I'm in the top ten for a contest.
hannahmosk.blogspot.com/2011/0…The incredibly awesome and inspiring hannah moskowitz (she's an author, go read her books now) wanted us to design a new cover for her book, Invincible Summer. For some background, the novel is a YA about a family with four siblings and four summers they spend at their beachhouse. The family is full-on dysfunction junction, and the two older brothers do some not-so-healthy things, too, such as sharing a girl.
Thinking about their little brother, who's about kindergarten age when the book starts, I decided to do the picture in crayon. Like a psychiatrist's office drawing. Only, you know, good. (My psychiatrist office drawings always left a little to be desired.) The little brother is also deaf, so all the other kids know at least a little sign language, and it's used throughout the book. I was looking for words or phrases I could use for the cover when I realized that the sign for 'I' is an extended pinky, while the sign for 'S' is a closed fist. Hence, you have male-hand making an inverted 'I' sign for invincible, and female-hand making an 'S' sign for summer, and it ends up looking like the girl is refusing to link pinkies with the guy (I never decided whether female-hand belonged to Claudia, their little sister, or Melinda, the girl they were sharing. Male hand could go for either of the elder brothers, as well.)
And that's all I have to say about that. I think it came out pretty nice, but I'm worried it's too washed out (it is crayon, after all, and I don't have photoshop right now) to stand up to all the digital art and photos. So please, if you're so inclined, go vote for number 9. I will give you virtual brownies and hugs.
Sincerely,
Sunny