Thunderstone (YA Fantasy Novel)
a CreateSpace book project by textualdeviance

Creative brief

The buyer added updates to the brief. Read them.

Author's Name

Shawna Walls

Synopsis

YA fantasy novel.

Back-cover blurb:

Young Mirya Thunderstone, like all Dwarf women, has lived her entire life sheltered in her people's mountain home. She longs to visit the topland--the world outside the mountain--and to earn battle glory like her late, war-hero brother. But when an accident strands her on the topland, she soon finds there's more to being a hero than wielding a weapon.

Aided by a charming otterkin couple, a deadly Elf warrior, a mellow Native hunter and an outcast orc, Mirya must use both battle skills and wits to find the truth behind the war that claimed her brother's life.

Size Info

Trim size: 5" x 8",
Page count: 250,
Interior type: Black and White,
Page color: White,
Spine width: 0.563"

Who are your readers?

Late teens to early 20s. Will likely appeal most to young women.

What 3 things would you like to communicate to your readers with this design?

The lead character, Mirya, is a strong young woman who feels restricted by her culture's role for women. She is fiercely independent, but a little naive. She has a deep affinity for the Thunderstone axe, the legendary weapon passed down through her family, and longs to use it in the Dwarves' war with the Mulaq, a race of deerlike people.

What colors do you want to see in your design?

This is set in an alternate history of the Pacific Northwest, particularly the area around Mt. Rainier. The majority of the story takes place in late summer. So the green/blue/brown of an alpine forest and rivers would be good.

Dwarf culture in this story is vaguely Tolkienesque, but based loosely on northern Russia of the middle ages. Mirya wears a simplified version of that culture's traditional garb: a cream-colored underdress with an embroidered, blue apron or jumper (called a sarafan) over the top. She is not rich, and her culture has been away from its homeland for hundreds of years, so this shouldn't be elaborate at all. She has a round face, bronze-colored braids and hazel eyes.

What colors do you NOT want to see in your design?

Aside from necessary bits for facial coloring and shading, no pinks, oranges, etc.

Describe the style(s) you like (traditional, modern, etc.)

This is a fairly traditional fantasy adventure, so going with that is fine. The attached image is a sample mockup of what I'm looking for. It's actually very close to what I want. The only things different should be that the young woman should look like a proper Dwarf (short, stout) and the background should be summery, not winter.

What content must be included in your design?

Mirya and her axe are a must. Including some of the other characters is optional (I can explain more about them if needed.)

Mirya's axe is double-bladed, with a large, blue stone in the haft between the blades.

NOTE: Please leave space for a 2" by 1.2" white box in the lower right-hand corner of the book's back cover for the ISBN barcode. Images or text in the barcode location will be covered when the book is printed. Make sure you don't have any important elements where the barcode will be placed. Visit CreateSpace for more tips on book cover sizing and requirements.