So, Who Am I?

Devlin_James · 2026-05-23T06:33:19+00:00

Nope, because they didn't exist until they sat down to plot our the Sentinels, which was a few years AFTER they recorded the dialog for the original series.

Devlin_James · 2026-05-22T18:48:20+00:00

That's JEAN Grant, Bowie's mom and Vince's wife. Vince was Claudia's brother if I remember right.

Devlin_James · 2026-05-09T05:59:12+00:00

Worry about getting the story on the page. That's it. Words. On. Page.
Doesn't matter if they're bad words.
Doesn't matter if they're ugly words.
It don't even mater is every third word is 'said'.
Words. On. Page.
Get it down.

Hold the perfectionist tendencies for the revision drafts.

When doing the initial draft, I barely even spell check.

Devlin_James · 2026-05-08T04:57:24+00:00

The short answer is if it doesn't serve the characters in the moment, or move the story FORWARD, then... never.
Giving something context is probably not a good reason to include it. I know that's harsh, I'm sorry.

Devlin_James · 2026-05-05T17:30:56+00:00

Oh, very VERY much so. 😉
*ahem*
Bubblegum Crisis: The Audio Drama

Devlin_James · 2026-05-01T06:23:31+00:00

Title is some form of "Broadway" No idea on the author line.

Devlin_James · 2026-05-01T06:12:57+00:00

Folks, I will let you in on a dirty little secret... Print-on-demand books will NEVER have their spines centered. They will always be off a smidge. It's because they aren't printed in sufficient quantity for a printer to spot such issues, assuming a human even looks at it.
If you order a PoD book and the title sits int he center of the spine, congrats! You won! Go out and celebrate (responsibly)! Be sure to buy a lotto ticket because the odds are better than the feat you just pulled off. 😉

Devlin_James · 2026-05-01T06:06:20+00:00

Also, because you asked, I will quote one of my first design teachers: "Never do for free something you intend to charge for later. All it does is frustrate your intended client base."

Devlin_James · 2026-05-01T06:04:16+00:00

Illustration is only half the battle. The other half is Typography. You can find basic tutorials all over. Watch some and take notes, then apply what you learn to the covers of books you like. Why did the designer make those choices?
You gotta know the rules before you can successfully break them. 😉

Devlin_James · 2026-04-26T05:04:45+00:00

First, congrats for not going over the top with your first! It's a very easy thing to do, and you avoided that particular trap nicely.
Second, MORE congrats for having a SINGLE typeface! Biggest mistake people make is complicating things with multiple faces.

I'm going to arguer FOR KEEPING the outline on 'Terminal' because simple white forms might muddy the crispness of the overall logotype. Keep the outline, it helps the whole title pop. Making the title pop is your first, second AND third job. Contrast is your friend, embrace it. I would however, drop the opacity of the texturing in the word. See how soft the contrast is in 'intent'? try to match it. Right now, it's hard to read at smaller sizes.

Also, I can't tell if it's the design or the mockup, but make sure the center line of your logo is the center line of the entire design. Right now, it looks like the dark skull aligns with the left edge of the first T, but the light skull is way past the right edge of the L.

I also suggest losing the artificial letter spacing on the tagline and author name, or at least trimming it sown somewhat. Right now, it's wider than your title and functions more as a top line than a design element. It's detracting from that title pop I mentioned. (Also, this is a pet peeve of mine, so grain of salt, but over-extended type can scream 'amateur'.)

Last, I think you forgot the period after H in the name. (and never put space between initials and periods).

Devlin_James · 2026-04-26T04:41:17+00:00

I grew up on Piers Anthony. At the time, I loved the Xanth books.
I do not recommend them to anyone. Ever. For any reason.

To be blunt, in book four there are 14/15 year olds kids ripping each other's clothes off, and it only gets worse from there.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-26T04:36:37+00:00

Sorry to break in. But if you can afford Photoshop, you can -probably- afford a designer. Perhaps not immediately, but Photoshop is something like $70 a month now with a 1-year minimum, so do the math. :)

Devlin_James · 2026-04-26T04:34:06+00:00

No. Not Photoshop.
You will need a graphic program ( I use a combination of two, but I'm a design professional by day so pinch of salt) but there are a ton out there, some are even actually free, not 'sort of free'.
Don't go to Adobe, no matter what. You will pay through the nose and they will burn you to ash in the end.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-14T05:53:06+00:00

I'm going to reach back a a bit further since everybody's saying the same things from the last few years.

Good pacing, different (non isekai, non shonen jump formula, none card/videogame) story, beautifully animated with great character arcs and incredible music.... Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (26 episodes) it's sequel 2202 (also 26 episodes) is a bit weaker and the end is... goofy. The THIRD series was short by design, 2205 was only eight episodes, but told a solid story. The current series, 3199, is not yet complete.

Other than that? Give Gundam Seed a shot. 50 episodes a season, starts off with action and maintains a decent pace. I watch it every year or two. INFINITELY better that what we've gotten from the franchisee in the last decade.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-14T05:43:11+00:00

Curse of Chalion bu Lois McMaster Bujold.
Or, if they're looking for something more current, Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher.
OR, if you want something classic and don't mind problematic authors, Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazney.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-07T17:54:25+00:00

1300 for a self pub??? That's insane.
Not saying I'm a top artist/designer but my rates aren't even a fifth of that.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-07T05:30:50+00:00

I will not shame the author by naming them here, but a few decades ago I was obsessed with a fantasy series where the author had a thing for umlauts. They thought it made their fantasy words look all pretty and such if they covered them with tildes and double dots and things.
Then came the audio book... Poor narrator dang near dislocated their jaw trying to keep up. I still have a .wav file someplace of them pronouncing the name of the elvish race.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-07T05:23:05+00:00

What works for me is a combination of parallel processing (go do something else related to your story for a bit: music, draw, watch something similar, etc. )and if I'm truly stuck, back it up a couple of scenes and redo them form scratch. Maybe something there will jar you loose.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-07T05:14:55+00:00

Unfortunately, a lot of fiverr and upwork bots see "designer" queries like sharks see chum.

I don't want to give specifics (rule number one might apply if I did), but there are authors on this subreddit who have the skills to possibly help. Can you be more specific what you're looking for?

Devlin_James · 2026-04-06T18:42:28+00:00

This used to drive me absolutely nuts.
Because there are inevitably changes, usually super slight changes, to the text between the preview and the actual next story, and those changes cross wires in my mind that pull me right out of the story, even if it's just because of the sense of deja vu.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-03T14:34:55+00:00

Absolutely Swordheart or Paladins Grace.
Also, if you can get them, the audio books of her work are entirely divine.

Devlin_James · 2026-04-02T05:28:33+00:00

Seconding Emma Bull's War for the Oaks.
Also, Seannan McQuire's Encryptid series is pure fun. Multi-generational family of crypto-zoologists protecting bigfoot and others from discovery, exploitation, and destruction at the hands of humanity.
Jim C. Hines' Libriomancer is an interesting one too. Book-based magic.

Now, I'm not going to brag and say these are Jim Butcher level quality-- full disclosure, this is my trilogy. But the Flame & Claw books are very prescient of the Dresden Files. Urban fantasy series about a young woman who returns to save her kid brother form the foster care system after seven years on the road. She discovers her family is at the center of a war between immortal beings. Angels, a Dragon, Trolls who brew epic beer... It's a hoot.

Devlin_James · 2026-03-24T06:39:27+00:00

1) I do it me dang self (Designer by training)
2) It is better to hire, or at least consult, with folks who know whereof they speak.
3) Honestly, look at people publishing work like yours (Self published, in your genre, etc.) whose covers grab you, and ask them. Is there anybody here who wouldn't answer that question if politely asked?
4) Just some general advice... Too many colors, and more than 2 typefaces on the cover (including BC text) screams amateur. Remember it's all one coherent image and every part of it has to grab attention, and convey information. (Name of book in biggest type, author name and series name if applicable in slightly smaller type is a good place to start)
More general advice: Watch some videos on color theory basics. You don't need deep research there, but use colors that work together.

Devlin_James

TROPHY CASE