If I could shape this week’s theme of posts around one word, that word would be “thought-provoking.”
When I first saw the cover art for Gigged, I have to admit that I reacted emotionally. And to be honest, I don’t think that the team behind this cover design expected me to react any other way. When I saw the toy soldier, I wanted to know who he represented, what he represented, what it meant, why he was lying there. These were all secondary reactions to a sort of emotional yank on that part of me that flinches when someone’s in pain.
There’s a sense of helplessness when I look at this cover, a feeling that makes your heart sort of cave in on itself. The artwork, designed by Ellen Lawson, portrays a frozen moment in time that feels so devoid of hope. That moment can lend itself to a reaction of holding your breath from either surprise or fear. Then other questions may arise, like Does this person recover? Will this character keep suffering? Will this MC continue to fight? But what I love the most about this cover art is the fact that I keep asking it, what does this mean? What do you mean?
Yes, and when I write “it,” I do mean the cover. Gigged is one of those few covers I’ve encountered in the past few years that have actually made me feel crazy enough to talk to an inanimate object. Genius.
Also: today’s cover-love-fest kicks off two more days of posts! Tomorrow, graphic designer Ellen Lawson will stop by to provide some insight on the design process behind GIGGED’s cover art. Then, stay tuned to hear from author Heath Gibson, the man who created the words that inspired the cover.
