Monday, June 08, 2015

The NIGHT MUSIC Art Competition — Submissions due July 31!

To coincide with the publication of NIGHT MUSIC, I'm inviting readers to participate in an art competition. A panel of judges will select seven designs to be used for a set of art cards that will be given away with copies of the book.

Here's the brief: pick a novel of horror or the supernatural, and create an alternative cover for it. You might fancy having a go at Stoker's DRACULA, or Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN; or, The Modern Prometheus, or THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson. A novella like STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE may appeal, or something more modern like Stephen King's SALEM'S LOT, or Thomas Harris's THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, which is much a horror novel as a thriller. We'll even allow you to use short story collections as your inspiration, such as GHOST STORIES OF AN ANTIQUARY by M.R. James, or THE DUNWICH HORROR and OTHERS by H.P. Lovecraft. The choice is yours: all we ask is that the cover be inspired by a work already in print. Because one of the cards will feature the NIGHT MUSIC cover design, I'd prefer that you not choose one of my books for your design. 


Winners will receive a check for €250, or the equivalent in local currency (dollars, dinars, shells, domesticated animals) and a signed copy of NIGHT MUSIC , as well as a set of the art cards.

The art cards will measure 12.5 cm x 17.5 cm, so your design should follow those proportions. Designs may be in color or black and white, and may take the form of drawings, paintings, photographs, collages or anything else that can be reproduced by standard four-color printing processes. The design must include the title and author's name of a work of horror currently available for sale or in the public domain. Please do not use any images that would need to be licensed from their copyright holders.

Send your submissions as PDF or JPEG files, attached to an email that includes your full name and mailing address, to contact@johnconnollybooks.com with the subject line NIGHT MUSIC ART COMPETITION. Closing date for receipt of finished designs is July 31.  


Good luck!