Non-image-based KW cover options If you’ve been following my progress with Amazon’s Kindle Worlds G.I. Joe Program then you know I’ve got some beef with the cover options they give authors.
Considering I’ve got a new Kindle Worlds G.I. Joe book on sale right now, I thought I’d take this opportunity to point out what I see as serious inadequacies that hinder an author’s ability to sell books, and make Amazon money in the process.
Considering I’ve got a new Kindle Worlds G.I. Joe book on sale right now, I thought I’d take this opportunity to point out what I see as serious inadequacies that hinder an author’s ability to sell books, and make Amazon money in the process.
G.I. Joe Cover Problems
Yep, the main problem lies with the covers. Now, Amazon has come a long way – when the Joe KW was first introduced they had no idea if they could even use Hasbro Joe images.
Thankfully they provided some – and some great pictures right off the original toy boxes – but it’s just not good enough.
An image can only do so much, but it’s a designer that can really make that image come alive on an eBook cover. And since they won’t allow designers, most of the covers look like rubbish, in my humble opinion.
Thankfully they provided some – and some great pictures right off the original toy boxes – but it’s just not good enough.
An image can only do so much, but it’s a designer that can really make that image come alive on an eBook cover. And since they won’t allow designers, most of the covers look like rubbish, in my humble opinion.
G.I. Joe Kindle Worlds Cover Options
Now, for most KW books you’ll be presented with the following option when the time comes to upload your cover:
As you can see, there are three options. You can choose an image they provide, upload your own image, or skip it until later.
Now, with the G.I. Joe KW you don’t have that option to upload your own image, and you can see:
Now, with the G.I. Joe KW you don’t have that option to upload your own image, and you can see:
So there’s no way you could even upload that designed cover. That’s a bummer, and I know I’m not the only author that had covers or designed images ready to go.
It’s for this reason that I’ve decided to change all my G.I. Joe covers. Well, that and the following:
It’s for this reason that I’ve decided to change all my G.I. Joe covers. Well, that and the following:
I'm sure they're great stories, but poor covers will prevent many from ever finding out
Here we have two books by two different authors, yet they look the same. Who wants that?
Certainly not I, and that’s why I’ve changed my covers to the following:
Certainly not I, and that’s why I’ve changed my covers to the following:
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As you can see, they all look similar, use similar colors, and have no image.
That’s what kills me – having no image. But until Amazon can get all the legal aspects worked out with Hasbro and the use of cover images, I feel as though I have no choice. I mean, you can tell from my old covers and those white ones above – they just don’t cut it.
Perhaps I’m being too anal, too much of a perfectionist, but I don’t think so. In fact, I’m ticked-off that the colors for my latest book don’t match those of the first two.
That’s what kills me – having no image. But until Amazon can get all the legal aspects worked out with Hasbro and the use of cover images, I feel as though I have no choice. I mean, you can tell from my old covers and those white ones above – they just don’t cut it.
Perhaps I’m being too anal, too much of a perfectionist, but I don’t think so. In fact, I’m ticked-off that the colors for my latest book don’t match those of the first two.
Kindle Worlds Cover Color Options
That’s the thing with KW books, the colors are hard to pin down. Here’s the main screen I can use for color selection:
Not a lot of options, but you can open the following to get more, which may or may not be left over from the ‘80s:
Am I the only one who looks at this and says 'Fuck That!'
I think I need to take a screenshot of this color wheel and circle the two colors I use. That way when I make the next 6 covers (assuming Amazon doesn’t get their act together by then), I won’t have stare into the screen trying to figure out what I selected before.
Yep, this afternoon I’ll go in and change that accent color so it matches the other two. It is off, right?
Yep, this afternoon I’ll go in and change that accent color so it matches the other two. It is off, right?
My New Kindle Worlds G.I. Joe Book
My new G.I. Joe book is called After Infinity and it’s the third volume in “The Rise of Coil Series” that will stretch to ten volumes in total.
I think this is the best book so far, and it really raises the bar. Each book I write after this one will just have to be better, more action-packed, and with more untimely deaths.
That’s right – characters dies in my Joes books, and lots of ‘em. You’ll have to buy the books to find out which, but here’s a little glimpse of the characters and excerpt from the book to give you a taste.
I think this is the best book so far, and it really raises the bar. Each book I write after this one will just have to be better, more action-packed, and with more untimely deaths.
That’s right – characters dies in my Joes books, and lots of ‘em. You’ll have to buy the books to find out which, but here’s a little glimpse of the characters and excerpt from the book to give you a taste.
After Infinity Excerpt
“They’re cracked!” Sub-Zero shouted as he saw the outer elevator doors stay open slightly. “Move…now!”
Gung-Ho wanted to turn and hit the mean dolt on the head, but he kept rushing toward the doors. He was the first to reach them and jammed his fingers in between. There was just enough space for them to fit, and after giving it his all the doors budged a bit, then gave way. Gung-Ho had them open fully by the time the others had reached him.
“Make way,” Alpine said as he took off his pack, quickly unwound the rope from his chest, and then reached for one of his grappling hooks.
“You’ll never catch it!” Quick Kick said as he gazed up into the shaft and the elevator that was speeding upward.
“Wanna bet?” Alpine said as he cinched the last knot on the hook and pushed past the others.
“Give me some room,” he said, then began spinning the grappling hook on the end of the rope, sending it in an arcing circle that rapidly increased in speed.
“Let’s just grab the–”
Sub-Zero didn’t finish before Alpine let loose and the grappling hook vanished upward into the shaft. A couple moments later they heard a slight ‘thump’ and then the rope at Alpine’s feet began to pay out.
“Get that end there!” the mountaineer shouted.
Gung-Ho grabbed the last of it, then looked up.
“And do what?” he asked as the others took hold of sections of the rope.
“Hang on!” Alpine said, and then the rope grabbed them.
~~~
“What was that?” the Baroness said, alarm in her voice at the sudden lurch the elevator had felt.
“A kink in the line, a tremor in the earth…how should I know?” Torch said.
“With Joes still down there I wouldn’t count on it,” Firefly said.
“Nor would I,” the Baroness said.
She nodded at the saboteur and he grabbed for his machine gun.
Thrasher just moaned in Monkeywrench’s arms.
~~~
Gung-Ho gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut tightly. His stomach felt like it was in his shoes and he’d never been more afraid.
Above him Quick Kick had a look of pure joy on his face. Never had he done a stunt that was as thrilling as this, racing up a thousand foot elevator shaft at thirty miles an hour. He couldn’t wait to do it again.
Sub-Zero was above him, and the wind rushing into his eyes was making them tear up. He didn’t like it when that happened – it made him angry. And when Sub-Zero got angry, he got mean.
Alpine was at the top of the rope, and he held on tightly, hoping the force of the elevator stopping – whenever it did – didn’t jolt them all from the rope and send them falling down the seemingly bottomless shaft. He was getting ready for that, looping his hands around the rope as best he could, when a shot rang out. He looked up and saw a small hole emitting light from the bottom of the elevator above.
He bit his lip, then looked down.
“Hang on guys!” he shouted out – there was no sense in being quiet now – then looked back up.
A shower of bullets sprayed forth, and one struck him in the shoulder. His grip on the rope faltered, then gave way. The next thing he knew he was falling.
Continue the action – buy After Infinity today!
Gung-Ho wanted to turn and hit the mean dolt on the head, but he kept rushing toward the doors. He was the first to reach them and jammed his fingers in between. There was just enough space for them to fit, and after giving it his all the doors budged a bit, then gave way. Gung-Ho had them open fully by the time the others had reached him.
“Make way,” Alpine said as he took off his pack, quickly unwound the rope from his chest, and then reached for one of his grappling hooks.
“You’ll never catch it!” Quick Kick said as he gazed up into the shaft and the elevator that was speeding upward.
“Wanna bet?” Alpine said as he cinched the last knot on the hook and pushed past the others.
“Give me some room,” he said, then began spinning the grappling hook on the end of the rope, sending it in an arcing circle that rapidly increased in speed.
“Let’s just grab the–”
Sub-Zero didn’t finish before Alpine let loose and the grappling hook vanished upward into the shaft. A couple moments later they heard a slight ‘thump’ and then the rope at Alpine’s feet began to pay out.
“Get that end there!” the mountaineer shouted.
Gung-Ho grabbed the last of it, then looked up.
“And do what?” he asked as the others took hold of sections of the rope.
“Hang on!” Alpine said, and then the rope grabbed them.
~~~
“What was that?” the Baroness said, alarm in her voice at the sudden lurch the elevator had felt.
“A kink in the line, a tremor in the earth…how should I know?” Torch said.
“With Joes still down there I wouldn’t count on it,” Firefly said.
“Nor would I,” the Baroness said.
She nodded at the saboteur and he grabbed for his machine gun.
Thrasher just moaned in Monkeywrench’s arms.
~~~
Gung-Ho gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut tightly. His stomach felt like it was in his shoes and he’d never been more afraid.
Above him Quick Kick had a look of pure joy on his face. Never had he done a stunt that was as thrilling as this, racing up a thousand foot elevator shaft at thirty miles an hour. He couldn’t wait to do it again.
Sub-Zero was above him, and the wind rushing into his eyes was making them tear up. He didn’t like it when that happened – it made him angry. And when Sub-Zero got angry, he got mean.
Alpine was at the top of the rope, and he held on tightly, hoping the force of the elevator stopping – whenever it did – didn’t jolt them all from the rope and send them falling down the seemingly bottomless shaft. He was getting ready for that, looping his hands around the rope as best he could, when a shot rang out. He looked up and saw a small hole emitting light from the bottom of the elevator above.
He bit his lip, then looked down.
“Hang on guys!” he shouted out – there was no sense in being quiet now – then looked back up.
A shower of bullets sprayed forth, and one struck him in the shoulder. His grip on the rope faltered, then gave way. The next thing he knew he was falling.
Continue the action – buy After Infinity today!
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