight working hours ahead of you before you can go home tonight to see your family and relax a little before starting it all over again tomorrow morning. OBTW, you have the weekend duty and you're getting underway on Monday morning. Make sure the repairs & preps are done by Sunday night.
In the midst of this grim-faced chronically-fatigued squinty-eyed unhappiness, a book cover catches your eye and makes you stop to read the title. What does that cover image look like?
