New Book Covers in a Different Key
A New Look for My Stories and Their Literary Identity
Confession: I’ve been stalling.
It wasn’t writer’s block. Not exactly, but even so, I didn’t feel like working on the next book in the ‘Curse of the Fathers’ series. And I couldn’t figure out why.
So I wrote other things. A novella. Short stories. Poetry. Anything but that book.
Because something felt off. And it wasn’t until I finally figured out what, that I was motivated to work on that story again.
But…
Fantasy vs Facts
Just having the will to work on that story didn’t mean I could immediately jump back into the actual writing again. First, I needed to address the larger issue: a genre mismatch.
I’d been categorising my books as fantasy, which at first glance seems exactly right. The stories are set in a secondary world, there’s magic, and we have dragons. That’s fantasy, right?
Wrong!
Well, not entirely wrong, but not entirely right either, and that’s a problem. My covers said: Mainstream Fantasy. Or perhaps even Romantasy or Young Adult Fantasy, none of which are right.
And that is a problem. It confuses potential readers, which is the last thing an author wants.
If Not Fantasy, Then What?
Looking through my reviews, I spotted a pattern—one that confirmed what my intuition had been telling me all this time already, but one I’d ignored because… well-meaning author friends insisted it was fantasy and I should market it as such.
So what did the reviews tell me?
‘Night’s Reign is the elegantly written dark fantasy by Dutch author Daan Katz dealing with themes of trauma, disability, and mental health. (…) Daan Katz’s prose is elegant and eminently readable. The entire novel is well-polished and has a literary feel.’
~ John Mauro, Grimdark Magazine
This is literary fantasy fiction and is a gem in its rarity of style. Most fantasy novels are typically plot-based, meaning the book follows a plotline, a mission is set upon, a goal is set to be achieved, and the novel narrates the journey with less emphasis on character- development. But Night’s Reign is character-based.
I greatly enjoyed Katz’s book. He hits the right notes on several fronts. His prose is clean and straightforward, with a light touch on description that still gives us a good impression of this world and characters.
a great place to start is the title and its connection to Schubert’s classical song by the same name. Just like a piece of music, the theme in the book runs throughout the story with brilliant twists and haunting echoes of the main melody. (…) Katz’s style is easy to read, enjoyable and also shows a dedication to the craft I rarely see. Each sentence flows so smoothly. The ebb and flow of the story is perfect to keep the forward momentum while also allowing for those moments you need just to breathe and enjoy the coffee (or kaw as it’s called in Sor).
~ The Book Dragon’s Hoard by A.V.
The pattern is clear: reviewers consistently note two things:
- my novels’ psychological depth, with a focus on themes of trauma, disability, and mental health
- my elegant, musical prose and profound dedication to the craft of writing
This is what sets my writing apart from mainstream fantasy and gives it a literary feel.
Literary Speculative Fiction
In other words, my writing fits squarely within the Literary Speculative Fiction genre. Not quite fantasy, but also not quite literary fiction in its purest form. It’s the literary equivalent of being caught between a rock and a hard place. And trust me: I’m feeling it.
With literary purists avoiding anything speculative like the plague and commercial fantasy readers looking for plot-based, action-filled stories, many readers won’t give my book more than a cursory glance.
I’m no Brandon Sanderson or Anne McCaffrey, no matter how much I enjoy their books. I’m also no Arthur Golden, Khaled Hosseini, or Charlotte Brontë, to name just a few of my favourites.
The question now was no longer if I should do something with that knowledge, but rather what.
First things first, I updated my social media bios, signatures, and website (the latter is still an ongoing mission). And that was just the beginning. The ‘easy’ part.
I had to rethink my entire marketing approach, my branding, Amazon keywords… It made my head spin. Still does.
The real challenge, however—and the most costly one—was yet to come.
To give my readers both the clarity and the care they deserve I needed two things: new book covers, and completely revised second editions of my existing novels and novella.
Ouch!
New Book Covers, But…
I know, I know!
My current covers are gorgeous. MiblArt did a wonderful job, and I hate having to replace them. But the reader comes first. Always.
Unfortunately, while MiblArt excels at fantasy covers, I felt strongly that I’d be better off choosing a different designer for my genre. So now I not only had to deal with getting new covers, but also finding a new designer. One who really understands the nuanced visual approach Literary Speculative Fiction demands.
I’m happy to say I think I found a good match. I placed the order, and this new company (not revealing any names yet) has just started working on the designs, so we’ll see how things work out.
Meanwhile, I’ll be biting my nails.
New Titles
Yes, you read that right.
Along with the new book covers come some new titles, too. Again, to better fit the literary tone of the writing.
Night’s Reign, a title I’ve never been quite happy with, is the first to go. It will be replaced by a title that is much more in line with the other books in the series, which carry musical titles: Death and the Maiden (coming straight from Schubert’s Lied ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’), and Dies Iræ, the title of an old Latin hymn, and part of the Requiem Mass, set to music by many composers.
The next book to get its title adapted, is Dies Iræ. No big changes there, though. I’m just removing the subtitle ‘Revenge of a Reject’ which never sat well with me, anyway. It was a concession to my mainstream fantasy readers, who might not be as familiar with Classical Music. Literary readers, on the other hand, will have no trouble with just Dies Iræ, and might even feel talked down to (and rightly so) with the subtitle there stating the obvious.
The other change is the series title: Curse of the Fathers. A perfectly fine fantasy title. But again, not quite such a good title for a literary speculative fiction series. This too, will be a title with a subtle musical reference: Seven Worlds Symphony.
Dotting the I’s and Crossing the T’s
Details matter. In literary fiction even more so than in genre fiction, and that means more editing, to ensure my prose is spot-on, and I’m not boring my literary readers with details that only appeal to fantasy readers.
It’s a fine line to walk, and a lot of work, but I feel it will be well worth all the effort I put into it. My readers will be able to enjoy even smoother prose, and even more impactful emotional beats. I intend to give them their money’s worth.
Word for word.
My Promise
I’ll be working as fast as I can without cutting corners to get these new, improved editions published. If all goes according to plan, the new Night’s Reign should hit the market in the first half of 2026, with a new title, new cover, fresh layout, and edited to near-perfection.
Yet…
As we all know, life has a way of happening, and disabled life is no exception to that rule. Plans can, and often do, go astray. But that won’t stop me from giving it my all.
If you love literary speculative fiction and want to stay in the loop, make sure to sign up to my newsletter, and I’ll keep you informed. What’s more, you’ll also be able to sign up for a free electronic ARC. And who doesn’t love free books?
Like this post? Pin it!
