I'm publishing a book...Need help.

[Hawkzombie]

And I need a little help. It's a collection of the poetry I've written over the past decade, and I need help coming up with a name, and then need help designing a cover for it.

It's mostly angsty, emotional, very visceral and blunt. But there are a number of 'love poems' in there as well. 115 total (so far, I've been on a huge poem kick and have written over 30 in the past 2 weeks) and 3 'jokes'.

Any ideas on what to name it? And who would be willing to help me design a cover once I've got a name? Thanks guys.

[KamaItachi]

'Justin Bieber's Diary'

[johnperkins21]

Socks, Lies and Videotape?

[Hawkzombie]

Neither of you are helping. :p

[Blue]

Life Socks: Tales From The Dark Drawer.

[Geddlo]

Name it after one of the poems that will be in the book.

[Blue]

Name it after one of the poems that will be in the book.

You're doing it wrong.

[Hawkzombie]

Name it after one of the poems that will be in the book.

I thought about that, but I never actually NAMED my poems. They're all just the first few words/first line of the poem itself.

Life Socks: Tales From The Dark Drawer.

That was so punny.

[VerseD]

The only book of poetry that I've ever owned that is not named Selected Poems is Leaves of Grass; and since that name is taken, and taken brilliantly from a Ralph Waldo Emerson essay, I have no idea. Can you post a poem or two here to give an idea of the content of your collection? Even a favored verse would do.

[Urizen]

May the Rats Eat Your Eyes, and Other Stories of Love and Adoration

[Scaryfaced]

I'd call it "Mostly Angsty, Emotional, Very Visceral and Blunt", but I'm a high concept sorta guy.

[BLeeP]

All the Poems I've Ever Written Including the Ones that are a Bit Shit

[Spectre-7]

Pick poem at random. Pick line at random. Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V. Voila! Works especially well if the line is non-constituent (http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/005333.html) and seemingly nonsensical.

Alternately, call it The Knife, The Blood.
And read Fletch Won, by Gregory Mcdonald.

[Hawkzombie]

The Knife, The Blood...I actually kinda like that.

All the Poems I've Ever Written Including the Ones that are a Bit Shit

I don't hate this.

May the Rats Eat Your Eyes, and Other Stories of Love and Adoration

Ok, that made me laugh. Hard.

VerseD: Here are a few of them

Broken sons of Chaos; split from the moment of conception
Legacy of splintered fate and twisted destiny
Choking the air that they breathe
Poisoning the food that they taste

Sharpen the axe to cut the cord
Release of the darkest point
Gemini in life and death; chaos and serenity

Twin brothers of the same body
Twin minds of the same soul
Dichotomy of Duty and Law

One bleeds to feed the other
The other bleeds to save itself
Watch the pool gather at their feet

Watch the world burn at their hands
Crescendo this last dance
Increase the tempo until it’s a blur
Spinning round and round in the night
Until into the twilight I disappear

Let the steps be meaningful
May the whispers be special
For the last dance is the one I cannot ignore
The last embrace the one I cannot let go

To give up is the only way to hold on
Letting go the only way to keep faith
Quitting the grind the only way to move forward
Going numb the only way to feel

Break through the blur into the dance
Slow down to the last step
An eternity to speak the last words


Furious Heavens crack against my walls
Splintering the shelter I’ve made for myself
God’s words mean nothing in the vacuum
The only comprehension is that of blood and flesh

Break open my cavity
Pull out my heart
Burn it down and watch it explode
I fight on; Undying with the fury of the heavens
Unmatched am I in my rage
In my task

Fighting against all odds, breaking the walls back
Finding the cracks and throwing them open
Wounds made not in vain but with purpose
Free myself to see myself
Give that to those doubters
Feed that to the unbelievers

I was something
I was someone
I was a name, I was a life

I Made a choice
You made a mistake

God forgives the sins he cannot see
I forgive only those I’m forced to witness

One Love

Take all that I am – Everything and More
For that is all I could ever hope to give
To come close to all you have given.

Your Love to me is the air I breathe
Your happiness, my nourishment
You are my treasure, more precious than gold
Your passion, the fire in my soul.

Your sadness shatters my world
And I scramble to repair it.
But your smile
Your deep, soulful eyes
Makes all that I have faced, All that brings me down
Disappear.

Thank You, My One Love

[Scaryfaced]

I'd go with "Break Open My Cavity"

[Spectre-7]

Was somewhat serious about grabbing a line at random. Some selections that would probably make decent titles.


Broken Sons
bleeds to feed
Burn at Their Hands
eternity to speak the last
Heavens Crack Against
Nothing in the Vacuum
Break open my
I was a name
sins he cannot see
to give, to come close
Love to me
Your passion, the fire
scramble to repair

[KamaItachi]

'"I once had sex with an electric pencil sharpener" and other Tales of Woe'

[VerseD]

VerseD: Here are a few of them

Thanks for the poetry. I like One Love, but Bob Marley claimed that. I couldn't explain why, but The Knife, The Blood seems to fit with your collection -- or The Axe, The Blood to fit in closer with that first poem. I also like what Spectre-7 suggests: One Bleeds to Feed the Other or Watch the Pool Gather At Their Feet would make fine titles.

[Hawkzombie]

Yeah, Spectre had some good ideas.

Taking a line from the poems would work especially since the one like 'One Bleeds to Feed the Other' seems to fit VERY well.

[AntonThaGreat]

What was that that Kvothe said about poets? :p

[Hawkzombie]

Har har.

I've decided on the name! One Bleeds to Feed the Other really seems to be the one, as I like how it sounds, and it seems to fit a lot of the poems I've written.

Thanks all for the input...now I just need to find someone to help me design a cover :p

[Akion-Totocha]

Reading poems makes me anxious. I think it's the format.. :c

[Hawkzombie]

What was that one online service where you basically set a goal for money you want to earn for a project, and then people donate towards it and only pay if the goal is reached? A few people have done it here and I forgot what it was. It could be a great way to earn a little capital to get myself an ISBN for the book and eBook versions.

[Crittias]

What was that one online service where you basically set a goal for money you want to earn for a project, and then people donate towards it and only pay if the goal is reached? A few people have done it here and I forgot what it was. It could be a great way to earn a little capital to get myself an ISBN for the book and eBook versions.Kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/).

[Hawkzombie]

Ah! Thanks a ton.

[Hawkzombie]

Ok, Kickstarter is only for US residents :p

Anyway, Lulu.com actually offers ISBNs for free now, so I'm set there. Settled on a title (One Bleeds to Feed the Other), got a few friends proof-reading the finished copy of the book as well, and trying to find someone to help with the cover.

Only problem now? A suitable Pen Name. My name is Christopher Michael Wayne Hawkins. I've been leaning towards C.M.W. Hawkins but a friend said I should just go with Christopher Hawkins

What do you guys think?

[Doctor Setebos]

Chris Hawk.

[BLeeP]

Rawk Hawk.

[National Kato]

"I Was A Name, I Was A Life" would be perfect.

[shunoshi]

Sawk Hawk.

[Crittias]

J.K. Rowling.

[evilgoodwin]

6Vb2U89EJG4

[didigodori]

I believe you, thanks

[Hawkzombie]

Flint Ironstag. /thread

[Hawkzombie]

Ok, cover is done. Things are pumping along at an awesome pace...but now I'm faced with one more important question:

How much should I charge?

It's about 150 pages and over 130 poems. My gut is telling me 12.99. It's a decent price and I still turn an ok profit for whatever copies are sold outside of lulu.com And then 2.50 for the eBook version. Suggestions? Does this seem too high? I'm just wondering what seems fair without dicking me over on what I'd be making and what seems greedy and just a cash grab on my part.

[Hawkzombie]

Eh, I went ahead and did 12.99 for the book and 2.99 for the eBook. If it doesn't do so hot I'll adjust the prices as necessary. I'm just really excited to have this come to this point.