New Novel Cover

I just finished my first draft of the design for the cover of my next novel, Min Min. 


What do you think? Too bleak? Too abstract? Should there be more colour? Does it suck entirely? 


Anyone? Anyone?  


I know I should probably finish the novel first but I wasn't actually actually aiming to do this when I first opened Photoshop. I was just killing time, playing around with a photo that I thought had potential, you know, just generally doing art-farty shit. After I'd pushed it, pulled it and recoloured it about 30 times over the course of several hours, it suddenly struck me that it illustrated Min Min perfectly.

And here is the photo that I made the cover from. I took it at the Burdekin River Bridge, built in the '80s, I think, and supposedly unfloodable. This one was taken during the flooding following Cyclone Yasi in February this year. The blue rectangle you can see, just to left and above the girl's head, is actually a sign in the camping area reminding people to be careful when they light fires. Haha.


Oh, and can I just say that I love Photoshop? 

A New Novel

Well.

I'm going to begin another novel.

But what? What? WHAT?!? shall I write about?

Should I start my Booker Award winning project called Min about the Min Min light? Actually, I already started that one -  3 years ago - but we were derailed by my foray into Retail Land.

Most of a writer's projects are just that - projects to be completed - but now and again, there's one that is like a child to be loved and nurtured  into existence. Min  is one of those; she lives in my mind and heart and I really want to complete her. However, I think I need to do another trip into the outback first so that I can feel what the brown interior is again. I've been there many times; it's in my blood and I remember it vividly. But I haven't been in a long while and there's a difference between remembering something vividly and still feeling the dust in your throat.

My father was a drover and I've spoken to him about taking a drive out to Boulia -  one of the main sites for Min Min sightings over the centuries - early next year. He was very excited about it; at the moment he cares for my mother, who is disabled, and the thought of getting back out to the scene of his wild youth while my daughter stays with Mum is pretty enticing.


So if I can't write Min till next year, what then? I have been meaning to write an intelligent chick lit novel for some time and I've tried to interest a couple of my writing friends in co-authoring it with me. I just figure that the going would be so much more fun if you were collaborating over Skype about it. Everyone thinks it sounds great at first, but so far no-one really wants to actually do it. Including me.

Soon it will be time for me to start selling calendars again and I really should be making novels while the sun shines instead of watching the entire series NCIS on DVD. But Jethro Leroy Gibbs and Tony DiNozzo continually prove too distracting for me; seriously, that is some heart palpitatingly man-flesh right there!

Maybe I should write a chick lit novel about a political lefty who is in lust with a right wing vigilante with a crooked smile and no communication skills.

Or maybe I'll just watch Season 5 of NCIS.