One Idea for a Cover

[legendhunter]

I do believe that the kid on the cover somewhat gives the impression that this book is juvenile. Reading what the story was about more though I thought what if instead of having the boy there you have instead the boy in a veterinary suit while riding the bike? Or if you want to keep the boy there you could display him holding a puppy or even displaying the puppy in the background while pointing the child's face toward the puppy?

[The Backward OX]

I’m unsure whether or not this is off-topic. It’s not about dirt roads but it is about writing – sort of.

What I want to know is how a South American gang leader came to believe that a guy from Mississippi was not a gringo but was one of them, simmply from the name Ricardo Garcia-Ramirez. I thought South Americans were swarthy. We have living in our town an indigenous Australian going by the name of Basil Featherstone rather than something like Mulrunji Doomadgee. You see his name somewhere but you’ve never met the man, you assume he’s from British stock. It’s only when you meet him, you realise something doesn’t add up.

[garza]

legendhunter - Your comments re-enforce my doubts and convince me I need to change the proposed cover.

xO - I know nothing about South American gang leaders - I've never been to South America. I do know a great deal about Central American former rebel fighters. They were not criminal gangs. They were political revolutionaries fighting for freedom. Adopting a hispanic-sounding variation of my real name made introductions easier.

Central Americans come in all flavours. While a majority are 'swarthy', as you call it, many are very dark, reflecting pure or nearly pure African ancestry, while others of pure or nearly pure European ancestry are clear skinned. The Garinagu of Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua are among the darkest skinned people in the Americas, and they all have hispanic names.

Edit - The picture is of a kid born in El Salvador and is a much processed photo, but the skin tones are correct. I posed him standing by a white wall and used another photo for the background. His grandfather's picture, a much retouched photo, is in one of the WF Newsletters titled 'Un Amigo Viejo'. Purists weep at what I do. I often combine a photo, hand sketching, and oil or watercolour to produce a picture. Only in straight news photos am I a purist.

I'm thinking I need a picture of a rural road with maybe a barn or old farmhouse on the side.

[Ditch]

Looks great Garza.

[NicholasJAmbrose]

.

[garza]

Thanks, Ditch. I'm about ready though to drop this one and start over.