01.25.12The very honorable Jim Hines has made mock of one of my covers, and been picked up by Andrew Sullivan’s blog.
I am reminded of the writer who was offered a review of his book in the New York TImes, but on the condition that the review would be an excoriation. I suppose if anyone’s cover is going to be held up for public ridicule, better that it be one of mine…
Just a heads up, tt probably won’t be the last time this happens…
Truth. But it likely won’t be picked by Andrew Sullivan all that often.
I’ve been considering doing my own version of this to demonstrate that these poses aren’t any more realistic when a skinny chick is attempting them….
Yeah, I’m of two minds. I’m all for being reminded what real bodies look and act like, but I’m don’t think strict realism is the mandate of book cover art.
And really, the debate isn’t “realistic v. not realistic.” It’s “powerful woman v. fetishistic pinup.”
Yes, you’re right. This isn’t a question about realism.
I could *totally* do that
I’m sorry, but I did laugh. Please forgive me.
I am a woman much, much older than your heroine or the model for the cover. If I were holding a rigid and strong object and, as the model is, pushing up into it, I would have no difficulty standing like that. It would actually be a nice stretch. But, women also stand with their hips akimbo holding babies on them. So perhaps it is a female flexibility versus male flexibility issue, or the type of exercise the model or I do. As soon as the critic loses about ten to twenty years of age and changes his chromosomal profile to female maybe he’ll be able to make a better critique.
Also, That may well be a position of a moment, photographed and then they moved on. And your cover’s critic also doesn’t look to be Jayne’s age, and probably not the model’s either. I can tell you from extensive Pilates that she is either a dancer, a serious Pilates and/or Yoga practitioner, all the covers show her in amazing shape. And she is young.
So, there!
Yeah, I can do it, too. Besides yoga and pilates: bellydancing. A lot of the steps require moving the ribcage drastically to the side, and we actually do exercises designed to stretch the muscles around the spine and allow it to shift further horizontally.
The pin-up part, of course, is still a valid criticism.