Capesters Book Cover

Capesters

Peter G. Bielagus

Peter Bielagus (pronounced Bill-a-gus) is an author and professional speaker. For the past fifteen years, he has been writing and speaking on the subject of money management for young Americans. He is the author of three books on personal finance, Getting Loaded: Make a Million, While You’re Still Young Enough To Enjoy It, Quick Cash For Teens: Make Big Bucks and Be Your Own Boss, and Why Bother? How The Worst Pickup Line of My Life Changed My Financial Future (and How It Can Change Yours Too). Peter has traveled the world, giving over one thousand live talks at colleges and universities, corporations and military bases. A frequent guest of the media, Peter has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the Miami Herald. He even has his own YouTube show, Money In the Movies, a financial education show that uses our favorite movies to teach financial lessons. He lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA. He can be reached at www.peterbielagus.com. Capesters is his first novel.

mystery lovers, crime thriller enthusiasts, and comic book lovers. Superhero fans.

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to read this. I have included a lot of description as well as sample images to give the designers the best picture I can of what I am looking for. I am looking for a book cover designed for a fictional novel that is a murder mystery in the superhero genre. The novel takes place in the United States, in the City of Boston, Massachusetts. It is about a near future world (year 2026) where vigilantism is legal. No one in this world has any superpowers, instead "Heroes" register for a license to fight crime. Since no one has any powers, the Heroes must wear armor (like Batman or Ironman.) No one can fly, so they use cable ascenders and grappling hooks to scale buildings. The Heroes also get hurt. They bleed. They would tape their hands like boxers do. So the big key here is that the cover must feel REAL. The armor cannot feel too fantastic and out of this world, but at the same time, it cannot feel like police officer "SWAT" team body armor. For example, in this story, no one wears a cape. I have attached several images of “realistic” looking armor. The cover also cannot be too cartoony/comic-y. The word I keep coming back to is REAL. While this book is a work of fiction, it could REALLY happen. It’s quite possible. So we don’t want to drift too far from that reality with fantasy images, magical worlds, super bright colors, comic book or manga style. I see it as more photographs than fantastical drawings. This is NOT another super hero book. It is, (if I do say so myself), a unique way to look at the superhero genre. The book is also the first in a series so all the covers coming after it will be inspired by the design of the first one. I am looking not just for a cover, but for a designer who will help with all of the subsequent covers. Basic Text/Layout info: Title: Capesters Author: Peter G. Bielagus Spine: Capesters Bielagus Back: Still compiling. For now, please just focus on the front. But I do know that on the back there will be: • 5-10 sentence book description • 2-4 sentences author bio • Possible author photo • Possible 1-2 short reviews. • It is okay if some of the front cover bleeds over to the back. Fonts: I am open but the font should be distinct and feel real, as this book is the first in a series. Colors: For colors, I am thinking there is a lot of black, because it is a mystery. It shouldn’t have the brightness that radiates from so many superhero novels. Also much of the novel takes place at night. The Cover Idea: • Basic Parameters: o Lots of dark/black we should only have a glimpse of where this is. Nothing too bright. o There should be a gritty feel to it. o The images should be photos or photo shopped images, no cartoon/comic drawings. o No guns. o No capes. o The hero should be a male, based on the storyline. o The armor is mostly black, but it has traces of color. o Remember this is a series, so there will be future covers. • Idea #1: o A hero, (any race) is in ARMOR or simply BLACK SPANDEX, with his helmet and facemask off, sitting on a bench in some sort of dark locker room. • He is deep in thought, distressed about something. o We don’t know if he is getting dressed or undressed, about to go out on patrol or just having come back from one. • His eyes have the “black eye makeup” that Batman wears. • See the image from the new Watchmen of Regina King (she wears the black eye makeup.) • His hands are taped with the white tape that boxers use. • Maybe his helmet is in his hands. • PERHAPS his face is bruised after just coming back from patrol. o Behind him, dimly lit is another suit of armor. • See the images of Batman’s vault where his suit of armor, lit from above, hangs in the vault and the image from Watchmen the movie of Night Owl in front of his suit of armor. o The person on this cover should be either a white male or a black male. • Idea #2: o A man (any race) in a BUSINESS SUIT, sits on a bench in some sort of dark locker room. • He is deep in thought, distressed about something. o Behind him, dimly lit, is a suit of armor. • See the images of Batman’s vault where his suit of armor, lit from above, hangs in the vault and the image from Watchmen the movie of Night Owl in front of his suit of armor. • Idea #3: o A man (any race) in a BUSINESS SUIT, stares at a suit of armor in a vault. • The vault can be an open steel vault (like the Michael Keaton Batman) • Or a the vault can be a glass case, like the Christian Bale Batman or Night Owl’s vault in Watchmen. • The man is deep in thought. • Idea #4: o A man (any race) in BLACK SPANDEX, stares at a suit of armor in a vault. • The vault can be an open steel vault (like the Michael Keaton Batman) • Or a the vault can be a glass case, like the Christian Bale Batman or Night Owl’s vault in Watchmen. • The man is deep in thought. • If we can see his hands, his hands are taped with the white tape boxer’s wear. • His eyes have the “black eye makeup” that Batman wears. • See the image from the new Watchmen of Regina King (she wears the black eye makeup.) I have uploaded several photos from films and TV shows that show “Real” heroes (heroes that do not have any superpowers) to use as a guide. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Sincerely, Peter Bielagus

Avoid anything too cartoon-y and too comic book-ish. Remember this is a fictional story about a world that could actually happen.