Here's the cover for the Italian edition of Severance Package, which will be published this year by Newton and Compton. Your eyes are not playing tricks; that is indeed a human being in a bear (possibly raccoon?) suit, holding a rifle. The title is Uccidere O Essere Uccisi, which Babelfish tells me is something like To Kill or Be Murdered. (I'm sure, like most things, it sounds more elegant in Italian.) I've been going back and forth thinking this cover is either genius or lunacy... quite possible a little of both. It also puts me in the mind of that infamous "furry" episode of CSI... but let's not go there. Anyway, what do you guys think? Genius or lunacy?
Annother Giveaway!
28 minutes ago
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16 comments:
HAHAHAHAHAHA.
VG
One of the things I liked about Severance Package was the interior art. I'm curious if the Italian version will just have the bear. That might be worth buying on it's own.
WTF?
Which I think was the point anyway. Gets people to pick up the book.
See, now I'm thinking you were kind of dumb NOT to have a guy in a bear suit with a rifle actually in the book.
Hmmm, interesting. It took me quite a few moments to even notice he was actually carrying a weapon. I was too busy looking deep into his furry eyes.
Honestly. I probably wouldn't even pick it up if I didn't know the author.
The cover is funny, but I think Craig has a point. If you were walking through a bookstore and saw this cover, would you really pick the book up to find out more about it? I wouldn't. I also think Severance Package deserves a much better cover that depicts a little of what the story is actually about. The Italian publishers are going to screw up the sales of the book with a man in a bear suit on the cover. But, who knows? Duane can let us know how the sales are going in a couple of months. I hope I'm wrong, and the book sells a million copies in Italy! If it does, mystery writers in America will want bears on the front of all of their upcoming novels for 2010.
Lunacy, pure and simple. Sorry, Dwayne.
~ Ron C.
Where can one get a copy of this? Is there an Italian Amazon?
I want one!
I completely freakin' disagree with anyone who thinks that cover will not make people pick up the book to see what the hell it is about. It's a wild book. And they certainly came up with a wild cover.
The only people who will be disappointed with this cover will be the Italians who will not find the scene actually in the text.
(Duane, maybe you can write them a quick scene that they could insert into the book where someone steps out of closet dressed this way, then gets the stuffing beat out of them.)
There's that old saying that some days you are the hunter and some days you're the bear. This guy gets to be both. That's crazy cool.
TL
I love the pulpy artwork of the US version, but I think the title To Kill or Be Murdered should be used sometime.
The title's not bad, but combined with the cover it makes it sound like it's going to be a book with some environmental, don't-kill-the-animals message.
It feels a little "Donny Darko" to me. But replace Bear/Racoon with Bunny.
I err on the side of genius. That's a hell of a cover.
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
I want that cover blown up and framed on my wall. Failing that, I want an oversized, gun-wielding raccoon as my pet.
Genius or Lunacy? Lunacy! But I like this cover. Now on line on my blog: http://armati.splinder.com/post/20617095/Uccidere+o+essere+uccisi+di+Du
greetings from Italy,
Cristiano
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