Prosfic covers
Aug. 24th, 2014 01:27 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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ci5hq
I know it's been a couple of weeks since ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
heliophile_oxon's original post, but I finally got round to playing about with sizes of artwork for e-readers. Speed of a slug, that's me *g*
Messing about with a Kindle, the Kindle app on an iPad, and another reader using the epub format, they all seem to prefer a size of 600 x 1000 pixels. Sorry - I expect somebody else has already said it, but I'm too lazy (and fighting too much with LJ) to work through the comments. I'll slap my wrist in a minute. Anyhow - yay! I can play at making pretty covers now - so much nicer than those pre-generated things. Ick.
Here's my test artwork - apologies to BSL, but it's what I happened to have on my reader at the moment. *g*
And how I LOVE Calibre now I've started using it a lot. It updated itself today, with no fuss, or bother... if only all software played as nicely.
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Date: 2014-08-24 05:01 pm (UTC)And what a coincidence, too - I was just thinking about covers again today! I haven't done anything nearly as accomplished (all I have managed to do is basically pick an image and put lettering on top), but such as they are, here's a couple. In no particular order - just some that sort of happened to be in front of me and for which I could think of something (hoping to goodness I get it right this time, and there aren't too many to post all in one go or something ....) :
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Date: 2014-08-24 05:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-24 07:20 pm (UTC)I love yours too! What works for me is the fabulous variation you use, combined with the strong images - which is really what you're after if you're trying to flip quickly through a lot of fics with titles that don't really ring a bell. I hope you find time to do some more - this is fun!
I'm not sure that size matters *bg* but what's working for me is 600 x 1000 pixel size - probably just because the proportion is right. Calibre, bless it, seems to deal with it without a wince anyway, proving once again computer programs are far smarter than I'll ever be.
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Date: 2014-08-24 09:04 pm (UTC)I do hope we're going to see more! - in fact, if you'll forgive the pokey stick, if you happen to have the time and the inclination .... I don't suppose you feel like doing a cover for the story just before Treasure Island, you know, Who Caught and Sang the Sun? To, well, to sort of go with it, like? ::looks xtrmly innocent, as if butter wouldn't melt etc.:: ::hope springs eternal:: *g*
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Date: 2014-08-25 11:28 am (UTC)Those standard program-generated covers are dire, aren't they? I've got quite a lot of freebie books now from various places, and seeing all the green and blue covers lined up looking boring is starting to put me off reading! So thank you again for your idea \o/ And I love the notion of using any image that reminds you - the skip is brilliant!
I'm not doing anything clever at all - it's completely the work of my ancient version of Photoshop - it lets you take a couple of images and pop them on top of one another, and Bob's your uncle *g* And yes, I'd love to do another - I was sort of thinking about Who Caught and Sang the Sun, as it's another I haven't read in ages. I'll hoist my petticoats up and give it a go - thanks for the suggestion.
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Date: 2014-08-24 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-24 07:30 pm (UTC)Phew - I'm so glad you don't mind me using one of yours as my guinea pig! It happened to be the one I had on my e-reader at the time, so it was the easiest to play with. The older lads thing made me mutter too, and probably with a bit of fiddling about you could find the guys looking older - but I kind of think it wouldn't be the lads looking older, if you know what I mean?
I'm loving reading the story again, btw, thank you. I'd forgotten just how much Dorset you used; all your details are brilliant and so dead right too - I'm noticing tons of things I didn't the first time round, and grinning away like a fool. Of course, we'll need them exploring Somerset soon... *g*
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Date: 2014-08-25 07:59 pm (UTC)This is exactly the problem, I think you have it in a nutshell :-(
Of course, we'll need them exploring Somerset soon... *g*
Oooohhhh .... well they were sort of thinking about buying that pub on the coast, with a view to the future, and maybe they'd need somebody to run it for them in the meantime ..... and they'd want to make sure they'd sourced the best cider .... and strange crimes might be happening somewhere along the supply line .... ::looks squinty-eyed in byslantedlight's direction while trying to look like nothing of the sort had crossed anybody's mind:: *bg* :-D
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Date: 2014-08-25 08:13 pm (UTC)It was the week before the week before Christmas, and trees were bare in London, but the decorations were up, and in just a few days time they would be leaving CI5 for good.
Doyle pushed back in his chair, stood up and stretched, then looked down again at the files and papers strewn across his desk, work still far from finished, loose ends still perilously dangling. At the rate he was going he’d be stuck here until New Year after all. Still, nothing he could do about it, short of abandoning everything and loosing chaos all across the country - maybe then they’d realise what they were throwing away. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calmingly, running his fingers through his hair and pulling it a little, as if it might wake him up.
Just a few more days, and an entire life would be gone.
His computer flashed at him, and he absently reached out and clicked the mouse to open Salma’s message. She’d reminded him three times already about the Girton file, and he was still waiting to hear back from DDT, so that wasn’t going to happen…
Minister on his way with urgent matter, eta 30 mins.
Christ, what now? He was leaving, wasn’t he, doing what they wanted, going quietly, off into the wilderness… Not that Bodie and a pub in Dorset were wilderness exactly, and maybe he wouldn’t miss having to wear this bloody suit or deal with the Minister, or half the things his job had turned into, but - well, it wasn’t exactly the hub of things down there, was it? No rush, no bustle, no tearing after villains, gun drawn… And alright, he hadn’t done that for months… or over a year - or two - but he…
The door to his office swung abruptly open with a sweep of air, and he looked up, frown set firmly across his brow.
“Alright, mate?”
Bloody Bodie. No he wasn’t alright.
“Fine,” he said, shortly, and sat down dismissively in his chair. He clicked on Salma’s message to acknowledge, and picked up a file at random from the scattering.
He could almost feel Bodie revving up to change gear and tactics, to humour him through yet another mood. All very well for him, he’d chosen to go and bury himself in bloody Dorset, he’d given them his fucking resignation… “I’m busy,” he added, in what was probably a vain attempt to forestall him, “If I don’t get through this lot by five there’ll be agents hung to dry from here to the Hebrides.”
“Bloody minister,” Bodie said, rather than anything soothing, so that Doyle looked up in surprise. “Picks his moments, doesn’t he?”
“He wants you as well?”
“Any reason why he shouldn’t?” Bodie raised an eyebrow, looked amused. “Has anyone ever told you, sunshine, that it’s not all about you?”
Doyle’s mouth quirked unwillingly. “You’ve been gossiping with Si again, haven’t you? Gonna hold up a hand and tell me to talk to it?”
Bodie obediently raised his arm and flapped at him. “Girlfriend, that’s so last year,” he said, camp as he could be, and Doyle gave in, smothered his grin, and began an advance, backing Bodie towards the wall behind the door.
“Who’re you calling girlfriend..?”
He reached across to cuff an only slowly retreating Bodie and found his wrist caught and held instead, himself dragged to lean against a white-shirted chest, and a stomach that was slightly softer than it once had been and maybe just a bit more comforting.
He gave it a prod for form’s sake. “You been on the pies ag- ” he started, was cut off by a knock this time, and a tactful cough that separated them firmly and quickly.
“Mr Bodie..?”
(But I suppose there might be a weekend or two for them in Somerset - and I'm sure the Famous Five must have got there at some point... *g*) I swear I'll finish this for winter this year, I promise! There's going to be so much writing in Somerset... *g*
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Date: 2014-08-25 08:24 pm (UTC)Oh you have no idea how happy this makes me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it, I love it already. Bodie playing camp to make Doyle smile, that is so perfectly in character - and canon too. And the minister is about to throw everybody's plans out with some huge new development .... I can't wait !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *vbg*
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Date: 2014-08-25 08:29 pm (UTC)Salma stepped further into the room, long dark hair swinging behind her, threaded though it now was with grey, heels clacking efficiently across the floor. “A Mr Roland has been trying to get in touch with you, from the brewery? He said he’d tried your mobile several times, but…” she pulled the offending item from her pocket, and passed it firmly to him, “…you must have left it by accident in the monsteria deliciosa in the canteen…”
It had never worked with Salma yet, but Doyle watched with undisguised amusement as Bodie tried his most innocent eyes and a quizzical pout on her. “Must have fallen out of my jacket,” he said, clutching it carefully and tucking his hands in his trouser pockets.
“…buried under two inches of decorative pebbles…”
“You know, I thought I saw a rat up there the other day…”
“…and provided with a small headstone that read simply ‘R.I.P - now maybe I can’. In felt tip.”
“Ah…” Bodie ducked his head and looked up from under eyelashes that were paler than they’d once been, but just as long. “Sounds like someone’s having a bit of a laugh…”
“Yes it does, doesn’t it?” Salma raised her own eyebrows at him, passed Doyle a memory stick, and with a final backward look of resignation left them to it.
“Bo-die…”
“I can’t think how it got there, honest I can’t…”
“You lousy… What’s the brewery want then?” he asked, knowing he’d been successfully distracted from his mood despite himself. Bloody Bodie…
“Dunno - not had me phone on me…”
“Bodie!”
(Sorry - couldn't resist... maybe that's how I'll finally get it finished, feed it to you one paragraph at a time... cos yeay, such a reaction is rather encouraging, you know... *vbg*)
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Date: 2014-08-25 08:42 pm (UTC)Honestly, burying the poor thing - with a headstone? And then having the brass neck to make that the excuse for not knowing what the brewery wants. No wonder Doyle loves him! How could he not :-)
I dearly love your older lads, and the thought of having a third tale to look forward to - it's really special!
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Date: 2014-08-27 09:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-26 06:38 pm (UTC)Excuse me while I join in here with a high pitched noise that might well be a fangirly squee! YaY! There's more!
I do love your older lads, and I'm loving re-reading the first two. They're lovely and long too, which I'd forgotten, but I so much prefer. See! I'm all happy-smiley now, thank you *g*
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Date: 2014-08-27 09:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-24 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-25 11:20 am (UTC)Thank you! It's kind of thrown together and not very imaginative because
I'm terrible at original ideasI was just playing with sizes to see what worked.no subject
Date: 2014-08-27 11:35 am (UTC)Calibre, yes, isn't it amazing? I have to start using it more effectively. It's the sort of programme you can see there being 'power users' for, isn't it? Mind you, I feel techie enough just making sure it has the cover plugin installed...
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Date: 2014-08-31 03:43 pm (UTC)I'm still lurching around in the bowels of LJ, trying to catch up...
Isn't Calibre ace? I've had it sitting around on my laptop for a good year or two, and just poked at it now and then when I was desperate to move some obdurate (ooh, long word *g*) fiction from one place to another, but lately I've started to use it much more, and of course, the more you use it the more you find... I'll never get to know it inside out, or be that good with it, but it's so nice to have a programme that does everything you want it to do, and without a lot of sighing and begging *g*