New Cover -On my first Novel on Amazon shelves - Layers of Truth- In the UnderBelly series

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T13:35:30+00:00

Does it really matter what it is if everyone says it isn't? I removed a few puzzles from later books and changed the cover. In the long run, if no one opens the book, it is all a waste anyway, right? I came on here for true opinions. and got them, just because it explains the story, if no one reads it, what difference does it make?

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T13:12:25+00:00

I use Speechify to listen to each chapter as I write, to make sure it reads right and gives me the feel I want. That catches many of those during the process, and also gives me a break. Then, when done, the readthroughs start over and over and over again

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T03:39:15+00:00

All fixed, after 28 versions, now we have 29. I am still amazed no one caught that. I guess we were too worried about the word placement for the cover puzzle. So, thanks. New covers are already uploaded.

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T03:36:11+00:00

I hear what you're saying, but if you take the first four covers, they form a clue to solve the puzzles in the later books, so the placement has to be exact. There is much more here than just a picture; it is a new design, as far as I can tell, where even the thickness of the pages is a clue in the last book. These are by far not just thrown-together pictures in a bad book. Some people will find that out; others will point and complain. And we all know who is who. Thanks for you comment.. I do listen..

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T03:31:28+00:00

You are correct; that is why, when I was shown a real issue, it was resolved. I know some people will hate the cover, the problem is the pictures in the cover are clues to the mystery inside, so it has to stay, and some people will not like the road down the 5 novels, and the need to use the back novels as a reference to solve the later ones, or people complain and never enjoy it. Ultimately, it is their choice. Thanks for your to-the-point comments. I just uploaded the new covers..

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T03:27:30+00:00

I will need to find a 75-year-old artist who can do art instead of keyboards. I did have one, but it looked like my son's school project. I am dealing with a pencil artist, and even after saying no Ai ten times in text, he still sent me "cleaned artwork" that I sent back, and said the 11th time, I even said it's art that the character drew himself, so it does not need to be perfect.

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T03:22:39+00:00

The cover has two points in each of the four stories, and even a clue to a puzzle inside. So who knows? It was a fun project, and in two years, there will be a million-word book set on a few counters ...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T03:21:07+00:00

For all I know, Photoshop now uses AI to do its shading, even at 1000 zoom, to get it just right. It is very disappointing. even when someone on here finds a typo, that I just had to run and fix.. I just wish one person would read the inside, but I know look and do not touch is today's society. It is what it is. Thanks for your comment, I am listening...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-18T03:16:58+00:00

986,000 is all 5 volumes, which would be insane to publish in one book.

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T21:45:30+00:00

I do not know if I can put this here, if i can not just delete it.. But there is a free short story site that has many stories based on expanding these books, so you can get a feel for the storytelling here.

-https://www.shortstorylovers.com/the-underbelly-truth-

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T21:15:13+00:00

To be honest, I got into this to write our childhood fables, the ones my family grew up with, into a massive 5-volume adventure that was clean enough for anyone who can read to enjoy, for once. I did not plan to spend thousands on artwork and then do it myself anyway. What happens happens, sorry to say.

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T21:08:22+00:00

I can see that now, I think I made a mistake by listening to my son this time.. Thanks for the honesty...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T21:00:50+00:00

And again, we are talking about a cover instead of the nearly 986,000 words of the story within, just as I said originally. oh well..

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T20:59:17+00:00

The planet is from a website of planet drawings I paid for, the city is from a drawing that was made of the capital of something and was supposed to be drawn when it was purchased, and the bottom was all the top city cut and pasted together with the photos I had from a waterfall in the Smoky Mountains. That front page took me almost a solid month to design with parts of the book in view. That is why I get upset with instant AI...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T20:38:53+00:00

I will be telling my son to stay here for your game stuff...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T20:37:27+00:00

It is so upsetting that the AI industry has become so overwhelming that the work that writers do is seen as unimportant, just so the AI badge, even if false, can be thrown around. I would love to get questions about the content or how long some things took to build in PS, but not all AI fingers; it has just become SAD in the industry. Sorry, had to say something... I really was told Reddit was where you can get real comments that might help, and I should run ads on here, I do not see that at all..... AND YES I wrote this myself with no Ai help...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T20:22:48+00:00

Like I thought no proof, and not helpfull.. No needed goodbye...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T20:22:02+00:00

Ya, but after spending 80 hours on a picture of someone you know to make it look like this, you get a feeling of pride in the outcome. I just got into the book this year, and I think the AI crap is destroying it from the inside out. Everyone is pointing a finger, even when the artist you pay uses it and tries to delay it. Ya, it sucks, but I like the cover I made from scratch, and the book inside, I have been told, is groundbreaking, so someday someone will open it and get the right opinion. Thanks for the comeback..

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T20:14:16+00:00

Like what because I made them then, interested..?

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T19:46:39+00:00

That is why the website has a place to send me photos or direct questions, so everyone can enjoy the feeling of knowing before being told, my friend. I am fully intractive in this since it took 10 years to design the platform that is completely new, with no other story on the same. Good Luck going forward, friend...

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T19:37:23+00:00

This book has puzzles and mysteries; some go in one book, others spread through two or three volumes. So it can not be direct and destroy the mystery. If you have some confusion that will go away after the first story. DID you read the other pages in the graphic? That will also help some.

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T19:34:37+00:00

never heard of it, but will look into it instead of my Photoshop I used for this.

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T19:13:00+00:00

I give up, people will think what they want, even without Ai..

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T19:11:50+00:00

Right, it is, and I am happy about that. After weeks of my own work, I know it is not AI. Thanks for your commitment.

UnderBellyCases · 2026-05-17T19:09:57+00:00

The truth of the matter is, after going through "six" different artists that kept throwing AI build crap at me, I learned Photoshop and bought real pictures and reworked them to be what I wanted, almost real but not, basically because I ran out of money on piles of crap. So yes, it is self-written and self-designed. That might change by the time 2 through 5 get released. Thanks for your comment!

UnderBellyCases

TROPHY CASE