The Moth & Cobweb covers started out meh, but then you found a stellar artist. Appendix N has art by the same gentleman. Your print editions for Mr. Grant's Maxwell Saga has new and attractive art. The Rod Walker covers are great fun, and the Kalsi and Cheah cover look wonderful. You could also use this to rerelease the alternate cover Corrosion had, with the alternate author.
And I know you don't own the art for some, like Mr. Van Creveld's nonfiction books, Mr. Grant's Westerns, and Mr. Cole's that you do print editions for. But you've got some serious art here. As one of the marks of civilization is beauty, why not sell some folios of posters? Say, selected fantasy covers, sf covers, and There Will Be War covers. Perhaps a selected fiction and nonfiction collection, with David the Good's covers, Loki's Child, Cuckservative, and more?
It's just a thought, and I don't know the rights status for these outside of books. But man, I want some of this for my walls. I'd even take a Selenoth collection and consider the map for a game store campaign, leaving it on their wall.(yes, I do remember there's a potential ACKS thing going to happen.)
Now, I'm not suggesting these for shirts, they're really detailed. Mugs, perhaps. Maybe a phone cover? I'm not a big merch guy, but I know that a lot of people are, and it would increase public awareness of the properties. And for your upcoming Faraway Wars, while I'm guessing you have a video game in the works, merch will help push that out as well, building brand awareness.
Note to indie authors and cover artists: This goes for you guys, too. If you get a big bunch of great covers, use them for marketing. Get some of the best covers you have, and sell the posters. Who does this depends on the rights, but that's for you to hash out.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
As Brian Niemeier said, "Control your IP!"
ReplyDeleteAnd one of the best ways to control it is to force it to make you more money.