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Cover Stories: Gentlemen by Michael Northrop
Today's Cover Story is a really fun one from my friend Michael Northrop (his blog is hilarious--go there). Gentlemen is his debut novel and--not to be braggy--I read it before he even sold it to Scholastic. I loved it back then, and I can't wait to read the official, final version when it comes out this week. Michael really captures the way that certain types of guys think, speak and act--every thought and action rings true. Don't you love it when books are like that?
Plus, there's a mystery. Bonus. Here's Michael (and there's a photo of him reading the book that I totally stole from his blog without permission, left):
"Gentlemen is my first published novel, but it is the fourth book I've written. (The fourth book-like thing, anyway, as the first was barely 30K words, and the second was a plotless mess.) Of the four, I only had a real cover idea for one: the plotless mess. It was called Connecticut Penal League and the hypothetical cover involved a sleek, predatory looking state police cruiser and would have been the coolest thing about an awful book.
"I don't know why I don't think of covers as I'm writing. Part of it is that the books seem so complex and shifting as I'm working on them that trying to distill all that into a single image seems daunting and maybe a little counterproductive.
"I knew that I should think about the cover once Scholastic bought Gentlemen, but all I could think of were my all-time favorite covers and none of them seemed to pertain at all. 
I mean, I've always loved the cover of Watership Down, but a silhouette of a rabbit has absolutely nothing to do with a gritty mystery about a missing boy.
"So, like a rabbit, I was all ears when my editor called and said, 'We have an idea for the cover.' It seemed like a good one: three boys, representing the main characters, standing in a mock police lineup and holding up a signboard with the title of the book on it.
"My initial input on the cover wasn't a suggestion or a probing question, which makes me feel like a bit of a slacker compared to many of the Cover Stories I've read on here. It was just me agreeing, and it included an exclamation point or two, 'That sounds great! Yeah!' Something like that.
The process began. Models were cast and put in appropriately distressed jeans and hoodies. Everyone loved the first mockup, myself included.
"And for a long time, that was going to be the cover. Some tinkering would be done with the fonts and such, but basically, it was good to go. And then it wasn't. There'd been a meeting: People had fallen out of love with it. It was too 'pretty' for a gritty 'boy book,' too soft, not tough enough.
"I looked at it on the screen as my editor relayed this by phone. Now that she mentioned it, it did kind of look like a GAP ad. I figured we'd discuss new ideas, but she told me they already had one. And not only that, they'd already made a new mockup, something tougher, something darker.
"They weren't kidding:
When I clicked on the image for the first time, I literally gasped. Look what they've done to my beautiful cover! And then I thought about it. I thought about what the characters in my book would have thought of the first version ('gay') and what they'd think of this new version ('cool'). (MW note: That is how his characters think.)
"The new cover matched what I was trying to do with the text: to create a book that boys and reluctant readers could read and pass around without being embarrassed, like the Hinton and Cormier books I read at that age. I began to think about how this macabre black cover would stand out in the forest of pastel and glitter of the YA section.
"The more I thought about it, the more I liked this cover. Pretty soon, I was raving about it. I still am. The overall effect is really striking, and if you look closely, there are a lot of clever little touches, like the dull plastic color of the zipper and the fake toe tag on the back for the barcode (MW note: see top photo of Michael reading).
"Here is the final version:
"So that's my cover story. I wasn't exactly driving the process. I was in the backseat pretty much the entire time, but I love where we wound up."
I agree! I liked that first cover when I saw it, but the second cover is way more arresting. All that black? Very cool. What do you guys think?
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Comments (19)
I thought the first one was very pretty but the second was startling. I think the latter will definitely stand out on the shelves, which is always a good thing. Robbing the YA shelves of primary colours (and pink and/or glitter) is always an impressive move!
Love it, sounds like a great read.
Posted by Adele | March 30, 2009 6:49 AM
Well I don't believe I'm really the target for this but that second cover definitely scares me, like scares me so much I don't think I could have it in my house. But then again I don't like scary movies or anything scary in general. I'm a huge baby. It will definitely capture attention though.
With that said, I do understand why the first one doesn't work. I like it but I understand how it doesn't say gritty in the least bit. For some reason, it might have been awesome if the kids looked beat up, not that has anything to do with the book, lol!
Great story!
Posted by Alea | March 30, 2009 9:39 AM
I just saw the toe tag for a barcode he mentioned, that is pretty darn brilliant!
Posted by Alea | March 30, 2009 9:42 AM
Oh wow--the first one I'd have totally passed over--but the 2nd one--Wow! (Of course I'm kind of dark and twisty)
Posted by Brooke Taylor | March 30, 2009 9:47 AM
It's brilliant--perfectly aimed at the readership. My brain did a little double-take: Oh look, a closeup of a kid wearing a black hoodie...oh.
Oh.
Posted by kathleen duey | March 30, 2009 10:53 AM
MUCH better--it's really stark and sort of gripping, in a way.
Posted by Miss Erin | March 30, 2009 10:58 AM
Like Alea, this cover kind of scares me! Totally different from the original though.
Posted by Amee | March 30, 2009 1:54 PM
Wow, cool story. Definitely different cover ideas. The second one is striking (and yes, Alea and Erin, I totally agree that it is scary). It makes me think of a thriller. But I'm a wimpy girl! :)
Posted by Em | March 30, 2009 2:40 PM
Oh wow. What a difference! The first one had a good concept but ya, it did look a bit like a GAP advert. I love the final version and I'm glad they dropped the white section at the bottom. I used to work with a group of inner city kids and I'm pretty sure the boys wouldn't have touched the first cover with a ten foot pole(one of them might've been okay with it as long as no one knew he had it) though, I think the girls would've been fine with it.
Posted by Jacqueline | March 30, 2009 3:32 PM
I love the cover for this! More YA books need to get into the creepy cover thing in my opinion. I'm also super jealous you have read it already!
Posted by Marie | March 30, 2009 4:51 PM
The final cover is quite striking and relays a very different feel (darker, certainly, and sounds more true to the plot) than the mock-up. I first saw the cover when I was adding it to Sara Crowe's website. Small world - Best wishes!
Posted by Little Willow | March 30, 2009 6:16 PM
The final cover is quite striking and relays a very different feel (darker, certainly, and sounds more true to the plot) than the mock-up. I first saw the cover when I was adding it to Sara Crowe's website. Small world - Best wishes!
Posted by Little Willow | March 30, 2009 6:16 PM
Hello! Thanks for all the comments. This is sort of the cover's public debut, so I really appreciate them.
Kathleen: Your new cover next! It is frickin' fantastic.
Marie: I will definitely bring an ARC for you on Wednesday. I am really looking forward to reading with Elizabeth Scott (speaking of gritty books...). Also, I think there are going to be, like, one million people there.
LW: That's so cool--I didn't know you knew Sara!
Posted by Michael Northrop | March 30, 2009 11:30 PM
Creepy. I love it. Very dark and moody.
Posted by mari | March 31, 2009 12:38 AM
I think the first cover although pretty looks like the cover of a chick-lit. The second one is way too good, I would pick up the book the moment i see it.
Posted by Violet | March 31, 2009 2:47 AM
What I love is how the publisher kept working to get it right. It's very interesting, arresting.
And you, Miss Melissa. I'm picturing you with a Daffodil in your arms. (you know what I mean)
Posted by Beth Kephart | March 31, 2009 8:39 AM
Wow, what a cover story! The final cover is amazing, and it totally conveys a dark and sinister story more than the original GAP-like cover. Interesting that everyone had liked the original, but then fell out of love with it later!
Posted by cecilia | March 31, 2009 1:11 PM
I like the first one, cut off head cover is always cool to me. But the second is even more interesting. A bit scary, but still intriguing.
Posted by Thao | March 31, 2009 11:36 PM
Great cover story Melissa.. off to check out MN's blog!
~Linda~
Posted by ~THE OPTIMISTIC PESSIMIST ~ | April 13, 2009 12:19 PM