Alternate zombie-novel dust jackets

Ben Tripp sez,

On October 26th, my first novel, Rise Again, comes out. It is about the zombie apocalypse, probably because I design theme parks for a living. I aimed high with the book, hoping to appeal not just to genre fans but general readers, too. But not everybody wants to be seen with a zombie novel. And you can't read a zombie novel in every setting.
Being an artist-writer type, I made these alternate covers to camouflage the book for any situation. With these new, downloadable and printable jackets, readers can enjoy the novel anywhere from church to classroom without fear of obloquy, if not violent death

Dust Jackets - Alternate Book Covers | Free Download | Rise Again, a zombie novel by Ben Tripp

Rise Again on Amazon

(Thanks, Ben!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Gloria

Ok, I’m a genre reader AND a general reader, thank you.

While I agree slapping zombies on it is, ultimately, heavy-handed, I don’t think the cover is THAT awful. I wouldn’t be embarrassed holding it (am I supposed to be embarrassed?). Can’t ID the specific font (I guess sans serif is scary now..) but the cheeky alternatives you do offer are entertaining. So good on you for that, sir.
- Astrogeek
  
  I agree. I don’t think the cover is all that bad. For reference here are some bad covers:
  
  http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk/
  (scroll down for zombie racoons and killer bunnies!)
  
  I do think the alternatives are very clever though..
  - Gloria
    
    I once received a copy of book from an author who was basically sort of giving them away as self-promotion. It had a nice, cozy inscription — “hope you and your FAMILY [emphasis mine] enjoy the book, sincerely X” and I remember it distinctly because it was for a novel about rape and murder. THAT book had a truly egregious cover. This one is just not very offensive in comparison, not even close. It’s a little generic and not totally imaginative, but it’s far from awful.
    
    I would have taken the author’s thoughts as more tongue-in-cheek (which they still are, considering the alt-covers) but his talk about how he wanted to aim “high” (because appealing to a genre’s fans is so … degrading) just came across too sincerely.
Jemimus

Amazing how the publisher will not help itself to make the book appeal to a wider audience. In this day and age, you would think they would try to remove as many barriers as possible.
- MooseDesign
  
  Ironic that fear would likely be the motivating factor here… Attack of the zombie marketing functionaries! Did they learn nothing from the lovely and clever Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (and series) second glance covers? Love the roll-your-own book cover concept… Kudos to the author!
Jason Rizos

“Hey, I wrote a novel based on over-treaded science fiction pap and my publisher wants to give it an over-treaded science fiction pap cover!” Oh the humanity.
- flosofl
  
  “Hey, I wrote a novel based on over-treaded science fiction pap and my publisher wants to give it an over-treaded science fiction pap cover!” Oh the humanity.
  
  Man, I was *just* on the way over to piss in your Wheaties. Looks like someone beat me to it.
taj1f

A friend confided to me that her main reason for owning a Kindle was that no one on the bus/subway will be able to tell what she’s reading.

There’s a history of horror authors hating the publisher’s cover choice. I was just reading about Robert R. McCammon’s hate-affair with the original cover of his “Swan Song.”

Be sure to check them all out on his site. Witty on their own and even more so with the copy. Congrats!
- Jonathan Badger
  
  Funny — there was a (I believe NYT) article a couple of weeks ago where the author was complaining about people using e-readers on the subway because she couldn’t spy on what people were reading they way she could by looking at book covers. A bit creepy, actually. But still, I’d think if your self-image is so fragile that you would be upset by strangers knowing what you are reading, maybe you shouldn’t be reading it in public.
Anonymous

first-time novelist lesson one: don’t piss off your publisher by publicly humiliating them. oops, too late!
tad604

Is the book available on the Nook? no dust jacket needed (as I’m sure others have pointed out). I think just about all books I read for pleasure from now on out are going to be e-books. I still find myself buying graphic novels and tech books in paper though. Cool story huh.
Anonymous

I agree. It does look self-published. While I wouldn’t be opposed to drooling zombies and red sunsets on the cover, I am opposed to the designer’s decisions. The ability to download a grunge font from Dafont and manhandle the hue slider shouldn’t qualify designers in 2010, but the more I look at it, the more I cringe. I imagine a Craigslist ad that begins with “Great opportunity for student designer to build their portfolio…” is behind this.
Chris Furniss

” It is about the zombie apocalypse, probably because I design theme parks for a living.”

No, you wrote it about zombies because you knew it was an easy cash in with our current meme-obsessed, low artistic standards internet world. CAN WE STOP WITH THE ZOMBIES ALREADY
- tad604
  
  I like zombies.
  
  /why yes I’m wearing my turtle costume why do you ask?
  //no really I do like zombies. I’m looking forward to The Walking Dead on AMC, I’m looking forward to some new DLC for Left 4 Dead. so really can we keep the zombies coming? please?
jeffguevin

Charles Stross ought to consider this for Saturn’s Children.
Heartfruit

I’m guessing that for his second book Ben Tripp will be asking for jacket approval in his contract.
Scixual

What’s with all the zombie hate? You don’t like zombie books? Don’t read ‘em Stop trying to urinate in the Cheerios, eh?
klossner

I love books set in theme parks, and so was disappointed that they aren’t mentioned in the synopsis. Looks like this book is, in fact, all about a zombie uprising. That being the case, of course the publisher wants a cover that the big zombie-lit audience can find. They’re in it to maximize sales, not break you out of the genre you wrote for.
monstrinho_do_biscoito

just be grateful your book isn’t cyberpunk. Willaim gibson’s books seem to have inspired some of the worst cover art ever created.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hVOW2U7K4-M/Sb7ckUIMBDI/AAAAAAAA8Qw/ldeY7VmveQQ/s640/detyjsrthfsdgnfg.jpg

the cover they chose for your book isn’t great, but it’s not that bad either.
Galoot

Haters.

This is wonderful self-promotion, a fine hack, and you can bet Simon & Schuster does not have a problem with this. Ben Tripp has entertained me and has made it to my “must read” list with this. Nice work, first-time novelist! I hope your talent for writing matches your talent for pushing my bravo_good-hack! button.
Anonymous

Wait? Are you saying Simon & Schuster has bad taste? This is the publisher that just brought on Snooki to write novels. ;-)