That Cover Debate

Hi folks! It seems quite a few of you out there, in common with 'Dante', (see comments) liked the inclusion of the Louis Malteste drawing of the girl over the birching horse (an out-of-copyright illustration that can be found on the Creative Commons resource), as forming part of the proposed front cover of the new book. The consensus seemed to be that the bars and (especialy) the hand offering the drug capsules were a couple of steps too far, however. 

The latter is a bit of a shame as the hand and capsules motiff is representative of an important foundation premise running throughout the story line important in maintaining that element of plausabilty I am always banging on about. I mean to say: how does one go about getting a recalcitrant modern teen to bend and touch her toes for the cane or flop herself submisively across one's lap for a well-earned does of the strap or slipper? One needs some element of leverage! And it can be done - believe me! And without half the bother entailed in this latest instalement – under the right set of circumstances sheer psychological preasure will surfice; and the latter can be quite gently applied too, and still get results... Been there – done that!  Of which more another time...

Sorry! I digress! Various alternative titles have been ofered (see 'Dante's' suggestion in comments for example) but by far the most popular (according to my email post box) seems to be that which goes with the most popular cover layout - the simple format of nurse and cane posed in front of the girl and birching horse – 'Alice Under Discipline'. 

  

I guess I'll probably go with that title for now – it should crop up well enough in internet searches - and use that cover. The latter, though, I may still have a little play around with, see if I can't incorporate some version of that hand-and-drug-capsules motiff in some manner or other.  

Oh!  Today's pic?  Just something that inspired a short section of the book.