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Friday, July 6, 2012

Input from Navajo Readers Appreciated

A Heart to Understand has a major character who occupies much of the book who is half-Dine and half-White. I started this mystery/suspense/thriller in Lawrence, KS with the premise (and several more premises) that two women were missing from Haskell All Nations University. I researched Haskell and found that the majority of students there were Navajo. That led me on what turned out to be a quest, really, to learn more about the Navajo culture. I encountered the Navajo creation story and was blown away: Here is a creation story as every bit as complicated and wonderful as the Greek myths. I did the best I could to incorporate that creation story into A Heart to Understand. Obviously, I hope it will appeal to the Navajo people and to readers who are interested in Navajo culture. So, I really care about the cover design. And, if you are Navajo, I hope you'll comment on which cover approach would appeal to you. Here is the prologue to the story:


In the beginning was the wind. And when the earth came, the wind cared for it. And when the darkness came, the wind breezed across it beautifully. And when the dawn came and laid its lightness over the darkness, We, the People, were created. And the wind kissed our faces.

Here are the cover design approaches I'm looking at.



6 comments:

  1. I've forwarded this blog on Facebook and Google+ with a request to further share/+1 it, so hopefully you'll get some input!

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  2. I had responded to the other request, and had originally voted for the painting. But now, reading your background and looking at the covers again, I would vote for the picture of the man.

    I wasn't sure at first about the white background, though I think it works well with the way the picture is shadowed on the edges. Though the shadowing would probably still work if the background was another neutral color.

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    1. Thanks, Dale, I appreciate you taking the time to give me your opinion. That white background seems to stick in a lot of craws.

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  3. Hi Randy! Nice to see you're in the Blogfest/ Where's that intro post? ;)

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  4. Randy,
    Love that you used the creation story of the Navajo. I too incorporated it into my YA novel. Although I am not Navajo my grandmother was raised by a Western Shoshone woman and the stories are basically the same. I prefer the second cover. The first looks too much like a tour guide and I think the book store browser will pick up the second cover. Great to meet you durign blog fest.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Connie, for your reply. People who have closer association with Native Americans are favoring the second cover, too. The white background seems to jar, though. I think your comment about the "tour guide" about the first cover is perceptive and clarified my problems with it.

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