When local architectural historian and author, John Tschirch, came to me with the idea of self publishing his new book of short stories I was excited to embark on the journey. Over the next few months we would work on editing, designing and marketing Gods and Girls and bringing it to life in print and on screen.
John suggested using a photograph of Cupid’s Kiss for the cover. Seeing the photograph, I knew that I wanted to employ a white background with subtle variations in light and shadows. Working with public domain imagery, I was able to edit the photograph specially for the use-case.
From there, I began to create logo concepts. The logo that I enjoyed the most was created using the typeface Caslon CP. I chose this because of its sharp features and luxurious swashes. It is both severe and playful and fits perfectly with the themes of Gods and Girls.
In designing page layouts for Gods and Girls we researched at Bristol Library. We combed the archives and referenced both classical and contemporary book design. After a few printed drafts, we knew we had the right mix of ‘easy to read’ and ‘beautiful to behold’.
Once the book was complete, we set out to publish it ourselves. We settled on a few platforms, Blurb, Amazon and Apple Books. Blurb and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing would allow us to print on demand for customers and with bulk purchases receiving discounted rates, it just made sense.
By publishing ourselves, we were able to control every aspect of the design process and keep the cost of the book low without sacrificing quality.
For the Apple Bookstore, I designed a clean and simple ePub format layout. This makes reading on an iPhone or iPad a wonderful modern experience.
I am so happy with the reception that the book has garnered. As people began to receive their books they took to social media to praise the design and the content. John was able to break even in the first week and I am happy to say, is now making a profit on his wonderful work.
If you would like to work with me to self publish your book then please contact me at andrewadamides@icloud.com