The Cover Is Uncovered

Behold, a sneak peak at the cover (and spine) of The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival. I received it over the weekend and I have to say I’m pretty damn pleased by the illustration, which was done by Tim O’Brien, and the design by Kristine Mills-Noble.

The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival Cover

Considering the name of the book and sometimes overbearing pressure to go after the women’s market, I was having night sweats about pastel pinks, little white bunnies and, horror of horrors, a face full of comic sans font work. This easily exceeded my expectations and seeing it makes the whole thing seem that much more real.

This scan doesn’t quite do the thing justice as it lost some of the vibrancy of the color. The blues and blacks are deeper and richer.

By the way, for those of you who’ve been to the real Grand Prairie . . . yes, we’re all aware that the illustration doesn’t look like the real thing. But would you pick up a book that showed nothing more than Highway 103 cutting through some soybean fields? I didn’t think so.

A Word About Instruction Manuals

Dear manufacturers of electronics devices. I know you think your device is so intuitive that a drunk baby could figure it out. And I appreciate those six-page quick-start guides that let us–especially the guys–just fire up our toys and get going. BUT YOU SHOULD BE INCLUDING THE ENTIRE INSTRUCTION MANUAL WITH MY PURCHASE.

Here’s the deal. Many times your product isn’t as intuitive as you think it is–especially when it comes to setting or changing preferences. And this includes you, Apple (though this particular rant isn’t inspired by an Apple product). And some of us LIKE to read instruction manuals or at least have them handy so that we don’t have to call tech support, which typically means calling a guy in India who will then read the instruction manual to us.

Sure, I know. I can go to the web and download the PDF. But you know what? I just shelled out hundred of dollars for this thing. Why should I have to take more time to go download a PDF and then, if I’m so old school I want to print out the instruction manual (maybe so I can multitask on the toilet), waste 200 or 300 pages of my own paper and all that toner cartridge or ink (or, in some cases, my employer’s paper and ink).

Listen, I get it. Paper and printing is expensive. Especially when research shows no one is reading the damn instruction manual. And this lets you claim to be environmentally aware–”Oooh. Look. We’re saving paper. Oooo.”

But I don’t care. I want my instruction manual IN THE BOX. And, also, I hate trees.