It's Alive! Create a shocking, funny cover for book about headless man!

Stephen White

Author of "Clump," a violent but comic novel satirizing medicine, politics, and the entertainment industry. The target audience is readers of authors like Chuck Palahniuk, Kurt Vonnegut, and Penn Jillette.

8.5 x 5.5 book cover (including back and spine) for the novel "CLUMP."
Subtitle: "An American Splatire" Author: S. Redman White

This is a challenging assignment and your creativity and imagination
are very important. The main character is a large, extremely muscular
man who has no head. He has a neck stump, out of which a tongue
protrudes - though that detail is probably unnecessary.

"CLUMP" is kept alive by unethical doctors, and turned into a YouTube
sensation when it's discovered that he can dance to beat-heavy music.
He becomes an entertainment sensation, loved by all. However, only his
handlers know that the brainless giant is homicidally dangerous if
touched, going into martial arts mode by reflex.

The book details medical mischief, the entertainment industry
(television and Radio City style stage shows with dancers), "big
religion" (think of the mega-churches of Dallas), and politics (in
which appearance is more important than substance). The book is really
a satire about all of these institutions using the character of CLUMP
as a jumping off point - so the cover should reflect that the novel is
not just about the man, but about our world and society.

The book is frequently violent and graphic, thoroughly R-rated, and
FUNNY in a black humor way.

With all of that as background, the cover should show CLUMP, the
character, in some form - this could be grittily photo realistic,
illustrated (even cartoonish), or anything in between.

The cover should convey humor, but also (if possible) a certain
element of physical threat (CLUMP is a scary guy, after all) and
scope.

Designs that are jolting or shocking aren't a problem, as long as they
aren't completely off-putting to potential readers. Probably good to
always include some note of humor.

It's also important to see CLUMP's actual body; he can be tastefully
naked or nearly so. His muscularity (no tattoos or other identifying
marks) should be intimidating; this is NOT the headless man you want
to get a beat down from.

As a freelance writer, I know what it's like to get specific
directions from a client, or maddeningly vague ones. I'm really trying
NOT to stick you with the latter situation, but this is an odd and
complicated book and I'm looking for creative ideas beyond what I've
come up with.

Note that the book has already been released in self-published form
with a cover that I'm pretty happy with. But sales have been less than
compelling, and I'm looking for a "makeover" that might get more
attention.

I'm attaching the current cover: it has an art deco feel reminiscent
of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead" - a deliberate choice because both
books are social commentaries. This was my direction to the original
illustrator but may not have been a good idea in a marketing sense.

CLUMP is shown as a headless figure; he is supporting the great weight
of the title and subtitle, because in the book he's really the
foundation for all that happens rather than a standard protagonist
(he's brainless and doesn't initiate anything on his own). His figure
is perched in a cityscape which was intended to suggest that the novel
is about the world surrounding the character.

As CLUMP's real power comes from becoming an entertainer and idol of
millions, a cover depicting him in a showbiz setting (like a Broadway
stage) could be appropriate.

I've also attached an earlier rough cover which I made myself, which
has the figure of a muscular man (and the missing head only really
noticeable if you're looking for it; otherwise it just seems like
shadow). The title font and color were intended to evoke blood and
kinetic action. Whether or not I succeeded is better judged by others.
I've included it here simply to give you another example of my tastes.