My name receives a brand

[steepholm]

I've just been sent the jacket image for my second Barrington Stoke book, Hand of Blood (due out next July):



I must say, I really like it - not least for the way it picks up the lettering from the equally-groovy Kiss of Death (2007):



I never saw myself as a horror writer before I did these two short books, but now I've got a bit of taste for the sanguinary art. What next, though? Clearly the body part-of-creepy thing formula is a winner, but how to extend it? Elbow of Terror? Kneecap of Ragnarok? All suggestions gratefully received.

Comments

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

Neck of Lamb
Foot of Stool

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Foot of Stool

That's a pretty long stool!

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

The hangnail of putrification.

Those are great covers. I like the bit at the bottom of the handprint where it seems to have been suddenly whooshed against the pane.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Yes, I like that too! Coming soon to a windscreen near you...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Awesome covers.

Toes of Trauma? Heel of Hell?

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Toes of Trauma? Heel of Hell?

Great - then I can have a marketing tie-in on a line of blister pads.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Bunion of Bother!

[lady-schrapnell.livejournal.com]

Overlooking the fact that a kiss isn't generally considered a body part, how about Something of Gore? Forget subtlety! Bucket(s) of Gore might do it. The "of" is especially cool in both covers, isn't it? Bathtub of Gore has a ring to it as well....

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

How about "An Inconvenience of Gore"?

[mraltariel.livejournal.com]

Eyebrow of Slight Distress

Great cover!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Eyebrow of Slight Distress

I'm seeing this as a Mr Spock look?

[mraltariel.livejournal.com]

It is for the nervous child. It goes with 'The Back Of The Knee of Mild Upset But It All Works Out OK In The End' and 'The Tummy Of A Moment's Anxiety But Drifting Back Off To Happy Sleep'.

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

Soupçon of Gore?

I love those covers!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Barrington Stoke's covers are always excellent.

[sovay]

Kneecap of Ragnarok?

. . . I totally want something titled that now.

[aryky.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have to agree. I would definitely buy a book with that title.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Absolutely!

Now I want to see Grabthar's Hammer break Ragnarok's Kneecap...

Nine

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Hand of Blood already features someone's hand being chewed by a wolf German Shepherd, a feature I hereby claim as an intertextual nod to Norse mythology.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I'd say "Talon of Terror", except that the Barrington Stoke test readers would might not like the word "talon."

Ears of Evil? Palm of Peril? The Ankles of Anguish? The Buttocks of Doom?

Heart of Darkness? No, wait, I think that might possibly have been done before... ;-)

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Heart of Darkness is actually very appealing! There's no copyright on titles, after all - and I'm sure Conrad would have been happy to share.