“Can you make the title bigga?”And a lot of other books besides. Where does one begin with Jessica Bell? She looks young but she’s been a lot of theres, done a lot of thats, and left her mark on all of them; singer, performing artist, songwriter, musician, author, publisher, actor, designer, poet, fine artist, and maybe more, probably more. She’s accomplished. And she’s a mother, which as mothers know, is a job in itself. She could write a book. Books. Ten, so far.
So, let’s pare this down, choosing one line item; book cover design.
GW I was blown away by your cover design for “Chickens” as well as so many other covers you’ve done for Vine Leaves Press. In your newest book, you reveal some of the thinking behind your covers. Is it tough to do your own covers, and do you apply the same basics to yours as you do others?
JB I used to find it extremely difficult designing my own covers, because, my pre-conceived ideas are loaded with both my attachment to the story, and my visual ideas, and my idea of what kind of readers would like my books. I’ve tried targeting various audiences, but I reached a point where I decided to just be true to myself as an artist, since nothing I tried worked with my own books because I couldn’t be be objective enough. I do have success with other people’s books though:
For my last novel, How Icasia Bloom Touched Happiness, I ended up designing a whole bunch of covers and then got votes from my followers, and also ran a poll on PickFu, because I really needed to find a way to nail my own covers (and not second-guess myself!) The cover that was the most popular, was not the one I wanted to use. But I decided to trust the public, and so far so good! It’s the first novel of mine that sells consistently and I continue to get comments saying how the cover made them want to read the book.
GW In a happy coincidence we both have books coming out about the same time; in terms of your new book, “Can You Make the Title Bigga?” How did you design the cover for “Chickens One Day, Feathers the Next”?
JB Since you never sent me any notes about visuals (naughty!) I had to wing it. I worked off your book blurb, and the endorsements you’d been given. I read a couple of essays, and then launched into it. I also did a bit of research on other essay collections. Then I made a list of visuals I wanted to include: chickens running away, a mushroom cloud, a writer navigating an explosion of feathers, lots of color, but not too bright.
I didn’t quite get a ‘writer’ but I certainly found an image of a man that didn’t look like he belonged in his environment (ha!) The ‘mushroom’ cloud extends from his back which I think really represents the passing of time and all the particles in it represent the varied experiences he’s had. The mask is also protecting him from the onslaught of the unknown, and from breathing in the aftermath of life.
I originally included a cartoon chicken running away, but Amie (my partner at VLP) and I both agreed that it looked too gimmicky, so I added, instead, chicken footprints as a suggestion of a chicken having been present (which it turns out matches the title a lot better anyway!)
As you can see, I also wasn’t happy with the last three letters of ‘feathers’ so I fiddled with that too, and I also toned down the pinkiness of the cover as a whole.
GW You have an impressive blend of careers (singer, songwriter, publisher, graphic designer, author, voice-over actor, and more). How do all these disciplines complement one another, and which one did you pursue first as a kid?
JB Well, I think the writing and design know-how contributed to the success of Vine Leaves Press. I know what makes a good book on the inside, and I know how to sell a good book from the outside. I think they all feed very well off each other. Despite that beautifully aligned synergy, I get bored doing just one thing. I really thrive off having a variety of creative tasks to sink my teeth into.
As a child of parents who were songwriters and musicians, and also artists in other ways such as painting and drawing, I was singing before I could speak. Around the age of 11, this turned into poetry writing, and then song writing, and playing piano and guitar. When I reached high school, I became extremely passionate about creative writing too. Already by age 16 I was writing short stories and at least one new song a week on my 12-string guitar. So, I guess the first thing was singing!
GW Who did you write “Can You Make the Title Bigga?” for?
1) For authors self-publishing to inspire them with practical, actionable advice and information.
2) For people who work in marketing or graphic design in a publishing house, since it offers an invaluable resource.
3) And those studying graphic design, or already designing book covers professionally—or with dreams of doing so, to encourage inspiration for designs, workshops and classes.