The Cover of Smoke and Mirrors
WITH MATTHEW LEDREW

Smoke and Mirrors, the third book in the Black Womb series, came out March 2009. It features a laundry list of new and recurring characters, the longest page-count of any Engen Book to date and promises closure to at least one of the mysteries posed at the start of the series. But according to author Matthew LeDrew, there's one other very important thing it has.

"A kick-ass cover." Matthew laughs.

In October 2007, Matthew spoke with us about his long search for the correct cover to his debut novel Black Womb. Now, over a year a a half later, he come to speak with us about the trials and tribulations behind devising the cover to the self-described "third act" to the series.

This was the first image designed to be a cover to Smoke and Mirrors, pencilled and inked in 2003.

"There was one like this in the cover story for Black Womb as well." remarked LeDrew. "Thats not a coincidence. They were actually drawn within twenty-four hours of one another. They were designed to be more 'movie covers' than anything.

"I honestly don't like this one. None of the characters look like they do now... they didn't even look like they did then. My artistic skills left much to be desired back then

"However, the deign for Megan Greene (lower, right) is great. Much to be desired realisim wise, but good all the same. Also, we get a second glimpse of the original Womb-symbol, at the time just a heart."

This was the second image to be a cover of Smoke and Mirrors, completed in October 2004.

"This is more like it. It would make the lamest cover to a novel ever, but at the time I designed it I was thinking 'comic' not 'novel'. I love the 'ripped' look across the center. I love how angry Mike looks... I like that it takes you a moment to realize he's standing over the Womb-monster.

"The bad? Mike's hands. And that guy in the rip with the blood in the background... who is that? Looks a little like Genblade..."

This was the third image created to be the cover of Smoke and Mirrors. It was pencilled and inked in November 2004.

"This one was in the running for a long time.

"Until I figured out the 'window' sheme with the first book, this one was deep in the consideration for the cover to Smoke and Mirrors. Even after the window design was desided upon, I considered taking a chunk out of this and using it in said window.

"I find it's very effective in illustrating Xander's anguish during this whole novel. His confusion. I don't know if it'll come out here, but on the background the words "All work and no play make Xander a bad bad boy" are repeated over and over again, which of course paraphrases one of my favorite novels of all time."

This was the forth image created to be the cover of Smoke and Mirrors. It was pencilled and inked in November 2004.

"Horrible image. Just plain badly drawn. But, it obviously formed the idea from what eventually became the cover of the novel, so I can't speak too harshly of it. Actually, this is kind of the first and third covers mushed into one, when you look at it.

"Again, it might be hard to tell, but the words 'Where there's smoke' make up the monster's teeth. That just happens to be the title of the first chapter to Smoke and Mirrors. Think that might be a coincidence?"

This was the fifth image created to be the cover of Smoke and Mirrors. It was pencilled and inked in October 2007.

"After I designed the cover to the first book, I did a bunch of these all at once just to kind of plan ahead. Some will be used, some wont, but there are at least thirty out there like this, all of them about the size of matchboxes."

This was the sixth and final image created to be the cover of Smoke and Mirrors, designed in the summer of 2008 and hitting stores everywhere March 2009.

"A lot of people don't like this cover. And they don't mind saying it, for some reason. They'll look at the first three and nod respectfully, then come to this one and have some kind of snyde comment.

"Personally, I love it. After this book we're getting away from images of the Womb and focusing on other characters in the series on our covers. I think if you put those three original novels side by side, they make a nice little collage of the major physical aspects of the Womb.

"In the end, I think it turned out great."

March, 2009
Engen Books