[jackz4000]

One does not need to be a gun expert in telling apart the MP10 to the M4, they are totally different guns. Readers are usually quite knowledgeable about things that interest them and those who know guns can be especially brutal, just as Regency Romance readers can be. Don't know if the OP included his gun preference for the cover--but for $250 he got slip-shod service.

It's really important for the author to have good communication with the designer throughout the process. I don't think this is RP's first disappearing act.

 

[Victorine]

Which is the reason for my next two sentences which you didn't quote: "I know, given the time frame involved it seems like he could have made it to a library or something. Still, I just wanted to offer my experience with Ronnell as a counterpoint."

I didn't see the other threads about Ronnell, so I really have no idea what's going on-- and I agree that it does seem very egregious, at least on the surface. I'm not defending him, just offering my experience--and frankly I wouldn't use him again myself until these outstanding complaints were resolved.

But we'd certainly feel bad if we learned that he was hit by a bus or something (except maybe the OP, who is out $250-j/k).

I totally understand what you're saying, MJ, and I am definitely the kind of person to give someone the benefit of the doubt. The only problem is with Ronnell, I've heard numerous stories all pretty much saying the same thing. He took money, either produced a cover that needed some tweaks and then never did them, or didn't ever produce covers and stopped emailing the people. The last time this happened, after many emails went unanswered, the guy emailed from a different account and pretended to be a new customer. He got an email in ten minutes.

This is not a random bus hitting incident. This is a pattern, and I do think it's okay to talk about it.

And I do think if someone wants to work with Ronnell, they should get their proof done first and then give him the money. An artist can put a watermark on a proof so they are sure to get paid for their work. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[JumpingShip]

Sorry to hear you have had such a hard time. How frustrating! A couple of years ago, when Ronnell was just starting out, he offered to do some sample covers for some of us as a way for him to get his name out there. Things didn't work out for me when I took him up on the offer and he wasn't happy with me. (It was not a big involved cover. It was more like a stock photo he put some text on and the stock photo wasn't at all what I wanted.)

Anyway, I had the very opposite experience with Victorine.  I bought one of her pre-made covers a few months back for a book I'm releasing this month. I asked for a few things tweaked and she not only did them, she literally did them in like, 15 minutes! And she was trying to go on vacation. I tried telling her there wasn't a rush (although, I admit, I was really excited to see the final cover--I would have waited.)

 

[MJWare]

I totally understand what you're saying, MJ, and I am definitely the kind of person to give someone the benefit of the doubt. The only problem is with Ronnell, I've heard numerous stories all pretty much saying the same thing. He took money, either produced a cover that needed some tweaks and then never did them, or didn't ever produce covers and stopped emailing the people. The last time this happened, after many emails went unanswered, the guy emailed from a different account and pretended to be a new customer. He got an email in ten minutes.

This is not a random bus hitting incident. This is a pattern, and I do think it's okay to talk about it.

Yes, I agree it's fine to talk about. Frankly, I think Keith did the right thing by letting everyone know.

I also think it's fine to post my experiences, as long as I preface then by letting members know it's been a while.

At this point, I couldn't recommend him either and really hope no one got burned based on my past recommendation.

 

[JRTomlin]

It would seem that images descriptions do matter to some readers. I can can recall a discussion post (not on here) where a number of posts discussed and complained of covers, particularly from indie authors, where say the picture of a woman or man had no resemblance to the characters as described in the book. As an example one cited something similar to --- a blond on the cover, but the character in the book had black hair.

I am a war book/soldier's story book fan and the wrong gun on in the hands of someone on the cover would matter to me. It would signal that maybe the book was by someone who didn't know what they were writing about with any degree of authenticity.

Provided the OP specified the requirement for a specific rifle, then his complaint about the image is justified. There is no excuse, other than illness or vacations for a lack of communication. Clearly now this thread has been posted, then the situation is obviously at the point of no return. I don't know which country in which the designer resides, but if he was in the UK, I would take him to the small claims court if it was not possible to resolve. If you paid by credit card, or by paypal, then I would make a claim to them for repayment if your card laws are the same as in the UK.

These things do matter. Those of us who write war fiction go to some lengths to try to make our stories reflect the weapons used and many of us are very particular about covers. On my own cover of Countenance of War, the weapons and armorials were extensively researched by the artist.

I have exchanged at least a dozen emails with the artist working on the cover for my next novel. (For example, his concept art showed arrows and I immediately told him that archers didn't take part in that particular battle so they won't be in the final painting) Most of the emails were from him asking for my input and information. This is how it should be.

Except for emails going to spam, there is no excuse in my opinion for the lack of communication in this case. Even if the artist were going on vacation, he would have a responsibility to let his client know that he would not be available.

 

[swolf]

The last time this happened, after many emails went unanswered, the guy emailed from a different account and pretended to be a new customer. He got an email in ten minutes.

If that's true, and I have no reason to doubt it, then it speaks volumes.

 

[CaedemMarquez]

That name sounds so familiar! I know as soon as I find his avatar,  I will recognize him! I hope it isn't who I think it is.

 

[MJWare]

That name sounds so familiar! I know as soon as I find his avatar, I will recognize him! I hope it isn't who I think it is.

It probably is and it's pretty disheartening. He's an old time KB member--even did some of Amanda's first covers way back when. It's certainly tough to hear!

 

[Not Here]

It probably is and it's pretty disheartening. He's an old time KB member--even did some of Amanda's first covers way back when. It's certainly tough to hear!

Last year there was something similar that happened and she publicly denounced him. There was a big thread on here detailing the whole thing (which was quickly locked). I just hope the OP gets his money back. It's a real shame.

 

[Monique]

I have heard similar and, sadly, far worse stories from other clients over the last year plus.

 

[MJWare]

Wow, I missed all of that. I guess it happens when threads get locked--or when one is totally oblivious ;-)

(Actually, I do sort of remember one thread, but I thought everything had been worked out).

 

[Not Here]

Not that I had heard but I certain hope so.

 

[Griffin Hayes]

I originally hired Ronnell to do the cover for my novel Malice last year. Back then at least he was fairly fast and didn't require any fee up front (things have clearly changed). I believe he charged $100. After about a week or two of waiting he produced what to me looked like a mock-up, but to him was a finished product. When I told him the cover wasn't what I was looking for and suggested a fresh start, he seemed to lose interest.

Thank God I didn't pay anything up front. I then found Kit Foster, my current designer, and I couldn't be happier. He's fast, very affordable, polite and always patient with my perfectionist streak. He also only gets paid when the job is done. Mention my name and you might get a deal (no guarantees though). http://www.kitfosterdesign.com

Regarding the OP, I've worked with other designers when Kit was busy and I've been burned several times. Once by waiting for 4 months on a cover that ended up being little more than a bunch of empty promises and another with a designer who used to work for a publisher and brought lots of 'industry knowledge'. I paid $300 (half of an extremely high fee) for that last one by the time I realized we weren't shall we say 'well suited' and once again came out coverless.

That's why posts like this are so important. Buyer beware!

 

[Nell Gavin]

Imagine what little interest he had in me! I won free cover art from Ronnell in a limerick writing contest. I was out no money - his services were a "prize."

So I tell him what I want. For instance, "I want a girl, and she must be wearing black." His first mockup was of a girl in white. Then I told him I wanted a "musing, retrospective vibe." He gives me this clashing hot pink font, a leaping rock star, and blood splatters.

"I'll take it from here," I told him. And then he went away.

 

[CaedemMarquez]

That name sounds so familiar! I know as soon as I find his avatar, I will recognize him! I hope it isn't who I think it is.

It probably is and it's pretty disheartening. He's an old time KB member--even did some of Amanda's first covers way back when. It's certainly tough to hear!

Looks like it is who I thought it was. That stinks.

I remember reading about some of his successes and was really happy for him. I know there are two sides to every story but this is a bummer. He seemed like someone to grab a beer with and watch a game with as we hammered out a deal (which he would live up to) not someone to avoid doing business with.

I looked at his profile; he hasn't been here since April it seems.

Sorry to the original poster that this happened and to others this has happened too.

Caedem

 

[emilyward]

I worked with Ronnell Porter, but he actually asked me to do a few covers for him. I thought it was kind of odd considering he was a designer, but maybe he wanted a new eye. I ended up doing just the background and he did the font work, but he was courteous and quick in communication. It's too bad reading all of these stories. Kind of baffling, but not an isolated incident, so... My husband or I do my covers, but I'd stay far away from him after hearing all of this.

 

[Keith McArdle]

Jan (and another lady whose post seems to have disappeared now),

Thanks for the idea to check the junk mail folder of my email program, I have done so, but unfortunately there are no messages there.


MJ,

That's how I actually found Ronnell to begin with. I saw an Amanda Hocking book on Amazon, thought the cover looked cool, so used the 'Look Inside' feature to see if the designer was mentioned (which he was).


Well I'm now in contact with another cover designer (Najla Qamber). She has been nothing but professional and helpful (and a hell of a lot cheaper). 

 

[Maria Hooley]

Keith,

I'm certain you won't have that problem with Najla.  She designed two covers for me, and both are exceptional.  She is also very professional.

 

[William Stacey]

Yeah, let's spam both here and Ammy forums with the same post, and call someone who's apparently delivered the artwork (which you called 'great'), a 'scammer' because there's such a major difference between an MP-4 and an MP-10.
*rolls eyes*
I hope you pay the same sort of attention to line edits.

There is a world of difference between an M-4 (not as you wrote "MP-4") and an MP-10. One is a carbine; the other is a submachine gun.

Sheesh

*rolls eyes even higher than you did*

I'd have been pissed, too. Details matter.

 

[JessicaMeigs]

Unfortunately, I don't believe I'm allowed to get into details, but my experience with Ronnell was virtually identical to the original poster's: covers that didn't meet my specifications (he used what appeared to be teenagers as the models for characters that are 33 and 40 years old), and when I asked him to redo (especially on the cover with the 40 year old), he refused and told my publisher that I was difficult to work with and that he didn't see anything wrong with the cover art he'd chosen.

It eventually lead to us deciding to not work with Ronnell on the covers and requesting the $300 deposit back, which he refused to provide, saying we should have known what we were getting when we hired a cheap cover artist.

Throughout all of this, he went incommunicado frequently, with long bouts of not replying to emails to either myself or my publisher, including almost three weeks of no communication because he couldn't be bothered to answer an important question I'd asked him, despite the fact he'd been told the job was a priority that needed to be done as soon as possible (which he'd agreed to before requesting the deposit). There are a lot more details than that, but I don't really believe the details are necessary. Just read the original poster's post and you'll get the basics of what happened.

Needless to say, we decided to go with a new cover artist (Stephanie Mooney), and her covers for the series so far are mindblowingly awesome and I can't wait to reveal them to the world.