Today I am so pleased to welcome Jay Bell to Joyfully Jay. Jay has come to talk to us about the re-release of Kamikaze Boys. He has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving him a big welcome!
Judge This Book by its Cover
“Never judge a book by its cover” is useless advice. It’s up there with telling someone not to snack before bed. We know what’s right, but goddamn it, we’re human and we’re going to do so anyway. We all judge books by their covers. We might be willing to look past them for an author we love or if the reviews are strong enough, but for the most part, we glance at the art for a few fleeting seconds before casting instant judgement. Image then if you were an author who didn’t like one of your own covers. And your husband was the man who created it.
That’s him on the left, and before you decide I’m a complete bastard for criticizing someone so adorable, please know that I expend a lot of breath praising my husband’s art. I love the big lug and all the amazing things his hands can do, art included. You could even say that I owe my entire career to him. He’s the one who came up with the cover for Something Like Summer, which was eye-catching enough to encourage people to take a chance on an unknown author. In a way, that book is to blame for the ugly cover that would soon follow, because for the first time ever, I actually had an audience! I was writing from the heart, sharing stories of gay love that reflected my own experiences, and by some miracle people wanted more. Happy to comply, I wrote Kamikaze Boys, all while very aware of the subtle but well-meaning pressure from my readers. That’s when I made my first mistake.
I set the publication date without giving my poor husband, Andreas, much time to come up with a cover. He has a demanding career of his own. I’m not cruel enough to make him work evenings. I think he only had a weekend to complete it, two at the most, and to make things worse, he had just switched over to a new drawing technology. For my earlier covers he would sketch on paper, scan that into the computer, and then complete the art using a mouse. That boggles the mind now. These days it’s possible to draw directly on a screen, or at the very least, a tablet connected to the computer. Andreas had just gotten his first such tablet and was still getting a feel for it. He managed to complete the cover anyway and we delivered the files to the press with minutes to spare. The end result?
It’s not the worst thing in the world. I love all the pink. The gayest of colors! Why don’t people use that more, especially in this genre? The art itself has an interesting texture but uh… The guy on the right? That’s Connor. He’s supposed to be beefy and more than a little intimidating in appearance. Instead he has a pencil-neck and straw for hair. The guy on the left, David, is the sensitive type. I do get that impression, so good job there, honey. I like how they both have a hand on the bat, connecting them, because this is a story of two guys versus the world, and they’ll do whatever it takes to defend their love. I even think the wacky title is cool, how it overlaps in some areas and causes transparencies in others. Weird but interesting. The rolling highways are my favorite part. I still love the back cover, maybe because that’s my husband’s personal style. I can still remember him drawing it in the passenger seat next to me as we cruised the backroads of Kansas, years before I would write this book.
So the cover wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t a disaster either. People still bought the story and said nice things. The book even won a Lambda Literary Award, which helped me put my misgivings out of mind. Although part of me always wanted to go back and give Andreas another crack at it, without any time constraints. That opportunity came seven years later. I wanted to produce an audiobook version of Kamikaze Boys, and when I looked beyond the cover to the interior… well, I found plenty to criticize about my own art. I had learned a lot since then and was embarrassed with what I saw. My man felt the same about his contribution, so we decided to polish things up. I re-wrote the book. Not from scratch, but there are very few sentences that haven’t been touched somehow. It was satisfying to dive back in and finally realize my original vision with the added benefit of experience. I threw in some extra content too. A few rounds of editing later and the interior was new and improved. That only left the cover.
I always take Andreas out for dinner and drinks when discussing potential covers. It’s the least I can do for making him work extra hours. We decided that the cover needed to communicate the premise in the blink of an eye. Body language can tell most of a story, when done right. We narrowed the options down to Connor shielding David from some outside threat. I could see exactly what I wanted in my mind. After scouring the internet, I could only find one image that matched my vision. And this was it:
Yeah… That doesn’t exactly communicate intimacy and high stakes like I hoped it would. I needed to give Andreas more to go on, so I suggested that we stage a photo. I know all too well the feeling of being bullied and wanting to hide behind someone else. My husband is wonderfully protective of me, so we fell in our roles naturally enough.
That’s much closer! We don’t look like the characters in the book though, and I was hoping for something a little more abstract. There’s nothing wrong with utilizing photographic references, but simply painting over a photo can often look cheap. Andreas has too much professional pride to do that anyway, so he broke out the charcoals and before long came up with this:
Sweet! The composition was promising. David being comfortable enough to grab on to Connor that like speak volumes of their intimacy. You can feel his concern. Is he clinging to Connor out of fear or pulling him away from danger? A little of both, I’d imagine. I was also happy that we decided to stick with pink as the dominate color, since it would help sell the delightfully gay nature of their relationship. Next we scanned the art into the computer and refined. And refined and refined. That can be a tedious process, but there weren’t any time constraints, and I’m very pleased with the final result:
Art is subjective, so some people will like it, some will not, but I feel it tells the story well. Two guys versus the world who are very much in love. What resonates with me especially is that it actually looks like my husband’s art. This is his style. He has more than one, but the previous cover doesn’t resemble any of the art in his archives. That was a one-off experiment using new and unfamiliar technology with no time for refinement. Now when I look at the cover, I see my man. Not just his art, which I’ve always adored, but his own proportions that he gave to Connor. I’ve grabbed on to that body for nearly twenty years now, so when I look at the new cover, it fills me with warmth and a sense of security. I hope the journey that David and Connor go through together brings that same emotion to others. Kamikaze Boys has always been a story close to my heart, drawing in parts from my own past. Now it finally has a cover that feels equally as personal. Everyone will judge it, which is fine. I welcome them to. I’ve always felt nothing but pride for the love and support my husband shows me, one cover at a time.
I’m obviously a very lucky boy to have a guy like Andreas in my life. I’d like to spread some of that good fortune around, so I’m also giving away a paperback copy of Kamikaze Boys so you can check out the cover in person. If you prefer eBooks, that’s fine too. The winner can choose whatever format suits them most. Enter by leaving a comment below. Let me hear your New Year’s resolution!
Blurb
If the world is against you, don’t give up. Find yourself a kindred spirit. Then you can start fighting back.
They say Connor, the one with the crazy eyes and creepy scar, tried to kill his old man. Lately he’s been seen hanging out with David, the gay guy who always eats lunch alone. They make an odd pair, the loser and the psychopath, and bad things happen to people who mess with them. Not that Connor and David are looking for trouble. Even when taking on the world, they seem more interested in each other than fighting.
Kamikaze Boys is a story about breaking the chains that bind you and using them to beat down anyone that gets in your way. Better yet, it’s about holding hands with the guy you love while doing so.
Bio
Jay Bell led a quiet life in Kansas until the day he met a handsome foreign exchange student who swept him off his feet and carried him all the way to Germany. Much to their delight, marriage awaited them when they got there. While living so distant from friends and family, Jay began writing in an effort to reconcile the mixture of devotion and alienation he felt. This resulted in a Lambda Literary Award and a film option for his best-selling novel Something Like Summer. Jay and his family have since relocated to Chicago where their adventures continue, as do those of the characters in their emotionally driven Something Like… series. Jay pens the stories and his husband provides the cover art, making them books about love, forged by love.
Giveaway
Jay has brought a copy of Kamikaze Boys (paperback or ebook) to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Saturday, January 4th at 11:59 pm ET.
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Heading to jury duty soon, so this was just what I needed to cheer myself up! Happy 2020, Jay and Andreas….
Thanks for sharing the story of your cover art, Jay, versions one and two. My new year’s resolution is to be more grateful for the good in my life.
Happy New Year!
I don’t think I realized how much thought and care goes into creating these covers so thank you for sharing your story on this one. My new year’s resolution is to make more of an effort to carve out time to read and do other things I love.
Something Like Summer was one of the first MM books that I read. This was before I discovered the MM kindle world. No resolutions because I know myself.
Your books were my introduction to mm romance! Since then I’ve become a mm beta reader and an ARC reader for over 25 authors. Thank you for the world you’ve opened up to me and the love you’ve spread. May there be many more lives you’ll touch in the future!
Everyone needs your stories…especially those who don’t know it.
I really like the new cover and look forward to the new improved story too. I don’t make resolutions…at my age it’s too depressing because I’ve never
really been successful. 🙂
Happy new year, Jay and Andreas. I loved the first version of your Kamikaze Boys and will read the second version. No new year resolutions for me – besides reading your books 🙂
That’s an amazing cover… So good to be able to work with somebody you trust so much. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Happy New Year Jay and Andreas! Thank you for sharing the story about the cover. I’m not a real fan of the first cover but can appreciate parts of it and it does stand out and catches the eye. The newer cover though that one I think I could stare at all day. Love the story association behind it. I don’t have a new years resolution. I think it’s better to not lie to myself and just take things as they come.
I’ve never read any of your books, but this lovely and engaging article means that I’ll be putting you on my TBR. What a great story.
Loved your story behind the cover art and I have to agree; the new cover is way better and eye catching than the first one. Good luck and Happy New Year to you and Andreas.
I like how the cover art worked out. Great job.
I love reading about cover art. I think the first cover is better than what most of us could have accomplished but the update looks great! I’m glad both you and Andreas are happy with the rerelease, on the outside and in. As for a resolutions, I don’t make them, but I have recently decided to prioritize better sleep habits. It might mean not reading so late into the night, but I’m trying to console myself with all the health benefits. Thanks for sharing with us, and I wish you and Andreas a very happy 2020!
Jay und Andreas, ich wünsche euch ein gutes neues Jahr!
I absolutely love Kamikaze Boys. The new cover is gorgeous.
I love this book! Is the deadline Jan 4?
Thanks for sharing a little info about the cover. I like the pink also.
Love the new cover! Love the book of course – had listened to the previous version. And, love you guys and what you do!! Rock the New Year!!
Happy new year everyone!
Happy new year everyone! I would love a copy of this one now that I finished the something like series.
I never read Kamikaze Boys, but I have read Something Like Summer and I love it!! I would like a copy of your book!!
I already have both editions of Kamikaze Boys. I’m just here to gush over The Bell Boys! I’ve read & listened to everything from Jay! Their words and art fill my book shelves, Kindle and Audible, I love it all! Congratulations to whomever wins!
My New Years resolution is to get Jay and Andreas to come to GRL this year!
Please! I will lug every one of your books there so you can get writers cramp signing them all! ?
Jay Bell’s Something Like Summer was the first M/M book I ever read! I wanna see more of his writing!
This was a lovely glimpse into the team of you and Andreas. Thanks for sharing, and that’s a wonderful new cover!
I’m a big fan. I’m looking forward to listening to Kamikaze Boys.
Sounds like it will be good. But then again so is everything Jay writes!
Happy New Year!
I’m planning on reading this story as soon as I’m finished with the Something Like… series!
Happy New Year, guys!
Jay wasn’t the my first MM author (that goes to John Goode), but he was the first to stab me in the heart and twist, making me cry for hours.
My first bookish resolution is to reread the Something Like series (not looking forward to SL Fall, that short hurt me so much…)
Jay Bell’s books are the only books that me cry EVERY time. Some of them are so sad but they’re all so amazing that I reread them all the time.
How exciting! New year, new cover. My Resolutions are different. I try to keep the self discovery and improvement on a constant focus. For my resolution I focus on interesting things. This year, I want to take at least 5 selfies a week with 5 different people and not have a repeated guest the following week. There may be strangers, co-workers, new folks and old.
Wish luck.
The cover looks amazing thanks for sharing the info about it, i would really love to read this story
Happy new year!
Hope you have a wonderful year and can reach all the goals you have with this. ???
Love the books and the film “Something Like Summer”. Can’t wait for its release. Been meaning to read this book next, but going back through the Something Like Series lol.
I want to wish you a Happy New Years, and thank you for writing such terrific books. For a while I stopped reading and couldn’t get back into it then when I was in my junior year of high school 2015. I had gotten something like summer and fallen in love with series. I have not read this one yet but I’m wanting to.
After bingeing all of something like series I need something new and amazing to read! Love you jay cant wait for more from you!
Happy 2020 I hope this year will be full of happiness and love for y’all. I finished something like summer and autumn and I just ordered winter and straight boy, and I would love to win this contest and win Kamikaze boys cuz I know I’ll read winter and straight boy in a week hahaha
Jay bell is a amazing writer I read something like summer when I was heart broken. It gave me hope that I could still find love.
This is so cute. ??
Love you’re books and the love story you and your husband have <3
Love it <3
I swam against sea breeze high school swim team in high school. For my favorite author to mention a high school I would visit while I was in high school (while also reading your books through high school) destiny.
Love it!!
Really loved your first books, hope to read this one.
Thanks for the chance! For my resolution, eat less sugar! As I always say…. diet starts tomorrow! 🙂
This is probably my favourite one of your books (next to Something Like Thunder) so I had a soft spot for the old cover, but the new one is looking great! Thanks for sharing the creation process with us, it’s always fun to learn about these things.
As for a new year’s resolution? Becoming comfortable with myself and who I am. It’s a big one, but I think it’s an important one.
Beautiful cover and great book! Thank you for sharing this story.
My new year’s resolutions are simple. I want to keep supporting indie authors and just enjoy life 🙂 I also have a wedding to plan, wish me luck 😮
Happy new year!
I like a lot the new cover. Thank you for talk about cover design and how important is for you.
i’ve been wanting to read this for a while! looks interesting
ps. love the new cover! the colours are pleasing to the eyes too 🙂
Super excited for this book, loved everything else so far!
Jay Bell is an amazing author and I would glad reread Kamikaze Boys with a new cover and add it to my ever growing Jay Bell shelf at home.